Alan Wong's Tomato, Beet and Avocado Salad with li hing-ume vinaigrette and shiso buds: exquisite to the eye and palate.
	REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser

The challenge, says Alan Wong, is to "keep it interesting, keep it fresh" in the face of the highest accolades: the James Beard Award, fawning reviews from all the key critics, and now 11 Best Restaurant 'Ilima Awards in a row. Wong succeeds because he empowers staff — executive chef Lance Kosaka, pastry chef Mark Okumura, Pineapple Room chef de cuisine Neil Nakasone and others — and pools creative juices. Next Generation dinners showcase his younger chefs. He reaches deep into the world of food producers to find or develop newer, better, fresher ingredients, and he showcases his suppliers, too, on the menu, his Web site and in special events. While now-classics like Soup and Sandwich, Da Bag, Poke-Pines and Ginger-Crusted Onaga persevere, there's always something new to experience: recently, fork-tender oil-poached lamb rib-eye with three sauces, a piquant goat cheese tart, a perfect beet and tomato salad with shiso buds and li hing mui-ume vinaigrette. As The Advertiser said in a recent review: There are no new superlatives. Just "best."

1857 S. King St., third floor. 949-2526. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. daily. Valet parking. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. No checks. $$$$.

Web site: www.alanwongs.com

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