2007 'ILIMA AWARD WINNER - BEST CASUAL RESTAURANTS CRITICS' CHOICE
Town
What?! you say, how can Ed Kenney and David Caldiero have two winners in one category? Well, they got it right twice, beginning with Town, their first venture. We need to rethink the term “casual.” While Town isn't a fast-food joint, and big plates can go for $22 (but you can also eat well for $15), it's as laid-back as dining gets. Perch at the bar for an I-need-good-food-after-a-hard-day's-work solo supper, or grab a table and join the animated banter amid the I've-seen-this-in-Brooklyn DIY design chic. Chef-owners Kenney and Caldiero make good, straightforward food with fresh ingredients (a lot of the produce is from MAO Farm in Waianae). While the menu changes daily, the contemporary dishes with a Mediterranean inflection might include a must-order duck breast in a jus reduction with earthy farro salad dotted with carrots and fennel, mushroom risotto, and clams in a citrusy Cinzano-spiked broth (a signature). The house-made pasta is arguably the best in town. People like star street artist Shepard Fairey and “Lost” actor Naveen Andrews have made the space their canteen while in town. And if that's not enough, the place is also a popular neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot.
3435 Waialae Ave. 735-5900. 6:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Reservations recommended. Valet and self-parking. AX, DC, MC, VS. No checks. $$$.
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VS: Visa MC: Mastercard AX: American Express DC: Diners Club DS: Discover Card JCB: JCB Card |
$: Budget-friendly; entrées mostly less than $10 $$: Moderate; entrées $10-$16 $$$: Pricey; entrées mostly more than $17 $$$$: Very Pricey; entrées mostly more than $30 Checks: Local checks and travelers’ checks only |
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