AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
Olivine
In the past two years, Diamond Head Grill has gone through two chefs Guillaume Burlion and Eric Sakai, both of whom did impressive work one would expect of Honolulu's premiere boutique hotel. Now installed is Mariano Lalica, who headed the defunct Meritage at Restaurant Row. He does a contemporary American menu with a French accent foie gras in a balsamic-pear sauce, seafood “martini,” grilled filet mignon in a bourguignonne sauce. The operation doesn't feel pulled together the Hot Wheels track (that's what it looks like) still loops around the expansive room's ceiling, a singer-guitarist blasts '70s covers, designer-theater maven Joey Calderone's abstract paintings shout from one wall, and the plates have loud “French country” designs on them. But you can eat well the pan-seared ahi topped with two big lobes of foie gras is a winning surf-and-turf variation.
W Honolulu, 2885 Kalakaua Ave., second floor. 922-3734, 6:30-10 a.m.; 6-10 p.m. nightly. Bar: 5:30 p.m.-midnight Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Reservations recommended. Valet and self-parking. AX, DC, DS, JCB, MC, VS. No checks. Breakfast: $$. Dinner: $$$$.
Web site: www.w-dhg.com
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VS: Visa MC: Mastercard AX: American Express DC: Diners Club DS: Discover Card JCB: JCB Card |
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$: Budget-friendly; entrées mostly less than $10 $$: 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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