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Best Fine Dining
Notable: It’s the view: Waikiki, Diamond Head, the Ko‘olaus, the busy city below. If you’re entertaining a small party, ask for the private room where you dine surrounded by part of the restaurant’s wine collection. We recommend a quiet early dinner drinking in the sunset, then dancing when the band comes on. One of the few places that offers late supper — until 1 or 2 a.m. Menu: Surf-and-turf standards that never get old, including Opakapaka Gabriella and Beef Filet à la Lexi, Baked Oysters à la Francis. FYI: Top floor, Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive; 955-4466. Dinner 5:30-10:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; late-night menu until 1 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays and until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. Checks accepted. $$$.
3660 on the Rise
Notable: Russell Siu understands local tastes, Gale Ogawa understands service and the tiny bar here knows its business (winner of a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence). Smaller portions of some dishes, vegetarian options, sampler appetizer plates and multicourse chef’s dinners add appeal. Named one of the Zagat Guide’s Top Five Restaurants in Hawai‘i.
Menu: Sophisticated locals choose 3660 because the flavors and techniques are familiar but taken to the next, next, next level. This is not your popo’s steamed opakapaka or your oba-chan’s katsu. Siu’s ‘Ahi Katsu and his Steak Alaea are beloved signature dishes, but try the Wai‘anae Escargot, the Furikake Popcorn Shrimp Salad, the Tempura Catfish. FYI: 3660 Wai‘alae Ave.; 737-1177. Dinner 5:30-9 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays-Thursdays, closed Mondays. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks. $$$.
Roy's Restaurant Notable: Among Hawai‘i’s best-known fine-dining restaurants, winner of numerous awards and perennially a leader in approaches and techniques. This is the flagship of a 30-plus restaurant chain (six in Hawai‘i) masterminded by Roy Yamaguchi, whose genius is as much in his understanding of restaurant design and management as it is in his constantly evolving East-West cooking style. The executive chef here is Ronnie Nasuli, who has worked under all three of the top trio (Yamaguchi, corporate chef/partner Gordon Hopkins and corporate chef-Hawai‘i Jacqueline Lau). Menu: It’s all about choice: “ ‘Ohana appetizers” (large plates to share) including Hawaii-Style Crisp Crab Cakes or Steamed and Crisped Beef Kal-Bi Ribs; imu oven pizza, Roy’s Meatloaf, Misoyaki Pork Pot Roast or the Original Blackened Island ‘Ahi; and a solid page of nightly specials, including “mixed plates” offering a duet of different entrees. FYI: 6600 Kalaniana‘ole Highway; 396-7697. Dinner 5:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays, 5-10 p.m. Saturdays, 5-9:30 p.m. Sundays. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. Checks accepted. $$$.
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