Curry has long been an Island tradition, and now The Kahala Hotel & Resort has reinstated one of its traditions: their beloved curry lunch. Served in a stacked tower of tiffin boxes tied with a silk sari-style ribbon, the fixed menu consists of two curries, lemon rice and a dessert. Also included are roti bread, crisp papadums, and condiments of mango chutney, mint cucumber raita and pickled vegetables. Dessert is lamington cakes with fresh fruits in pineapple vanilla mint compote.

The Curry Sensation lunch is served Wednesdays only at $22 per person. Reservations (a must): 739-8760.

MORE CURRY

MONKS, CHEFS PREP FOR PARTY

And — there seems to be a theme here — over at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, curry is on the menu, too, for the next ARTafterDARK event, Dragon Thunder, 6 p.m. Friday. ARTafterDARK'S new food-and-drink partner is E&O Trading Co. and — since Honolulu seems to be about all things Bhutan right now with the current exhibit of rare Buddhist art from that country — the academy recruited visiting Bhutanese monks to tutor E&O chefs in two curry dishes to be served at the party. Among these is a chili-packed cheese curry.

The monks had so much fun they said they might help out on party night!