French
There are very few French restaurants here on the island. With the exception of Brasserie Du Vin, which is relatively economical (but still very stylish), they are all pretty much upscale establishments. This section includes the only restaurant we know of on the island, La Mer, that requires either a jacket or a long sleeved, collared shirt. Being that we are in Hawaii, you will find some Pacific Rim touches here, particularly from the Asian side, but the focus is predominantly French.
Da Big Boy’z: All are recommended. La Mer and Michel’s are among the most upscale restaurants on the island, while Brasserie Du Vin, is, by far, the friendliest on the wallet. Café Miro is an excellent French restaurant with a bit of a Japanese twist, and just may be the pleasant surprise of the bunch.
La Mer. 2199 Kalia Rd. at the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki. 923-2311. Dinner nightly. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$$. Map. La Mer is probably the finest of fine-dining restaurants on the island. Jackets or long-sleeved shirts are required here, but they will provide one if you get caught unawares. Chef Mavrothalassitis, of Mavro’s, was the brilliance that brought this French restaurant to national acclaim, and new chef Yves Garnier has been a worthy successor. The second floor dining room is elegantly adorned, while Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach provide a romantic backdrop to your evenings. The best of local fish varieties are prepared in saffron, truffles, and other exotic herbs and oils, Wagyu beef from Kagoshima is drenched in bordelaise sauce, and medallions of milk-fed veal are placed on a confit of beans and tomato, then covered with Roquefort sauce. You can choose various items from two to four-course menus, or get the nine-course degustation meal for $150 each. Prepare to be wow’d!
Michel’s. 2895 Kalakaua Ave. at the Colony Surf Hotel in Waikiki. 923-6552. Dinner nightly, Sunday brunch from 10am-1pm. Parking at hotel or on street. Prices: $$$$. Map. Michel’s is simply a wonderful experience. Old-world classy is the theme at this award-winning restaurant, from its open air lanai overlooking beautiful Waikiki beach and stunning Hawaiian sunsets to the interior, which is full of rich mahogany-colored wood, glass, wine-cellar walls, and decorative lighting. Live music is also featured nightly. Choose from Osetra caviar, crispy-fried frog legs, steak Diane, and other high-minded items. For special occasions or for splurging, this is a great choice every time.
| An excellent lamb with shiitake mushroom and mint sauce at Cafe Miro in Kaimuki. |
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Café Miro. A Closer Look. 3446 Waialae Ave. in Kaimuki. 734-2737. Dinner nightly except closed Sunday and Monday. Parking behind restaurant at the Hawaii National Bank lot after bank closes or on street. Prices: $$$$. Map. Café Miro is a little hole-in-the-wall that most locals don’t even know about. Chef Shigeru Kobayashi serves up French cuisine with a slightly Japanese flair, and has attracted a growing number of Japanese and local customers who love the sophistication of French dining. The dishes are simply outstanding, with offerings like chicken liver pate, foie grois with truffle sauce, a rib steak with red wine sauce and anchovy butter, roasted breast of chicken with Morel cream sauce, and many more exotic items. The menu is strictly on a fixed-course arrangement so chef can concentrate on timing and quality, and prices are much more reasonable than you may think - the largest set, which is listed at four courses, actually includes five separate small dishes in the opening course and two or three different desserts in the last. $49 for this kind of quality and variety? Can't go wrong!
Le Guignol. 1010 S. King St. next to the Blaisdell Center concert Hall. 591-1809. Dinner nightly except closed on Monday. Prices: $$$$. Map. There have been some ownership changes here, but this little restaurant continues to be a good place to experience French cuisine in a casual atmosphere. They offer such items as baked escargot w/garlic and parsley butter, a pan roasted quail salad, smoked salmon Napolean, a cumin-crusted roast leg of lamb with curry demi-glaze, and opakapaka in buerre noisette.
| Though the menu has shifted dramatically towards Vietnamese dishes, the same French quality and atmosphere remain intact at Duc's Bistro. |
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Duc’s Bistro. A Closer Look. 1188 Maunakea st. 531-6325. Lunch and dinner daily except closed on Sunday. Parking in lot across street. Prices: $$$$. Map. Duc’s Bistro is a surprise smack in the middle of run-down looking buildings in Downtown Honolulu, but still just a short walk away from the trendy, artsy sections of Downtown. The menu was once dominant in French-style dishes w/only a touch of Vietnamese, but now the situation has reversed. With only a handful of French-style dishes these days, such as Duck Grand Marnier, escargot chablisienne, and tomato lobster bisque, the bulk of the menu serves such Vietnamese specialties as tofu w/lemongrass, braised Vietnamese basa (type of catfish), and lamb tenderloin w/la lot herb. Duc himself always seems to be there, and is very polite and helpful in a butler-ish type of way. There are a variety of different live bands playing nightly, mostly on the jazzy side, but can also include anyone from a single artist behind the grand piano to ukulele-playing Hawaiian musicians complete with hula dancers.
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Affordable French - Roast chicken with Kalamata olives at Brasserie Du Vin. |
Brasserie Du Vin. A Closer Look. 1115 Bethel St. in Downtown Honolulu. 545-1115. Lunch and dinner daily except no dinner on Sunday, late-night till 11pm Monday-Wednesday, late-night till 12am Thursday- Saturday, Sunday Seafood brunch from 11am-4pm. Parking in municipal parking in area or on street. Prices: $$. Map. Brasserie Du Vin is a clean, comfortable, laid-back bistro in downtown Honolulu that is probably the cheapest place on the island for going French. The menu is on the small side but the food is excellent, with many small dishes of cheese, brie baked in a flaky puff pastry, escargot, and fresh seafood like Kona Kampachi and oysters rockafeller. For dessert, the crème brulee is also wonderful, while the chocolate soufflé is as rich and decadent as they come, with a warm, gooey inside and powdered sugar sprinkled all over the plate. The inner courtyard is a romantic little hide-away straight out of a sidewalk café in France, with soft, pastel-colored panels, a floor and short walls of red brick, cute little umbrellas, and striped shade overhangs
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