Hawaii Hospitality - September/October 2013 - (Page 16)
NEWRes taurants
Re st au r a n t K o
3196 Waialae Ave., Kaimuki • (808) 888-5975
Salmon and ikura kamameshi
PHOTOS BY STACEY POPE
S
oft light filters into the open-air Restaurant Ko, melting
into a serene setting dressed in clean white. Lanterns, tiny
flower dishes and natural-fiber baskets trace cushions and
tables. The mood is layered with a backdrop of contemporary
jazz. And then, your first dish arrives.
Ko’s minimalist canvas showcases a palette
of handcrafted Japanese dishes, all exquisitely
presented and lushly flavorful. Many are offered
a la carte, such as simmered pumpkin, seafood
kim chee nabe, seasoned octopus with wasabi and
stewed dishes such as lotus-root manju or pork
belly served with sweet shoyu. But if you want to
experience the ultimate Ko has to offer, the way to
go is kaiseki—the set menu.
Ko executive chef
Kaiseki is one of Japan’s most wonderful
Noriaki Nakano
culinary traditions, born from humble
beginnings and elevated to high art. It
is attentive not only to exquisite flavor,
but also texture, appearance and color
of both food and dishware. It frequently
embraces local, seasonal ingredients;
edible garnishes may be leaves and
flowers, or crafted to resemble plants
and animals. Each dish, in short, is a
Clockwise from left: sashimi
with shrimp and scallops; lotus- masterpiece, standing on its own until
root manju; prime-beef steak the next plate is served.
Ko takes kaiseki to the next
level. Executive chef Noriaki
Nakano, freshly transplanted
from Osaka, says, “I wanted to
offer something unique to the
Islands: a modern take on kaiseki
dishes, instead of the traditional
style. It’s new and a little bit
The restaurant’s signature mango tree
different—and so far, we may
be the only Japanese restaurant in Hawaii in
which you can experience this.”
Ko offers two kaiseki: the nine-dish Asahi
Course and the 10-dish Ko Course. Each
includes an appetizer, sashimi or salad,
sushi, vegetable dish, main dish, vinaigrette
dish, kamameshi dish and dessert. The Ko
course also includes a fried dish.
Sit back and take your time with each
dish—the restaurant is open until 2 a.m.
almost every night, enabling you to make the
most of an evening out.
A clean white backdrop for
Restaurant Ko
a colorful array of dishes
Dinner: Mon., Wed. - Sat. 5 p.m. - 2 a.m.;
Sun. 5 p.m. - Midnight; Happy Hour: 10 p.m. – Closing
Free parking behind restaurant
—Stacey Pope
Rinka
1500 Kapiolani Blvd. • (808) 941-5159 • rinka-dining.com
PHOTOS COURTESY YASUKUNI KAWAMURA
T
he entrance to Rinka is tucked away on Makaloa Street—a
simple door, no windows, one sign. Step in, and bustling
Honolulu fades against a serenely stark Japanese interior with
a Zen rock garden entryway, streamlined sushi bar and two
golden-wood dining rooms. It may be hidden, but this new
restaurant is no secret to local Japanese nationals, who’ve been
enjoying an authentic taste of home since Rinka opened.
Owner and executive chef Kazufumi Sonoda
oversees the restaurant’s traditional Japanese
menu with the finesse of a master. Recently
arrived from Osaka, Sonoda brings more than
22 years of experience as a chef, along with a
culinary philosophy that, as he says, includes
“putting everything—his heart and soul—into
Awabe daikon
(abalone daikon) every dish he creates, and taking the time to craft
each to perfection.” He frequently incorporates
locally farmed ingredients into dishes, and most
of the restaurant’s fish is flown in directly from
Tokyo’s world-famous Tsujiki Market.
The result is elegant presentations bursting
with both flavor and spirit, from dishes such as
deep fried chikuwa tempura and grated yam in
Tuna zuke donburi
seaweed to grilled anago, steamed clams, crab
tomato salad, golden-eye red snapper shabu shabu, herring ro
16
Hawaii Hospitality
■
September/October 2013
sushi, seafood gratin and abalone
croquette. Sonoda suggests
customers try at least one of
Rinka’s streamlined interior dining room
Rinka’s broiled dishes, which are
not only succulent, but require extra
effort to prepare.
Rinka’s two prix fixe menus feature
eight or more dishes ranging from
appetizers and sashimi to simmered
plates, salads, steamed fish, fried plates,
Set-menu sushi plate
hot pots and dessert. No advance
reservations are necessary for course menus—simply settle at
your table and decide how you’d like to dine.
Rinka’s well-priced list of equally impressive beverages and
sake could justify a visit purely on the basis of bar lounging.
Return to Japan with a visit to Rinka, well worth finding
in Honolulu.
Rinka
Dinner: Tues. - Sun., 5:30 p.m.
- Midnight
Validated parking on
Kapiolani Blvd.
—Stacey Pope
Deluxe sushi combination dish
http://www.rinka-dining.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality - September/October 2013
Garden Isle's Ohana
Social Media
Visitor Sector Renovations
Featured Department: Housekeeping
New Restaurants
HLHF Expo Recap
Clean Talk with Rose
Talk Story with George Szigeti
Association News/News Brief
MarketPlace
Hawaii Hospitality - September/October 2013
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