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Fusion Italian
These are a few restaurants that feature Italian foods with different ethnic bents of Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean influences.
Ciao Mein. 2424 Kalakaua ave. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Waikiki. 923-2426. Dinner nightly. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$. Map. Ciao Mein is an upscale mix of Italian and Chinese dishes, set in an elegant, modern, oriental-designed atmosphere. There are Italian specialties like minestrone soups, mix-and-match pasta’s, and Saltimbocca Di Vitello, as well as Chinese favorites like cake noodle dishes, black bean lobster, whole steamed fish, and Mongolian beef. A few dishes even combine the two countries, like the seafood funn lasagna and hot bean salmon Alla Siciliana.
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Japanese/Italian fusion is alive and well at Pietro's, with dishes like this bacon/mushroom pasta and more. |
Angelo Pietro. 1585 Kapiolani Blvd. at the Ala Moana Pacific Center near ala Moana S.C. 941-0555. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in building, with entrance behind restaurant on Kona st. Prices: $$. Map. This fusion of Japanese and Italian works really well, as evidenced by the crowds that always pack the place. Pasta’s full of bacon, shrimp, asparagus, mushrooms, and other items are drenched in sauces of red, white, garlic, pesto, and olive oils to produce a light, comfort-food type of Italian you will enjoy. The raw potato salad sounds unnerving, but the crisp, tangy slivers go well with their very famous Pietro dressings, my favorite being the shoyu-flavored variety. It has a touch of citrus and sweetness that cut down on the boldness of the shoyu, and pimentos add a nice rounding touch to dress up any salad.
Kit ‘n Kitchen. 1010 University Ave. in McCully/Moiliili. 942-7622. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside store. Prices: $$. Map. This restaurant can be describes as fusion Italian with a Vietnamese/Southeast Asian touch. Though the menu is large and varied, there are not a lot of choices when it comes to pasta and starch, as most dishes are limited to either jasmine rice or spaghetti noodles, along with bread. Meat selections have a substantial amount of innovative flavors, combining odd pairings that sometimes work and sometimes don’t, such as American BBQ sauce with marinara and black beans with cream sauce. There are also make-your-own, individual-sized pizzas that are quite popular. The garlic pillow, which is a garlic and butter-laced, partial loaf of white bread standing on end, is cut into squared logs for a nice presentation and a pillowy-soft texture. You can fight for who gets the cloud-like insides and who gets the crusty outsides.
Café Olive. 71 S. Kamehameha Hwy. in Wahiawa. 621-7997. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside store. Prices: $$. Map. This is one of the few spots in the sleepy town of Wahiawa where you can dress up, sort of, and enjoy lunch or dinner. Ok, if Café Olive were in town it would be just another casual restaurant, but considering your choices out there you may as well consider it fine dining! They offer standard Italian fare as well as Korean specialties like kal-bi and kim-chee fried rice. Service is warm and attentive, with the lovely owner, Lisa Choi, often coming out to serve and greet guests.
