 |
 |
Pavilion Cafe, a closer look
Aloha!
3/23/09 - Sixth, seventh grade, maybe? Something like that. It was then that my neighborhood friend and I, Trace, spent a whole summer jumping on the bus and making the trek all the way down to the Honolulu Academy of Arts to learn how to draw and paint. A fun time, it was. I don't remember too much about what I learned in class, but I do remember the bruised arms we both had from playing punch-fight all day, every day, starting with six-inches, then graduating into full-blown swings! Heck, in sixth grade, what kind of damage can you do, anyway? More fun was seeing his legs sticking straight up in the air after pushing him in the bushes! The free whopper's I used to get from Burger King down the street, through one of the checker-girls there, were also memorable (Trace always had to pay!), but the cost of a successful ambush of my friend in the bushes? Aaah, priceless!
And so till this day, every time I visit Pavilion Cafe, nestled deep inside the same Honolulu Academy of Arts Building, I can't help but think back with fond memories.
I always wondered about parking there (now that I don't catch the bus anymore!), but like most places, especially in Downtown and Waikiki, all it takes is a little call, and you're little situation is no more. Right past the McDonald's on one-way Beretania St., on the same, left-side, is a decent-sized lot where you'll find more than enough parking, all at a $3 charge. Just remember to find the little booth where the attendant can sometimes be found catching some zzz's, as it was on this particularly lovely day, when he embarassingly awoke from a blissful, paid slumber, accepted our $3, and gave us a ticket to display on our dashboard. Not too bad for four hours - plenty of time to get some lunch and also peruse the facility if you want. Entrance is free, by the way, if you're going to the restaurant.
I was hoping for some shots of the museum, but unfortunately, we were a bit pressed on time, as I had to get both mom and wifey to the dentist that day, and we made it there just in the nick of time. The only shot I got outside the cafe was this water structure that runs right alongside the entire length of the dining room, a soothing sight and sound for anyone enjoying a meal here.
The Pavilion Cafe is actually a bit longer, even, than this water structure. Though it seats 120 on roomy, well-spaced, comfortable teak chairs and tables, don't be surprised seeing a packed house, as it was the first time I came a little less than a year ago, when we would've been turned away had it not been for my shameless pleading with the hostess for a seat! We did eventually get in, but only after a 15 minute wait. This time, however, we got there just at opening-time at 11am and found all the seating we wanted. Actually, I would think that that's a fact more indicative of the bad economy than our early arrival, as there were still open tables available by the time we left.
The menu here is a delightful one, with light, healthy fare of a Mediterranean, American, and sometimes Asian nature. Actually, it kinda reminds me of the modern, contemporary, very eco-correct and earth-conscious style of Chef Ed Kenney's Town and Downtown restaurants, which I've placed in the Hawaii Regional Cuisine section, except for the fact that the menu is almost exclusively made of salads and sandwiches, thus its placement here in the Sandwich/Deli section.
You'll find attractive presentations of dishes like nicoise salad with seared, coriander-crusted ahi and roasted shallot vinaigrette; mahi mahi and soba noodle salad with cucumber mint relish and shoyu lime vinaigrette; and white bean salad on arugula and wilted radiccio with shiitake mushrooms, balamic vinaigrette, and Reggiano cheese. On the more hearty side, besides a featured pasta of the day, there are sandwiches of feta, tapenade, and Hauula tomato on house-made focaccia; filet mignon or chopped salmon steak on house-made rolls; and roast turkey breast with Emmenthaler Swiss cheese and house chutney on whole wheat bread.
Mom scoured the menu and finally went with a ham sandwich, which was no ordinary version, lemme tell ya.
The ham itself may look ordinary, but these were probably the most tender slices I've ever had in my life, and came with a slightly sweet, slightly grilled flavor that was, like just about everything here, very unique and endemic to the thoughtful quality and care this Cafe puts in its dishes. It seems nothing is just plain and ordinary here, from the house-made wheat roll to the dollop of fresh guacamole and arugula greens. Mom enjoyed every bite! Except for the salad, that is, as her first bite contained a sprig of Chinese parsley that she avoids like the plague, and scared her away from ever touching it again! Lucky me, though, as I swooped down like a ravenous vulture on this gorgeous side-salad, which came with fancy greens, roasted walnuts, fine slices of cheese, and a light, creamy vinaigrette.
Almost immediately after opening the menu, wifeys' eye's fixated upon a Portobello mushroom sandwich, which I probably would've ordered myself had she not already staked her claim.
This sandwich came with green leaf lettuce, generous slices of tomato, roasted red peppers, grilled onions, and melted Fontina cheese. Done extemely well, this giant mushroom was juicy and delicious, though flavored a bit on the light side as compared to other Portobello sandwiches I've had elsewhere.
The side of tomato/vegetable soup was fine, but perhaps the most ordinary offering of the entire meal. Not that it was bad, as it's always great to have a hot bowl of soup on the side with any sandwich or burger - it just didn't quite stand out as much as everything else, is all.
Here's a profile shot going back to the mushroom sandwich, standing tall and proud:
Like mom's salad, I sampled at least a quarter of wifey's sandwich myself. Unlike mom, however, wifey also had at least a quarter of my sandwich, as well. I don't blame her, though, as I'd want some just the same if our kind waitress laid a plate like this in front of her:
This beauty is called a piadina, and consists of a house-made Italian flatbread with arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pesto, fresh mozzarella, and thin-sliced prosciutto ham - absolutely delicious! It was actually both wifey and I's favorite dish of the day. The slices of prosciutto may be thin, but boy, do they pack a sweet, smokey flavor, and stand up perfectly to the rest of the sandwich.
I was going to eat it like you see above, folded in half, but this thing was just too darn big, so I instead rolled it even smaller into a kind of burrito, which worked out really well. The combination of prosciuto, fresh veggies, cheese, and that fresh pesto dressing was unbeatable for a light, healthy meal, and I highly recommend this dish to anyone coming here. Maybe that's why it's at the top of the menu?
Here's a different angle of the inside ingredients, looking very much fabulous:
The Pavilion Cafe is definitely a great spot for lunch, especially for the artsy crowd or local bruddah's like myself trying to impress a girl with a cultured meal experience. No, it's actually a cool place, with art from all over the world and lots of nooks and crannies filled with modern and historical pieces to explore and learn about. Haven't been to any of the monthly Art After Dark events, which highlight certain themed exhibits and also include food, drink, and live performances, as well. Check out schedules and other info at the Honolulu Academy of Arts website - www.honoluluacademy.org.
Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend! Spring break!!! Not that it matters to us old folks, anymore! Actually, it just means everywhere is more crowded now - aaargh! Except for rush-hour traffic, that is. See, there's a bright side to everything!
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
Post a Comment or just say hello! Don't worry about leaving REAL names if you don't want to! Changing to Code names are fine, but just stay consistent with your code names, allright? Heck, you can even punch-in a fake email if you wanna stay completely anonymous (no e-mails will be posted without consent, either way)! Hope to hear from you all!
