Aku Eats Oahu : a closer look : Star of Honolulu, a closer look

Star of Honolulu, a closer look

Hey all!

6/9/08 - Last night wifey and I had the pleasure of dining aboard the Star of Honolulu, which happens to be the premier sunset dining cruise in the entire state. Try swinging by Aloha Tower at about 7:45pm-8pm when the 232-foot, 1,500-capacity ship, custom-made for Hawaiian waters, begins unloading. Actually, don't try it. Unless you like to people watch, that is. The entire area around the dock becomes a beehive of activity, with rows of buses, limo's, giant white vans, taxi's, and of course, Aloha Shirt-clad tourists whizzing all over the place.

The ship has four decks of space with four levels of service, beginning with the lower deck that can be booked for about $70 per person and features three-course mahimahi dinners. We both tried the level just above that, which runs at just over $80 and features steak and crab. The lower decks are fine except for the fact that they kinda cram you in there, and if you have a party of two you may be seated on a table of four or more with complete strangers.

You'd figure on a boat cruise the views would be entertainment in itself, but every level on the ship comes with live performances. Except for jazz on the uppermost level, they feature mostly Polynesian singers and dancers like the group below, doing their thing in a pre-cruise mini-show right on the dock.

Pre-cruise entertainment with Paka Smith and a cast of Polynesian dancers.

After boarding, wifey and I wouldn't be seeing anymore of the tourist-oriented entertainment, as we took the elevators to the very top deck in style. Despite my 501 jeans and Vans sneakers, we booked the premium 5-star, seven-course dinner cruise, which is more than double the cost of the lower decks!

The first place we were ushered to was the observation deck 60 feet above the ocean, where a non-alcoholic champagne was served along with some pupu's. Uuuh, forgive me - "horse' douvres," that is. You can't say pupu's with individual Spring canape's of crab with tobiko endive and strawberry and brie on toast. I grabbed each one with only a thumb and pointer and extended my other three fingers high up in the air, just like how I sip my English tea at high noon. Kinda felt nice. Every so often I gotta try acting like a big shot and going high maka-maka to boost my inner sense of importance and self-worth. Wifey tells me honestly, though, I can't fool anyone no matter how hard I try - least of all, myself. Especially with the jeans and Vans sneakers.

After a brief talk with one of the Captains on board, the very gentleman-ly Captain Bill, we were led down a floor to the stylish Super Nova room to continue our 7-course meal. The first dish to arrive at our table was an English pea soup with a Parmesan puff pastry twist. It wasn't quite as creamy-silky as I'd normally see this dish and it was served hot when I prefer cold, but an elegant dish, nonetheless.

Directly following was a fresh batch of baby greens in a phyllo basket with a dressing of raspberry basil vinaigrette. There was a soft cheese on the bottom holding the phyllo cup in place, and this cheese was delicious as a dip for some of my "cup" pieces, especially when soaked in the slightly sweet vinaigrette. Not sure what kind of sprouts those were sticking out, but they were really mild and not bitter at all, as some of the larger sprouts are. The chilled forks were also nice, coming sheathed in a neatly folded linen napkin and oh, so properly presented by our kind servers.

That's one pretty salad.

The course I was looking for came next - a poached half of a Maine lobster tail with tri-colored Orzo (pasta resembling large grains of rice), mashed potatoes that looked like a confectioner's frosting, and a buerre blanc sauce, which is made from a base of reduced wine and butter - no cream, for all you Anthony Bourdain fans.

I actually didn't have too many expectations for this dish, as lobster is so often tough and stringy at even some of the finer restaurants, let alone one working with the disadvantages of a moving platform out at sea. Though it was as pretty as could be, it would have been a bunch on the small side even if it were served whole. No matter, though, because this lobster was excellent! Local-boy that I am, I once thought steamed, grilled, baked, or even boiled was the best way to experience lobster, but it sure seemed that poaching put a lot more flavor into that tail than any of those methods, which makes a whole lot of sense because the liquid that the lobster is left simmering in can be highly flavored, as it appears this tail was. I'll never equate poaching with just eggs benedict anymore!

Alas, it was time for an intermezzo. Sorry, but there are no suitable terms in the Peppo's Pidgin to da Max dictionary. Just consider it an extra dessert before the real dessert. This one came with a rose, orange, and honeydew sorbet that definitely smelled of some kind of liquer. Very nice.

Refreshing little break.

After our frosty treat we headed out to the deck for some unobstructed views of the sunset and a little wind in the hair. I tell you, one day I'm gonna get a little pad in Waikiki so I can check out the green flash every single night! It's always so amazing, these Hawaiian sunsets, and every day looks different, with a distinctly new and unique personality every time it sets.

Lucky you live Hawaii!

Moving on over to the other side of the boat, I took a few more snaps of Waikiki and Diamond Head, which were also gorgeous and actively living up to their famous names once again!

Rushing back in, messy hair and all, we sat back down to find our last savory dish for the evening, a prime tenderloin of beef. Yes, this is the most expensive cut on the cow (it better be!), and is sometimes known as filet mignon. The prime grade is no small matter, as only the better restaurants normally carry this grade, as opposed to the choice or select grades found at most supermarkets. This cut wasn't served like a steak normally is, meaning it wasn't cut into the individual portions you see below and then put to the flame. Instead it was prepared as a whole "log" and then cut individually only after cooking, kinda like a chateaubriand or in the case of a spencer steak, prime rib. I prefer Spencer over prime rib just because the "log" is so large that some of the seasoning outside doesn't quite reach all the way into the center, but in the case of tenderloin, it is much smaller so the flavor seeps in a lot better. Whatever the case, the dish sure did work!

It also came encircled with a medley of Tourne potatoes, fava beans, and sunburst (summer) squash pieces, and arranged on a bed of Marchands de Vin and truffle coulis. The base of this sauce comes from a reduction of meat juices, which gives it a hearty, rich flavor that I let soak up into every little mouthful - fabulous, it was! And the steak itself was as soft and fork-tender as could be, although wifey's cut seemed to come from a much softer portion of the cut.

Yes, that tell-tale goblet in the background does spell VSOP - Remy Martin cognac, that is. No XO today, though, as it was not included on the complementary drink list. Guess I ain't such a big shot, huh? No worries. I surely didn't want to pay any more after the night's hefty tab, and paying for a pour of XO anywhere is no laughing matter. Just in case you were wondering, and I know you were, VSOP means very special old pale, and basically stands for a cognac that has been aged for at least four years. There is also a VS, or very special classification, which has been aged for a minimum of two years, while the top-shelf XO cognac, or extra old, brings with it an aging period of at least 10 years - sometimes much longer. As in 25-50 years longer or more! Me, in my 501 jeans, can only aspire to experience such an extravagance. Maybe one day I'll meet and coax the reclusive billionare who has a bottle or two locked up in his maximum security cellar somewhere.

The final dish on the menu was a sweet dessert cup of angel-food cake, whipped cream, and fruits. And don't you just love it when they draw those colorful sauces in all kinds of pretty patterns? But that's just me... Anyhow, not the greatest dessert I've had, but then again it sure was pretty, and besides, in my book there's not too many things that can top a supermarket variety vanilla/hot fudge sundae with macadamia nut sprinkles. Oops, there goes all you Bourdain-types. It's ok. Guess I'll have to stick with the Rachel Ray's. Oh, c'mon - let's all stop labeling eachother already! Enjoy the food, is all!

In closing, I'll leave you with our final guilty pleasure of the evening - the always lovely glasses of port wine, one a Sandeman and the other a Fonseca. Port is a sweet, concentrated wine that is often referred to as a dessert wine because it is most often enjoyed at the end of a meal as a sweet conclusion to a usually savory dinner. It's not often that I have an alcoholic beverage outside of beer or sake, but two sips I definitely relish at a fine dinner arrangement or special occasion are port wines and the previously mentioned cognac.

You gotta enjoy the finer things in life once in a while.

And no, no, I'm not into cigars, which many say are the perfect complement to either of these drinks. You'll have to ask Big Al. He's into all of that gourmet stuff - wine, cigars, aged cheese, you name it.

Oh, and did I forget to mention the great jazz on board the top deck? I didn't get a pic but it was very nice, first with some elegant piano playing and then with the addition of a saxophone player and vocalist. I just love female lounge-type singers - they have that classy jazz feel, the smooth, sultry voices, and always sing with such character and personality. I guess they have to, as these artists normally sing with a minimum ensemble so their voices carry a commanding tone that always knows how to draw you in.

It was a great evening for sure. There is an elegance in both the dishes and the service, but I would say it's not quite as distinguished as equally-priced or even lesser-priced meals on shore. However, the unique experience of having your meal out on the water with gorgeous sunset views of metropolitan Honolulu and beyond are the big draws here, especially for lovebirds, and wifey and I are on the third year of our honeymoon!

If you are prone to seasickness, make sure to get pills to counter the effects, because I saw more than one person under the influence, and it's not a pretty thing. They say you should stare at a fixed point on the horizon, but that never did help me. What did help was always having something in your stomach at all times, though, preferably something base like soda crackers and 7up.

Hope you all enjoyed our little tour of the Star of Honolulu 5-star dinner cruise. Time for me to disembark now. Take care.

Aloha!

Aku

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Comments:

Kyle H (8/8/10) was just reading your review about the Star of Honolulu, and noticed you were talking about Remy Martin. I'm not sure of La Mer at Halekulani still participates, but for quite a while they were doing an annual benefit dinner called Remy Martin Louis XIII "Ultimate Dinner," which included a taste of Remy Martin Louis XIII for around $200 per person. I've never been to La Mer at all, but considering their normal prices, that isn't bad! Especially with such an exclusive cognac as part of the dinner.

Aku (8/9/10) Whew!!! $200???!!!! Kumi and I have been to La Mer once before, and it was excellent. Cost, if I remember correctly, was about $95 for a 4-5 course meal, not including drinks. I've never had a King Louis cognac before, but for all the lore surrounding it, I don't think I'll ever try it. The reason is, since the difference in price between a typical XO and a King Louis is double or triple, and the quality of an XO in the first place is so high in the first place, I've heard the difference in taste is not quite merited. However, this is only what I've heard. I think the single pours of cognac were all, like $12-$30 or so, but the King Louis was about $75? I dunno, it was something like that. Are you into cognacs?

I can only imagine, however, what a dinner would be like when a place like La Mer calls it their "ultimate dinner!" Must be extravagant and once in a lifetime! Hey, tell me how it is, will ya?

Kyle H (8/9/10) Ah, yeah. I'm not much of a drinker, so I have no idea about these things. Everyone seems to make such a big fuss about the event. I have read, though, from a few sources that the alcohol content in the King Louis is so strong that the cognac is difficult to drink, so some prefer to just enjoy the aroma. Me, I'm more of a wine person, though I'm still developing my taste and knowledge in that area, and still can't handle reds unless its in a sauce!! I doubt I'll make it to La Mer anytime soon though... I do plan to attempt to make it to John Dominis at least once more before they close though! They may not be the best, but they are good and has been such an important part of our local dining scene. Must wait till right before they close, though, when the deep 7 fish are once again legal to catch!

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