A TOUCH OF FRANCE IN HAWAII
Number two son Spencer finally got his PhD (in medieval Japanese literature) and we went to Honolulu for the ceremony. Years ago, Spencer studied to be a chef in Paris, and then worked briefly for Wolfgang Puck at Chinois, so he knows something about good food and wine. Thus we suggested that he pick the place for a celebration dinner. To my surprise he bypassed the two most famous restaurants in Honolulu, Allen Wong's and Roy Yamaguchi's, and selected "Chef Mavro" a restaurant I didn't know. On the way there, Spencer explained how Hawaii is now a gourmet haven. While always famous for its exotic fruits, farmers now raise exotic vegetables and lots of organic products as well. Specially bred and raised cattle are farmed in the interior valleys, where there is tall grass on which they graze. And shrimp, prawn and lobster ponds produce the freshest seafood possible, delivered each day to restaurants. As we approached the restaurant Spencer pointed out that it had once housed the office of his dentist, and it did look like more like a small professional building than a restaurant. We entered into a small, very pleasant interior with muted brown tones, consisting of two rooms, one a few steps above the other, seating perhaps 50 or 60 people. Although it was a weeknight, all the tables were taken except the one we had reserved. The dress was Hawaiian casual, and some of the men had on short pants. My first surprise was the menu. It was reminiscent of Lucas Carton in Paris. And when I asked for a wine list, the sommelier arrived and explained that they don't offer a wine list: they only serve wine by the glass. I don't ever recall being in a restaurant that served wine by the glass, but not by the bottle. Recommended wine pairings are on the menu, but he suggested that all of the wines on the menu are available with any of the dishes. A very friendly waitress then appeared and said that while the menu had suggested dishes and wine pairings, any of the dishes on the menu could be ordered in any order we desired. This was a French menu, with French wines, but this was certainly not France! Everyone was so friendly and gracious! The seats were comfortable! The prices were reasonable! The attitude was open and customer oriented! Then the Chef came out to say hello. Unable to believe that he was truly French, I spoke to him in French, and he replied in French---he IS French! In fact, he was raised in Marseilles, and spoke proudly of his original restaurant near Cassis, called the Presque'Ile (the Peninsula) which, he explained, his ex-wife acquired in their divorce, and she still runs it following the same high standards. By this time we were not surprised to learn that Chef Mavro trained at Lucas Carton, which is the origin of the concept of serving matching wines with each dish on the menu. While the wines were not the great wines of France, there was a good selection of interesting wines, and we liked the idea that allowed us to order a few glasses of different wines instead of being limited to one bottle. There was a good Chablis, a reasonable Rhone, and a delicious German Reisling. The food was well prepared and delicious. The natural flavors of the products were exceptional. A small portion of beef was leaner, yet more flavorful, than most beef. The prawns were fresh and flavorful. The vegetables and side dishes were just like in the best restaurants in France. And the servings were just the right size to allow for 3-4 plates per person. A meal of equal quality at Lucas Carton would have cost about $400 per person (before it closed last year). The bill here was under $100 per person. The wines were better, and the service infinitely superior. It's a lot closer to Honolulu than to France by air. Too bad the great vineyards, the great art and music and philosophy, and the culture of controversial political discussion are still in France. Merv Hecht, Feb 2006 ADDITIONAL ARTICLES |
HOW WILL IT TASTE?