After dining in some very nice French restaurants in France I never thought that I would feel good about complimenting a French restaurant outside of France, especially in a backwater like Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Well, I shall now chew on those words.
In a nondescript building just off Queen Kaahumanu Highway rests a very nice French restaurant serving very good French food which they occasionally blend with a bit of Pacific cuisine. It has been several years since my last visit to La Bourgogne and I must admit to being sorry for waiting so long to revisit Chef Ron's culinary skills.
Once one pass under the awning and through the simple wooden door they will enter a cozy little dining room with nice little alcoves and filled with soothing dinner music. They will find the service to be attentive and very friendly (certainly not haughty French). They will find a small but well diversified menu. They will find a very nice but not overwhelming wine list. This restaurant was selected for dinner this evening because of their announcement that "La Cassoulet est Arrivee". Despite the restaurant's French country inn feel it was still easy to be suspicious of it's "frenchness".
This evening had a strong culinary focus but perusing the menu and wine list was interesting. The menu review, as always, had to be accompanied by a Campari and Soda. It is, of course necessary to cleanse the palete.
It would be a heavy sauce and meaty meal so the Ridge Monte Bello Vineyard's 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was selected. It proved to be perfect with the meal. My first course was Foie Gras et Scallops. The presentation was very nice, almost taking the form of a face. There was a large sprig of fresh garden lettuce between two large seared sea scallops that were moist and tender. There were two slices of baked apple which added a nice sweetness to the serving. There were more slices than you would expect of Foie Gras laid across a bed of caramelized onions and surrounded by the most delicious sherry demi-glace reduction sauce. The presentation and serving would rival even Joel Robuchon's work at L'Atelier in Paris.
Second came the Bisque de Homard Maison. The Bisque was a bit thinner than I expected but it was very tasty and had many nice little pieces of lobster. The dish was very nicely seasoned and was a nice respite between two very rich courses.
The entree was, of course, La Cassoulet. It was beautifully presented. The meats were succulent. The sausages were perfectly spiced. The white beans were al dente. The broth was thick and rich. Each bite was an explosion of tastes and textures. A taste of Cassoulet followed by a sip of the full-bodied wine was simply total enjoyment. This was French country fare at its very best.
Lastly came a small but intense Dark Chocolate Mousse with Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2000 topped with a very large sliced strawberry. The bright red atop the dark brown was beautiful. The taste was so smooth and so rich. Thankfully this serving was accompanied by a cup of the most mild Kona Coffee, which signalled the finale of the surprisingly wonderful dining experience. I look forward to future visits.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Bianelli's...at one time an excellent culinary experience
It has been some time since I've visited this shopping center pizzeria. Of late several friends have mentioned it fondly so I thought that it must be time for a reevaluation. As it turns out, it is time for a reevaluation but the reevaluation should be of which friend's culinary advise I seriously consider. It's not that Bianelli's is a bad place, because it is not. It is just a very average place.
The ambiance is family dining, shopping center ambiance. The restaurant is loud and hectic. The service is attentive and very friendly although not necessarily well informed (I had a pasta and the wait person did not know what kind of pasta it would be). The selections are what you would expect from a similar type restaurant anywhere is America. They have a nice selection of salads which are fresh but do not appear to have local ingredients. They have three pasta dishes (spaghetti, a shell pasta(which the wait person did not know) and a fettuccine with three sauce selections. There is a nice selection of sandwiches (the calzones looked good) and a typical range of pizza options. Their pizza is a medium to thick crust pizza. They have a small wine selection and a fair selection of beers.
I selected the shell pasta with their signature sauce (a combination of their marinara and their white wine mushroom sauces). Also, I had a glass of '08 Piancornello Sant'Antimo Rosso. The dinner salad served with the pasta was crisp and fresh with a nice bottle dressing. The pasta was nicely done. The sauce was a bit sweet but otherwise lacked a distinctive taste. A large portion of store-bought Parmesan cheese and a generous portion of red pepper flakes saved the meal. The wine was a full bodied, very dry wine with strong black currant flavors which didn't really match the sweet pasta sauce but that was my selection problem.
Overall, it is a nice restaurant with good service and a wide range of dining choices. Everyone appeared happy (their were many diners) and their selections appeared to be typical pizzeria fare. It's not a place I'll need to revisit soon (except possibly for the calzone) but it was not an unhappy experience.
The ambiance is family dining, shopping center ambiance. The restaurant is loud and hectic. The service is attentive and very friendly although not necessarily well informed (I had a pasta and the wait person did not know what kind of pasta it would be). The selections are what you would expect from a similar type restaurant anywhere is America. They have a nice selection of salads which are fresh but do not appear to have local ingredients. They have three pasta dishes (spaghetti, a shell pasta(which the wait person did not know) and a fettuccine with three sauce selections. There is a nice selection of sandwiches (the calzones looked good) and a typical range of pizza options. Their pizza is a medium to thick crust pizza. They have a small wine selection and a fair selection of beers.
I selected the shell pasta with their signature sauce (a combination of their marinara and their white wine mushroom sauces). Also, I had a glass of '08 Piancornello Sant'Antimo Rosso. The dinner salad served with the pasta was crisp and fresh with a nice bottle dressing. The pasta was nicely done. The sauce was a bit sweet but otherwise lacked a distinctive taste. A large portion of store-bought Parmesan cheese and a generous portion of red pepper flakes saved the meal. The wine was a full bodied, very dry wine with strong black currant flavors which didn't really match the sweet pasta sauce but that was my selection problem.
Overall, it is a nice restaurant with good service and a wide range of dining choices. Everyone appeared happy (their were many diners) and their selections appeared to be typical pizzeria fare. It's not a place I'll need to revisit soon (except possibly for the calzone) but it was not an unhappy experience.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Lemongrass...a uniquely Kona experience
It is not a pretty place, as it sits perched above a parking lot at a busy intersection but it is a place that Thai chef Kritsakorn Chuajai and Loa chef Thepthikone Keosavang have combined their culinary skills and cultures to present a quite delicious menu.
Although I have not taken photographs of their unique creations, I can assure you that they are each beautifully presented. The swirls of reds and greens and yellows and oranges surrounding the delightful combinations of spiced packages of rewards from both sea and land are simply lovely.
The appetizer selections are numerous. They include everything from Macadamia Nut Crusted Tofu with a Sesame Peanut Sauce to Chicken Skewers with slices of Pineapple, Tomato, Sweet Onion and Bell Peppers slathered with a Mango Sauce. My choices were lightly breaded Crispy Calamari served in a Martini Glass with crunchy Wontons covered with a Lemon Coconut Curry Aioli Sauce, a more heavily breaded Tempura Soft-Shell Crab with Rice Noodles covered with a Togarashi Aioli Sauce, and a crispy Crab-Pork Spring Roll covered with a Pineapple-Mint Chutney. Each portion was such a unique blend of spices and textures and, when completed with a very nice buttery Chardonnay, gave this meal an excellent introduction.
The Soup and Salad selection is extensive, too. The range is from a Tom Yum Shrimp Soup with Mushrooms, Tomato in a zesty Lemongrass Citrus Broth to a fresh Crispy Ocean Salad with Tempura Calamari, Poached Shrimp, Steamed Mussels, Cashews and Sweet Onions on a bed of fresh Lettuce covered with a Tamarind Sauce. My selection was the rose colored Seafood Yentafu Noodle Soup, a combination of Fish Balls, Grilled Squid, Steamed Mussels, and Toasted Garlic on a bed of Angel Hair Rice Noodles immersed in a delicious vegetable broth.
Lastly, the entree selection is, as you might expect, extensive, too. My selections were the perfectly done and very nicely seasoned Crispy Cornish Game Hen served alongside a Poached Shrimp Green Papaya Salad, plus the delicious Orange Shrimp, which was a freshly battered shrimp served with Pineapple, Sweet onion and Bell Peppers cover with a wonderful Orange Sauce.
It was a nicely diversified and extremely tasty meal. While the ambiance is not special, the service is excellent, the presentations beautiful and the overall experience is worth frequently revisiting.
In a later, additional note, regarding a revisit to verify my initial impression, the fried portions of each serving tasted a bit like the grease had not been changed in the frier. However, the meal was still excellent. I shall return to this lovely place.
Although I have not taken photographs of their unique creations, I can assure you that they are each beautifully presented. The swirls of reds and greens and yellows and oranges surrounding the delightful combinations of spiced packages of rewards from both sea and land are simply lovely.
The appetizer selections are numerous. They include everything from Macadamia Nut Crusted Tofu with a Sesame Peanut Sauce to Chicken Skewers with slices of Pineapple, Tomato, Sweet Onion and Bell Peppers slathered with a Mango Sauce. My choices were lightly breaded Crispy Calamari served in a Martini Glass with crunchy Wontons covered with a Lemon Coconut Curry Aioli Sauce, a more heavily breaded Tempura Soft-Shell Crab with Rice Noodles covered with a Togarashi Aioli Sauce, and a crispy Crab-Pork Spring Roll covered with a Pineapple-Mint Chutney. Each portion was such a unique blend of spices and textures and, when completed with a very nice buttery Chardonnay, gave this meal an excellent introduction.
The Soup and Salad selection is extensive, too. The range is from a Tom Yum Shrimp Soup with Mushrooms, Tomato in a zesty Lemongrass Citrus Broth to a fresh Crispy Ocean Salad with Tempura Calamari, Poached Shrimp, Steamed Mussels, Cashews and Sweet Onions on a bed of fresh Lettuce covered with a Tamarind Sauce. My selection was the rose colored Seafood Yentafu Noodle Soup, a combination of Fish Balls, Grilled Squid, Steamed Mussels, and Toasted Garlic on a bed of Angel Hair Rice Noodles immersed in a delicious vegetable broth.
Lastly, the entree selection is, as you might expect, extensive, too. My selections were the perfectly done and very nicely seasoned Crispy Cornish Game Hen served alongside a Poached Shrimp Green Papaya Salad, plus the delicious Orange Shrimp, which was a freshly battered shrimp served with Pineapple, Sweet onion and Bell Peppers cover with a wonderful Orange Sauce.
It was a nicely diversified and extremely tasty meal. While the ambiance is not special, the service is excellent, the presentations beautiful and the overall experience is worth frequently revisiting.
In a later, additional note, regarding a revisit to verify my initial impression, the fried portions of each serving tasted a bit like the grease had not been changed in the frier. However, the meal was still excellent. I shall return to this lovely place.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)