"This Week" at Vino and Hiroshi
VINO HAPPY HOUR ”at the bar seats only”…
Starting Wednesday, January 6th, we will be offering a 50% discount on VINO food for those sitting at the VINO bar from 5:30 to 6:30pm. ALL orders must be in by 6:30PM. This Special will be good for the month of January & only when VINO is open for regular business.
It is a great opportunity to have a bite to eat instead of fighting the traffic.
“Locally Grown” Menu… @ Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas
Chef Hiroshi Fukui will feature a new “locally grown” menu each month
Sundays & Mondays (only) $35 per person (not including tax & gratuity)
For Month of January …
First Course
Sous Vide of Big Island Baby Abalone “Poke” Sushi
konbu rice, chili pepper water aioli, shiso & white truffle oil
Second Course
Kona Cold Lobster Tail “Newburg”
baked with haricot verts, parmesan cheese, scallops & calamari, forbidden black rice
Main Course
Brie Cheese Torched Maui Cattle Meatloaf
mashed potato, seasonal vegetables & shiitake mushroom sauce
Sweet Course
Ice Cream Sandwich
peanut butter cookie with Bubbie’s chocolate ice cream & mint foam
Call now for reservations and be sure to mention that you are having the
Locally Grown Menu to ensure we don’t run out!
Wednesday Januray 13th “Winetasting at VINO” 6:00PM
Because of the Holiday Season, we have kind of slowed down on the tastings & dinners. At the same, we have collected quite a stash of very cool, unique wines. So, let’s start it all up again!!!!! Let’s taste Italian Nebbiolo. As aficionados are reading in the wine publications, 2004 & ’05 are getting rave reviews. They both are really good vintages for Nebbiolo.
Here is a sneak preview………..
2004 ELVIO COGNO Barolo
Overseen by superstar oenologist, Beppe Caviola, this is a very sleek, elegant highly refined, classy Barolo
2004 MARCHESI DI BAROLO Barbaresco
One of the great names of Piedmontese winemaking, this estate dates back to the 12th Century!
2004 DAMILANO Barolo “lecinquevigne”
Produced from 5 distinct sub-regions & overseen by top wine consultant, Giuseppe Caviola, this is a wonderfully perfumed, classy, pretty style. Don’t be deceived, as this wine is quiteageworthy as well.
2005 RENATO RATTI Barolo “Marcenasco”
#7 in the 2009 Wine Spectator Top 100 list. It is great to see this “sleeping giant” rise again to the top!
1999 MOCCAGATTA Barbaresco “Basarin”
10 years old! We thought it would be really cool to also show an aged Nebbiolo to compare. It gives one a better idea of what can be.
There you have it….5 wines….2 ounces each…..$42 a person (not including tax or gratuity).
By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Nicole nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com
Wednesday Januray 20th “Communal Table” 6:00PM
Our very first “Communal Table” of 2010!!!! It is a great opportunity to share good food & meet new friends….VINO style. These communal tables are without a doubt some of the most fun occasions we have at VINO. Here is the menu for this one……
Homemade Pizza with wild mushrooms, carmelized fennel, roasted red bell peppers & fresh Nalo Farms arugula
Ligurian Stuffed Calamari with house made marinara
Red Wine Braised Short Rib with Swiss Chard & saffron gnocchi
Dessert (to be announced)
$39 a person (not including wine, tax or gratuity).
By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Nicole nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com
This is definitely my kind of food!
Wednesday January 27th “Winetasting at VINO” 6:00PM
It seems like just yesterday that Cheryle & I were sitting in the quaint, Hemmingway-esque, little seaside village of Portofino on Italy’s Ligurian Coast. The sea there is much different than what I experience when looking at the Pacific Ocean whether from the Hawaii or California side. This whole breathtaking Ligurian Coast just abruptly drops down to the sea with very little gradation. The steepest drops are at Cinque Terre. I am continually awed at how steep these vineyards are, and upon closer look at how rocky & meager the soils are.
I could not help but think the vine’s roots are actually holding the soil in place. We eagerly went into the top wine bars & stores to find which wines we should search out. A good wine friend had recommended a small son & mom restaurant in the town of Santa Margherita, which insisted served the freshest & best food of the whole coast, he was right. The recently deceased dad also happened to be one of the region’s most famous sommeliers, so it was understandable the wine list was incredibly well selected. The bottom line was that Cheryle & I walked away ecstatic with the whole food & wine experience. This started our quest to try & find some of these wines so that our VINO regulars could also sample some of the magic we did.
A few years back we were able to get some of the Bardellini’s excellent Ligurian white wines, including his “U Munte” single vineyard bottling. Then, early in 2009, one of our favorite wine importers of “boutique”, artisan French & Italian wines, Kermit Lynch, notified us of his recent Ligurian wine discoveries. It took quite a long time & much effort to finally get them here. We have shown a couple of them here & there recently. On this night, we plan to show ALL five….each terrific & unique (& incredibly food friendly) in their own way. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we do.
Here is what Kermit had to say……..
Love at First Sight Punta CrenaI couldn't be more excited to introduce you to these wines, made in the tiny town of Varigotti, Italy, right on the ocean in the wine-producing region of Liguria. The Ruffino family is famous in their hometown but little known elsewhere, even in Italy. They've been making wine in Varigotti since 1500! From the first sniff I was hooked on their delicious wines, made traditionally from indigenous grapes, wines with typicity and character but without a hint of pretension. These are exactly the kind of wines I've been seeking for a long time, country quaffers from the Ligurian coast.
Lumassina Frizzante
Yep, Lumassina is one of their local grapes. Naturally sparkling, no secondary fermentation, soft mousse, creamy texture, exotic flavors with a twist of white pepper. Recommended with pesce bianco crudo by the winemaker, but I'll bet any sushi will do. I like it as an apéritif and with fried fish. You take one drink of it, you're drinking it all the time!
2008 Pigato "Vigneto Ca Da Rena"
Contrary to popular belief, Pigato is not the same grape as Vermentino/Rolle but a sort of cousin variety cultivated only in Liguria and named after its pigmented, freckled skin. Lively and fresh like the Vermentino, Pigato has a bit more depth and dimension, more punch, and an irresistible friendliness. Like all of Punta Crena's wines, it is wickedly easy to down. When I open this Pigato for French winemakers, they are dazzled, especially by its complex aromatics.
2008 Mataòssu "Vigneto Reiné
"A dry white, and the pride and joy of the domaine - rightfully so - Mataòssu is cultivated nowhere else in the world! Only in Varigotti. It has been mentioned in the local archives since 1200. This indigenous vine thrives on steep, terraced parcels above the sea but is very difficult to work. The Ruffino family has nurtured their parcel to eighty years of age. It is unlike any other white I've tasted. Ahoy, jaded palates! Steer your yacht onto Varigotti's beautiful white sand beach and drink Mataòssu with the town's signature fritto misto. Or, I can swear it shines with piccata di vitello. What the heck, it's versatile.
Pettirosso Rosé
A gently sparkling dry rosé made from Rossese and Sangiovese, Pettirosso is a guaranteed spirit-brightener and a delicious pairing with spaghettini tossed with a sauce of sautéed shrimp, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, and spicy red pepper flakes. The winemaker, however, says that the locals don't wait for meals. They drink it all day long. And indeed it is so light and pretty, it won't knock you for a loop.
2008 Cruvin “Vigneto Antica Fornace”
Produced from 100% Crovino grape variety (they say indigenous to only 2 villages on the Liguria Coast), in this case from the Varigotti hills, ½ mile from the Liguria Sea on impossibly steep, totally terraced hillsides with red earth soils & lots of stones. Sadly hearty, unique red wines full of character, culture & soul are getting harder & harder to come by.
“Come join us for this unique wine adventure.There you have it….5 wines….2 ounces each…..$39 a person (not including tax or gratuity). By Reservations only….533-4476 or email Nicole nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com
Wednesday February 3rd “Alexander Alioto, Keith Endo & Friends”
Mark your calendars. Our good friend Alexander Alioto from San Francisco is coming to VINO to cook. Alexander has worked at two of the top Michelin rated restaurants in Italy…..1 in Germany….the French Laundry…& the Ritz Carlton under Chef Ron Siegel. What a resume!
Keith went to San Francisco to work with him this past summer because Alexander makes the most incredible pasta & gnocchi!
On this night we will be doing a FOUR COURSE dinner at VINO…..TWO SEATINGS….5:30PM….and then again @ 7:45PM. We have asked Alexander to do more casual, homey kind of Italian ‘country” food. I just can’t wait!!!! Keith has also invited some of his culinary friends—Chef Ivan Pahk (2 time Maui “Chef of the Year”) for example-- to help cook. It will be quite the night! More details to follow.
Real food lovers—this is a dinner you will not want to miss.
Here is the proposed menu…...
First Course
Red Wine Poached Egg
with shaved beef carpaccio & parmesan cream
Second Course
Risotto Classico
Third Course
Seared Snapper
served with seafood broth, olives & capers
Entree
Seared & Roasted Veal Loin
served with sauteed Swiss chard, Veal Demi & garlic chips
Dessert
Coconut Panna Cotta
with fresh tropical fruit and caramelized almonds
Real food lovers—this is a dinner you will not want to miss.
$50 a person (not including tax or gratuity). For 4 course wine pairing (3 ounces each)…..an additional $25 per person. There will be 2 seatings…5:30 & 7:45 PM…by reservation only…533-4476 or email Nicole at nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com
Upcoming Events...
Valentine’s Day Weekend--Fri, Sat & Sun (Feb 12th, 13th & 14th)
Mark your calendars…..come celebrate with us.
SPECIAL FOUR COURSE VALENTINE'S MENU
Duo of Contemporary Sushi
Maui Cattle Beef Shigureni-pickled red ginger
Grilled Mongo Squid-sansho, pickled wasabi, 5 spice powder & shiso
♥♥♥♥♥
Soft Shell Crab
ginger garlic scallion ragout with kabayaki butter sauce
♥♥♥♥♥
Shichimi Roasted Ahi
brussel sprouts, haricot verts & ponzu demi on capellini pasta
♥♥♥♥♥
Choice of one…
Braised “Beef Stew” Short Rib $54
braised celery & carrots with truffled macaroni salad, mashed potato & “beef stew” sauce
Oven Roasted Soy Marinated Butter Fish $56
stewed Hauula tomato concasse, roasted Hamakua mushrooms, baby bok choy & chili pepper water-konbu broth, steamed rice
♥♥♥♥♥
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate
Flourless Chocolate Cake Macadamia Nut Crusted Chocolate “Lollipop”Chocolate Sorbet fresh fruits
complete your experience and add the wine pairing (four wines) for an additional $20
Hiroshi’s Contemporary Kaiseki--Tuesday, March 16th
Now On to Wines………
2008 CF WINES Riesling “Estate” NEW By The Glass
We are HUGE fans of the winemaking of Bert Selbach at Dr F Weins Prum. Located in the town of Wehlen (Mosel region of Germany) right next door to his first cousin Manfred Prum (JJ Prum), Bert also has GREAT vineyard sites in Wehlener Sonnenuhr and neighboring Graacher Domprobst all handed down through the generations. We REALLY love how incredibly pure, sublime, seamless and riveting his wines really are, coupled with the innate breed & pedigree of his great vineyard holdings. Dr F Weins Prum wines are certainly top 5 out of Germany for me. With the the 2008 vintage, I asked if he could now make an Estate Riesling for us. The Estate Riesling program is one that just simply states the winery & the grape.....just as we would say Robert Mondavi Chardonnnay in California. It makes the label less intimidating for the lay person & emphasizes the qualities of a great wine house & what they can do. Understanding this estate's great vineyard holdings & incredible winemaking skill, the quality is terrific! One cannot help but this wine’s purity, fine-ness, pedigree & amazing lightness on the palate.
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2006 FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO Primitivo di Manduria “Ognissole” NEW By The Glass
Is Primitivo a descendent of Zinfandel…or is Zinfandel a descendent of Zinfandel….OR does it matter? I opt for the 3rd choice. Genetically they may be related, but I haven’t had too many of either which me of the other. So, here is your chance to see for yourself. This Primitivo comes from the Manduria province down in southern Italy. Manduria is renown for their Primitivo. It is ripe, not jammy, but certainly jammed with juicy fruit…..but with an earthy, rustic edge which says it is Old World edge. Superstar wine consultant Riccardo Cotarella has really done wonders for Feudi & their wines.
2006 LUNA Sangiovese “Napa Valley” NEW By The Glass
Nothing Italian here!!! Yes, the cutting came from Italy at one time, but it certainly gives a VERY different profile & character from any example from Italy. I am sure it is Napa’s soils & ultra-generous sunshine which transform this grape variety into more something deeper, lusher, more dramatic to the palate in weight, tone & thickness. Luna has done a terrific job of sourcing some really well grown fruit from various rocky or hillside vineyard sites which truly challenge this profuse crop-per. Yes & it still has the autumn leaves, sandalwood, earthy smells of Sangiovese as well as the higher acidity levels…..it is just the volume knob has been turned up several notches. Californian Cabernet drinkers will find this much more enjoyable than a true Italian version.
Wines of the Month (prices good for January only)…
2004 AU BON CLIMAT Chardonnay “Mount Carmel”—$42 a bottle
if there was a Grand Cru system in California, this steep, rocky, wind pounded vineyard would certainly be one. This is the last bottling of an era, as the grapes now go exclusively to Brewer Clifton.
2004 Marchesi di Barolo Barbaresco--$65 a bottle
This is a more traditional styled yet very classy, elegant, highly refined Barbaresco
from a superb vintage. There is nothing like a good Nebbiolo to savor.
2006 ALTA MARIA Pinot Noir “Bien Nacido Vineyard”--$46
This wine is showing so beautifully right now….so perfumed, elegant, feminine, classy & delicious. I did a 6 glass Pinot tasting for a professional friend last week & this was number 1 for him….(and for me as well). A Must to Check out!!!!!!!!! By the way, owner, James Ontiveros just snuck into VINO last night to partake of Keith’s “Communal Table”. In case you are not familiar with him, James also oversees some pretty famous vineyards…..Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills & his own, Rancho Ontiveros. Under his Alta Maria label, they typically produce 3 wines-50 cases of Grenache, 75 cases of Syrah & 175 cases of Pinot. REALLY terrific stuff. I believe his winemaking partner, Paul Wilkins, used to be the ass’t winemaker for both Alban & Sine Qua Non. Interestingly where those 2 are power wines, Paul’s own wines offer much more finesse, refinement & elegance. Check it out for yourself!