Arancino at The Kahala
5000 Kahala Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96816
Arancino at The Kahala Menu
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Address :
5000 Kahala Ave
Honolulu, HI, 96816 - Phone (808) 380-4400
- Website https://www.arancino.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage, Validated
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Lorelei S.
Great service ! Amazing food ! Wagu beef and pescatori were tasty! Everyone were so friendly and our waiter was so helpful . We will be back !
(5)Jeffrey Z.
We had a wonderful experience here while staying at the Kahala. It was definitely the best dining experience we had during our week on Oahu. Diners must choose a 3 or 4-course menu for the evening. My wife and I both went with the 4-course option and were very happy. We each received a bread plate with three different types of bread: a square focaccia, a wheat roll, and some sort of bread stick. The plate also included unsalted butter and a side of black salt to salt the butter as you desired. Yes, it was a little quirky, but it was very good, especially the focaccia. We started off with the Caprese, which was delicious. The tomatoes tasted extremely fresh, and we loved the balsamic "caviar." Next, we went with the foie gras arancini (risotto balls). They had a unique taste to them that I can't quite describe, but they were good and creamy. The included merlot sauce was delightful as well. My favorite dish of the night was the Tagliatelle, which featured various types of mushrooms. If you like mushrooms, this could be one of your new favorite pasta dishes. We also tried the parpardelle, which was delectable. The noodles were a perfect al dente, and the short rib bolognese had great balance. We did the wine pairings with each dish as well as recommended by their master sommelier. I was impressed with how well each selection worked with each dish. Wine doesn't normally do all that much for my eating experience personally, but on this night, it made a noticeable difference. Our final dishes were the short rib and lamb. We thoroughly enjoyed both, although they did not wow us as much as the previous items. We weren't able to save any room for dessert, but we did love our experience so much that we came back for lunch a couple of days later, which was wonderful as well. If you're in the area, definitely stop by.
(5)Marisa W.
This place was an unexpected delight. At first we were unsure because it overlooked the driveway entrance to the hotel and wasn't one of the restaurants which over looked the ocean, which is the only thing that would have made it better. Our server, James, was exceptional. He was knowledgeable about the wines as well as the food. The service was flawless and the food and wines were delicious. Definitely do not pass on this one. This was a highlight!
(5)Fiamma R.
I thought everything was exquisite. The presentation of the food was very well done. The ​service was very prompt and friendly. Further, the food tasted as good as it looked. The carbonara pasta dish was my favorite, I look forward to ordering it again. My boyfriend and I both had the tasting menu, which was expensive but perfect for a celebratory occasion.
(4)Gata S.
Delicious. Best Italian I have had in a long time. The dishes taste good and are creative, and well presented. I had the arancini to start and the uni pasta. Both were simply amazing. The service here is top notch which is really an important part of the experience . Highly recommended.
(5)Janet K.
3.5 stars but I rounded up because of the service. This is a refined, upscale version of the Arancinos in Waikiki. The service was one of the best that I've had on this island and the ambiance (we had an outdoor table) was nice. My only gripe for the seating was that the shining spotlight above me had me sweating all night. I ordered the three course and it came with an amuse bouche. 1. Lobster Bisque - Creamy but not too heavy with one piece of lobster claw meat and brioche inside. It was perfect except for the fishy finish. 2. Foie Gras - Sautéed and served with a raspberry wine reduction and two mini slices of toast. It was delicious! 3. Uni pasta - Fresh pasta cooked flawlessly with generous portions of uni incorporated in the rich and creamy sauce. Perfection! Slightly better than their Waikiki locations but a smaller serving due to coursed meals. My BF ordered.... 1. Caesar Salad - Grilled romaine with crispy prosciutto and Parmesan Reggiano. His favorite dish of the night. 2. Arancini - Fried white truffle parmesan risotto balls with bits of foie gras inside. It comes with two pieces so it's filling but it wasn't that great and I couldn't taste the truffles. It was a bit flavorless and dry. 3. Wagyu Beef Bolognese Pappardelle - It wasn't horrible, just not memorable. It was our server's favorite dish but this one fell short for me. We didn't order dessert because their three options didn't sound too enticing. The wines by the glass range from $10 and up and the bottles go for $50 and up. I had ordered a different glass of wine during the course change and told the waiter to get me the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand because I remembered seeing it on the menu ($10) but was surprised to see my bill showing a $17 glass. I guess I failed to realize there may have been two on the menu that fit the description. Some of my friends ordered the four course dinner but found they were too full by the last course. I'm sure the men wouldn't have a problem with finishing the fourth course though. Lastly, I just want to add that the food presentation is so pretty and artistic. You just can't help but bust out your camera for every course. Everyone knows that I love love beautiful food because it makes me happy inside. And that pretty much sums up my experience... Happiness.
(4)Nica N.
First time dining here and it was great. Our waiter, Anthony was amazing. We ordered the tasting menu and everything tasted excellent. I love Japanese influenced Italian food.
(5)Oz B.
So close to amazing- but just lacking. For the amount of $$ that you are going to spend- you are pretty much demanding flawless service and food that you will never forget. Arancino has all the right moves to get there, but just misses the ball. With a few simple shakes of salt- or maybe a dash of citrus or vinegar- these incredible food platforms could be launched into their own universe of premiere cuisine. Arancino offers several proteins that are cooked "sous vide" which means the meat is vacuum sealed in a bag and then cooked in a temperature controlled jacuzzi like bath that cooks the entire portion to the same temperature throughout. They have truly mastered this technique- from the shrimp to the duck- the texture of each bite is unlike anything you will find coming from a grill or the oven! Unfortunately the seasoning was lacking in both, and since they don't offer a salt shaker on the table, it made for a bland experience. The server was attentive enough, but the bussers were the ones who truly impressed me with their white glove service- politely removing soiled dishes exactly when we needed them to be taken, and keeping the mood light and comfortable. Our server lost major points with me when I asked for an extra splash of gran-marnier for my tea- It was so delicious I needed just a sip more! He looked at me like I was some drunk and then brought me a shot glass with literally a DROP of the sweet-stuff! He blamed the meager offering on his manager being "right there". I was like, bring him over! No but seriously, if I order a shot, you better deliver! Lol. Whole night cost the wife and I $230 withOUT wine! By the way- the cheapest bottle will run you OVER $100. Prob not going to come back. For the cost, you can buy a better food-experience at many other restaurants on island.
(3)Wayne T.
Girlfriend brought me to this place, and it was awesome!! Uni pasta was good, and service was top notch. Brandon was our server, and attended us with full service, and a drink always topped off. Will be back again! Pasta and pizzas were great!
(5)Denalee C.
I'm extremely torn about this place. The service and parts of my meal were amazing but not all of my experience was noteworthy. First, I have to say a little something about the impeccable service. The staff here really knows how to take good care of the customers and make a girl feel loved! From being extremely welcoming to taking the time to explain everything, I was loving the attention :) At this location, there's only the prix fixe option of three ($56) or four courses ($79). Of course, throw wine pairing and dessert and you got yourself quite an evening. I'm not super uppity when it comes to food (trust me, I don't discriminate), but I would think there could be some other ala carte options as well. Anyway, my friend and I ordered different things so we could try 8 total items. Oh wait. A word about the bread plate. Yes, you get your own plate of bread that comes with one cube of bread, one roll, one crunchy bread stick, an adorable log of butter and delicious black grains of salt. I was not a fan on the roll, but that cube of bread was not only looking cool but was pretty good too. Throw some of that black salt in the butter and now we are talking! First course: Lobster Bisque: Oh Em Gee. This was my favorite part of the meal. Tasty. Creamy. I seriously wanted to lick the bowl. And then I found the claw swimming around in there. It was like finding treasure. Caprese: well, the mozzarella may have been a bit too soft for my taste... Second course: Carpaccio di Pesce (ahi and hamachi): delightful presentation. The fish was pretty good but I have had better...I did like think the sea asparagus and seaweed gave it a little something extra. Arancini (fried risotto balls): So I'm not a risotto girl but it was creamy and very tasty! Third course: Chitarra alla Pescatora (squid ink pasta): according to my friend it was a little to squidy. I've only had squid ink pasta once before, but this one seemed not very soft and maybe a bit chewy. It wasn't spicy like the description says. Tagliatelle con Fughi (mushroom pasta): This one was a bummer. It comes with homemade pasta but in my opinion, the pasta was a bit hard and tasteless. The sauce also lacked a lot of taste and I considered sprinkling my black salt in my dish. Fourth course: Filetto di Orata (snapper): the fish had a great texture on the top that was a bit crunchy but the rest of it was way to fishy for me (I never say that). Anatra alla Griglia (duck): This dish had a beautiful presentation with a nice piece of duck that was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The reduction sauce was key! But that being said, I would probably order something else next time...for some reason, I wasn't really feeling it. However, if you love duck, this is your dish. At this point, I'm not sure how I would feel about going back, my friend stopped eating halfway through dinner as she wasn't in love with her food choices :(
(3)Charlie C.
Setting & Service is good. We started off with the complimentary corn mousse w/ prosciutto & different types of house bread. I ordered the uni pasta. I wasn't expecting it to be creamy, but it was.
(4)Dana W.
Alessandro Bolla, the General Manager was incredibly accommodating in helping me plan my BFF's lunch at the last minute!!! Everything went off without a hitch and the food was delicious!! Great service and my friend had a wonderful time! Mahalo Alessandro for really helping me out!!!
(5)Greg S.
Went there today for lunch with high expectations that were exceeded on so many levels :-) Not seen in previous posts, but they offer a 3 course lunch menu with appetizer or salad, one entree, and dessert along with beverage of choice. All for only $39!! We both ordered the fresh ahi and kona kapachi tartare topped with tobiko (flying fish caviar). It was incredibly fresh fish with an avocado bottom layer; all perfectly seasoned, especially the ahi which was marinated with a lovely sun dried tomato base. So delicious and so beautiful (see pics); it was painful to deconstruct this masterpiece and consume (but soooo good, a definite OT!). For beverage we had the included Prosecco in long flutes; simply perfect! For main courses we had the Pappardelle Bolognese (wagyu beef bolognese over fresh pappardelle) and the Rissotto al Nero di Seppia (squid ink risotto with grilled calamari and uni). Both dishes were incredible.. The pappardelle pasta was unique hand made egg noodles that were sheets of inter layered ala dente perfection; the most unique and lovely pasta I have consumed in ages :-) The wagyu beef bolognese sauce was rich, perfectly seasoned with sensational texture. The risotto was equally unique, delicious and incredible. The unique Japanese twist of adding uni (sea urchin roe) to this dish made it truly standout dish. Perfectly cooked rice and seasonings.. Wow! We had the recommended wine pairings with the main courses and they melded beautifully (they have a Japanese Master Somm who puts these pairings together). For dessert we had the Mousse di Ananas (rum infused white chocolate pineapple mousse with citrus sorbet) and the Monte Bianco (creamy chestnut puree and celery custard with yuzu honey sauce). OMG, we were already getting full, but these two unique and perfectly delicious desserts were rapidly consumed. Oh, and the bread dish.. Freaking incredible combination of baked bread cube with fresh rosemary and crusty whole grain roll. Think that a previous reviewer mentioned this, but will post pics. Good as it gets; lived in Europe for a number of years with experience in many Michelin starred restaurants in France, Belgium (the good eats part/French), and Northern Italy.. This place reminds me of all of food I loved in Europe with an Asian (aka Japanese) influence. Highly recommended. Greg S.
(5)Claudia M.
After reviewing the reviews and comments from people that I know, I'm not sure why all the hype about this place. The food was just ok for me...I've tasted better. It was my first time at this restaurant. First of all, this place is outdoors, so no air conditioner. I would have preferred an air conditioned restaurant for a bit upscale restaurant. There were two things that I really enjoyed the insalata alla Caprese, which was ho farm cherry tomatoes, burrata cheese, and balsamic caviar and the panna cotta dessert (italian cream custard, house made hamakua tomato sorbet, tomato compote, gelée). Wait staff were very attentive but I couldn't understand one of the male servers. There was a gentleman playing the accordion which made me feel like i was in Italy...very nice.
(2)Miho S.
I love their squid ink pasta! Also the atmosphere of this Restaulant is great! You can enjoy upgraded dishes than other Aranchino Restaulant. Also, the desert over here is great! I don't like sweets usually, but there deserts are not over sweet and perfect for me!
(4)Dwayne Y.
We were very excited to try Arancino at the Kahala. I really like the Beachwalk location and its cuisine. The ambience is good and the service is really good. We were seated outside and it was a little hot. Anyway we started off with a free palette cleanser, a corn shot with serrano ham. This was delightful. The lobster bisque was packed with flavor and quite rich and creamy. The first 2 dishes were quite pleasing. It went downhill from there. The Crostacei di Mare featured shrimp and abalone. It was full of mint which did not match the delicateness of the shrimp and abalone. It overpowered it. Next came the Arancini, which are risotto balls stuffed with foie gras and white truffle. You can barely taste the truffle or foie gras. This is basically risotto balls battered and fried, nothing special here. The Pappardelle alla Bolognese was above average. The meat had a nice flavor and the pasta was homemade. The squid ink pasta in the Chitarra alla Pescatora was made very nicely. The squid was charred well and had good flavor. But the red sauce in this dish was quite tart and tangy. It did not match the other ingredients. The Arrosto di Agnello featured 2 cuts of lamb. While the rib and breast were cooked nicely, it was bland and flavorless. I never had flavorless lamb before. Overall a nice restaurant, but definitely not worth $500 for 4 people without drinks.
(3)Marnica B.
Came here for the restaurant week menu and was very satisfied! The uni pasta was amazing, and the deconstructed tiramisu was the perfect ending. Glad we ordered the wine pairing too. Thank you restaurant week!
(4)Amy M.
We had two great experiences - and if you're lucky, you'll have Chad as your server. The spaghetti carbonara was incredible. I'm still thinking about it. It's pretty relaxing dining at the Kahala outpost of Arancino. It's great to have validated valet parking too.
(5)Ryan B.
The Uni pasta was amazing. The server, Chad, was more amazing, even though he seemed to have difficult elderly customers that he also served. He made the experience wonderful and even gave us a complimentary box of macaroons after. I'm very happy with my dinner and I hope to return. Hopefully I get Mr. "Chad" once again!
(5)preston c.
Amazingly good but the overall feeling is a big negative. Service is condescending and impersonal. It seems that they go out of their way to ignore you. Make eye contact, they look away and run. What? I wanted to order more food. There goes your check average and tip.
(1)C S.
Had a wonderfully delicious dinner at Arancino to celebrate our anniversary. This location has a great combination of ambiance that is refined and yet casual. We reserved a table in advance and let the restaurant know that we would be celebrating a special occasion. When we arrived, they put us at a table outside next to the charming accordion player. Italian music mixed with cafe lighting was perfect! Service was also great-- fast, attentive, and yet not pushy or overbearing. The restaurant was a mix of families, couples and a few larger parties. It's not the most romantic setting, as a lot of hotel guests casually stroll in with children asking for a table, but it was great for what we wanted. Lively atmosphere yet fancy and yummy food. Definitely recommend. The food was worth the price, particularly for a special occasion.
(5)Rod U.
Artistry over taste. Take basically the same food as Arancino's other locations, serve it in demi portions as part of a multi course meal, plate it beautifully with inedible or flavor altering garnish in a way that detracts from the flavor of the dish. There you have it. Japatalian? Italinese? Either way it's a corruption of Italian cuisine using Japanese ingredients and an abundance of cream popularized lately in Japan. At it's best yields dishes like an incredible Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare (uni spaghetti) with the perfect balance of creamy uni, pungent garlic, heavy cream and zingy acidity of white wine to balance the dish. And a Tagliatelle con Fungi with its great blend of toothsome mushrooms in a super rich, aromatic cremini duxelle with a good bite of garlic. Rich and woodsy. Finally a Filetto di Orata, a perfectly sous vie filet of fish flash sautéed for texture and caramelization, pairs beautifully with the fava bean pure and hint of earthy saffron. To the main problem with the restaurant; even in the realm of presentation perfect Michelin three star eateries, everything on a dish should be edible and contribute to the flavor of the dish. Not here: - Insalata Caprese - barely dressed. Olive oil dots the plate along with a balsamic smear. Regardless how good the ingredients are, the diner is left to rub food around the plate hoping to get a complete bite. - Foie, truffle, Parmesan arancini - Perfectly spherical golden brown. Where's the tomato sauce? The result is zero acidity and an oily mouth feel. - The Muscovy duck - Covered in fried leeks that adds nothing to the dish other than an austere bitterness. Decent wine list but not much vintage depth. High Hawaii resort prices. Not a very intimate setting but comfortable. Very good service. Ultimately, have guest visiting from Japan, this is a great spot. Want a more enjoyable, dining experience, visit one Arancino's other locations.
(3)Renee B.
Had lunch here on my last day in Hawaii and was so glad I did. We stayed in the Kahala and I noticed the restaurant several times but I'm sad it took us so long to try it because I definitely would have eaten there again! Food was delicious, beautiful presentation, and impeccable service. Tomo took great care of us and enabled us to have a leisurely, relaxing lunch even though we were short on time. We ordered the caprese salad to start, the wagyu beef pappardelle, and the spaghetti ai ricci di mare (spaghetti topped with uni). I think they have two other locations as well but this one was great!!
(5)Koren D.
This review is long overdue as we dined there last year. Pomp and circumstance are the words that come to mind as I reflect back. We were seated at a corner table on the fake grass in the front which afforded us a view of the hotel's driveway and parking structure - not pretty. The service was very good though as the staff was competent and friendly. Now this will sound odd, but I felt like the restaurant was just trying too hard. White gloves, glass food domes, knife selection, silver horses on which to place said knife....blah, blah, blah. Now onto the food. The presentation was beautiful as we eat with our eyes first so that was very much appreciated. However, the food lacked flavor and depth. The food wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. Overall just an average fine dining experience. Would we eat there again? Probably not.
(3)Jon C.
NOTE: This review is pertaining to Restaurant Week 2013 Menu After seeing the Restaurant Week Menu, decided to make a reservation with my fiance for a Friday evening. I called for a reservation on Monday, they told me they had 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. reservations....took the 8 p.m. Self-Parked in the hotel parking lot before the porte-cochère where valet is located. Was a couple minutes early but table was set-up so there was no wait. We were given a table towards the center of the outdoor patio (although covered with a trellis). Immediately met our server Stacey, from New Jersey who asked what type of water we wanted (sparkling, flat, ice) and welcomed us. I had brought a 2005 Chateau Rollat Edouard which I thought would go well with the arancini and bolognese. Stacey asked if we wanted to decant it and I agreed. She brought a beautiful crystal decanter, a small square plate for the cork, and three glasses (one specifically so I could taste). Already I was impressed with the service! She was incredibly friendly and personable. I especially liked that all the service took the time to talk with guests and I never got the impression they were just "small talking" or wanted to leave the conversation I engaged with them. The complimentary amuse bouche was a sweet Kahuku corn foam with prosciutto di Parma serviced in a nice mason jar with rubber top. I found this dish to be a bit rich and buttery but if there was anything it was a precursor for the rich and over the top meal to come. One note, in between courses, utensils were cleared and appropriate flatware and set (i.e. appetizer fork and soup spoons replaced with larger, heavier flatware for main courses). Also, when delivering new tableware and flatware, the servers and support used white gloves to avoid placing any fingerprints on them! A bread plate was served to each of use consisting of rosemary foccacia, wheat roll and bread stick served with unsalted butter and Moloka'i black sea salt. The presentation of the bread plate really showed the Japanese influence of the owners as they looked like pastries served at St. Germaine's or Shirokiya. First course from the menu was Zuppa di Aragosta (Lobster bisque with claw meat & brioche). This soup I have heard is a hit and it did not disappoint. Very infused with lobster, it was creamy, rich and had just the right amount of acid to sweetness to my liking. Also, it was a huge portion....could have got away with a cup versus a bowl.. Only complaint would have been the dill (to me unnecessary garnish). Ordered a glass of 100% sauvignon blanc from New Zealand as my red did NOT go well with this soup. The crispness from the acid and the night light fruit paired very well with the soup (I told my fiance I was going to save some for the pescatora). Next was the Arancini, which was explained as fried foie gras & white truffle parmesan risotto balls. It was served on a bed of crimini mushroom "dirt" which is crimini mushrooms pulsed in a food processor and lightly baked then dried under a heat lamp, served with a red wine reduction with truffle oil. While I did find the whimsical nature of this dish with the crunch versus the creaminess and richness of the risotto with small cube of foie gras inside to be interesting, I found this dish to be a little over the top for my palate. Although it did pair quite nicely with the Edouard. They did NOT need 2 as it was two times two much! Chitarra alla Pescatora lobster, scallops, shrimp & calamari with a garlic tomato sauce over fresh housemade squid ink chitarra The Pescatora was by far my favorite dish of the night. I loved the pasta which was clearly handmade, cooked perfectly al dente and balanced with just the right amount of the spicy garlic tomato sauce (not overly sauced). This was a nice small portion and the calamari was not overcooked and almost reminded me of the way Chef Hiroshi makes his famous monga squid --AND-- Pappardelle Bolognese Wagyu beef Bolognese over fresh housemade pappardelle Fiance ate most of this. I have made bolognese before and to me this was nothing out of this world. I found it cooked traditionally as a very meaty sauce reduced down after hours of cooking at low heat with onions, celery, and carrots plus stock. OK in my opinion. OK, at this point we were so stuffed and nearing the two hour mark that I asked Stacey if we could take a break before bringing the dessert to which she said no problem just let her know. We walked around the hotel to stretch our legs (and opu's). Ordered 2 Illy espresso before dessert. Asked Stacey for a wedge of lemon peel which she delivered. Dolce Tiramisu A deconstructed take on Arancino's signature tiramisu ~or~ Monte Bianco Creamy chestnut puree & celery custard with yuzu honey sauce Overall, amazing meal. Food was worth the price but more so I was impressed by the level of service, ambiance and quality of delivery of food from A-Z. Will certainly r
(5)Monica A.
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday. Wasn't able to get an early reservation so we started our dinner at 8:30pm. The food was amazingly refreshing and rich in taste. Hands down, uni pasta is the way to go. The nama pasta had the best handmade texture and mixed in with such a buttery cream sauce, it's a full plate of heaven. They were sweet as to give me a macaroon for my birthday. The reason for the 4 stars was that it being my birthday, they didn't wish me a happy birthday in the beginning. They also didn't provide a complimentary birthday cake and we had to order one and pay for it. They did write Happy Birthday on the plate but the handwriting was a little messy and they didn't include my name. I know it sounds a little snobby of me to ask for so much but I guess my standards are high after eating at Alan Wong's. Especially since the bill came out to almost the same amount. Other than that, the food was amazing and the atmosphere was very quaint and just lovely especially with an actual violinist playing live music outside on the patio. I definitely recommend dining outdoors if you're having dinner. very romantic . . . very Italian.
(4)Mark H.
This is the best Italian I've had in a long while. A nice break from traditional Hawaiian fare.
(5)Brent K.
Great Food ! We had the Cheifs special. five course. every course delightful . The tastes and textures were excelent. I think this is tipickel for a fine dinning Japanese Chief . Everything is perfect ! good service Great Hotel. We will be back !
(5)Meri T.
Amazing amazing amazing. Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. The food is decadent and the service was impeccable. Our servers were Kaulana and Alec. Alec was exceptionally warm and attentive. A very memorable dining experience.
(5)S. B.
I would like to give this place 5 stars for the caliber of food.... BUT I can't.... We did the tasting menu with wine pairing-- which overall was very pleasurable-- BUT, the wine was all over the place... 1st course, bubbles didn't come out till I was pretty much done with my lobster bisque.... 2nd course, wine late again... not as late, but still, late....... then here's the kicker, 3rd course hasn't even arrived yet (b/c they haven't cleared the 2nd course plates yet, AND i'm still drinking the wine), but here's the 3rd course wine! early! what? I know the place is almost empty, but a lot of the staff seemed to be just hanging out, talking loudly in the dining hall... And now feeling we're feeling a little rushed out....? For all the white-glove theatrics, the tone of the staff as a whole is just not there.
(3)Justin W.
I highly suggest Arancino to anyone who is looking for the total experience in dining. As soon as my family and I walked up to the restaurant, we were greeted and seated immediately. We had the best server ever named Heidi and Alan as the assistant server. They payed extra attention to our table and they were full of enthusiasm. Each dish served was described in great detail. I felt comfortable eating each of my dishes because I knew exactly what was in it and how it was preparred. I suggest the Pappardelle alla Bolognese (wagyu beef meat sauce on top of a thin ribbon like pasta) and Arrosto di Agnello (guava wood chip smoked lamb chops). This was my first fine dining experience. After being spoiled by the excellent food and service, eating anywhere else never compares to the Arancino experience.
(5)Rina S.
Arancino Kahala is a great place to take a date to impress or clients to woo! With a quiet and upscale atmosphere, Arancino Kahala is very different from their other two locations in Waikiki. Their plating is impressive and everything on the menu is sooooo good! They are now offering an ala carte menu, so even if you weren't too keen on their course style before you now have the option to choose and the pricing is now definitely more affordable.
(5)Natsuko T.
I absolutely adore this place! The food here was wonderful, the atmosphere was perfect, but most of all, the staff here is just plain awesome!! My friends and I just had the best time here! The staff is attentive and friendly which made our dining experience just a whole lot better. I will definitely be going back and this place is now one of my favorite restaurants!
(5)Keani T.
Mary- Your review is invalid as Arancino Kahala wasn't even open for you to have been there multiple times at that point. Your complaint is minor. The service is amazing and everyone was so friendly and accommodating. What a great new concept for Italian fine dining. I have tried almost everything on the menu and I have no complaints. My favorites however, include the lavender infused beef, sweet potato gnocchi, and squid ink pasta. The bread dish is amazing, and you might think bread is no big deal...but a restaurant that cares about all the details including something that may seem trivial as a side of bread....speaks volumes. The best restaurants I've been to care about all the minute details, crossing their t's and dotting their i's....because excellence is all encompassing. I highly recommend you experience Arancino Kahala for yourself. I wouldn't want anyone to miss out!
(5)Mune T.
We, three of us, dined at Arancino at the Kahala last night, 8/12/2014. Maybe my expectation was too high, but I was not too impressed with it. Like so many people said on here, "It is almost there." We had the tasting menu, a 5 course dinner. All the dishes look great but none of them made us say, Ahhh....". Again like many people said, something was missing/lacking. The Lobster Bisque was the best part of my dinner. I feel they are trying too hard on everything, the atmosphere, presentation, and service. But many of those aspects are unnecessary if the food is great. One interesting observation is that 95% of customers, when we were there, was visitors from Japan. Maybe this restaurant is aiming to please them with the above aspects, atmosphere, presentation, and service. They all seemed satisfied when leaving. I still don't know how to evaluate our waiter, Pedro. He acted somewhere between professional and "I am f***ing tired of dealing with these people". His abrupt and non-smiling service could be taken as being a professional servant, or else, being unfriendly and he didn't care. But the other staff seemed very attentive and friendly. Then some of them were over friendly and animating, maybe because of the language issue with the foreign visitors. Going back to their food, it was just good, not great or memorable. I know that they use all the fresh and high quality ingredients. The ideas are good and ambitious, but they are not coming through. Also too much truffles. Enough already. The price, it is toward the high end. I know that people are expecting to pay the high price when they dine at the Kahala Hotel. But all the issues would be solved if the food is better.
(3)Manny B.
I had the caesar salad and the sous vide wagyu beef (incredibly tasty) - $40 an ounce type of pricing. Food is good but a little pricey. Definitely a nice experience. Some people would wish the portions were a little bit larger.
(4)Kellen Floyd A.
Went there for the first time a few weeks ago for dinner...GREAT food. We went with the tasting paired with wine. This includes a five course meal with wine. My favorite dishes were the lamb, braised ribs, and the risotto ball. We also had a seafood pasta and squid ink pasta. Great food, great service and nice atmosphere. It was a little pricey, but well worth it.
(5)Andy H.
In my hunt for new restaurants I haven't experienced I stumbled upon Arancino at Kahala. I was not the slightest bit disappointed! The bread plate, all homemade, was incredible. The Rosemary infused square loafs were perfect. For an appetizer we began with the Fois Gras. This was cooked to perfection and the red wine reduction and truffle oil was the perfect compliment. The prosciutto and papaya was equally delicious and a perfect light start to dinner. I was highly impressed when my lamb arrived under a dome holding in the wonderful smoke they used to infuse such a sweet savory flavor. The Wagyu beef melted in your mouth with each bite. For dessert, we ordered the cheese plate which had a Brie with a pipette of local honey, the deconstructed tiramisu and their new rum cake. The ambience was beautiful, our server was very thorough and the perfect compliment to the evening. I can't wait to go back here and sample more of this amazing chef's creations!
(5)Chad R.
If I could give this place a zero, I would. This is my first review on Yelp, and this is important to note because I am not generally active in social media yet urgently feel the need to display my utter dissatisfaction with this restaurant in order to dissuade future patrons from spending their hard earned money here. Let me also qualify my statements by saying that I enjoy fine dining, and I am very comfortable paying a good price for my food. Some of the other restaurants that I frequent here in Honolulu include: La Mer, Hoku (also at the Kahala Resort), Nobu, and The Stage. Without further adieu, let me lay out what I found so dissatisfying at this restaurant. In somewhat chronological order of our dining experience: 1. This was a special occasion for a friend of ours, and we were promised on the phone (and verified two days later via phone) an outdoor table. Thus, we were shocked when we were given seats inside. As an aside, if you haven't been there, I should say that the indoor seating is virtually inside the kitchen and considerably lacking in ambience and atmosphere compared to the outdoor seats. We were further dismayed when we pointed out to the manager that there were empty seats outside that he could have sat us in. Those seats stayed empty almost our entire stay. 2. The wines are severely overpriced. Since we had a party of four we were going to split two bottles of wine over the entire evening and were dismayed to find that the cheapest bottle of wine was in the 60-70$ range. I have concluded that the inflated wine prices are to sustain the sommelier's salary and the fancy yet unnecessary display in opening our bottle in front of us which added no value and was actually quite cumbersome in practice (e.g. they spilled on the tablecloth and almost on my wife's dress). The fact that both bottles of Pinot Noir that we ordered were borderline awful was just insult to injury. 3. Without going in to too much detail, I will say that the food was mediocre. We all had the three course dinner, and we all ordered varying dishes for a total of 7 different dishes. The lobster bisque was very satisfying. The "Arancino" (signature dish) was just a deep friend and tasteless ball. The sautéed Foie Gras was the best thing on the menu and the best dish of the night. The buffalo mozzarella was somewhat tasteful, but the artistic presentation really set it back a notch due to the lack of balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil that makes that dish so stunning in my opinion. The beef bolognese was average at best. The sweet potato gnocchi with prosciutto was lacking flavor, and while inventive, left a lot to be desired. And that is coming from my wife, who is a self proclaimed sweet potato aficionado. 4. The final nail in the coffin was the service (or lack thereof) in receiving our check and the preferential treatment given to the man next to us due to his pension for flashing his assumedly cheaply earned stack of cash kept in his breast pocket. We sat there obviously trying to get our waitress' attention to no avail while he chatted up a storm about the latest stock market developments. It delayed our leaving this place for a full 20 to 25 minutes beyond when we had anticipated leaving. To conclude, I would say that the lack of attention to detail to our friend's special night combined with the general lack of service expected for the price we endured to dine there were the most frustrating aspects of the evening. It would have made things a lot more agreeable if the either the wine or food was to die for, but alas, it was not. If you are considering going to Arancino at the Kahala, I would highly recommend you to go to Hoku next door instead. Or a myriad of other fine dining establishments to be found throughout Honolulu. Please do not waste your time. I know I wish I had not.
(1)LesliAnn K.
REVIEW FOR RESTAURANT WEEK 2013 First off, a great deal for restaurant week! Typically, this restaurant is tasting menu only, and these tasting menus are about $80. A "VIntage Cave" feel without the vintage cave prices. Atmosphere was one of the highlights of this place. As soon as we got in, I admired the open style terrace setting. Took me back to wine country in California. We browsed around a little bit within the small restaurant and the manager invited us to come check out the open kitchen, making us feel welcome. Everyone was friendly, willing to help. The waiters were all constantly working seamlessly, not missing a beat with the water refills, asking how each dish was, and removing unnecessary or dirty silverware. One waiter took a white glove out of his pocket when handling the new silverware he placed on our table so he didn't get his fingerprints/body oil on it! Our table was right next to an older man playing on his accordion. He had such great enthusiasm, seamlessly transitioning between upbeat classics and romantic songs like "Only fools rush in." I would have tipped him if I could have! Started off with the amuse bouche which included Kahuku corn foam in a tiny mason jar. The size of the dishes (TINY!) makes you want to savor each and every bite. They had fun with the bread and included Moloka'i black sea salt as a topping. The Foccacia rosemary bread was shaped like a fried tofu, perfectly cubed shaped I could barely force myself to tear it apart it was soooo darn cutes! My favorite dishes of the night include the Antipasto Arancini Lightly fried foie gras & white truffle parmesan risotto balls. They looked like two little dumplings layered over a thin carpet of spices..All kinds of textures in my mouth at once, the tenderness of the foie gras, the coarseness of the spices tempered with the dipping sauce. HOT balls of deliciousness! I thoroughly enjoyed the pasta Pappardelle with wagyu beef. It was fresh, house made and It was like fruit roll-up, it was so smooth and I just did not want it to ever end. Special touch: Because we came to celebrate my birthday, the manager presented me with a box of macaroons, including sweet potato and mocha flavors. Just a fabulous final touch on a classy night. We self-parked, the restaurant provided us with full validation so we were able to walk around the grounds after. Come out to Kahala for a nice, quiet night away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki and the other Arancinos. Worth it!
(4)Daniel P.
Lobster bisque absolutely amazing. Almost ordered seconds. Ceasar salad okay... waiting for wagu beef .
(4)B F.
Everything was perfect for a birthday dinner. Extremely pleasant and helpful staff. The food was great. We enjoyed the tasting menu, which ended up being more food than we could eat. Compliments of the chef, we enjoyed a corn foam to start off our meal. It sounds odd, but was surprisingly good and refreshing. The servers were very attentive to all our needs without being obtrusive. The manager stopped by to see how everything was. Over all, we had a very enjoyable evening.
(5)Merril A.
When I can actually finish an entire meal by myself, I know it was a five star meal. I couldn't help but be excited to try out this little restaurant by the hotel. I loved the atmosphere and the service was impeccable. Each dish came out promptly. The quality of the food was amazing. 1. The Kahuku sweet corn foam was so airy and delicious-I wanted more than just one spoonful! 2. The bagna cauda beats Morimoto's. 3. I had to stop myself from getting full on the freshly baked rosemary-infused focaccia, whole wheat roll, and Parmesan stick! 4. I love prosciutto. Instead of cantaloupe and prosciutto, the prosciutto e frutta had papaya. Yum! 5. Tagliolini ai Ricci di Mari (house-made tagliolini with sweet garlic cream sauce) was so flavorful and the Hokkaido uni just elevates it to amazing-ness. 6. Stracotto di Manzo (braised short ribs) was so tender and rich from the merlot wine reduction. 7. The deconstructed tiramisu just made me so happy. I love the combination of coffee, chocolate, and fresh fruits. Presentation is on par! I definitely had to ask the waitress for her personal recommendations because the menu is extensive and everything sounds so good. I can't wait to try the other dishes next time!
(5)Janel E.
Things tend to be either simple or complex. Arancino at the Kahala happens to be both. The menu is straightforward; 4 courses or 5. Each impeccable dish embodied the effort and hours involved in its creation. Do not try to replicate at home, the odds are against your success. I would put money on it. Go to Arancino and enjoy the amazing food, service, and atmosphere. Dress the part, put some effort into it, look good. It's the least you can do, they'll handle the rest! ;D
(5)David B.
MARY, really? a 1 star because there's a dress code? arancino does it again! it was a great dining experience with each dish beautifully presented. decor, service, and etiquette were all on point. we were stuffed! price in my opinion was not bad at all for a dinner course of this caliber. highly recommend you try it! heard lunch has regular ala carte items. definitely want to come back for just a regular meal, pasta, pizzas. will be back!
(5)Marie H.
One word - DELIZIOSO! One of the Italian meals outside of Italy! The Carbonara was simply the best. I can't wait until I come back. Bravo to the chef and staff!
(5)Angel M.
I've been to fine dining in Paris, Vancouver, and Seattle. This is by far one of the best restaurant and the best food! Amazing presentation and wonderful wine companion. Best service! She introduces every course with the story behind, and made our courses come faster as we were catching a flight.
(5)Shuji K.
Came here for restaurant week. Drinks: 1. One glass prosecco 2. One glass mint tea Ordered only one glass because the wine list is crazy. First Course: Some kind of corn cream thing in a glass container. Not a very good description of what we had but was not listening to our server when he explained it. Second Course: Lobster Bisque. HIGHLIGHT of the night. Best dish of the night because it's lobster bisque and because of the very real and distinct lobster taste. Third Course; Arancino's balls. Yea, they serve you these two balls stuffed with Foie Gras and settled on a bed of finely chopped crimini mushroom. Presentation, as with most dishes here is nice, but the overall taste was okay. Not bad but not blow my mind transcending to another level of consciousness. Fourth Course: Squid Ink pasta. It was actually really good and didn't have this nasty taste...i had a bad experience at 12th avenue grill once. The dish was a little spicer than i had anticipated. Although good enough--would not order again. The novelty of squid ink is best experience once--maybe twice. Fifth Course (Final) Monte Bianco. Not sweet at all and all I can remember is the yuzu honey sauce. Overall Experience: Like all the reviews say, service was excellent. I think I was more impressed with the quality of their service than the actual food. I like how there is this cute old man in purple who plays his accordion for us. Free parking with validation. As other people have pointed out--this cuisine is definitely not what some would consider traditional Italian food, but it was a great experience to see the creativity of the presentation and the manipulation of different culinary techniques to create very unique dishes. Perhaps taste wise they may not translate out the way that one expects "Italian" food to be, but i would definitely recommend people to eat at this place once.
(4)Kristi C.
Everything was awesome! All 4 of us decided on the 5 course dinner and all of our dishes were delicious. You can also choose the 4 course dinner or decide to go ala carte. I've never been to a place where they let you pick your own knife for the meat course. The service was amazing and they even gave my boyfriend a little chocolate hat since it was his birthday. For a little extra, each course is paired with a a specific wine depending on what dish you choose. I'm not a wine drinker but my boyfriend, who knows a lot about wines, said each wine went perfect for each of his dishes. We both agree that this place is definitely somewhere we'd eat at again. The dress code isn't as strict as Mary said since I was wearing nice jeans with a nice dressy top and my boyfriend and my friend were both wearing nice jeans with a collared dress shirt. There were even tourists wearing shorts and aloha shirts.
(5)Douglas O.
Excellent food, atmosphere, and unbelievably awesome service! New concepts in the regular Italian food affair. Can't stop praising the service...always checking up, water refills, drink refills, explanation of food...very professional, prompt...what can I say but EXCELLENT!
(5)Seagem F.
Die and gone to heaven! The best food and presentation and service. Frist class all the way! Definitely a must visit!!!!! Vintage cave.....look out!
(5)Daniel L.
The food is what you would expect at a restaurant of this class. With that said, the portions is as well.
(4)Carlton Y.
The beat Italian restaurant in hawaii. The vegetable plater with anchovy dip is wonderful. What appears to be dirt is actually porcini mushroom powder. Have had a similar dish at morimoto and aranci is a hundred times netter. Their wage beef ragu is decadent. The flavor of the beef is infused Into the sauce that only comes with hours of slow simmering. Also their squid ink Pasta is great. My favorite dish is the sou vide lamb infused with smoke. The lamb is tender and flavorful. My main issue with sou vide is that the food comes out bland. They solve this by bathing the lamb in smoke and covering it in with a glass dome. Despite the aweso mm en presentation it taste even better. Definitely try this place on part with mavro but about 20 bucks cheaper.
(5)Christopher C.
I was surprised. You will be surprised too! Try see for yourself : )
(5)Lauren L.
My husband and I went to this restaurant few weeks ago. Food was exceptional and service was good only reason we are giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that we felt that the portion was too small for the price. Becase of the exceptonal quality of the meal we will definately return . !!
(4)Chris J.
Came here last week for our valentines dinner. The food, ambiance and staff were so good we came back. The food portions are just the right size. We had the strawberry Italian soda and ginger cooler; very refreshing. The arancini, wagyu beef bolognese and short ribs are all unbelievably tasty. The food was beautifully presented with the flavors harmoniously balanced.
(5)Lexi H.
i dont understand how a restaurant can be this magical
(5)Levi C.
Great food and service. It is a little on the pricier side, so it's not like I'll be running over there all the time, but I definitely go here for a really nice lunch. I took my wife here for her birthday, and she loved it. I had the mushroom pasta the first time I came, and tried the pizza on my second visit. I would definitely stick to the pasta next time around. Not that the pizza was bad or anything, just that I don't think there are much opportunities for me to get impressed by good pizza. The service is top notch, and everyone from the restaurant was super courteous.
(5)Citizen D.
Great food. A bit on the expensive side. Could have rated 5, if they had more vegetarian options.
(4)Grant U.
Small place, food looks good but taste is not evwn closs to what you have to pay...manager was gracious enough to waive $40/$240 meal tab because the steak had no flavor at all...not going back unless its free
(3)Jannet L.
Wasn't expecting much bc felt like it would be hot bc no ac and view of hotel driveway not particularly exciting. Boy was I wrong! This is my second favorite restaurant on this island - not my first only bc pricey. But def the best Japanese Italian. I think it's the most visually interesting food I've ever had beautiful dishes and really yummy. The chef made such whimsical fun dishes - really an artist! Portions are modest but 4-5 courses is really plenty and you're not going to stuff your face but to look at beautiful food and taste interesting delicious food. You eat with your eyes first and maybe that's why I was so stuffed even though I only got 4 courses. The bagna cruda friggin blew my mind with the creative plating - I can't even describe it. Just get it and be amazed. Even the bread was so pretty and yummy. I had the panna cotta for dessert which was refreshing and so different from anything I've ever tasted. Service was top notch, very courteous, helpful, attentive. $85 per person for four courses and I had leftovers to bring home. Pricey for every day but definitely the place to go for a special occasion.
(5)Ryan S.
Stupid concept and bad atmosphere. Not classic Italian more like ordinary good with over the top prices.
(1)Azzi E.
First of all, Arancino is a relatively small Italian restaurant at a fancy Kahala resort. It comes with 3 hours validated valet parking. We went there for a special occasion - party of two for the lunch. Because this is ranked as a $$$$ restaurant, I will rank it that way: As an appetizer we had the caesar salad, it was nicely decorated on the plate and the taste was lovely. 5/5 As an entree we got mushroom tagliatelle and arugula+prosciutto pizza. The tagliatelle was served on a nice, deep and large plate and was served as an appropriate pasta portion. The pasta supposed to be cooked "al dente", however, I think it was too hard and I would cook it longer for a one minute or so. The mixture of mushrooms was not appropriate - in Italian pasta, you don't mix Japanese and local mushrooms, it should be porcini and mushrooms you could get in Italy, so the taste was ruined. The pizza was pretty decent size for one person. However, the taste of the pizza was mediocre - it had no tomato sauce on the dough (in Italy it's a must), only some melted cheese that cover 1/2 of the pizza. On top there was an incredible amount of arugula (this was an overkill, the amount of the greens was probably enough for the full meal salad), few slices of prosciutto. It was pretty dry. If you serve pizza in Italy you would expect the waiter would bring olive oil, spices and other ingredients. 3/5 Deserts were lovely - Monte Bianco and Gelato Affogato were served in a professional way and the taste was great. 5/5 The service was good, the waiter asked frequently about our meals and described what was served. 5/5 Overall ranking of Arancino based on our experience is 4/5. It is a very good restaurant. I would recommend appetizers and desserts.
(4)Becca L.
Too bad I still have to give Arancino's a one star, it actually deserves a 0. LONG STORY SHORT, ARANCINOS HAS WORKERS WHO WILL CHEAT PATRONS WHO THEY THINK AREN'T LOCAL. MANAGEMENT AND THEIR WHOLE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DIDNT GET SUED YET Couple weeks ago my parents and their friend made reservations and the three of them ordered three $80 course meal. Their meal was suppose to come out to around $240, right? Wrong, the bill came out to be $320! My mom did ask them if she could switch a pasta for another alternative from the course because it was too salty and their waiter said it was not a problem, she wouldnt get charged. My parents friend asked if she could get two appetizers instead of the main course without being charged extra and the waiter said no problem. When they grabbed their bill and saw the $320, they asked the waiter why they were charged extra. They were charged for two $80 course meal and the third course he charged every single dish separately! They were also charged for my moms pasta change ($20). We asked where the $20 charge came from, he didn't have a response at first then later said because of my mom's pasta change. They asked for the manager and he went into the back and brought out a revised check, this time canceling my moms $20 pasta charge. But then we asked where the extra $60 charge came from. They again asked to see a manager because the first time he didn't come out. He went into the back again and finally, the third revised check, it was a bill of $240. But still no manager. My parents felt bad for the food runners and bussers working hard and thought of me, I food run and buss tables at a restaurant, and tipped their waiter $50. They shouldn't have tipped him anything and should've asked to get their whole meal comped but they were too humble and just wanted to leave. They told me their experience the next day when I asked, and I was furious! My parents arent the confrontational type and I can see how a server from Arancino can take advantage of my asian parents. I was furious that they didn't stay to see a manager after asking for the 3rd time and they didnt grab the servers name nor the three receipts that waiter gave them. I called the manager and asked if they discriminate against asians or run a restaurant where they cheat their patrons. He was the manager on duty that night and said he did not hear of this problem nor did any customers ask for him. My biggest question now is, how was that waiter able to take off those extra charges without a managers consent? The manager had to know. He took down my name and number and told me he'd get to the bottom of this; great manager. He didn't call me back. WE DEFINITELY GOT CHEATED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. I HOPE ARANCINO CAN CLEAN HOUSE, STARTING WITH THAT WAITER AND MANAGER, IN HOPES THAT HE DOESN'T CHEAT ANYMORE NON-LOCALS. BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE WE WEREN'T HIS FIRST VICTIMS.
(1)Tyler C.
Damn good. Lavendar infused tajima was exceptional
(4)Lauren C.
Excellent service followed by excellent food! We did the four course option and had lobster bisque, gnocchi, short ribs and creme brûlée. Everything was amazing however the gnocchi wasn't very flavorful. They quickly replaced it with an awesome seafood pasta which was to die for. Everything the table ordered was beautifully presented and made for lots of great food pics :) we will be back!
(5)John P.
Not even remotely worth the cost. Far from authentic Italian food.
(1)NEILAND S.
I always find it amazing how many people (is it inexperience) praise a restaurant that completely misses the mark. Service is a strong point here, the ONLY strong point (3 stars for serveice only) but training one's employees is most important. One member of staff explained a foie gras course as being DUCK LIVER!!!!! This was told to a table of international business people, two of whom speak fleunt French and had LIVED in Paris for years. Also: The wine list is pretentiously priced as well. (Maybe for the target market?). People knowledgeable about wine service know it is unnecessary to decant a young wine. Too pretentious for words. The menu course selection should be more adaptable to those who want to stray froom the "formula". I agree with other reviews regarding the inedibility of garnish and tastelessness of the beef course. It should never be necessary to rely on salt "garnish???" for flavor and thumb-sized potatoes!!! REALLY!! The serviceware is beautiful and obviously costly (very pleasant wait person mentioned a plate that costs $100...WITHOUT FOOD). The FOOD should be the focus NOT the plate it sits on!!! I cannot imagine the sophisticated hotel guests attracted by The Kahala tolerating this restaurant for long. Locals should spend their hard earned money elewhere.
(1)Steve G.
This is a great place to have a fun dining evening. Antonio, the manager, is top notch. He knows his wine, wine pairings, and food, and has trained his staff well in this regard also. Everyone was friendly and well-informed. Our server, Luke, did a wonderful job of making us feel at home, shared some suggestions and favorites on the menu, and treated us as valued guests. Though the prices may seem high for some, we viewed the entire meal as a creative adventure, not just a place to eat. Everything - from the bread, main courses and desserts - was done with an artistic flair. Of course if the food only looks good, then what's the point? Arancino does not disappoint. The food here tastes very good. If it's your first time, then one of the 4 course or 5 course tasting menus is a great way to share and taste different items. We thoroughly enjoyed the Bagna Cauda (fresh vegetables with warm anchovy garlic and oil dip), the Arancini risotto balls, the "uni" spaghetti, the Wagyu beef bolognese, the braised shortribs, and the chestnut puree/celery custard with yuzu honey sauce. There are two outstanding wine menus as well, put together by a world class sommelier. The grand wine menu contains fabulous wines from all over the world, though a few of the wines may be priced out of reach for some. The other wine menu is very reasonable and one can find some excellent choices here also. Again, the manager is more than capable of suggesting any wine at any price that will pair great with your meal, as he knows his offerings very well. We look forward to eating here again.
(5)Kozue M.
If you're looking for a nice high end restaurant but more on the casual feel, this is the place to go! They have an indoor and outdoor seating area. And a cute old man playing his accordion~ I dined here with my friends on a Friday night at 6:30p, wasn't too busy but we made sure to have reservations. There's two parts to the menu, you can do a tasting menu which begins at $65 (4 courses) or you can choose from the ala carte. We decided to go with the ala carte! Started with the bagna cauda which is a vegetable crudite with a garlic & anchovy dip. The presentation was so cute!! My main entrée was the Stracotto di Manzo (braised short ribs) and it was delicious~ the short ribs melted in your mouth! And finished it off with a tiramisu, another good one!
(5)Rob B.
Awesome! Really I would say this is a 4.5 experience with only minor detractions. Rating better than acclaimed Hoku's we had to give it a try. Get the Uni pasta as all have said. I am not an uni fan but just loved it. If you like lobster or crab you will love it. Pizza was good but short of a Neapolitan experience.
(4)Ms S.
Beautiful ambiance, quiet but romantic. Nice selection of wines by the glass and bottles. Service is on point for the 1st hour (appetizer was nice), second course was ( squid ink seafood pasta which was delicious with red sauce), also had uni pasta ( sauce had a funky flavor, maybe was too much cream). In between the third course we have to wait the server to come by and he also missed selling any desserts. Took too long to check back in the main entree (sous vide steak) with mashed truffle potatoes. Portions are just perfect, maybe too small for most of the people but good for tasting different dishes. Enjoyed wine and ambiance. Service could be more on point.
(4)Lina C.
Love the plantation iced tea and lobster bisque (ask if they have it for lunch as it's only on dinner menu). For lunch there's a good 3 course menu for $39. Nice friendly service and good complimentary warm bread. Highly recommended!
(5)Tricia P.
We stayed at Kahala Resort and visited Arancino for a romantic dinner. We ordered pasta entrees with their wine pairings -- the fresh pasta was tasty, but portions were smaller than expected. Great service, unlimited complimentary bread and live accordion music. The table next to us had the tasting menu and it looked quite good, would try it next time. We went on a Monday but still needed to make a reservation as it was quite busy.
(5)Celina Q.
Decided to dine at Arancino's at the Kahala on a whim for the birthday of a friend. The location is gorgeous, just steps from the Kahala Resort and Spa tucked away after the famous Waialae Country Club and 4999 Kalaha Towers. Their entry way is very themed to the ambiance of their Italian cuisine. With a semi-private outdoor setting and a few cozy tables inside, the size of the establishment is perfect. Cocktail list is short and sweet. I tried their Arancino- a sweet, tangy martini with a floating dried orange, and my friend had the Peach Milano- a twist on the classic Mojito. Between the two, the Arancino was my fave. I had heard so much about their lunch prixe fixe, I persuaded my lunch partner to order the same. Appetizers: Insalata Caprese Cherry tomatos, fresh mozzarella, balsamic caviar and a hint of basil So yum! Each tomato was cut in half and gently placed along with mozzarella. Balsamic caviar was a total creation, they resembled edible beads Tartare di Mare Shredded ahi, kona kampachi tartare with avocado on the bottom and topped with tobiko All nicely stacked as one pillar served with thinly sliced house bread Entrees: Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mar Uni, white wine tomato cream sauce Hands down, the best Uni pasta I've had here and in Japan. Though Im not a big fan of seafood, especially the richness of Uni, this pasta gives just the right amount of the taste, and not to mention, each noodle is coated in their delish white wine sauce Pizza Funghi e Tartufo Shimeji, maitake, eryngii mushrooms, mozzarella, gorgonzola, mascarpone, parmiagino, white truffle oil Great size pizza, the crust is obviously had in house. With 3 types of mushrooms and 4 types of cheese AND truffle oil, you cant go wrong with this selection Desserts: Tiramisu A deconstructed version of the signature tiramisu Not too overwhelming on the sweetness, I liked the accent of crushed coffee beans along the edge of the plate to balance out the sweetness of the cream Panna Cotta Italian cream custard, tomato sorbet and compote A very refreshing dessert, small portion for a rather large plate, but hey, the tomato sorbet was to die for Overall, an amazing experience at Arancino at the Kahala. I cant wait to come back for dinner.
(5)Dub C.
Dinner reservations at 7:30 pm. Showed up on time. Was told table wasn't ready, and to wait in Veranda room. 8 pm no update on table. 8:15 no update on table, still waiting patiently in Veranda room. 8:16 walk back over to host station, and ask how much longer is the wait. With an attitude, the hostess replies,"I don't know! Look at this table they are still eating desert, look at that table they were suppose to leave and their still talking." I get it, not everyone leaves when they are suppose to, but the fact that I waited 45 minutes before I got my own update was not cool! Finally at 8:25 pm we were seated. All 3 of us opted for the tasting menu with wine pairing. Food/drinks were great until one of our pasta dishes was undercooked. Informed our waiter about this. His reply was , "it's suppose to be like that, it's al dente!" Dood, I know what al dente is and it definitely was not al dente. Bro, I have eaten at Don Alfonso, so just cause I show up with a Hawaii ID and look local does not mean I have not traveled the world and eaten at some high end establishments. All he needed to say was sorry, and will make you another one. How hard is that? Side note: I have not lived in Hawaii for 14 years, but I come back every 2-3 months for 2 weeks at a time. I'm probably one of the most laid back, easy going pple eating out. I don't ask for anything. However, either the service is lacking in Hawaii, or I have bad luck on this visit. Maybe it's the aloha shirts I wear?
(2)Ariana M.
RESTAURANT WEEK HAWAII ~~! This is the perfect week to get together with friends or go on a hot date! Check it out on their website - restaurantweekhawaii.com Arancino actually has a couple locations. The one I will be reviewing today is located at the Kahala Resort. We arrived slightly early for our reservation. So we decided to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine to pass the time. When our friends finally arrived we joined them on the table. Our server for the evening was Pedro, I loved his accent! He was very friendly and helpful when we had questions regarding wines. I was also impressed by the busser who brought us new silverware. They brought it out on a tray and wore white gloves while placing them in front of us. Talk about fancy! The Grub. ($62 - 4 course menu + $24 wine pairing) BREAD: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… Bread is bread what can I say? Haha, I guess my favorite bread on this plate was the square one. I like my bread more soft :) AMUSE BOUCHE: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… This was surprisingly delicious! It reminded me of corn chowder, in a foam. It was light, sweet and fluffy. INSALATE: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… The burrata cheese tasted so good with the cherry tomatos :3 This dish is really simple and good. ANTIPASTO: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… This appetizer was more on the heavy side. It was a risotto ball that was lightly fried, two pieces of calamari on top of squid ink sauce. PRIMO: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… The uni pasta was BOMB. This dish was covered with fresh uni and house made tagliolini. It looks small, but I got so full from it. DOLCE: yelp.com/biz_photos/aran… For dessert, we had the deconstructed tiramisu. The presentation was very nice! Definitely instagram worthy ;] At the very end of our meal, Pedro brought us some macaroon gift boxes! If I wasn't so full from my dinner I would have eaten one right then and there! Overall, I had a great experience here for Restaurant Week Hawaii.
(5)Mike O.
I really enjoyed the high class service in a casual bristro-like setting. Both our servers were extraordinary, very polite, informative and knowledgable. The white gloves to set the silverware is a little overboard, although a nice touch. The amuse was kahuku corn mousse, which was incredible. Sweet, smooth and a little saltiness from the bacon. The bread was also very good. So good I had 2 servings of it. All I remember about the delicious bread was 1 square, 1 round, 1 stick, a nice amount of butter and black salt. Yum. The app was tomato cheese salad. I hate tomatos but ate it all as it went very well with the gooey lightly flavored cheese. The main dish was the uni pasta. Not being an Uni lover, i wasn't really looking forward to it. Surprisingly it was delicious. There was a LOT of uni on there, so I'm mixed a lot of it into the pasta. The sauce was rich, thick and flavorful. The dessert; a huge deconstructed tiramisu. Unbelievable! and so delicious. This was our favorite meal for #Restaurantweekhawaii2014
(5)Greg K.
Beautiful restaurant at beautiful resort with great service and food. The food was amazing and the decor and music made you feel like you were in Italy. We ordered the Owners favorite pizza and pasta bolognese and a beautiful salad. Very delicious. It also rained while we were there and they promptly put up rain guards to protect us on the patio. I'm glad they added this restaurant to The Kahala in recent years.
(5)Pam M.
We went here for restaurant week & it was perfect. I had the restaurant week menu & added foie gras & my boyfriend had the tasting menu. Amuse bouche of kahuku corn chowder with pancetta was tasty & light. We were excited for the courses to arrive. Complementary bread plate arrived with a personal focaccia bread cube (a bit dense), bread roll % breadstick. We ordered the white sangria which arrived in a beautiful carafe. It was light and refreshing. 1st course: Burrata caprese salad was delicate & delicious. My boyfriend had the bagna cauda where the vegetables arrived in a whimsical presentation of a potted plant with anchovy garlic dip on the side. He enjoyed his veggie pot. 2nd course: Arancini (rice ball) was OK, not overly exciting. My bf had the carpaccio do pesce, which was very good. 3rd course: Spaghetti ai ricci do mare (uni pasta). This is the best uni pasta that I've had in Hawaii. The sauce was rich & flavorful with a lot of uni pieces. The bf had the tagliatelle alla carbonara & he said that it was the best carbonara that he'd ever had. 4th course: I added the fegato d'oca (foie gras) to my meal. It was delicate & flavorful. The bf had bistecca alla lavanda (lavender infused beef). He loved his entree & said it was tender & tasty. 5th course: dessert! We both had the tiramisu & it was light & delicate. Service was prompt & friendly. All servers explained each component of the dish when it was served at the table. Although it's expensive, it's worth it for a special occasion or a special treat. We will definitely be back!
(5)Loves G.
I cannot get enough of Arancino Kahala! I have dined here 3 weeks in a row and every week I'm here, I can never get tired of it. The food is always amazing and on point and the service is excellent. We were served by Brandon for lunch and he is amazing. Extremely thoughtful service and efficient. My friend had 5 iced teas and he kept bringing a fresh iced tea. Brandon also coursed out our pastas & pizza and turned our fabulous lunch into 4 courses. It was a perfect lunch served by the most perfect server. Thank you, Brandon. You are the best in the business.
(5)Marie I.
Met a good friend here at the Kahala for business. It's very pleasant here (at least during lunch), everyone yells a friendly "bonjour no" as you walk in (kinda like how Japanese say "irashaimase"). Service is great, taste is okay but this place gets 6 stars for presentation. Even the bread, made on site in their brick oven, is beautifully presented. I had mushroom pizza but it was too cheesy so I could only eat half of it. This is a good place to take guests from Japan (lotta "show" at this restaurant) but I would pass on bringing my family here.
(4)Mary H.
If you want to impress with the best pizza in the Waikiki area, this is our favorite place for lunch. Superb pasta selection sure to please everyone. Hand crafted pizza dough and breads make this location the best. Yummy, innovative salad with raspberry foam and petite vegetable selection,and greens, Salad Mista. The dessert is like a work of art with amazing ingredients. All together the most sophisticated lunch offered in the Waikiki area. Set at the Kahala Hotel, just past Diamond Head at the end of the road.
(5)Keahi A.
I came here with my boyfriend, Alan, on Valentine's Day for their Valentine's dinner. We had the wonderful opportunity to come here for dinner because Alan & I won the Hawaii News Now "Sweetest Sweethearts" contest which entailed a couple's dinner to Arancino at The Kahala. I called as soon as possible to alert them of my dietary restriction: I'm a vegetarian and I also won't eat seafood except for Ahi. I spoke with Antonio who was more than accommodating to my dietary restriction who then spoke with Chef Hamamoto to come up with a vegetarian menu just for me (none of which is on any of their menus). We arrived for our reservation at 8pm and was told that we had "special seats" reserved for us. Our seats were special for sure, they were the perfect spot! We could see and hear grandpa accordion clearly and had a view of everything outside. I can't speak to the Valentine's menu (except for dessert) but each time they arrived with a new dish, the look on Alan's face was as if he was in food heaven. I have never seen him make these faces before! He loved every single dish. My vegetarian menu, on the other hand, was surprisingly good! I never imagined that my dishes could look and taste as good as it did. I noticed that Chef would come out each time a dish was served to me, perhaps to see if I enjoyed my special menu. I respect him for doing that; it shows that he cares about my satisfaction, ensuring he's created an equally tasty menu for me. Dessert was a chocolate and raspberry mousse and, let me just say, I love chocolate and raspberries together. That being said, I was extremely ecstatic when it came! It was absolutely divine. For drinks, Alan ordered a martini and I ordered a raspberry Italian soda. The martini was so good I wanted to drink it all! The raspberry Italian soda, oh my gosh, so yummy! It had the perfect amount of sweetness to it. Now, I have to give a huge applause to our servers Kaulana & James. They were absolutely wonderful and were more than happy to answer our questions about the specific details of our dishes (aside from them normally explaining what's on our plates). They've had the best table-side manners I have seen so far and spoke very well. Not once did I feel they were making us feel dumb for asking questions about our dishes, something that's hard to find at any other establishment. Thank you guys! Thank you Arancino for great staff, customer service, and accommodations!
(5)Jeff T.
Came here during Localicious month on a week-night with a party of 3. One outstanding thing about Arancino at Kahala is that their service is on point. We were seated quickly, no hiccups in ordering, and during the meal it seemed as though the wait staff was quietly watching from afar to make sure everything went well. All 3 of us had ordered the tasting menu which is comprised of 5 dishes that you pick from a list for about $85 or $110 with wine pairings. A very good price and worth it for the quality. What is nice about this tasting menu is that you can sub out some items for others not listed on the tasting menu list such as their famous uni pasta for an extra $5 I would give recommendations, but I think everything that could be ordered is amazing. Don't feel like you might pick wrong. The wine pairings were worth the extra cost and the flavours were not overwhelming. As for the whole reason we came, Localicious, the garden-esque farm to table salad was a very delightful mix of flavour combining many different locally grown vegetables together topped with a raspberry vinaigrette foam dressing. Delicious and well plated.
(5)Peter C.
I had a great experience at Arancino at The Kahala Hotel. When I saw they were offering a tasting menu, I booked a reservation without hesitation. Arancino is offering a four course tasting dinner menu for $62 without wine pairings. It's an additional $24 for wine pairing or if you want to go ala carte the range can be from $5 to $9 per glass. 1 Caprese - salad with cherry tomatoes with petite basil on an orb of burrata 2 Antipasto - seafood risotto with lobster, scallop, calamari served over squid ink sauce 3 Main course - uni (from Santa Barbara) pasta in a creamy sauce 4 Dessert - tiramisu My favorite was the uni pasta. I love uni and having it cooked with the white wine garlic tomato cream sauce is to die for. Note: The four course dinner tasting is only offered until Sunday, November 23. If you decide to dine at lunch you can get the uni pasta at a 25% discount just for restaurant week.
(4)Emiri H.
I'm in love with Arancino di mare so I decided to go to Arancino kahala for Valentine's Day! They had the Valentine's Day 4 course dinner. Everything was almost perfect (besides that it was super windy). Everything tasted really yummy! The bread presentation was super duper cute! Something about Arancino and their bread. They always have great bread. The only little thing I would change about the night is that we had to ask for them to light the candle. I was looking around and I saw that everyone else had their candle on. Haha, but that's super minor. I'm just a control freak who gets bugged by little details like that. Arancino always has special holiday courses that's super yummy and fun! I love that the restaurant is super relaxed and I get quality food. The best part of the night was the musician playing the accordion! Or whatever that instrument is called! HE WAS SOOOOOOOO AMAZING! He definitely set the mood for the whole restaurant!
(5)David M.
Pretty great option in an area of town without many restaurants. The staff were all very helpful and cordial, and the menu was extensive. The atmosphere was very pleasant. We tried the pizza, arancini, caprese salad, squid ink pasta, and Risotto. The caprese salad was way over priced for what you get, but tasty. The other items were all very good.
(4)Robyn S.
Boyfriend took me here for my birthday a few days ago and I absolutely loved it. We both sat at the bar but I loved the atmosphere and the ambiance. I'm more of casual eater so it was a great experience for me and le bf. Jonah was wonderful and attentive and went through each course with us gracefully. We kicked it off with the kahuku corn mousse with pancetta; which was nice, light, and a great way to cleanse our palette for the nommage to come. Boyfriend ordered the tasting menu with wine pairings and I ordered the uni pasta. Me being the overachieving light eater I am, Jonah was kinda enough to provide us with some share plates and split some items between us. A complementary bread plate arrived; and I really loved the foccacia. The presentation was interesting and I really loved the concept. Who can deny a tiny, compact, bread cube? (I can see how my weird OCD is coming into play here) Next off was the Zuppa di Aragosta: a lobster bisque more or less; and probably one of my favorite dishes off the entire tasting menu. It was so rich and creamy. It was reminiscent of a lobster bisque I've had in the far distant past, and it really hit home for me. Secondly, was the Carpaccio di Pesce. Really fresh and light. The ogo and sea asparagus added a pleasant saltiness to the really soft and buttery kanpachi and fresh ahi. Third was the main course, so I had the Spaghetti Ai Ricci Di Mare whilst the Bf had the Chitarra alla Pescatora. I can't pronounce either for the life of me but I'll sum it up as an uni pasta in a creamy white wine sauce and a squid ink pasta with a tomato sauce. If there's one thing I love more than beer, it's probably uni pasta. A wonderful amount of uni and if you love white sauce like me, you will savor every last bit of it. Most people would cringe at the idea of 'squid ink' but I really enjoyed the Chitarra as well. Really flavorful and zesty, I loved the kick of the tomato sauce. Fourth, was the Stracotto di Manzo, a braised short rib served with seasonal vegetables and truffle mashed potatoes in a merlot reduction. After two glasses of beer and a few glasses of red wine, we were stuffed but really adamant to make the most of our fare. I've had a lot of short ribs from many different places, and I loved the richness of the merlot reduction. Slightly tart with a little bit of a sweetness. We were really torn between the Stracoto and the Arrosto; but will make a mental note to save the lamb for another day! Last but not least, a deconstructed Tiramisu for a dessert. The presentation was amazing (OCD AGAIN) and I really loved the subtle flavors. I have a devout love for mascarpone; which was surprisingly light and sweet. We tried to savor every bit we could, tapping out in the final moments of our dinner. Overall, I had a great experience; it was a nice change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of casual fare. I will definitely be back again soon, Arancino!
(5)William O.
Great food, great service. Japanese style italian food. High quality. Great attention to detail and customer satisfaction. Not cheap but good value.
(5)DJ Nocturna R.
Service is number one at Arancino at the Kahala. From the moment you walk into the restaurant, a tall beautiful hostess greets you with the biggest smile you've ever seen and excellent accommodation. That's so important in the restaurant industry especially since this was my first time here in this location. Food is wonderful- I still need to try the other items In the menu. Next time we come back we will try the other specialties in the menu which I was told are delicious like the mushroom pizza with truffle oil. The manager was great with customer service. He walked around and went to the tables to make sure the patrons were happy with their food and drinks and that's really important because If the manager does that then the servers were trained right to do the same in customer quality. The Arancino cocktail was pretty good too. As we were leaving the tall beautiful hostess is still smiling at us. She continues to make my night as memorable as I slowly begin my Friday night outing. I would highly recommend this restaurant to all my friends.
(4)Amanda K.
Love this place in the amazing Kahala resort. It's upscale and pricey, but the food was delicious and atmosphere was great. Drink menu is awesome, and I tried the Pappardelle Bolognese. Small portion but yummy!
(4)Amy G.
I'm still dreaming about the wonderful food I delicately tried to eat here. Delicately because I really wanted to devour my plates but at the same time trying to savor each bite. Started off dinner with an amuse bouche of creamed corn? well, whatever it was, it was delicious and a surprise. we were offered a second serving of this from the manager and gladly accepted. Then came the beautiful trio of breads and they were all perfect with a side dipping of sea salt. What was ordered: * lobster bisque- it was perfect. It wasn't as rich as I was expecting yet it still had a beautiful sweet savory lobster flavor and the chunks of lobster garnished on the dish was a great appetizer. *Arancini- really good but I wish there was more of a sauce to dip in then just the spoon swipe of squid ink *uni pasta- TO DIE FOR! It was absolutely delicious. Expensive in a sense but it was so rich and creamy but not the over powering kind, plus, its topped off with a very generous amount of uni. if you love uni, you're going to LOVE this dish. I would probably come back just for this *pizza- Ordered the pizza bismarck and replaced the mortadella with prosciutto and it was absolutely delish. perfectly cooked, the prosciutto giving it the perfect amount of saltiness and the egg a slightly creaminess. *tiramisu- can i just have 10 of these to go? I now have a new standard when making homemade tiramisu. light, airy, and not super sweet, it was a delight to bite into. Service: service here was perfect.
(5)Raych D.
Unlike the two Waikiki locations, this one is very upscale and fine dining all the way. Just like what Janet had mentioned me and her were seated right under the bright shining light which was making us hot and sweaty the whole entire night. This was our yearly girl's Christmas party and this year one of the girls planned it to have it here. I got the three course and it came with an amuse bouche which was excellent, we were all wishing it was in a bigger glass. I got the: Lobster Bisque: So good and creamy but it wasn't so creamy that it made you feel bloated and like you were just drinking heavy cream. It had only 1 piece of lobster in it but the soup was perfect. Amaebi and Abalone salad: A few pieces of shrimp and Abalone paired with a few pieces of veggies. The sauce went perfectly with the shrimp and abalone and the abalone was divine. The presentation was really pretty that it made you not want to even touch it. Uni Pasta: Perfect! It's better than the Waikiki Arancino locations but probably a lot smaller and decorated nicer. It was presented nicely and it came with fresh pieces of uni in a pasta cooked perfectly in a rich and creamy uni sauce. Forgot the wine I ordered but I believe it was about $10. They have a quit a few selections of wine and their bread that they served is in a pretty presentation and cut out perfectly into a square and circle, I did try it but didn't care so much for it. The price is on the high end but that's what you should expect when it comes to fine dining in the Kahala area. It is also course meals so no Ala carts here. The ambiance is beautiful, seating is nice, table and restaurant decorations is amazing. The service is awesome and the staff are great! Definitely a place to go when your trying to express.
(4)Matt C.
After eating here twice this week I have to update my review. Food is still all delicious. 5 stars for appetizers, pastas, and seconds. It's the desserts. They just don't do it for me. Maybe their trying to be too creative here. Nothing we've had, and we've tried them all this week, compliments or ends the meal the right way. They are fancy but they don't have the flavored and textures that captivate us.
(4)Shay F.
My friend wanted to talk me out to a birthday / welcome-home dinner so we picked this place. I was excited to try this place since I like the food at the other Arancino restaurants. And yes, this place had awesome food. Watch out, they only have course menu. No a la carte. So you have to decide if you want the 3 course or the 4 course. The waiter told us that the portions were small so we ended up getting the 4 course. Which made me REALLY full even though it didn't look like much food. Service? It was good... but they almost tricked us. We wanted the '09 wine (as it was written in the menu), yet they brought to us an '10 wine. My friend specifically wanted the '09 since he knows the odd years are better years for Napa wine, so we weren't sure if we still wanted the wine, but they brought us a sample of the wine, and we thought it was ok, so we ended up getting the bottle.
(3)Yuko A.
Came here for Restaurant week since it was one of the best deals in town. $50 for a 4 course menu which usually is priced at $80? Yes please. I'm a fan of Arancino's other restaurants. Although I know its not all completely authentic Italian I always have a pleasant meal which doesn't kill my wallet so I was excited for the dinner at Kahala. We were served a complimentary Kahuku Corn foam which had a sweet creaminess to it and was topped with prosciutto. The first dish was their lobster bisque. Now living in this warm weather I never really order soup unless its with the panini at Nordstrom but it was part of the meal and when they served it with a trio of homemade bread how could I say no. This bisque was perfect. Not overly sweet, not overly creamy, not overly salty - I think they shot this one out of the park. It was a big portion for a soup starter but I couldn't help but clean the bowl with all the bread they served us. Second dish was a fried risotto, foie gras, and truffle ball over crushed dried Crimini mushrooms. The mushrooms resembled dirt and the balls with a tiny piece of green on the like a plant? Although this was a bit on the heavier side, I enjoyed the combination of the crunchy, cheesey, and the truffle. Probably could have just ate one to save some room for my entree but I just ate them both. Entree we had a choice of squid ink pasta with seafood tossed in a tomato sauce or a pappardelle in a bolognese sauce. I was seriously debating between the two and decided on the pappardelle which I regret a little since I was pretty full by the time my entree came around. Nonetheless the homemade pasta was amazing and I ate it all. I did have a bite of the squid ink pasta which was a little lighter with the fresh tomato sauce so maybe I'll try it next time. For dessert I had the tiramisu...I knew i wouldn't be disappointed. I knew from previous dining experiences at the other locations that they had a killer light fluffy tiramisu. I ended the meal happy, full, and ready to take a nap but I would say that this was my favorite dining experience of Restaurant Week. The servers were on it, asking my dining companions if they minded if they brought out the entrees while I was in the bathroom... How kind. :)
(4)Karen H.
Good service and excellent pasta! Came here for lunch. Got the mushroom pizza to start off with-shimeji, maitake, eryngii mushrooms, mozzarella, gorgonzola, mascarpone, parmigiano, white truffle oil. Very good. Not too heavy. Pappardelle Bolognese-wagyu beef bolognese, fresh house made pappardelle and Spaghetti alla Carbonara-deconstructed - poached egg, pancetta, cheese, cream, truffle butter. Both were amazing. Some of the best pasta ever!
(5)Joanne B.
We ate here six months ago, but the dining experience and the food is still memorable for me where I want to write a review about it. I initially made reservations at Hoku's for a Wednesday evening (also located on the Kahala Hotel property) when we were on vacation on the island. But when we arrived, the valet guys told us that Hoku's is closed on Tuesdays. Big fail on my part...I was so focused on our wedding planning (which was less than a week before at the time) that I overlooked the date that we were a day early than our actual reservation! We were hungry and since there are no other nearby food options that we knew of, we decided to stay around the hotel to see if Arancino had any open seating available. Although they had quite a few vacant tables, they said all were for reservations, but we were welcome to sit at the bar, so we dined there (which explains the missing star from this review). The bartender was great, very personable, but the fluorescent lighting directly above our heads didn't exactly call for a romantic evening, lol. We each decided on the four course meal and both did the three ounce wine paring option available with each course. Don't expect this place to provide you with a quick and easy meal, so sit there, relax and enjoy the company you're with. You're probably on vacation anyway, so don't rush yourselves out of there. For my first course, I had the Zuppa di Aragosta, lobster bisque with claw meat and brioche...so delicious! It was then followed by Gnocchi Viola con Prosciutto. The locally grown, purple potato gnocchi was prepared with a light brown butter sauce. It tasted as good as it sounds. For my main entree, I went with the Stracotto di Manzo with braised short ribs with truffled mashed potatoes and petit seasonal vegetables. So beautifully prepared and full of flavor. We had to end our meal with some dessert, so I tried the rum infused white chocolate pineapple mousse with citrus sorbet. Oh em gee, this was so heavenly and didn't care that I had to fit in my wedding dress days later, it was so worth it. My now hubby had the deconstructed Tiramisu, also fantastic. This place is fancy, they provide you with some complimentary bread, but not your ordinary assortment. Check out the pics I posted, it was almost too pretty to eat! I also enjoyed the complimentary starter, a sweet corn foam with prosciutto, it was a great way to cleanse the palate. I wasn't expecting to have them stop by our seating area so I can pick out my own steak knife from a fancy box, but appreciated the attention to detail. Overall, Arancino was one of the best meals we had in the two weeks we were in Hawaii planning our wedding and getting hitched mid way through the trip. Although we intended to dine at Hoku's, I'm glad it worked out for us to experience the great food at this wonderful Italian spot.
(4)Jon E.
Excellent restaurant for both food and service. Tasting menus are the way to go for both lunch and dinner and the $25 wine pairing option is a steal. For the $85 dinner tasting menu: Amuse bouche: a corn foam. Light, sweet and fluffy like eating a cloud in a jar. Bread: normally not worth mentioning, however at Arancino it is extraordinary. The little loaf peels into small buttery pieces. The small bun is fresh thin crusted crispness with a moist interior. The cheesey stick is tasty. Such a nice presentation (tip: refillable) not just a "here's your roll" like most places. Appetizers: Vegetable crudite is exquisite. With the appearance of potted vegetables with a ancho-butter sauce it is truly unique. Sashimi was good garnished with sea asparagus - ok, but not a standout. Rice/Fois Gras Ball was very good. Appearance was like looking at a piece of modern art - in a good way. Pasta: Carbonara deconstructed pasta - Rich and thick mix it yourself sauce over house made pasta. Did I mention it is rich and thick? It's rich and thick. Squid ink pasta - Spicy tomato sauce is the highlight that brings the seafood together with the pasta. Entrees: Lamb in smoke - It's lamb, served under a dome of smoke, which when opened fills the room with a wonderful savory aroma. It's sous vide, so it is pink inside, done to the degree of perfection. This is why I need to buy a sous vide! Seafood Line - its a bunch of seafood grilled or otherwise cooked in a line, beautiful but not amazing Desserts: Tiramisu Deconstructed - Nice, beautiful, chocolaty goodness x 3 - to share i guess. Tomato Panna Cotta - Very unique, bringing tomato sorbet with poached chilled skinless tomatos and a dried (or dehydrated?) tomato on top of a perfect panna cotta. Who would have thought it would go so well? What word captures arancino? Beauty. It's all done to look perfect. It's art on a plate. The $85 is a steal, moreso if you take the $25 wine pairing.
(5)Nadia K.
I love celebrations! Especially ones with food so when Arancino at The Kahala brought in A5 Miyazaki Premium Wagyu Beef to celebrate their one-year anniversary, I focused all my energies on how I was going to be a part of that experience. Just so you know, the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef is a premium delicacy that is ranked the highest quality of beef in Japan and a very rare find in Hawaii. It is from the Miyazaki Prefecture of Japan, which is known for producing the best beef in the world. Need I say more? It didn't take much convincing to cancel existing reservations with a friend and bring her to try this amazing delicacy. We started our lovely meal with some signature cocktails, a kahuku corn cream amuse-bouche and the Arancini, lightly fried risotto balls with foie gras and white truffle parmesan. Everything was amazing. Equally excellent was the very rich lobster bisque with claw meat. Then came the pivotal moment we were waiting for, the Bistecca all Lavanda, lavender infused sous vide in A5 Miyazaki Wagyu filet with arugula, petite potato and onion petals. It's served medium, cooked through. It was hands down, the best filet I had in my entire life. And I eat a lot of filet mignon. It was almost melt in your mouth and the marbling in the meat was just indescribable. You will be amazed. I've since then cancelled my birthday dinner at a popular steakhouse just because I cannot imagine eating any other kind of steak and want to keep that extraordinary memory locked in my taste buds forever. So for my birthday, I plan to eat fish. We ended our incredible meal with coffee and desserts, a tiramisu and the torta al cioccolato, a beautiful dark chocolate torte with kumquat compote. From start to finish, it was easily the best meal I had ever experienced and of course the service was above and beyond. Definitely recommend eating at this beautiful restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. If you are celebrating a special occasion, be sure to let the staff know. They will give you a box of their housemade macarons, the best I have had in Hawaii!
(5)Victoria C.
I had been wanting to try Arancino at The Kahala for awhile and thought my birthday would be the perfect to place to have it. Came here on a Saturday for lunch with my family and had a great experience! Everything was pretty much perfect and the staff & service was very excellent! Our server was very informative and accommodating. I definitely recommend coming during lunch time because the 3 course pre-fixe menu is very reasonably priced for a fine dining restaurant. And the portions were perfect.. it was surprisingly very filling as you know how some fine dining restaurants leave you still hungry afterwards. So you have a choice a salad/appetizer then a pasta or pizza for your main course and then a dessert. You also get a complimentary sparkling wine or a non-alcoholic drink. Everything sounded so good on the menu.. I had a hard time deciding! But I settled for the Bagna Cauda since it was raved on Yelp. I ordered the Pappardelle alla Bolognese for my entree and the Mousse di Ananas for dessert (recommended by our server). Luckily my family each did the 3 course pre-fixe menu and all chose something different.. so I got a taste a little bit of each! I must say, everything was superb. I loved the Bagna Cauda (fresh vegetables with olive oil & garlic dip).. presentation was outstanding. Almost too pretty to eat! And I couldn't get enough of the dip.. used that to dip my bread in as well :) I enjoyed my Bolognese made with wagyu beef. It was very simple but tasty. I actually really liked my sister's uni pasta.. although I'm not a big uni fan, I couldn't stop taking a bite from her a plate. For dessert, I was very pleased with my Mousse di Ananas which is a rum infused white chocolate pineapple mousse with a citrus sorbet. My sister's tiramisu was also really good! Actually there wasn't really a bad dish and thoroughly enjoyed everything :) I also got a box of macaroons as a birthday gift :) This is a great place for a special occasion and would probably just come for lunch because I heard dinner time is verrry pricey!
(4)Sasha L.
Came here for dinner last night for my friend's birthday and we had the best time!!! Our server Chad made this dinner so great! We had five of the course dinners with wine pairings, with a few added dishes and drinks. How Chad managed to have such perfect timing with our food and drinks, graciously have time to answer all of our questions, and have fun conversations with us in between.. I do not know. Maybe there are two of him working secretly as one person, like in that movie The Prestige. O_o. Anyway, if you go here ask for him, because his excellent service made our meal that much more enjoyable. My favorite items of the night were the foie gras, uni pasta, veggie appetizer that comes in a flower pot (the cutest appetizer ever!! ORDER IT!!!), and wagyu bolognese! I seriously love how nicely everything was presented, I'm asian so I like my stuff kawaii. Will definitely be back and recommend to all of my friends!
(5)