My thoughtful and generous boss took me out for lunch to celebrate Administrative Professional's Day a few weeks ago. We decided to wait until the week following the official event, but MW Restaurant was still slammed! This was the first visit to MW for both of us, although we both heard good things about the artistic and delicious cuisine. The restaurant is located on Kapiolani Boulevard, across the street from Nordstrom, where the old KGMB studio used to be (for us old-timers).
First of all, valet parking is available in the tiny parking lot, off Makaloa Street. Kudos to management for understanding that most people don't have time for a long lunch (much less look for parking!) during the work day. The decor is clean and modern with a lot of "hard surfaces" everywhere. The staff was very friendly, despite being so busy. The toasted house bread is served with an olive oil and garlic aioli, which was absolutely delicious! We both ordered the Mint Limeade ($5), which I found to be a bit tart for my taste. My boss loved it and ordered a refill.
I had the Unagi & Butterfish Arancini ($12) and Caesar Salad ($9). Arancini is rice or risotto balls that are deep fried. My portion of three golf ball-sized puffs was quite filling. The butterfish and unagi were minced and combined with the rice. That combination, along with the nori tsukudani (seaweed puree), gave my dish a fresh seafood flavor. I have found that composed dishes taste best if you eat all of the components together. In the photo below, my boss is taste testing the arancini, making sure to get some of the nori tsukudani on the bottom, greens, and kabayaki mustard sauce on the top. The Caesar salad was interesting with bits of pipikaula (smoked meat) and sweet grape tomatoes complementing an otherwise average salad. Perhaps I should have eaten the salad before I ate the arancini . . .
My boss ordered the Portuguese Bean Soup ($8) which was served in a Korean-style hot pot. This type of bowl keeps the soup boiling hot. After eating his soup for a few minutes, my boss said that the delicious and spicy soup was affecting him, but in a good way. He also had the Chinese Roast Duck & Pork Hash Quesadillia ($10) to go with the soup. The portions were generous and the prices were reasonable and we really enjoyed our lunch.
My foodie friend, "Chuggy Bear," highly recommended MW to me when they first opened. I'm glad I was finally able to go. CB also recommends MW's Afternoon Tea, served monthly every third Sunday. That will be my next visit to MW, if and when I can get a reservation for this popular special event.
1538 Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 106, Honolulu, HI 96814
Ph: (808) 955-6505
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| Unagi & Butterfish Arancini |
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| Chinese Roast Duck and Pork Hash Quesadillia |
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| Caesar Salad |
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| Mint Limeade |
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