50% Off at VINO

January 5, 2010

Shaun Chillingworth, Marketing Director,

Photos: courtesy of VINO

VINO Italian Tapas has a new food Happy Hour "At the Bar".

Starting Wednesday, January 6^th, the restaurant and wine bar will be offering a 50% discount on VINO food for those sitting at the bar from 5:30 to 6:30pm.

All orders must be in by 6:30 p.m.and the special is only for the month of January & only when VINO is open for regular business. But it is a nice opportunity to have a bite to eat instead of fighting the traffic.

VINO will also host a number of tastings throughout the month.

California Chardonnay Tasting

On Thursday, January 7^th at 6 p.m. California Chardonnays get put to the test. VINO will feature some of their favorites and wines most people do not have an opportunity to taste very often.

Master sommelier
Chuck Furuya.

Here’s the lineup of wines (click here to see the tasting notes):

*2006 L’ANGEVIN Chardonnay “Russian River” (Russian River)
*2004 AU BON CLIMAT Chardonnay “Mount Carmel” (Santa Rita Hills)
*2004 WHITCRAFT Chardonnay “Bien Nacido Vineyard” (Santa Maria Valley)
*2002 SCHERRER Chardonnay “Fort Ross Vineyard” (Sonoma Coast)
*2006 FORMAN Chardonnay “Napa Valley” (Napa Valley)

5 of the very best chardonnays out of California, 2 ounces each for $39 a person (not including tax & gratuity).

By reservation only to (808) 533-4476 or e-mail nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com.

Nebbiolo Tasting

Now that the holidays are done, VINO felt it was time to uncork their stash of very cool, unique wines. So the tastings continue with some Italian Nebbiolo on Wednesday January 13^th at 6 p.m.

Wine tasting at VINO. Photo: courtesy of VINO

As aficionados are reading in the wine publications, 2004 & 2005 are getting rave reviews. They both are really good vintages for Nebbiolo.

Here is a sneak preview…

2004 ELVIO COGNO Barolo
a very sleek, elegant highly refined, classy Barolo
2004 MARCHESI DI BAROLO Barbaresco
One of the great names of Piedmontese winemaking, this estate dates back to the 12^th Century
2004 DAMILANO Barolo “lecinquevigne”
Produced from 5 distinct sub-regions & overseen by top wine consultant, Giuseppe Caviola, this is a wonderfully perfumed, classy, pretty style.
2005 RENATO RATTI Barolo “Marcenasco”
#7 in the 2009 Wine Spectator Top 100 list
1999 MOCCAGATTA Barbaresco “Basarin”
An opportunity to compare and contrast with an aged Nebbiolo to compare

The 5 wines will be offered 2 ounces each for $42 a person (not including tax or gratuity).

By reservation only to (808) 533-4476 or e-mail nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com.

Towards the end of the month and into next month VINO Italian Tapas will host two special food events, including the first communal table event of the year and a guest chef visits the kitchen in February.

Communal Table

The very first "Communal Table" of 2010 will happen on Wednesday, January 20^th at 6 p.m.

The communal table format offers a great opportunity to share good food & meet new friends….VINO style.

Here is the 4-course menu…

Homemade Pizza with wild mushrooms, caramelized fennel, roasted red bell peppers & fresh Nalo Farms arugula
Ligurian Stuffed Calamari with house made marinara
Red Wine Braised Short Rib with Swiss Chard & saffron gnocchi
Dessert (to be announced)

The event is $39 a person (not including wine, tax or gratuity).

By reservation only to (808) 533-4476 or e-mail nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com.

Guest Chef Event

Chef Keith Endo. Photos: courtesy of VINO

Save the date for Wednesday, February 3^rd for a special visit from Alexander Alioto from San Francisco. Alexander has worked at two of the top Michelin rated restaurants in Italy, 1 in Germany, the French Laundry & the Ritz Carlton under Chef Ron Siegel.

VINO chef Keith Endo and chef Alexander Alioto will put together a special four course menu featuring a more casual, homey kind of Italian "country" food.

There will be two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and then again at 7:45 p.m.

Keith has also invited some of his culinary friends—Chef Ivan Pahk of Sansei Kapalua (for example) to help cook. More details to follow. Visit http://www.vinohawaii.com/thisweek.html for updates.

By reservation only to (808) 533-4476 or e-mail nmadosik@dkrestaurants.com.