First Look: Arancino at The Kahala Hotel and Resort

This week, Arancino officially opened its fine-dining, prix-fixe menu concept
Arancino

 

Arancino's third location officially opened at The Kahala Hotel and Resort yesterday, in the former Tokyo Tokyo spot. Befitting its new digs, this Arancino isn't a casual trattoria, but is meant to be a fine-dining destination, with a prix-fixe dinner menu starting at $85 and a dress code to match (pants and shoes required for the fellas). Here's a look at some of the dishes from a recent media dinner night; "visually-stunning" dishes were chosen for us for the evening.  This isn't a review, just a first look, but already I can say: I love the outdoor dining aspect.

 

Arancino
The bread plate

 

Arancino
Bagna cauda, a warm anchovy garlic and oil dip, with vegetables in cremini mushroom "dirt"

 

Arancino
Abalone and shrimp in a garden of nasturtium leaves, micro-amaranth, romanesco, dill flowers and other pretty things.

 

Arancino
Calamari, shrimp and other seafood over housemade squid ink chitarra (similar to linguine, but made by pressing pasta dough over metal strings, strung like guitar strings over a wooden box).

 

Arancino
Okinawan potato gnocchi with a sage brown butter sauce, prosciutto and walnuts

 

Arancino
Duck with mushrooms, gobo and fried leeks

 

Arancino
Lavender-infused Tajima beef

 

Arancino
Monte Bianco: chestnut puree, celery custard and yuzu honey sauce

 

Four-course prix fixe starts at $85, five-course starts $100. A la carte lunch starts at $30. Arancino, at the Kahala Hotel and Resort, 380-4400, arancino.com