HONOLULU Small Bites: 6 Happenings Worth Buzzing About
Here’s a quick-bite guide to the latest foodie news around the Islands.
The 35th annual Greek Festival returns this weekend to Ala Moana Beach Park.
Photo: Courtesy of Austin Vali and the Greek Festival
Opa! The Greek Festival is back this weekend, Kenny Loggins headlines the Great Waikīkī Beer Festival and you can learn about the namesake of Mud Hen Water in Kaimukī at a special dinner with local biologists. Here is some of the buzziest food news this week:
1. 35th annual Greek Festival This Weekend
Grab a spanakopita and hit the dance floor at the 35th annual Greek Festival this weekend at Ala Moana Beach Park. The event, which takes over McCoy Pavilion from noon to 9 p.m. both days, will feature the usual Greek favorites including fresh-made gyro sandwiches, moussaka, souvlaki, Greek pizzas and salads, loukoumades (Greek malassadas) and ouzo sorbet. The Greek Taverna will be stocked with imported Greek beer, various wines and, of course, ouzo. Enjoy live music and dance performances by the Nisiotes Dance Group, shop at the Greek bazaar and browse the market, which will have imported deli foods including Cretan olive oil, herbs, grape leaves, cheeses, jams and pasta. Cost is $3 for adults, free for children under 11.
2. A Festival for Beer Lovers
The Great Waikīkī Beer Festival takes places on Saturday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Photo: Courtesy of the Great Waikīkī Beer Festival
On Saturday, the Hilton Hawaiian Village hosts the Great Waikīkī Beer Festival, one of the largest beer events in the state. The festival, which will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. on the resort’s Great Lawn, will offer more than 100 local and national brews on tap and beer-friendly nosh—bratwurst on hoagie buns, kiawe-smoked brisket sandwiches—for purchase. Notable breweries participating include Honolulu Beerworks, Maui Brewing Co., San Diego’s Iron Fist Brewery, Chicago’s Goose Island and Oregon’s Rogue. General admission ($69.50 per person) gets you 10 four-ounce beer or wine tastings. VIP tickets ($100) include 10 four-ounce tastings, two food tickets, parking for one car and early entry at 5 p.m. And, to top it off, acclaimed artist Kenny Loggins—“Danny’s Song,” “Footloose” and “Danger Zone”—will take the stage alongside Hapa and other local artists. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior ‘Ohana, a local nonprofit dedicated to caring for injured military service members and their families.
3. Honolulu is Getting Lucky
A bowling alley inspired by the one in The Big Lebowski is coming to Ala Moana Center next summer.
Lucky Strike Social will open in the 25,000-square-foot space vacated by the old Shirokiya in 2017, with a four-lane bowling suite, live music stage, a full bar and a comfy lounge setting. It will also feature more than 120 arcade games and a retail space.
Hawai‘i-born celebrity chef Rodelio Aglibot (TLC’s Food Buddha) will develop unique dishes for the menu at this location, elevating pub and comfort food into modern, handcrafted culinary dishes, many inspired by his childhood. He’s planning a poke bar, huli-style chicken, kalbi, dim sum and a dish called “Loco My Moco.”
The brand has been a well-known fixture on the Mainland, popular with celebrities including Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Channing Tatum, according to the company.
4. Asian Street Food at The Kāhala Hotel
Asian street food comes to The KāHALa Hotel & Resort next month.
Photo: Courtesy of The KāHALa Hotel & Resort
Experience the street foods of Asia at a seaside event at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort on Sept. 9.
The hotel is hosting the Asian Street Food Experience from 6 to 9 p.m. on the lawn outside the Plumeria Beach House, with fun, street food-inspired dishes including wok-fried garlic prawns, naan bread and ‘ahi dip, cucumber raita and roasted tomato chutney, Indonesian corn fritters and satay skewers. Wash that down with Tsingtao and Taj Mahal beers, sparkling rosé and other wines. Cost is $80 per person, $37.50 for children ages 6 to 12, and includes food, drinks and gratuity.
For reservations, call 739-8760 or visit kahalaresort.com/dining/dining-offers-favorites.
5. In Honor of Migratory Birds
The ‘alae ‘ula—here at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge—is an endangered migratory bird only found on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i.
Photo: Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mud Hen Water in Kaimukī is named after the native Hawaiian bird ‘alae ‘ula, a dark gray moorhen with a very distinctive red swath on its head. It’s endangered and can now only be found on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i.
This year marks the centennial of the convention between the U.S. and Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds (called the Migratory Bird Treaty), which helps to protect some of Hawai‘i’s native bird populations.
Local biologists will share the importance of this recovery effort at a special mixer at Mud Hen Water—how appropriate!—from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 28. There will be complimentary pūpū; a silent auction with nature tours, photography lessons and dinner for two at Town; and a special cocktail made especially for this event. Proceeds from the silent auction and sales from this signature cocktail will support efforts to protect the ‘alae ‘ula.
6. New Cocktail Events Planned for the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival
Wine collectors and craft cocktail connoisseurs will have three more reasons to get tickets to the 6th annual Hawai‘i Wine & Food Festival this October.
The Masters of Mersault (9:30 to 11 a.m. Oct. 29 at the Halekūlani) with Antoine Jobard will feature a tasting of library wines from the cellars of Domaines Antoine Jobard and Jean-Marc Roulot and special selections from the illustrious Domaine Coche-Dury prized by wine collectors. This event is limited to 50 guests. Cost is $200.
The Rarities Tasting: A Vertical Tasting of 1980s Bourdeaux and a Pair of 1990 Hermitage (11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Halekūlani) features 30-year-old Bordeaux from Angelus, Margaux and Pavie topped off with a pairing of 1990s esteemed Rhone wines. This event is limited to 50 guests. Cost is $295.
Dark and Stormy Underbelly of Cocktails (11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas) will feature mixologists Jen Ackrill and Aaron Alcala-Mosley’s spin on spirits. This event is limited to 90 guests. Cost is $75.
Join us for a starlight soiree celebrating the culinary stars of this year’s Hale ‘Aina Awards! Dine on dishes from 12 top restaurants while sipping on cocktails and enjoying amazing entertainment, all under the stars at the luxurious Royal Hawaiian Hotel. For more information, click here.
READ MORE STORIES BY CATHERINE TOTH FOX
