Alan Wong’s Restaurant

March 21, 2015
Oyen chose to spend her birthday dinner at one of the restaurants of Alan Wong, the Tokyo born chef and restaurateur with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.

When I told my son how much Alan Wong was worth (not updated), Nyke said “we should just start cooking”.

He owns a restaurant in Japan and several others in Hawaii. He co-founded the Hawaii Regional Cuisine and is reputedly one of
President Obama’s favorite chef. The President had been reported as dining here whenever he’s visiting Hawaii. The US President dining in a restaurant is equivalent to million dollars worth of promotion. Customers often asked what the first couple ate so they too could order the same thing.

He was a judge at Top Chef, Season 2.

(photo from Honolulu magazine)

One of his restaurants was ranked number six in the list of America’s Top Fifty Restaurants. His restaurant in Waikiki is very popular and there’s a slim chance in getting a table without a reservation especially on weekends.
Oyen had reserved a table for four persons as early as January.

Our reservation was at 8 pm. We tried to move it to a 7:30 slot but they couldn’t because all tables were occupied.
The taxi driver dropped us off at the corner of the main street, not in front of the building where the restaurant is. He said it’s one way. We didn’t mind walking because the weather was very pleasant.

Alan Wong’s restaurant is on the third floor of a nondescript building. The location is discrete. There is no attention-getting signage.

Even with a prior reservation, we still waited for some 15 minutes. The place was really full. There was an American guy leaving the restaurant, he told those waiting near the door that the restaurant is over rated, over priced and the food is awful. Just before he and his wife rode the elevator going down, he recanted by saying, he’s just kidding, the food is actually great. Hmmm, which one to believe?
Somehow that casted doubts in my mind.

They gave us a table at the farthest end and fronting the street which gave us some nice vista of the neighborhood.

The restaurant staff greeted Oyen happy birthday. They also prepared a menu with all their signatures, except Allan Wong’s.

Nevertheless the thoughtful gesture was unexpected and well appreciated by the celebrant.

Looking tired and sleepy

Oyen and Nyke ordered the tasting menu without the wine paring. I was still full from our lunch of Giovanni’s garlic scampi. I just went for shrimps linguini pasta.

Appetizer

The bday girl

Pumpkin soup, crisps, pokey ahi

Husband insisted on giving me a portion of his appetizer, busog nga ako from the garlic scampi in North Shore.

I got this from Oyen’s appetizer plate

My son was feeling feverish and cold but his sister’s bday dinner was something he didn’t want to miss.

Tasting menu

Their dishes are clearly Asian inspired / Asian fusion.
Tom Yang soup

This was my only order, sauteed shrimp and clams linguine with cilantro.

I only finished half, busog nga ako.

Edmund had steak and he was not impressed.

Fish course, tasting menu

Another main course from the tasting menu, shrimp and steak

Dessert from the tasting menu

coconut ice cream rolled in chocolate syrup, fresh fruits

At the end of our meal, they brought out a dessert plate with a birthday candle.
Thank you to the staff of Allan Wong for going an extra mile to make Oyen’s birthday dinner memorable.

Time to pay. It was her bday blow-out, she pays.

I went back to get a photo of the ceiling lights, I found it nice for a resort-style cottage house.

Review from Opentable:
Consistently voted as one of Hawaii’s best restaurants, James Beard award-winning Chef Alan Wong uses the freshest locally grown produce and the bounty of the Pacific Ocean to create local favorites with a contemporary twist. Inspired by the unique ethnic influences found in Hawaii today, his menu reflects Hawaii’s cultural diversity of its people, traditions, and lifestyles. “Taste Hawaii.”

Alan Wong’s Restaurant
1857 S King St #208, Honolulu, HI 96826, United States
Phone:(808) 949-2526
Reservations: opentable.com
Menu: alanwongs.com