My pal Dave Choo takes a look at lunch at Stage Restaurant, the latest "IT" eatery in Honolulu (alongside Mavro's Cassis). His verdict? Mixed. This contrasts with a glowing review from the Honolulu Advertiser.
"All the fixtures are beautiful, but they gave me the uneasy feeling of having stepped onto the set of Honey, I Shrunk the Customers. The lighting takes up so much of the air and space that it seemed the diners were the accessories, not the lamps. Maybe I’m being too metaphysical."
The food, some Choo likes, some he finds overdone and overflavored. Where Choo concurs with others (and rightfully so) is in the desserts. Pastry chef Mark Okumura, who made the sweet life at Alan Wong's on King Street some of the best small plates in the islands if not the Western Hemisphere, brings his magic sugary touch to Stage for a grand finale.
"The epilogue of our meal turned out to be its climax. We ordered a pair of desserts: Hawaiian Vanilla-Poached Fuji Apple Pop Tart ($12) and Ice and Pearls ($10). The pop tart was accompanied by a small wafer bowl full of apple oat crunch and a scoop of balsamic-cinnamon black currant ice cream. It looked like a breakfast from Candyland. More important, it was delicious. I especially liked the oats and ice cream, a beautiful balance of crunch and creaminess with just the right amount of sweetness."
Um, can you say, I'm there for dessert?
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