Creating a menu to match the view at Aaron’s
Friday - April 27, 2007
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Aaron Placourakis with Aaron’s general manager Al
Souza
The newly renovated Ala Moana Hotel lobby proves that we all benefit from a bit of a lift. The faded carpeting and slightly shabby furnishings have been replaced with glass,wood,subtle lighting and cool, clean fabrics. Over in the far corner on the ground floor, a bar provides the perfect people-watching spot, particularly if you’re waiting for someone to join you for dinner at Aaron’s.
On the top floor of the newly renovated condominium hotel, Aaron’s has undergone something of a change in recent years. Since the appointment of George Gomes as corporate executive for Tri Star Restaurants three years ago, the food in each of the five different restaurants owned by Aaron Placourakis and partners has improved dramatically.
“George is the corporate chef for all of the restaurants,” says Placourakis. “But the important thing is that all of our executive chefs have worked with George on some level, so they know the menu as well as he does. They all know how he works, what he expects, and they know that he’s just a phone call away.
“This is a team thing,” says Placourakis of his restaurant philosophy. “It’s about trust, and it’s about everybody wanting the same thing for the restaurant, the customers and themselves.”
His theory has always been that if you treat people as if they’re in your own home, they’ll feel comfortable. If you can also feed them well and make them feel special, they’ll remember the experience. It helps, of course, that at Aaron’s, with its unrivaled view of the city, there’s an exciting menu that balances fresh fish, steaks and lobster with island produce, and an award-winning wine list.
Steamed Island onaga with baby Shanghai
cabbage, soy nori vinaigrette and sizzling
hot peanut oil is just one of the fresh
island fish dishes offered at Aaron’s
But for Placourakis, getting the food and the staff right is just part of his quest to run a perfect restaurant. “There are a lot of places known for one or two great things,” he says. “What I try to do is to hit on everything. If we have location, service, food and atmosphere, and then get high marks in all of those categories, to me that’s being well-rounded.”
Probably the easiest way to get a sense of Aaron’s is to go for the early bird three-course dinner. Even if you don’t usually order dinner before 6:30 p.m., you’ll be glad you’re doing it here. The view is exceptional, the pristine restaurant a warm and welcoming place to unwind at day’s end - and there’s the opportunity to taste some of Aaron’s signature dishes for a fraction of the regular price.A typical early evening menu might include Nalo Farms Salad (with vine-ripened tomatoes, potato fries and sesame vinaigrette), Filet Mignon Teriyaki Style (bite-sized pieces of ginger-shoyu-glazed filet mignon), Catch of the Day (usually opakapaka), Blackened Double Pork Chops (with pineapple marmalade toasted macadamia nuts), or Grilled Beef Filet (with Parmesan potato au gratin and a cabernet demi sauce). Dessert is included in the $29.95 fixed price. I’m not sure there’s a better value dining experience anywhere in Honolulu. And if you want a taste of both fine dining and stellar service, then this is an excellent place to start.
There are more than 2,000 bottles in the extraordinary wine cellar, and the private dining room within the restaurant is perfect for small, intimate gatherings.
Aaron’s has always had a view that’s hard to beat. Nowadays it has a menu to match.
Aaron’s Ala Moana Hotel 410 Atkinson Drive Honolulu 955-4466
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