Roy's (Hawai'i Kai)

Roy's Hawai'i Kai

Roy Yamaguchi. Innovator, artist, restaurateur, and father of Hawai'ian fusion. it is hard to find words to describe the ingenuity of his dishes as well as his intricate play on regional cuisine.

For years chefs in Hawai'i and all over the pacific rim have taken Roys ideas and have popularized them ultimately resulting in many of the dishes we take for granted and see on menus in everyday restaurants here in Hawai'i. Yes, all of those blackened ahi variations and mac-nut crusted white fish all share their roots with Roy and the innovates of Hawai'i regional cuisine.

I was excited when I found out that I had the chance to write a review on Roy's. Of course there were a lot new and exciting dishes on the menu (all of which I wanted to try) but I decided that I would stick with the classics. I wanted to see what made Roy into such a success. Also being a student of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at KCC it was also a matter of getting back to the roots of cooking. At school we focus on pan-pacific, asian, and the like so it was a very interesting experience for me as well.

When I was seated at my table on the upper floor I noted the relaxed atmosphere and open kitchen and was greeted with a bowl of Roy's edamame (recipe can be found on his website!). The seasonings used on the edamame wasn't what impressed me it was how fresh, perfectly cooked and crisp they were.

I knew that I wanted to try the classics but I couldn't help but order the roasted shrimp with lemongrass spetzel as an appetizer. When it arrived at my table the first thing that immediately caught my attention was the size. I had to ask myself weather this was the appetizer or entree sized portion. When I usually eat out at fine dining establishments I order a few appetizers rather than just an entree (or a tasting menu if available) since I am able to taste more dishes and since appetizers are usually relatively small. In this case, my appetizer was almost as big as my entree. The shrimp was roasted to perfection and the lemongrass spetzel were perfectly cooked. The sauce that tied the dish together was fantastic and went well with the few bits of vegetables that were mixed into the dish.

Roasted Shrimp with Lemongrass Spetzel

My main course was Roy's Classic Trio. The dish consisted of three of Roy's famous fish dishes. First there was blackened ahi with a spicy soy mustard butter sauce. The ahi was perfectly cooked and the sauce was spicy but not overwhelming which played well with the buttery flavor of this top quality fish. The next dish contained Roy's macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi. Also cooked to delicate perfection it came with a sweet lobster cognac butter sauce. The rich sauce paired well with the oils given off by the macadamia nuts. The third and final dish on the plate was a piece of chinese-style steamed ono. Once again the fish was cooked to perfection and the presentation was jaw-dropping. I believe that this dish truly depicts the flavor of our islands and that this dish was put together with much care and thought. Although preparations such as blackened ahi have been torn apart, duplicated, and murdered these past couple of decades after trying the originals I can see how innovative the idea must have been at the time -- the only way I could describe this dinner was being able to taste innovation both past and present.

Roy's Classic Trio (with rice)

Roy's Hawai'i Kai
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)

Service: 4.0
Food Quality: 4.5
Monetary Value: 3.75
Quality vs Quantity: Quality
Overall: 4

808-3966-7697
6600 Kalanianaole Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96825

Mon-Thur: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Fri: 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Sat: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sun: 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Reservations Highly Recommended

Website: http://www.roysrestaurant.com/index.asp