Ilima Awards gala honors Oahu’s restaurants with heaps of hedonistic fun

KAIMUKI—Each year, the Diamond Head Theatre parking transforms into an elegant oasis of fine dining, indulgence, and fun ... particularly for Oahu’s foodies. The Star Advertiser Ilima Awards, a benefit for the Diamond Head Theatre, happened on October 11.

The evening began with champagne, putting the crowd in a lighthearted and festive mood, ready to be entertained. At 6:30 p.m., everyone took their seats and the wackiness ensued. A pithy pastiche of classic tunes honored the restaurants who received awards, bringing laughter while tantalizing the patrons’ bellies with numerous allusions to the feast that awaited. 

Luckily the one hour show proved to be true fun, or else the wait to dig into the dishes would have been excruciating. To get a sense of the entertainment, think Olivia Newton John’s Magic becoming “nothing to eat, and it’s tragic” or Sinatra’s New York, New York translated into an homage to pork. 

As a special treat, David Spangenthal did a fun riff on the current Diamond Head Theatre hit Crazy for You. Loretta Ables Sayre also made a surprise appearance on stage, having just returned from Broadway, where she starred in South Pacific. And the Shooting Stars tap dancer troupe wrapped things up with a spirited rendition of I got Rhythm. 

There wasn’t a weak link in the show, and I was a bit sad to see it end. Luckily, the stage numbers were just an appetizer for the headliner: the marathon of eating that followed.

Twenty-five of the winning restaurants had plates to offer—most of the portions could be consumed in just one or two bites, meaning that you could sample several before getting full—in addition to 10 beverage stands offering everything from martinis, to Belgian beer, to wines of all varieties.

Highlights for me and my fellow dining companions included The Pineapple Room’s luscious pork belly topped with a delectable orange sauce that had a nice kick to it. Pork belly tends to be too rich to have has an entree, and it is such a disappointment when it is overcooked and dry. Alan Wong’s version lacked either problem. The bite size portion exploded with flavor and was super moist apart from its wonderfully crispy exterior. It warranted a second round, at the expense of some other dishes on offer. 

Newcomer KA Restaurant & Lounge also seduced tasters with its pork belly bao, making the reason for the “Chew pork, chew pork” performance earlier that evening abundantly apparent. It was the first thing I tasted, but proved to be one of the best dishes of the night.  I may just have to make KA a date-night destination in the near future.

In terms of other things worth eating that were not swine-based, Hiroshi’s Eurasian Tapas featured a panko-crusted opah topped with Big Island tomato lomi, ume rice, and ginger miso brown butter.  It was the perfect bite-sized morsel, and one of the first to disappear that evening; I felt lucky to grab one of the last ones. 

BLT Steak’s unique take on a canape translated into a mini version of their signature popover filled with a tasty combination of Kahuku corn and steak.

Town served up an array of bruscetta, topped with a wide range of ingredients, including my favorite—boquerones (basically a Spanish anchovy) and guacamole. 

3660 showed why it won for a second year in a row with a mini rendition of its famous ahi katsu, a dish that never disappoints. The sashimi-grade ahi is wrapped in nori, flash fried with the interior kept medium rare, and served with a wasabi-ginger sauce. 

Maile’s Thai noodles showed that even a simple, boring underachiever of a dish like pad thai can be stellar when executed with a deft hand. 

Even the humble taco and beef brisket shined at Tacos Ricos and Hog Island BBQ, respectively, giving nice recognition to the many inexpensive yet delicious take-out eateries we have here.

In a similar vein, this year also honored the KCC Farmers Market, now a central fixture of our culinary landscape. Their booth was filled with beautiful produce, which was incorporated into a tasty eggplant crostini and a tomato and basil skewer.

Despite my good intentions, I failed to make it through the entire roster of offerings. For one, I started to get full. But the dance floor also beckoned to me and proved to distract me from the mission at hand (I can never resist a packed dance floor, particularly if it’s outside!).

Fueled by copious amounts of cocktails and wine, well-dressed revelers both young and old grooved to classic dance hits, just like at a good wedding. The Ilima Awards is the kind of evening you hate to see end, despite how satiated you are when you leave. I already look forward to next year’s celebration.

Winner, winner, lunch and dinner

The big winners of 2010 were People’s Choice award winners 3660 on the Rise (Best Restaurant in Hawaii), KA Restaurant and Lounge (Best New Restaurant), La Mer (Best Fine Dining Restaurant), and L & L Hawaiian Barbeque (Best Casual Restaurant). 

In the category of Diamond Head Theater Show Stoppers, Hy’s Steak House won for Best Special Occasion, Big City Diner for Best Quick Dinner, JJ Bistro & French Pastry for Best Dessert, and Kincaid’s Fish, Chop, & Steak House for Best Cocktails.

The Producer’s Award went to Kai Market at the Sheraton Waikiki and the Ranch House.

The Critic’s Choice Awards were as follows:

The Alley Restaurant at Aiea Bowl
Azure Restaurant at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel
BLT Steak
Cafe Maharani
Chef Mavro Restaurant
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining
Hank’s Haute Dogs
Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation’s KCC Farmers Market
Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas
Hog Island BBQ
Kaiwa Teppan & Sushi
Kalapawai Cafe & Deli
Maile’s Thai Bistro
Mix Cafe
Orine Sarang Chae
The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong
Souvaly Thai Cuisine
Sugar Rush by Frances
Sushi Izakaya Gaku
Tacos Ricos Taqueria Kapahulu
Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering
Town
V Lounge

Finally, five restaurants received Ilima Star Circle Awards, meaning that they entered the Ilima Awards Hall of Fame having received five or more awards. These establishments include Alan Wong’s Honolulu, Roy’s Restaurant Hawaii, Ryan’s Grill at Ward Center, Starbuck’s Coffee Company Hawaii, and Zippy’s Restaurants.