Hawaii Food News Roundup, Oct. 3-9

Hey TGIF everyone! Hope everything is going well with you in this sunny state or wherever you may be. Let’s get to what was reported on in Hawaii food news this week shall we?

It's Kava time! Check out the Kava Festival this Saturday at UH.

Oahu

• The Honolulu Weekly reminds us that islands and rum go hand in hand by reporting on the three rum distilleries that operate in the islands; read more about them here.
  • For other events on Oahu see Honolulu Weekly’s Food Calendar here.
• Has the student become the master? Iron Chef Morimoto has opened his Waikiki restaurant. This Nobu alumni must feel the pressure of his media fame and his former master with his latest restaurant. Check out the Advertiser’s review here and if you are interested in the experience that an Iron Chef has to offer be prepared to pay about $80 per person.
• Tomorrow (Saturday the 9th) is the Annual Hawaii Pacific Island Kava Festival, held at the UH Manoa McCarthy Mall, from 11Am-7PM. What is kava you ask? Well, it is a pepper plant, also more commonly known as ‘awa here in the islands. The roots of the plant are used to produce a drink with mild sedative properties. For more information on the plant check here. If you want more information on the festival click here.
• Hawaii Organic Farmers Association has created a directory for certified Hawaii organic products. The database is searchable by product and/or island. Start your search for some island organic goodness here. 
• Midweek had the following pieces from this past week:
  • an interview with David Nagaishi, Operations Manager at Ocean House Waikiki;
  • a good write-up on Chef Nick Yamada’s Uahi Island Grill over in Kailua, with menu items like  an oven-braised pork chop smothered in pastele stew to a French and Chinese influenced Mandarin Duck Confit, there will probably be a reason you want to travel out to Kailua side from town; and
  • finally, sommelier Roberto Viernes reminds us while Zinfadels may not be the most flexible of wines to pair things with it is definitely a keeper and you might want to have a bottle from time to time, check out his plug for Zinfadel here.
• Where did Side Street Inn go? Find out where it is located now (with its brand spanking new huge kitchen) and about owner-restauranteur Colin Nishida in this interview done by Honolulu Magazine here.

Neighbor Islands

• The following features appeared in The Maui News this past week:
  • Kai Sushi Bar is bringing authentic and traditional sushi to diners’ plates over at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapulua, read more about it here;
  • Chef Will Munder is coming out with bold and new dramatic flavors over at Kula Lodge, if you want to read about it and its outdoor wood-burning pizza oven click here;
  • What’s happening over at the Hyatt? A lot! This Saturday, ‘Umalu will set the stage for its second Oktoberfest; while, the new Halona Kai Martini Lounge will be offering deals on its drink menu daily;  and Japengo’s,will be bringing authentic Pacific Rim dishes bearing roots from old Asian recipes,  but spiced up with modern techniques when it opens this mid-December, read more about all the exciting happenings at the Hyatt here.

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