GREAT EATS HAWAII: PANYA BISTRO

PANYA BISTRO

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Panya is part bakery, part bar and part restaurant in Ala Moana Center. We ventured in for dinner here and was pretty disappointed. The service was good, the food came quickly but the flavors were just off the mark. We started with the Spicy Won Tons ($7.95). These were not spicy and had no flavor. The Spaghetti with Tiger Shrimp and Manila Clams in White Wine ($17.95) looked great but was pretty bland. Paying $18 for a plate of pasta is steep and should burst with flavor. The Steamed Fish with Ginger, Green Onion and Special Shoyu Sauce ($18) got a review of "it has no taste". The Chicken Noodles with Shredded Chicken, Rice Noodles, Chinese Cabbage in Chicken Broth ($9.95) got a similar review and not much was eaten from the bowl. This was a real let down for the money. Panya has an extensive menu that includes Noodles, Burgers, Sandwiches, Pasta, Salads and Rice dishes with various meats. This is the kind of place that would do better to cut the number of menu items and concentrate on serving a few "really good" dishes.