GREAT EATS HAWAII: ARANCINO

ARANCINO

OUTRIGGER REGENCY ON BEACHWALK

255 BEACH WALK

HONOLULU, HI 96815

808-923-5557

HOURS: Daily 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM / 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

www.arancino.com

Arancino on Beachwalk has been drawing lines of customers since it opened. It is a big hit with Japanese tourists and locals alike. I cannot remember ever going past this place around dinner time and not seeing a line. It seems just to pack them in year after year. The small restaurant is located at the Outrigger Regency on Beachwalk which is a boutique hotel just steps from Waikiki beach. The place is small and reminds me of those little Italian restaurants in San Francisco or New York. Tables for two and four people are packed in and you will get to know the people sitting next to you when you are seated at tables that are right next to each other. We had a group of seven so our large table was in one row with a bit of privacy. I like the look and feel of Arancino which serves Napoli Style Italian dishes with a Japanese influence. Service on this night was excellent from check in to check out. Really impressed the male Host outside at the podium. He greeted each customer with a smile and by name. Also offered up menus so you could review while waiting. Another female stood vigil at the door keeping the Host posted on what tables are becoming available. This place is busy but they do the right things to make sure you know accurate wait times and get people in and out without rushing you in any way. Once inside Arancino we were greeted by several employees with huge smiles. Really made us feel comfortable. Our waiter was knowledgable about the specials and menu and he did a pretty good job serving me and six girls. I ordered the Columbus Set Menu ($58) and actually shared it with my Wife. I went for the Wine Pairing for an additional $16 and it was worth it. Pours were a little light but the vino was good. Our first appetizer from the Columbus Menu was Scallop Sashimi with Sea Asparagus (seaweed), Red Onion and Tobiko Caviar. This dish was perfection on a plate. Both me and the Wife loved it and savored each bite. Two pieces each was perfect portion for the appetizer. There four pieces so I am glad we split it. Next up was an Antipasti Sampler. The Shrimp and Avocado Salad was very light, fresh and good but the vinaigrette was pretty tasteless and a little bitter. Loved the Caprese which consisted of simply fresh Tomato and Mozzarella. The Proscuitto and Papaya was also light and refreshing. Again enough to split with my wife and we were both happy. The Seafood Medley in Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil was really good. I asked them to delete Mussels and they did. The pasta was cooked perfectly and very lightly sauced. Nice pieces of Shrimp, Calamari, Clams with one large Langoustine on top. Again shared this with my Wife and we actually took some home too. This was an excellent Tasting Menu. My Daughter and her friends enjoyed salad, several pizzas and pasta dishes. They started the Caesar Salad ($13). This was a nice salad that was lightly dressed with a good dressing, anchovies, and fried Pancetta.

They ate two plates of this salad and all of the anchovies too. Next up were the Meat Lovers Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza ($23) and the Owners Favorite Pizza ($25). I enjoyed a slice of the Owners Favorite Pizza with Shrimp and Garlic Chips. This is a sauceless pizza but it was good. The Shrimp and Garlic really stand out. The Spaghetti Tobiko ($18) was a huge hit. The bowl was empty in minutes. The girls almost finished off the Lasagna ($23) too. Seemed to like just about everything. When you can take out five teenage girls and have them all happy and eating everything served this is a good thing. All gave Arancino the thumbs up. I also liked the food, service and atmosphere of Arancino. Recommend this place if you are in Waikiki and looking for some Italian.

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