THE BRIEF
I was told that a great view and food were to be enjoyed at 53 BY THE SEA on the Honolulu waterfront. My faithful assistant booked us in to sample the experience.
Upon arrival, we found lots of free space in the self-parking lot. As you enter the doors the real experience awaits. A grand white marble staircase and crystal chandeliers greet you. The design is inspired by buildings of Hawaii’s Territorial period, using cut and cast stone and incorporating the naupaka flower in the motif. Right away, one knows you’ve arrived at a very elegant fine dining establishment.
It’s when you walk into the dining room that the real fun begins. As you approach your table you become aware of the stunning views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Literally, a glowing panorama of Waikiki, Diamond Head and the rolling surf complete with surfers exploding on the curl.
There is an outdoor Veranda for dining and more intimate views of the sea and the city beyond. No doubt that this restaurant has to have the BEST VIEWS of any in Honolulu.
Planning on getting married? The second floor of this restaurant houses two exquisite wedding chapels with breathtaking views. The heavenly white Naupaka Chapel is bright and ethereal. Pictured above are the carved wood accents of the Kaui Chapel which display an element of island charm. There are private dining rooms located here for the wedding guests after the ceremony.
The tables are clean and comfortable with an uncluttered type of setting. It was casual but elegant. The server took the time to explain the specials and went into detail on the ingredients. We decided to peruse the wine list and find a nice red to go with the evening meal.
There is an extensive and comprehensive WINE MENU here as you would expect in a restaurant of this calibre.
We chose Failla Pinot Noir 2019 which is 100% Pinot Noir, 60% estate-grown fruit from Olivet Ranch vineyard in the Russian River Valley and 40% from Failla’s other single-vineyard sources. Aged for 8 months in French oak (15% new). It is unfined and unfiltered and has notes of blackberries, black cherry. Ripe and focused tannins add notes of espresso and toasted hazelnuts to the finish.
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We started with the Chilled Seafood Showcase. It features lobster tail, firecracker roll, ahi poke, prawns, oysters, ahi sashimi and uni. It’s served with cocktail sauce, ponzu, kizami wasabi and soy sauce. Very fresh with just the right dipping sauces. It looks like a lot, but I was still ready to try some of the other dishes.
For a finish to the starters, we ordered the Lobster Bisque. This comes with lobster meat, milk foam and crostini. Warm and delicious. Now I was ready for the entree!
The classic Cioppino came out and the ingredients were explained to us by our server. He commented they used fresh Atlantic lobster tail which was mixed with scallops, Manila clams, mussels, prawns, and local fish. This was cooked in a rich garlic tomato broth. Magnifique! Sadly, the menu changed on March 1st so we were some of the last folks to enjoy this offering.
For the grand finale, we sampled the Haupia Pineapple Crepe Cake. This had Haupia cream, layered crepe, candied pineapple, and pineapple sorbet. So sweet and luxuriously delicious.
THE DEBRIEF
This was an excellent experience from start to finish. Superb views, awesome service, and amazing food make for a memorable night.
👍👍👍👍
