Among all the favorites we were hitting on our visit "home"; there was one newer place I really wanted to check out; Senia. Located on North King Street, downtown, next to Pig and the Lady, Senia has been on my "list" since they opened. From all the reviews and photos; it seemed that two Per Se alums, Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush were taking Hawaii Regional Cuisine and bringing it to the next level.
So, I quite excited to have dinner at Senia. We didn't do the tasting menu; rather we just decided to have dinner and try out a bunch of dishes.
The Missus started with a non-alcohol "mocktail", the Yuzu Sour. I opted for the "Freddie" and was happy to note that it wasn't overly sweet and had some nice smoky tones.
The place was hopping; quite busy, and the staff tried their best, but seemed a bit out of sorts at times, and the pacing of our meal was somewhat uneven. Yet, as is the case in Hawaii, all worked out fine in the end.
As is our M.O. we ordered more smaller plates, stuff to share as we've found that some of the most delicious and creative dishes we've had have been appetizers and smaller shared plates; it seems that chefs will often take a few more chances on those.
Like the Kalua Pork Croquettes ($7); which had me thinking why aren't more places serving this?
The kalua pork was creamy, but still had "body", and you knew you were eating pork. The minced greens and the crisp exterior gave it a wonderful textural contrast. Mild smokiness came through; the "chili pepper water" added mild heat and acidity, which cut the richness.
We also ordered the Ahi Brioche ($5/piece).
Wonderfully meaty and thick slices of Ahi were torched; aburi style, and brushed with a light tare of sorts. It was placed on a smoked brioche which, in addition to the slightly sweet tones, also had a savory aspect to it. Think of it as Ahi Brioche Nigiri if you will. This was delici-yoso!
Our least favorite item of the night were the Chicken Liver Eclairs ($10).
Chicken liver mousse in pastry, topped with persimmon flavored spheres. This was just too sweet for us. Even the in-laws didn't care for it.
You know I'm always tempted by Tartare. and seeing Venison Tartare ($24) on the menu; I just had to order it.
This was also a wonderful dish. The venison had been chopped perfectly, was almost buttery in texture, no metallic flavors, there was a very mild sweetness to the meat. There was a hint of truffle in this and the pickled onions and the blackberry compote really enhanced the flavors. Every bite was wonderful. My FIL loved this......the Missus was shocked. I told Her; "he's loving this dish....please don't tell him it's raw deer...…."
The Foie Gras Bonbons ($25) were wonderful as well.
Coated with pistachio, there was so much going on here. Earthy-sweet-tangy (green apple gelee); just an amazing array of flavors. And yet, there's a wonderful harmony of flavors, a unique balance; or perhaps a tasty détente of sorts, where all conflicts have eased and the best in each is displayed.
And yet, the dish that I enjoyed the most....I'd read about it several times and was really not sure how Charred Cabbage ($18) was going to impress me. Well, it did. Apparently, the heart and soul of this wonderful dish is the cone shaped Caraflex Cabbage. It is charred, then dressed with what tasted like dashi, and topped with Moringa Leaf.
It is served with dots of a nicely acidic buttermilk gelee and of all things, sort of a Green Goddess dressing. There was so much going on here; yet all the pieces seemed to fit together so well. The moringa leaf added a pleasant herbaceous bitterness. The dashi dressing added deep savory tones. The cabbage itself is fairly sweet and the charring really brought that out. This was so good.
For our last dish, we got the Duck Confit ($26).
Which was fine; it was served on top of a vegetable and bean mixture that looked a bit like a deconstructed cassoulet. After all of the wonderful flavors; this seemed really tame and underseasoned. The duck was fine and the dish was okay. The In-laws asked the Missus why She was less than satisfied with this and She explained that She gets Duck Confit made at home, along with Cassoulet that's made to Her taste. Hmmm.....
The Missus and In-laws finished with dessert and a very good Mamaki Tea. I got another Freddie for dessert.
This was a wonderful and memorable meal. While the vibe is relaxed and casual; the food just takes things up to another level. We can't wait to return.
Senia
75 North King St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
Hours:
Monday 530pm - 10pm
Tues - Fri 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 10pm
Saturday 530pm - 10pm
Closed on Sundays
We ate there last year and had almost the exact same meal. I thought the cabbage was going to be an Instagram gimmick but loved it. I especially loved the 80s music playing in the background - felt like I was back in high school!
Posted by: James | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 06:06 AM
I was really surprised at that cabbage as well James. No 80's playing on this evening; I would have loved that!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 06:58 AM
what a great meal!
Posted by: kat | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 10:17 AM
It was a wonderful meal Kat!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 10:38 AM
More restaurants definitely need to make kalua pork croquettes!
Posted by: Junichi | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 12:29 PM
They do Junichi! This was a wonderful meal.
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 16 September 2019 at 12:43 PM