I have been pretty busy lately writing my Tribune syndicated weekly column and beginning work on my new book Seriously Simple Parties. But when my daughter had a free week after working insane hours for 10 months I was ready to party. We found an amazing rate to Honolulu and jumped on the plane ( well not exactly). 

I have a brother with a wonderful sailboat who picked us up in time to visit his boat and take a short sail… heaven…

We were staying at the completely renovated and refurbished Royal Hawaiian which felt a lot like a different Hawaiian era. Beautiful. SInce it was low season we were able to get a great rate. If you plan to go to Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian should be your go to hotel. 

The Royal Hawaiian is famous for their Mai Tai bar. We enjoyed a night of Mai Tai tasting followed by an amazing dinner. You can see how many Mai Tais we HAD to taste! We also enjoyed a very good dinner next door at the The Beach House where I discovered a delicious mango cocktail sauce that was sprightly and enhanced the shrimp and lobster I was enjoying. 

We moved on to The Kahala which also had recently been refurbished. Hoku’s the fine dining restaurant was really good with a relatively new executive chef. Don’t miss the Ahi Tuna Poke Dip that has been an appetizer since they opened over a decade ago. We spent a quiet few days except for the entourage of a music superstar who turned out to be adorable and funny. 

Eight days was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the island, food and beach. There is a lot of new culinary talent popping up in the finer restaurants and hotels. The regional cooking is still evolving and the fresh local produce and seafood make for exceptional dining. I can’t wait to go back.

           I Took a quick trip to Chicago for my birthday and to visit my dear friend for her big birthday party. There is something about walking down Michigan Avenue that feels so exhilarating. We arrived on a Friday night and closed down Spiaggia Café. Loved our pasta dishes but thought the Lemon limoncello curd was truly outstanding. The chef served it with warm sugared doughnut holes. I dipped the yeasty sweet bread into the creamy yellow custard and was hooked. I intend to recreate that dish soon and will let you know.

            If you are going to Chicago do not miss the architectural boat trip that gives you a completely different view of Chicago. Lots of historical information that was very engaging. The new Trump Tower has eclipsed the height of the Hancock building and lights up the sky.

            I stayed at the Sofitel a couple of blocks off Michigan Avenue. Not only was the hotel highly convienient to everything but the service knocked me out. The concierges are first rate ( Thank You Heather and Brian) and so is the rest of the staff. Any request was responded to quickly and with extra courtesy. I had a taxi accident and needed ice for my injuries and the bell man brought up packages of chipped ice wrapped in towels. Another example among many was a housekeeper who was vacumning, saw me coming and pushed the elevator button so I wouldn’t have to wait. The General Manager ought to be quite proud of his staff.

            The dining room didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed a wonderful appetizer of tuna tartar with an avocado relish on top. Milder in flavor than Asian or Mexican versions, this appetizer was playfully presented in a small canning jar with whisper thin bagel crisps to accompany— another dish I can’t wait to recreate. For dessert I was one happy camper. I am not sure if Floating Island is a dish that people love or hate but I could be president of the floating Island Fan Club. Picture a shallow bowl of pink strawberry crème Anglaise and a white floating island, almost like a fluffy cloud of  white poached meringue, sitting on top. Underneath the floating island a scoop of stewed rhubarb was tucked into the bottom of the white puff. I wondered why dishes like this aren’t are more menus and then of course, I realized I was in a French hotel. I say Bravo. And for those of you traveling at different seasons, the chef recreates the dishes based on seasonal ingredients.

            I also visited M K’s which was touted as being one of the best restaurants in Chicago. The service was excellent and I loved the industrial-style interior. We chose to sit upstairs overlooking the dining room where it was a bit quieter. I enjoyed a tasty grilled octopus that was slightly spicy with a hint of sweetness. The French fries are served with a truffle mayonnaise. Thick and meaty, the potato spears were crispy and cooked perfectly. The dessert chef does himself proud. Do not miss the Banana dessert. A tiny banana cake is served with a silken banana ice cream, caramelized nuts and dots of chocolate fudge sauce painted on the plate.

            I had a mishap in a taxi so I missed a couple of dining out opportunities. I will just say this: when taking a taxi ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT!  More later.