Michel’s is one of those restaurants you hear about, growing-up; or, at least, I did.  Every year, when our family spent the winter holidays in Waikiki, Dad would point at Diamond Head and say “Look kids: there’s Diamond Head.  And somewhere around there is the Colony Surf – a really old hotel (I wonder if they ever got air-conditioning) with a beautiful restaurant that serves Mom’s favorite brunch.”   And that would be it, until the next year.

By the time I was eating grown-up food, we’d stopped frequenting Hawaii.  So, it should come as no surprise that upon mentioning that he’d made reservations for us at Michel’s, one night, during our recent trip to Hawaii, my Dad had piqued my attention.  “Like, Michel’s Michel’s..?  At the Colony Surf..?  I didn’t even know people went there for dinner.  How cool!”  And it was.

While we could’ve been seated in the dining room of any of a few-dozen half-century old eateries around the country, Michel’s is all about the location and the view.  I was fortunate enough to be given the seat on the rail, which meant I could literally have swung my legs over the ledge and walked on the sand, to the Pacific, lapping at the beach, a couple of yards away.

Michel’s is very into the whole table-side preparation style of dining.  This means big productions for such faves as Caesar Salads (Hirabara Farms baby romaine, hearts of palm, and croutons; tossed in Michel’s classic creamy dressing; with anchovy filets upon request) and Steak Tartare (raw, ground prime tenderloin with sweet Maui onions; prepared in the famous Michel’s style – with anchovy paste).  We also ordered a delicious Yellowfin Ahi Tartare (tossed with Tobiko, Hawaiian salt, Ogo, and walnut oil; served with wonton chips, pesto, crème fraîche, and roasted peppers aioli).

In addition to helpings of all of the above, I had a very nice Sweet Maui Onion Soup (baked under golden puff-pastry with Michel’s signature three-cheese blend).  My friend, Syd, opted for such culinary treasures as Michel’s Ocean Bounty (fresh seafood medley featuring Kona baby abalone, blackened ahi, oyster Rockefeller, Tristan lobster tail, potato-crusted mahi mahi, and scampi-style prawn); while it was all I could do to keep from sneaking bites of the gorgeous Prime New York Café de Paris (topped with truffled herb butter, crisp-fried Maui onions, and Cabernet reduction; served with sautéed haricots verts, gnocchi, and mashed potatoes) that Sasha was enjoying, next to me.

Meanwhile, what really raised my brow was the Kona Coffee Glazed Rack of Lamb with Fresh Mint Puree (served with Big Island goat cheese, mashed potatoes, and baked baby fennel; with a Port-Coffee demi sauce).  Allyn and Jessica split this, and there were still two succulent lamb chops left, at the end of the meal.

To finish our meal, we had a couple of soufflés.  As a treat, the desert chef mixed some Kona coffee liqueur into her recipe, and jazzed it up, for us.  The menu said that since they require an extra twenty minutes to prepare, customers should tell their waiter of their interest in the soufflé.  Rest assured, we told him.  Actually, we told him when we ordered our drinks.  We told him when the Steak Tartare was being prepared; and we told him again, when the entrees came.  We weren’t taking any chances.

Mahalo, Michel’s; and aloha!

Michel’s at the Colony Surf
Honolulu, HI
Click HERE for info

Get into it!