Taormina – Honolulu, HI
“Taormina serves the timeless cuisine of Southern Sicily with contemporary style and flair.”
– Taormina
Located in the heart of Waikiki, Honolulu, Taormina combines traditional timeless flavors of Taormina, a seaside village in Southern Sicily, with a modern flair. Known for their fresh pastas, rich sauces, and quality seafoods and meats, Executive Chef Hiro Mimura executes each plate with his utmost passion, evident through his foods aesthetics and presentation.
For a lovely Sunday lunch and after raving reviews from family members, my family and I chose to dine in Taormina. Having it been my first time at the restaurant, we were greeted right away and seated in the main dining room. The restaurant has an elegant indoor dining room that seats 85 and a covered outdoor patio.
For my dining experience at Taormina, to try an array of flavors I chose their 4 course menu consisting of an Antipasti, Primo piatti which comprised a selection of pastas, Secondo piatto – a main dish, and lastly, a scoop of their gelato of the day for $37. In addition to their 4 course menu, for those with a smaller appetite there is also a 3 course lunch menu available that offers a shot of chilled green pea soup with a small antipasto, a selection of pasta from Primo piatti, followed by a scoop of gelato to finish.
Antipasti
From left to right: caprese salad, marinated mushrooms, and squid & octopus salad
To begin the 4 course menu we were presented with a series of antipasti. One thing I absolutely loved about the dish was its presentation and the portioning of each antipasti, not too little and not too much! The flavors were fresh and each ingredients true state was definitely enhanced by its garnishes.
My personal favorite: squid & octopus salad.
Primo piatti
Arrabbiata alla Pancetta
Wow! The Arrabbiata alla Pancetta was probably one of the best pasta dishes I have had in a really long time. The fresh homemade arrabbiata was al-dente, the pancetta was the right amount so that its meaty and salty flavor would not overwhelm the plate and the lightly spicy tomato cream sauce with a touch of arugula brought the whole plate together. Kudos to Chef Mimura for this dish!
Granchio
Close to par with the Arrabbiata alla Pancetta, this fresh tagliatelle pasta with crab meat in a lightly spiced tomato cream sauce topped with a crab’s claw was phenomenal. With a generous amount of crab meat accompanied with the tomato cream sauce, this dish definitely did justice to Sicilian cuisine.
Secondo piatto
Grilled Hawaiian Tuna
Accompanied with herb dressing and topped off with beets, tomatoes, greens and feta cheese, cooked with a touch of pink this grilled Hawaiian bigeye tuna was so fresh and tender.
Grilled Prime Tenderloin
Holy steak! This grilled prime tenderloin was one of the highlights of my meal. Cooked to medium, and accompanied by local vegetables and an orange balsamic reduction, the plate was portioned just right and all of its components balanced each other beautifully. I would definitely order this dish as a main course again!
Dolci della casa
Tiramisu
You can never go wrong with lady fingers, mascarpone, chocolate and a touch of coffee! Garnished with chocolate, strawberry jelly and an array of berries, the tiramisu definitely satisfied my sweet tooth!
Cannoli Siciliano
For the grand finale of desserts and one of my favorite Italian sweet treats, Cannoli Siciliano! Homemade in the kitchen with mascarpone, chocolate, and pistachios these two cannoli’s were served with vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry jelly.
Overall, my experience in Taormina, Honolulu was amazing! With the restaurants elegant interiors, friendly staff and exceptional food and service (especially for its pricing), I would definitely visit Taormina again for its authentic Southern Sicilian cuisine!
Ratings:
Ambiance: 9/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Phone Number: (808) 926-5050
Website: http://www.taorminarestaurant.com
MJJ 