These are the Best Bites at Fête in Chinatown
(Partner Content) The support for local farmers and purveyors runs deep with these seasonal dishes.
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The team at Fête is on a high. In 2022, chef and co-owner Robynne Maii was recognized with the James Beard Award for Best Chef Pacific Northwest. She is the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive the award, and the first James Beard awarded in the Islands since Hamura Saimin Stand received the coveted America’s Classics award in 2006. Longtime chef de cuisine Emily Iguchi was promoted to executive chef in May of this year. Then, in June, we named Maii and her partner, husband Chuck Bussler, our Hale ‘Aina Restaurateurs of the Year, a distinction that was awarded by the editors of HONOLULU Magazine.
So, what can be said that hasn’t already been mentioned? The food, of course! We visited the bumping Chinatown eatery for a taste of the best bites (and sips) from its current seasonal menu. It’s a mix of classic Fête dishes and a couple of new takes, but what ties them all together is the use of local and small-batch purveyors.
We start with cocktails, the 24 Carrot Quaff and Il Pistacchio, which just made their debut. The 24 Carrot Quaff is like a spiced paloma with warming spices, carrot and pineapple juices. The Il Pistacchio skews more citrusy floral with a grounding creamy layer of pistachio and egg whites. Both pair well with our slew of appetizers to start.
The quinoa cakes are Fête’s take on falafel. The contrast of the crunchy fried fritter with cool smashed avocado and romesco sauce makes them hard to put down. The grilled carrots are a rainbow of colors and flavors. We’re left swooning over the Sumida watercress tahini, which works well with the natural sweetness from the charred root veggies. The aromatic Kaua‘i prawns could be and entrée all their own, served head-on and garnished with toasted coconut and crispy curry leaves.
We share the Korean Bavette, a Fête fan favorite from the beginning. Local grass-fed beef, flavorful as-is, is amped up to the level of kalbi. Served with ginger scallion fried rice, Asian pear slaw and a fried local egg, you’re going to need to find a nook to nap in before your next meeting.
The finale, a plate of perfectly puffy bombolini donuts filled with liliko‘i curd, send us over the top. Though not pictured, we paired them with a scoop of the house-made kūlolo ice cream that can only be described as a Fête in your mouth.
Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 2 North Hotel St., (808) 369-1390, fetehawaii.com, @fetehawaii
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