One of our favorite restaurants in Hawaii just surfaced as an award winner. This time, it comes courtesy of the New York Times, which ranked this dessert at Fete in Honolulu as one of the top 23 dishes of 2023 in America. That while another award-winning Honolulu restaurant has also been honored, for an entree, that we can’t wait to try. That’s at Mud Hen Water.
Fête Honolulu Ice Cream is a 2023 best in the USA.
We loved this dessert last time we were there as much as the NY Times did. The ice cream is locally made, and the chocolate is intensely dark and rich. It has a great crunch too, courtesy of buttery macadamia nuts that arecoated and sealed in an added layer of rich chocolate. The homemade marshmallows add hugely to the effect, creating an unmistakably unique and indulgent dessert.
Fête is a great gourmet restaurant find in Honolulu’s Chinatown
Nestled in the midst of Chinatown, Fête previously earned its place as the 2022 James Beard Award Winner for the best chef among eateries in the Northwest & Pacific, and was the first Hawaii restaurant to receive this honor in nearly two decades. And we can personally concur after now visiting there multiple times!
This unassuming corner restaurant that you could almost miss walking by is part of the local farm-to-table movement. Casual yet elegant at the same time, Fête does well at combining great culinary skills, an unusual seasonally changing menu, and Honolulu traditions to provide a harmonious experience crafted from dissimilar attributes.
The restaurant’s philosophy is to support local production and vendors. Fête says, “Welcome to our Hawaii/Brooklyn Hapa Baby.” This fusion of New York chic and Honolulu charm makes Fête a New American style eclectic neighborhood restaurant. Their culinary point of view is a mix of classic techniques and island flavors.
Despite its acclaim, Fête still retains an environment we find humble, unpretentious, old fashioned and laid-back in a style unique to Honolulu. The restaurant has a brick and wood design and an open kitchen that allows the sights and smells to emanate from kitchen to dining room.
Fête’s eclectic menu includes a variety of diverse offerings that we’ve liked. They include the quinoa cake appetizer and perfectly grilled carrots to JP’s risotto and a great seafood selection. Any meal’s conclusion with sweets including their now world-famous homemade rocky road ice cream leaves a lasting impression.
We’ve found the significant menu easy to navigate and waitstaff friendly and helpful, especially for first-time visitors such as we were.
While not cheap by any means, Fête manages to offer this high level Hawaii dining experience at reasonable prices in relation to what they offer. Dinner for two, excluding alcohol, cost us slightly over $100.
At Fête, planning ahead is key. Due to its popularity, securing reservations can be challenging, making early planning or opting for an early dinner (before 5 pm) advisable.
Location: 2 North Hotel St., Chinatown Honolulu.
Contact: (808) 369-1390.
Hours: 11 am – 9 pm.
Website: Fête Hawaii.
Mud Hen Water’s chicken long rice croquettes is another top 23 in USA dish.
Here’s another find you won’t want to miss. Honestly, we’re heading here next as we’ve somehow missed it up until now.
Reviewers rave about the experience at Mud Hen Water. “The food and drinks were innovative and delicious, and the service was outstanding. Try the Sichuan Lotus Roots – divine! That, as well as the tofu appetizer and the miso butterscotch rice pudding.”
The award-winning chicken long rice croquettes dish has also long been very highly rated, which is said to be ultra crispy, sitting on a base of ginger, chicken soup. It also features long rice, which are yummy bean thread noodles.
We plan to do a complete review of Mud Hen Water in the near future.
Location: 3452 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii
Contact: 808-737-6000
Hours: Lunch: TUE – SAT 11:00AM-2:00PM, PAU WORK TUE – SAT 2:00PM-5:00PM, DINNER TUE – THU 5:00PM-9:00PM and FRI & SAT 5:00PM-9:30PM and BRUNCH SUN 9:30AM-2:00PM.
Website: mudhenwater
