I love ARW because it gives me the opportunity to try restaurants that are not in my budget... but also too expensive for their reputation.
This time the Aussie and I tried Roy's.
Backed by a James Beard Award winning Chef (Roy Yamaguchi) and a global presence, I really expected great things to hit my palate.
Greeted by a small patch of dirt with a sign on it that reads "The Chef's Garden" I thought I was in for a really fresh treat. I could almost taste the tropical flavors in my mouth... when I was hit in the face by the stench of cheap air freshener. It was like cupcake/ sweet vanilla cream Glade Plug-Ins. *Insert gag face*
Seated in the middle of a very large dining room (with super high ceilings), our server came with drinks. Stellar service, by the way. I had the Golden Lobster Potstickers with spicy togarashi miso butter and Aussie had the Lobster Bisque. I really liked the potstickers mainly due to the miso butter, but Aussie was disappointed with the bisque--- it had Brandy and cream and it tasted like burnt gravy.
I opted for the Seared Tiger Shrimp over jalapeño polenta, sauteed spinach and smoked tomato butter. The shrimp were overcooked (WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS OVERCOOK SHRIMP!?!?!?!), but the polenta was tasty.
Aussie had the macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi over asparagus, potatoes, and what looked like a shiitake sauce? It was too sweet, overcooked, and just not fulfilling.
The private party rooms look intriguing, but overall not the high-end Hawaiian experience I was expecting.
Not worth it. So glad I tried it during ARW ($35/person).
Sadly, Roy's is so inconsistent. When their food is great, it's really great! It's just that you have to wonder whether you want to spend that much for the mere chance of experiencing great food. There are better options.
ReplyDeleteNicely put! :)
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