Midweek Reviews

This site was created by Padovani C.             ©    03-15-2009

Still, even though Padovani was a founding member of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine Council, it was largely his restaurants that became recognizable names, with their creator remaining in the background.These were high-end, luxury hotel establishments, and with the exception of La Mer offered little exposure for Padovani on Oahu.

All of that has changed.In December 1999, Padovani returned to Honolulu and opened Padovani's Bistro & Wine Bar at the Doubletree Alana Waikiki Hotel.
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And no one is more aware of this perception than Padovani.In fact, he feels this is the main reason more residents have not tried Padovani's.

People know La Mer, and they think that just because it be me, it be an expensive, special occasion restaurant, he says.But if they were to see our prices, they would be shocked.Our entrees are priced much lower than you would expect.In this economy, you have to make your prices affordable for residents, or you will lose your shirt..

A quick look at Padovani's dinner menu bears this out.Entrees run from a relatively modest $ 18 up to $ 38 for Maine lobster.
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Padovani's desserts, prepared by himself and pastry chef Pierre Padovani, his brother, are to die for.They make their own sorbets and ice cream, and their award-winning chocolates are already gaining notoriety around the world.

We also serve breakfast and lunch, and we have a great vegetarian menu, Padovani adds.Breakfast is only $ 9.For the quality, service and value you get in this environment, it be a steal! In New York, you would pay two-and-a-half to three times this much.it be the best bargain in town!.
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Though located at the Doubletree Alana Hotel, like Roy's before him, Padovani's is not part of the hotel.
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No problem, Padovani says, everyone's welcome.Many take a look at the wine bar menu, shrug and then sit down and eat, totally unaware of the gourmet quality they have stumbled upon.

The wine bar features a classic rolling cart service, with a changing selection of appetizers, carved prime meats and gourmet cheeses.

The most extraordinary aspect of the wine bar, by far, is the wine list itself and the Cruvinet™.
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As flashy as the wine bar is, it is Padovani's elegant, Mediterranean-style cuisine that is the main attraction.Before coming to Hawaii, his resume included the world-renowned Restaurant La Tour Rose in Lyon, France ; Restaurant La Wurtzmuhle in Strasbourg, France ; Restaurant Michel Rostang in Grenoble, France, and Restaurant La Pyramide in Vienne, France.

It was an unlikely career path for a Frenchman with an Italian last name who grew up in the outback of Australia.
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Then, later, when we moved to Victoria, and then Melbourne, Pierre and I played a lot of rugby..

The two Padovani boys went to school with Aborigines and raised kangaroos as pets, as did many of the youths in the outback.Yeah, we had several ‘joeys' around the house, he says.I remember one that was half-wild.A joey can do a lot of damage with his tail, you know.It can break a man's leg.This one really knocked my feet out from under me once.He was so wild we had to let him go.But the other ones were very loyal, they would follow us around everywhere..

It was a boy's world, no doubt about that.But what about Luce Padovani, their mom? The wilds of Australia are a far cry from Marseilles, France.She was a great cook and managed the best she could, Padovani says.

Published on August 17 2000