MW & Soigné
Although I was born-and-raised in Hawaii, I spent about six years away in the upper Midwest. During that time I had the opportunity to experience a different side of food than the one I grew up with. It’s been a few years now since I moved back to Honolulu. While I definitely prefer being back home with warm weather (those Midwest winters are rough), I do miss some of the food and restaurants from Minnesota.
So, when I received an email from MW Restaurant about an upcoming collaboration dinner with two Minnesota chefs, I had to get a table. I was acquainted with Chefs Kaysen and Moua from a few meals I had had at Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis. Since I moved away from Minnesota they’ve both gone on to open a few other restaurants and formed the Soigné Hospitality Group.
Here are the dishes I had from this collab dinner on February 22, 2020:
“Five Small Bites” - Left to right: French Onion “Soup”, Uni-giri, Osetra caviar crepe cake, mentaiko potato rosti, oyster shooter (MW Restaurant)
Biston tartare with harissa and watermelon radish (Chef Kaysen)
A protein seldom seen the islands!
Kona Kampachi Roulade - Kauai shrimp stuffing, Alaskan king crab, wasabi negi sauce (MW Restaurant)
A perfectly cooked roulade with a delicate texture. The combination of seafood flavors and the wasabi negi sauce was delicious. This was probably my favorite dish I’ve had at MW Restaurant so far.
Tamarind Glazed Grilled Kona Lobster - Citrus orange broth, crispy ginger, buttered Brussels sprouts, scallions (Chef Kaysen)
My second favorite savory course of the evening. The grill and char on the lobster added a depth of flavor to the bright flavors of ginger and citrus. The butter from the Brussels added just the right touch of fat and richness to an otherwise lean dish.
American Wagyu Beef Ribeye - Braised and stuffed morels, baby leeks, beef jus (Chef Kaysen)
One of my favorite mushrooms that’s almost impossible to find on a menu in Hawaii! The dish was good overall, but unfortunately, I think I’ve been spoiled on Japanese wagyu.
Pineapple Olive Pudding - Mandarin sherbert, vanilla meringue (Chef Moua)
A wonderfully bright and refreshing dessert. This was an excellent transition away from the savory courses.
“From Pod to Bar” - Big Island cacao sorbet, 14 day aged cacao "fudgesicle, black sesame mochi fudge brownie, chocolate soil, KoKoleka cacao chocolate mousse (MW Restaurant)
I’ve always enjoyed MW’s desserts and the intentional focus on local ingredients. While the entire bowl was delicious, the cacao sorbet was by far my favorite element…
Big Island cacao sorbet
…So much so that I requested some extra sorbet to enjoy!
Assorted mignardises
A few sweet bites to finish off the evening.
I’m happy to see more of these collaboration dinners coming up here in Hawaii. I thoroughly enjoyed the last one I attended between Senia and Maum. We have some excellent food in Hawaii, but the culinary landscape of the islands can only get better as we continue to gain exposure to what other regions have to offer.
MW Restaurant
1538 Kapiolani Blvd #107
Honolulu, HI 96814
808.955.6505
www.mwrestaurant.com
Soigné Hospitality Group
Various restaurants in the Twin Cities
www.staysoigne.com
