Nicholas A.
Yelp
Let me start by saying how incredible each staff is! Their service is definitely FORBES standard approved! I went the past two nights, Alexcel hit every time on point! The one minute greet, to the 7 min drink time was great! Matt did take a minute longer, only because our fourth guest hasnt arrived yet (i assume). The ambiance is beautiful, very ocean front and during sunset is the best time! This review will be a combination of both nights!
Let's talk food.... The Oysters are sold by a dozen or by half a dozen. With that, comes an accompany of horseradish, calamansi mignonette, and another sauce that i forgot. Seafood Rigatoni was definitely filling and done to perfection! Since I'm allergic to scallops, I was able to ask for more shrimp instead! The rigatoni sauce was very fresh and vibrant because of the fresh tomatoes that they use from Sensei Farms, which is all done locally. You can just tell that it was fresh!! My appetizer yesterday was the Burrata Caprese! And what an excellent take on a Caprese. It's got little baby crostini (i'd say it's more of a few croutons) paired with some citrus supreme to bring it some brightness. But, the highlight of it all is of course the BURRATA!!! It was lightly salted and has a little cracked pepper then with that aged balsamic.... WOW! That's all there is to say about that! Amazing and the best burrata you will ever have! One thing i would personally recommend(my preference) is basil pieces rather then the small sprigs would probably elevate the dish a tad more, but I know it's all about the presentation. The Ali'i Mushroom Soup was probably the best soups I have ever had. It was nice and creammy with the creme fraiche. The best part of this experience is it's done table side. One thing I would like to notate is a minor discrepancy on the QR-code menu that HUGE for others for the ali'i mushroom soup, it doesn't say SPICED macadamia nuts. I bit into it and was sad because the presentation was beautiful, but it has a kick and that kick was not what I was expecting. However, Alex did offer to have chef remake it and thankfully it came back quickly and I was able to enjoy this velvety mushroom goodness! So, not to manager, i would update that menu to say SPICED or I would make sure server clarifies that part of the soup. Minor hiccup, but Alex recovered it very seamlessly. The lamb was THE BEST rack I ever had. It's not that I had much, but it was seasoned to perfection and honestly... it comes with a sauce, but don't waste your time! You won't need a sauce! It was done to the wellness I was hoping for, medium! And easy to cut into! The tomahawk was also seasoned and cooked to perfection.
The sides and desserts.... Incredible done!!! The lobster mashed potatoes were soooo creammy, almost like a polenta with a block of butter!! They also do not shy away from the amount of lobster in the small vessel. The other thing i was surprised about was the Toasted COCONUT creamed spinach! Creamed spinach will never be the same for me after this! And i hate that! It would always need a bit of coconut in it now. As someone who isn't a fan of toasted shredded coconut, this was a must and elevated the spinach much more than you would expect! 2 desserts I have tried was the ONE FORTY Hot Soufflé and the DULCEY "Pour Over." My favorite would be the Soufflé hands down!!! This was my favorite part of the entire experience the first night! Sooo warm and fresh! My least favorite was the Dulcey, it had a cool presentation. The caramel was great, but i feel like it wasn't what I was looking for. I will say it was probably a preference thing. The dulce deleche tart was very cute and everything was aesthetically pleasing! The presentation of caramel over didn't turn out as I was expecting, but still not a bad dessert. But definitely coming back for the soufflé! The gianduja gelato was nice for both desserts though. Described as a nutella-like gelato. I would probably just want some gelato with the caramel! Ohh... almost forgot, the black and blue sangria is highly recommended. Just know if you are a light weight... that's probably the only drink you will need for the entire night.
As a whole, I enjoyed every moment. From entering the restaurant to saying farewell. Other people to shoutout would have to be CAROL and Rochelle! I keep feeling bad having to ask for things, but they were soo quick to get anything I needed! Waters were always filled and plates were always cleared! Rochelle always took a second to allow me to record any tableside presentations, which she did perfectly. Even as detailed as to hold the light up for me. It's because of these amazing staff and of course the freshness of the food that will bring me back! I am in love! I must try that SURF AND TURF BURGER next time! Thank you sooo much for your hospitality ONE FORTY! This place is literally LANA'I's best steak, seafood, and HOT SOUFFLÉ spot to be!