My partner and I love exploring new fine-dining, but it’s always a challenge to find a place where the food truly lives up to the hype in Hawaii. We discovered this restaurant on Instagram, the reviews looked promising and the photos made it seem upscale and elegant. Unfortunately, the moment we walked in, we sensed it wasn’t quite our vibe. The décor felt less polished than it appeared online, and the atmosphere was surprisingly quiet, only one other couple was dining when we arrived, with just a few more guests later. Still hopeful, we ordered the prix fixe menu, but it fell short of expectations. The dessert was the only highlight for me, while the meat was tough and overly chewy. The service was friendly and attentive, but the food and overall experience simply didn’t impress. Maybe the chef was just having an off day, but it’s not a place we’d choose to return to!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Brooklyn Designs
Get better staff with better attitudes thanks. the one guy lee has horrible attitude and doesn’t care about service
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
OneMan TwoCups
Absolute joy all courses a delight. A hidden Gem
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rebekah
Literally some of the best food I've ever had. The chef is spectacular!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
KRS uCrayCray
this place is a Crazy Rich Asian vibe and i love it. Chef Anthony and his crew were absolutely phenomenal. A family style, off-menu 9 dish dinner was delicious. i was full by dish 7 and barely had enough room for dish 9(desert).
BTW, this place is PERFECT for private events!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
James Pferschy
Amazing! I've lived on Oahu for 13 years and this is the best meal and experience hands down! Thank you chef Anthony and crew!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
Ryan Adams
Amazing meal! We had a private dinner at Carte Blanche and it was a great experience from welcome to close out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chelsea Pferschy
The food is incredible! I honestly thought that I’d be going for “an experience” and end up hitting up some fast food afterwards, but it was so delicious and I left so full and satisfied! If you watch food shows, or are a foodie, or…eat food, you’ll be amazed at what they have here. It’s truly incredible! Do not miss this place when in Honolulu/Kaimuki ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Tartare, Fried Green Tomatoes, 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Granita Intermezzo, Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding, Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington, Ube Ice Cream & Coconut Cream Puff Bar, French Onion Soup, Seared Foie Gras
Lorraine Golden
Absolutely one of a kind superfluous service with outstanding food . You will need experience this any where in Honolulu. It was my first time here and won’t be my last. Thank you ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding
Danielle Burr
I attended a private event here. I’ll be dreaming of the short ribs I had for the rest of my life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
Food was incredible! Amazing service! Love the atmosphere and the vibe! Would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hayden Fennoy
Very personable experience! Great food and great service! Must try
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington
RJ
This is one of Oahu's hidden gems. I've only found out about this new restaurant by word of mouth. People will be lining up here soon. The overall quality and taste is Michelin star worthy. An explosion of different combination of rich flavors in every bite. A different experience from each course. It's totally worth it. I was stuffed by the 4th course of a 6 course meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brad Omland
One of the most creative restaurants I've eaten at. It is a little off the beaten path from Waikiki, but it is well worth the Uber ride out! We came here for my girlfriend's birthday dinner and were not disappointed.We were the only guests there for 8:30 dinner on a Thursday. The place is small and only opened four months ago, and it felt like an exclusive dining experience.The waiter gave us a great recommendation for wine that paired well with both of our dinners. Everything was amazing! What stood out to me us the way they pair Hawaiian flavors with fine dining -- it is arguably more of a Hawaiian culinary experience than anywhere else.The waiter was knowledgeable and explained the source of ingredients and all the meticulous work that goes into preparing the food.If you want a luxurious meal in Honolulu/Waikiki, this is the place to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
Gerard Lee
The world food tour resumed its journey with a stop at Carte Blanche, one of the three restaurants operated by the XO AV & CB Group. We tried XO a while ago and found it interesting and very reasonably priced. We learned that they changed their menu after our visit and we had intended to return but we heard about Carte Blanche and decided to try this place first. It’s located on 11th avenue, across the street from Kaimuki Community Park. There are a limited number of parking spaces in front of the Carte Blanche and AV but we parked in the Kaimuki Municipal lot.It’s a very brightly lit space with white / gold wallpaper, white / black floor tiles and whitish marble tables with white chairs with large pillows as backrests. There’s an open kitchen to your left as you enter, manned by three people. I thought of Peik Lin’s family home in Crazy Rich Asians. The only discordant note was the rock music being played.They offer an extensive wine list with two prices; you can opt for corkage at $30pp and pay a lower price for a bottle or go with the “regular” price. This would work well if you’re going to consume more than one bottle as the price difference is substantial. As it was just the two of us, we went with a 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from DuMol Vineyards. Purplish and raisiny, with lots of fruit.We chose two appetizers from the Carte Blanche Eats for Two menu, A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Tartare and the Seared Foie Gras. Our server Anthony recommended we order the foie gras off the kid’s menu as it eliminated the hash browns and garnishes but you got three pieces instead of two. The more foie gras, the better for us.The tartare was roughly chopped and came surrounded by chopped cornichons, herbs and crème fraiche and two pieces of gold leaf. It was left to us to determine how much of each to mix with the meat. I mixed all of it, including torn gold leaf. I found the hash brown to be somewhat at odds with the tartare and would have felt the same way with the foie gras. I would have preferred toasted bread or small blinis. However, each dish was superb.As an intermezzo, we were served some granita with an interesting flavor profile … I don’t recall what it was but it was refreshing.We had the Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington and the 72 Hour Not Just Braised Short Rib “Steak”. The duck presentation was interesting … It was shaped like a large carrot with latticed brioche surrounding the duck breast. It was surrounded by an ume port wine sauce. The duck was very tender and the brioche mimicked the puff pastry used in a Wellington. Inventive.The short rib came sliced and served with a large bone acting as the vehicle for the dollops of guava / BBQ / Smoked Water that added flavor accents to the beef. Under the bone was an arugula salad. I used the foie gras drippings to add extra richness to the meat. One can never have enough foie gras.We shared a Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding for dessert and I had a French Press of Kona coffee. The dessert was probably the least successful dish for us; my fellow foodie doesn’t care for butterscotch and I don’t like tapioca. Carte Blanche needs a dessert with dark chocolate.What did we think? I thought the food was inventive and prepared well. We would have preferred more subdued lighting and music more conducive to fine dining. Having said that, we enjoyed our meal at Carte Blanche. Recommended!
My partner and I love exploring new fine-dining, but it’s always a challenge to find a place where the food truly lives up to the hype in Hawaii. We discovered this restaurant on Instagram, the reviews looked promising and the photos made it seem upscale and elegant.
Unfortunately, the moment we walked in, we sensed it wasn’t quite our vibe. The décor felt less polished than it appeared online, and the atmosphere was surprisingly quiet, only one other couple was dining when we arrived, with just a few more guests later.
Still hopeful, we ordered the prix fixe menu, but it fell short of expectations. The dessert was the only highlight for me, while the meat was tough and overly chewy. The service was friendly and attentive, but the food and overall experience simply didn’t impress.
Maybe the chef was just having an off day, but it’s not a place we’d choose to return to!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Get better staff with better attitudes thanks. the one guy lee has horrible attitude and doesn’t care about service
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Absolute joy all courses a delight. A hidden Gem
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Literally some of the best food I've ever had. The chef is spectacular!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
this place is a Crazy Rich Asian vibe and i love it. Chef Anthony and his crew were absolutely phenomenal. A family style, off-menu 9 dish dinner was delicious. i was full by dish 7 and barely had enough room for dish 9(desert).
BTW, this place is PERFECT for private events!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing!
I've lived on Oahu for 13 years and this is the best meal and experience hands down!
Thank you chef Anthony and crew!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
Amazing meal! We had a private dinner at Carte Blanche and it was a great experience from welcome to close out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is incredible! I honestly thought that I’d be going for “an experience” and end up hitting up some fast food afterwards, but it was so delicious and I left so full and satisfied! If you watch food shows, or are a foodie, or…eat food, you’ll be amazed at what they have here. It’s truly incredible! Do not miss this place when in Honolulu/Kaimuki ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Tartare, Fried Green Tomatoes, 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Granita Intermezzo, Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding, Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington, Ube Ice Cream & Coconut Cream Puff Bar, French Onion Soup, Seared Foie Gras
Absolutely one of a kind superfluous service with outstanding food . You will need experience this any where in Honolulu. It was my first time here and won’t be my last. Thank you ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding
I attended a private event here. I’ll be dreaming of the short ribs I had for the rest of my life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was incredible! Amazing service! Love the atmosphere and the vibe! Would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very personable experience! Great food and great service! Must try
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak, Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington
This is one of Oahu's hidden gems. I've only found out about this new restaurant by word of mouth. People will be lining up here soon. The overall quality and taste is Michelin star worthy. An explosion of different combination of rich flavors in every bite. A different experience from each course. It's totally worth it. I was stuffed by the 4th course of a 6 course meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the most creative restaurants I've eaten at. It is a little off the beaten path from Waikiki, but it is well worth the Uber ride out! We came here for my girlfriend's birthday dinner and were not disappointed.We were the only guests there for 8:30 dinner on a Thursday. The place is small and only opened four months ago, and it felt like an exclusive dining experience.The waiter gave us a great recommendation for wine that paired well with both of our dinners. Everything was amazing! What stood out to me us the way they pair Hawaiian flavors with fine dining -- it is arguably more of a Hawaiian culinary experience than anywhere else.The waiter was knowledgeable and explained the source of ingredients and all the meticulous work that goes into preparing the food.If you want a luxurious meal in Honolulu/Waikiki, this is the place to be!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 72 Hour not Just Braised Short Rib Steak
The world food tour resumed its journey with a stop at Carte Blanche, one of the three restaurants operated by the XO AV & CB Group. We tried XO a while ago and found it interesting and very reasonably priced. We learned that they changed their menu after our visit and we had intended to return but we heard about Carte Blanche and decided to try this place first. It’s located on 11th avenue, across the street from Kaimuki Community Park. There are a limited number of parking spaces in front of the Carte Blanche and AV but we parked in the Kaimuki Municipal lot.It’s a very brightly lit space with white / gold wallpaper, white / black floor tiles and whitish marble tables with white chairs with large pillows as backrests. There’s an open kitchen to your left as you enter, manned by three people. I thought of Peik Lin’s family home in Crazy Rich Asians. The only discordant note was the rock music being played.They offer an extensive wine list with two prices; you can opt for corkage at $30pp and pay a lower price for a bottle or go with the “regular” price. This would work well if you’re going to consume more than one bottle as the price difference is substantial. As it was just the two of us, we went with a 2019 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from DuMol Vineyards. Purplish and raisiny, with lots of fruit.We chose two appetizers from the Carte Blanche Eats for Two menu, A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Tartare and the Seared Foie Gras. Our server Anthony recommended we order the foie gras off the kid’s menu as it eliminated the hash browns and garnishes but you got three pieces instead of two. The more foie gras, the better for us.The tartare was roughly chopped and came surrounded by chopped cornichons, herbs and crème fraiche and two pieces of gold leaf. It was left to us to determine how much of each to mix with the meat. I mixed all of it, including torn gold leaf. I found the hash brown to be somewhat at odds with the tartare and would have felt the same way with the foie gras. I would have preferred toasted bread or small blinis. However, each dish was superb.As an intermezzo, we were served some granita with an interesting flavor profile … I don’t recall what it was but it was refreshing.We had the Dry Aged Duck Breast Pretzel Brioche Wellington and the 72 Hour Not Just Braised Short Rib “Steak”. The duck presentation was interesting … It was shaped like a large carrot with latticed brioche surrounding the duck breast. It was surrounded by an ume port wine sauce. The duck was very tender and the brioche mimicked the puff pastry used in a Wellington. Inventive.The short rib came sliced and served with a large bone acting as the vehicle for the dollops of guava / BBQ / Smoked Water that added flavor accents to the beef. Under the bone was an arugula salad. I used the foie gras drippings to add extra richness to the meat. One can never have enough foie gras.We shared a Foie Gras Butterscotch Pudding for dessert and I had a French Press of Kona coffee. The dessert was probably the least successful dish for us; my fellow foodie doesn’t care for butterscotch and I don’t like tapioca. Carte Blanche needs a dessert with dark chocolate.What did we think? I thought the food was inventive and prepared well. We would have preferred more subdued lighting and music more conducive to fine dining. Having said that, we enjoyed our meal at Carte Blanche. Recommended!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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