Nick’s Fishmarket (Honolulu, HI)
Waikiki Gateway Hotel
2070 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815-2048
(808) 955-6333Nicely uniformed staff ushered us to captain’s chairs ringing our table for our dinner at Nick’s. Internet reviews indicated that Nick’s was a “fine dining” destination, and so far the atmosphere did not disappoint. The single table decor however had suffered some bruising and breakage, but nobody in the establishment had made any effort to replace the faltering flower. Our party of four quickly assessed the menu and found few standouts. We proceeded to order escargot, calamari and coconut shrimp for starters. Immediately we noticed some lag time in the delivery of our appetizers, but at least the bread and the wonderful butter spread filled in the void.
When the staff finally made the presentation, the escargot was the biggest disappointment, reportedly tasteless despite its garlic butter bath. Four coconut shrimp were nicely coated in coconut, but the reddish sauce accompanying it looked and tasted suspiciously like ketchup, until the mango relish was discovered under a bed of sprouts. The calamari seemed greasy but not chewy and the dips were original: jalapeno aioli, a spicy concoction and a regular cocktail/marinara sauce.
The salad options failed to impress: Nick’s Classic salad did not garner any rave reviews, but it was the side caesar option ordered at the last minute that drew the biggest disappointment. The dressing was uncharacteristically sweet, a hint vinegary; it was promptly rejected and sent back to the kitchen.
After another long wait, our entrees were wheeled out on a cart, looking pretty. Like the Nick’s Classic before it, the Seafood Mix Grill failed to elicit any excitement, even though the salmon was grilled perfectly with no hint of dryness or toughness. Of the two filet mignons ordered, one was well done (a far mark from the medium rare that was requested) and the second filet appeared medium well, shy of the medium requested. The well done steak was replaced with another but came back blood red rare, still not quite the medium rare expected but at least more edible. It was obvious that beef was NOT one of this restaurant’s strengths. The only exceptional dish of the evening seemed to be swordfish which proved moist and tasty, deliciously grilled and garnished with roasted garlic, onions and dried tomatoes.
Overall, a rather pricy gamble on seafood, but not worth the risk to try anything else.
My rating: stars
