Roy's Hawaiian Fusion

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion is Tokyo-born chef Yamaguchi's inspired cooking that combines the feeling and flavors of Hawaiian and Californian cuisine. Roy's first opened in Honululu and recieved many accolades soon after; however, the one I experienced was on Mission Street in downtown San Francisco.

The soaring ceilings, dark wood panelling, the sushi-bar in the center, and a large wine cabinet beside it gives the restaurant a warm, upscale feel. The dark, warm interiors felt good after the wet and chilly weather outdoors. The restaurant has a formal feel and everything from the decor, uniforms and the food is clearly Japanese-inspired.

I ordered the special Hawaiian Martini which my waitress recommended. Good choice, and not weak like most fruity martinis! While I was browsing through the menu, my waitress brought me a plate of edameme sprinkled with salt and chili powder. She also offered me a complimentary starter.

I ended up selecting the Prix Fixe Menu. My starter was the Yamaguchi Hawaiian crunchy winter roll. The winter roll made of shrimp tempura, avocado, shiso and curry aioli was pretty good with a sushi-style feel but warm and crispy due to the tempura inside.

My entree was the Fresh Hawaiian Ono and Crab Dynamite with a spicy, chive butter sauce. Now this dish disappointed me: the ono didn't taste good to me at all. I should have gone with the waitress' recommendation of the Panang Style Tiger Shrimp or the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs.

The dessert more than made up. Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle is a flourless chocolate cake with a molten hot center. Just the thing I needed before walking out into the freezing cold of the night as I made my way back to my hotel.

Apparantly, Roy's is a popular prom night destination. I think this restaurant is a great choice for a special dinner for two when you want to try something different.