“Who is Lady Elaine?”
That was my first question — after inquiring about the food, of course — upon stepping into the recently opened, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Manoa Marketplace.
If you remember Lady Elaine from the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood show, then you’re spot on. She doesn’t bring that typical main character energy, but the restaurant name is symbolic of a deeper meaning, according to Dusty Grable, one of the partners of the Lovers + Fighters restaurant group.
“Every time we come up with a concept, we try to pick a word or theme,” he says. “That becomes our inspiration word; we refer to it as the north star when making decisions. Uncle Paul’s Corner Store was curiosity, Little Plum was nostalgia, and Lady Elaine was neighborhood — the idea of trying to build a neighborhood restaurant. It’s a reminder that we are part of a neighborhood; we felt Manoa was an exciting community to join. Our hope was that, if we invested in it and served it well, that community will embrace and take care of us.”
When brainstorming the neighborhood concept with his business partners, the conversation turned from neighborhoods that inspire, such as Kaimuki, to the world of Mister Rogers.
“That was a cool moment to break the thought process from the obvious,” Grable says. “What better neighborhood with all the love, care and selflessness? We latched onto that concept in a really big way.
“Lady Elaine is such a fascinating character,” he adds. “She was not an attractive puppet; she had a scariness to her, she was sassy. She was this untraditional hero in that King Friday XIII had all these demands, and she would stand up to him on behalf of the neighborhood. Not all heroes are traditionally beautiful or obvious.”
You’ll notice nods to the show in some of the cocktail names — including A Beautiful Day — and there are photos of both Mister Rogers and Lady Elaine on the men’s and women’s restroom doors, respectively. The cocktail section features beverages made by the in-house team, along with renowned mixologists like Dave Newman and Alicia Yamachika. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available; they’re under the “Neighborhood of Make Believe” section of the menu.
Tale As Old as Time ($18), similar to an old fashioned, is quickly becoming a customer favorite. Other unique creations include the One Point One ($18) — Ko Hana Kea rum agricole, Giffard’s pimento, California falernum, lime, honey and goat yogurt wash — which has a citrus-forward flavor and unique texture from the goat yogurt wash.
Dishes are designed to share family-style, and are categorized by sides (grains and vegetables), seafood (ocean), meats (land) and desserts. Popular choices include the ahi crudo ($22) and chermoula tiger shrimp ($26). The fresh catch changes, but previous selections include mahi or kajiki.
The ahi is refreshing, and the only thing that would make it better is more of that flavorful olive tapenade. The succulent tiger shrimp ($26) were cooked perfectly, and were sufficiently coated in garlicky white wine-lemon sauce.
Don’t overlook the veggies — some of the most popular dishes thus far are under the grains and vegetables category.
“I think people are surprised to see a vegetable-heavy menu,” Grable says. “People are more conscious of what they eat; vegetables have been really well received.”
Stand-outs include Sumac cauliflower ($26) with ulu hummus, garlic and pickled onions, and roasted carrots ($16) with paprika and parsley yogurt.
The tahini charred cabbage ($28) is another unique option. It’s served with herb jam, peperonata and crispy shallots.
“The charred cabbage is a really cool dish,” Grable says. “It has a lot of layers as to why it’s complex and interesting. Who would think the cabbage would stand out more than rack of lamb or rib-eye? The cauliflower is another one that’s an underdog. The ulu hummus is my favorite part of that dish. Utilizing ulu and making a hummus out of it was exciting for us to highlight local ingredients.”
I tend to be wary of lamb because of its gamey flavor, but this pimenton lamb ($38) was tender and juicy without any gaminess. Each portion comes with three pieces served over romesco verde sauce with charred broccolini on the side.
Turmeric chicken skewers ($32) — served with roasted market vegetables — are especially delightful because of its thicker lemony sauce. The chicken itself is tender and juicy, but the sauce takes it to the next level.
Choose from coconut panna cotta ($14) or ricotta fritters ($14) for dessert. The latter is reminiscent of malasadas because of their soft interior. It’s light on the cheesy flavor, and the tart lemon curd balances the sweetness of the cinnamon and powdered sugar.
Speaking of dessert — 100% of dessert sales are given to the restaurant’s culinary team. Since the culinary team is not part of the tip pool, dessert sales are used to supplement their income, according to Grable.
"Desserts are something guests will try and get anyway; we tried to create this win-win scenario where guests are happy and our culinary team is getting paid properly," he says.
At the time of our interview, the restaurant was still incomplete — they were still waiting on some furniture, art and staffing, according to Grable — but the eatery will eventually be open for lunch service.
“We want to make sure our diners know that we are honored and thankful for the opportunity to serve them,” Grable says. “My favorite compliment is, hands down, when guests say, ‘We can tell your team really enjoys working together.’ That brings us a lot of fulfilment. We hope diners experience a sense of thoughtfulness — the thoughtfulness, time and care made into their experience. I hope people feel that.”
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
