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All days, all hours — thatʻs how our bartender described the bar menu at CINO Italian Chophouse and Crudo Bar, the Ward Village eatery is known for its Italian-style dishes with local flavors.
As it turns out, CINO’s bar menu has been around for at least six months, but it still continues to be “discovered” by customers — since it’s only available at the bar counter. It comprises a variety of sips and bites. The cocktail selection includes yuzu ginger cooler ($8) — vodka, ginger and lemon — and Meyer High Club ($8) with bourbon, Meyer lemon and soda. If you prefer a mocktail, just tell the bartender. Beers ($4) and wines by the glass ($8) are also available.
With the exception of the oysters, we ordered one of every dish from the food menu — and you probably will, too.
The crispy rice blocks came topped with otoro, caviar and spicy Italian aioli. The crispy rice delivers a satisfying crunch with each bite, which contrasts nicely with the creamy otoro, with a lingering spice from the aioli.
Each order comes with two pieces, so you won’t feel as bad if you want to splurge and order more.
This dish is the only one that can be found on the eatery’s dinner menu, but that version is slightly different. We’re told the crispy rice on the dinner menu is almost twice the size as the bar menu option, and its price ($22) reflects that.
These sliders — three per order — comprised Okinawan rolls, a meaty wagyu patty, house pickles and onion marmalade. The beefy wagyu patty is packed with flavor, and I appreciated the sliders’ petite size, making them easy to eat.
The bar’s corn arancini was swapped out for the current mushroom version about a month ago, and this dish was the highlight of our evening. The savory medley of cremini mushrooms, parmigiano Reggiano and tomato vinaigrette all encompassed in a bite-sized ball with a crispy exterior was simply glorious.
Our server told us that most people immediately place a second order after trying the arancini. It’s no wonder why.
This dish reminded me of mushroom tempura, due to its crispy texture. It’s a fun dish to share, and we couldn’t get enough of the creamy Calabrian aioli.
Dessert is not on the bar menu; in fact, it doesn’t even appear on the eatery’s regular menu, so you’ll have to ask your server if you want to end the night with something sweet.
While the lilikoʻi tart ($14) and mango coconut raspberry panna cotta ($12) both sounded like refreshing options, the chocolate-dipped tiramisu ($14) had me sold. I enjoy regular tiramisu, but this version was created with chocoholics in mind. The chocolaty outer shell makes it more indulgent and worth every calorie.
CONTACT
CINO Italian Chophouse and Crudo Bar
Ward Village
987 Queen St. Ste. 100, Honolulu
808-888-3008
cinohawaii.com
Instagram: @cinohawaii
Open 5-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
