Full disclosure: I didn’t know Kakaʻako-based Ya-Ya’s Chophouse & Seafood closed until a foodie friend sent me a photo of a restaurant opening in its place.
“Flair European Steakhouse: coming soon,” the sign read.
That was about a month ago. The new eatery officially opened July 10, and we were invited to experience the modern European steakhouse.
“While Hawaiʻi offers an abundance of American and Asian fusion restaurants, we noticed a distinct lack of European cuisine," explains restaurant co-founder Constantin Dobrescu. "What we tried to do is bring the original recipes and offer them for everyone to understand how it’s actually made in Europe.”
The menu is more “American oriented,” though, according to Dobrescu, in order to still feel approachable to first-time customers.
“We want to slowly incorporate dishes that are more Eastern European,” he says. “It (the menu) has French and Italian influences, along with a little bit of Spanish and eastern European.”
The restaurant’s interior features a familiar layout as its predecessor — there’s still a bar, dining tables with ample space between them, and a private dining room toward the back. It feels more luxe, complete with velvet seats to match the darker vibe and jewel-toned colors.
“The name ʻFlair’ was carefully chosen to reflect the essence of our concept — elegant, European dining with distinctive style and personality,” Dobrescu says. “We acquired the former Ya-Ya’s location and undertook a full renovation to bring our vision to life, designing the space to align with our aesthetic and culinary goals.”
To start, we order something familiar — tartare de thon ($21), a colorful twist on an ‘ahi tuna stack with fresh ‘ahi tuna, avocado, mango and citrus dressing. Both the mango and citrus dressing make this especially refreshing.
I should note that all dishes come with gold covers on them, which are expertly removed by the table servers to reveal the dishes underneath. This was the first time I went to a restaurant that did this, which made the experience even more elevated.
This dish features a trio of scallops served atop carrot, purple potato and sweet potato purees. Cooked perfectly, the scallops are succulent and juicy, while the purees add a slightly sweet flavor.
The pear alla Flair ($22) comes highly recommended by Dobrescu.
“It’s braised in wine; inside (the pear), you’re going to find goat cheese and roasted pistachios,” he explains. “The pear is wrapped in prosciutto di parma, it’s baked and glazed in honey, then baked a little more to give it that golden aspect. It’s probably one of the most unique things that you’ll try.”
While pears aren’t my favorite, I’m glad we tried this dish because of its novelty factor. The sweet, refreshing pear is enveloped in thin pieces of Prosciutto di Parma, giving it a nutty, savory aftertaste. I’m a huge fan of the creamy goat cheese filling and sticky, sweet honey dressing.
The Balkan salad ($18) might not be for everyone, but if you like pickled vegetables, chances are, you’ll like this unique offering. It comprises pickled vegetables, beets, potatoes, peas, goat cheese and dill. As its description implies, this salad boasts lots of pickled flavors, with an herbaceous flavor from the dill that’s nicely balanced by the creaminess from the cheese.
The Puglia ($19) was one of my favorites because it’s simple and light. Fresh arugula is topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh burrata and balsamic. The creamy burrata was divine, and this salad was the perfect segue to our entrees.
If you’re craving seafood, Dobrescu recommends the Callibaud Noir ($43), but you won’t find any miso butterfish or Asian Fusion flavors here. The fish itself is flaky and moist, and without any strong (miso) sauce, its texture and flavor really shine. The capers are a nice touch and add extra savoriness and a slight bite.
Pasta choices range from spaghetti and rigatoni to tagliatelle and pappardelle. The eatery currently imports its pastas from Italy, but will eventually feature housemade pastas.
We opt for the pappardelle all’astice ($41), which features lobster and cherry tomatoes in a butter sauce. The pasta is perfectly cooked with a nice chew, and the buttery lobster chunks interspersed throughout are a seafood lover’s dream.
We share the recommended 14-ounce wagyu rib-eye ($109), which is aged for 32 days. The American wagyu rib-eye is served with a trio of sauces — horseradish aioli, chimichurri and a savory demi-glace — but the steak is so flavorful that it doesn’t really need the sauces. If I had to pick a favorite, though, it would be the chimichurri.
Other entrée choices include spiced lamb skewers ($38), Cotoletta alla burrata ($77) — the eatery’s take on a veal Parmesan — Prime NY strip with sea salt and butter ($67) and prime tenderloin with duchess potatoes and a choice of four-cheese, cherry reduction or wild mushroom ($68).
“All of the sauces are made in house,” Dobrescu says. “For our tasting, the cherry reduction had all positive opinions. Before I tried it, I thought, ‘How am I going to eat a filet mignon with something sweet, a cherry reduction?’ But it’s the best thing you’ll ever try.
“Since opening, some of our most popular offerings have included the Aperol spritz, pear alla Flair, escargot, Balkan salad, filet de boeuf, our 32-day dry-aged American wagyu rib-eye and the traditional Romanian dessert, Papanasi,” he adds.
More changes are coming soon to the restaurant, according to Dobrescu, who says that the eatery is aiming to launch a weekend brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays by the end of the year.
More immediately, guests can anticipate the opening of the eatery’s outdoor patio, which is scheduled for next week, to make it pet friendly.
“In line with that, we will be introducing a special pet menu featuring a few thoughtfully crafted options for our four-legged guests,” Dobrescu says. “Looking ahead, our guests can expect an evolving selection of European-inspired dishes featured as specials, a curated cocktail menu, and an elevated atmosphere with live entertainment, including saxophone performances, live vocalists and DJ sets.
“We look forward to continuing to bring a unique European dining experience to Hawaiʻi and thank our guests for their enthusiastic support,” he adds.
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CONTACT
Flair European Steakhouse
502 Keawe St., Honolulu
808-462-3312
flairhawaii.com
Instagram: @flair_hawaii
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
