Located in Ward Village, CINO Hawaiʻi recently added new dishes to its dinner menu. The chic eatery is known for Italian-inspired cuisine and seafood dishes in an upscale environment.
We got a taste of the newer dishes during a recent media event.
This seasonal melon salad ($24) features stone fruit with prosciutto, limoncello vinaigrette, stracciatella and mint. It’s a light starter with savory notes, due to the nutty prosciutto di parma.
This new appetizer features a panna cotta horseradish base topped with uni and salmon roe, dill and chives. The horseradish doesn’t have a strong bite since it’s in a creamier panna cotta form. It pairs nicely with the salty uni and refreshing ikura.
The big-eye tuna with Calabrian tuile isn’t a new appetizer, but it hits the spot every time. The sashimi-style fish comes in a soy-ceviche soy and is topped with dollops of avocado and a delicate Calabrian tuile. The crispy tuile provides the perfect contrast to the smooth, fresh tuna.
The Italian sausage Involtini ($42) is CINO’s newest pasta dish. It looks like a souffle pancake until you cut it open. It reminded me of a lasagna with layers of Italian sausage, mushroom and ricotta espuma, which is airy and cloud-like. The dish overall is indulgent and cheesy, and its presentation was unique.
The scallops ($52) are one of the newer seafood entrees. The Diver scallops are grilled and served with a shrimp and fennel risotto, which is flavored with a lemon butter white wine. The scallops are succulent and flavorful, but the perfectly cooked risotto — sporting a nice chew and creamy consistency — steals the show.
The lamb shank ($54) has taken the place of the osso buco that was formerly on CINO’s menu. The lamb shank is braised for about 14 hours, resulting in a fork-tender texture. We’re told the liquid the lamb is braised in is turned into a sauce, which is drizzled over the entrée.
The shank is meaty but easy to cut into, and the flavor isn’t too gamey.
Other popular (but not new) entrees include the eatery’s pork chops ($48) — the 14-day dry-aged pork chops are tender, succulent and sliced pupu style — Branzino ($58) with red chimichurri and fresh herbs, and the veal parmesan ($88). The latter features a one-pound, bone-in veal chop with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
The eatery’s two desserts have been on the menu for a while, but CINO’s version of the classic tiramisu never gets old. The tiramisu is enrobed in a chocolate shell, which makes it even more decadent.
If you want something lighter, opt for the homemade coconut mango panna cotta with macerated berries ($12).
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CONTACT
CINO
Ward Village
987 Queen St. Ste. 100, Honolulu
808-888-3008
Cinohawaii.com
Instagram: @cinohawaii
Open 5-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
