B on Hawaii

There are those within the hospitality field who understand that adversity occasionally births opportunity. The fine folks at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, on the Big Island of Hawaii, fortunately happen to be some of those people. They’ve launched a “Hawaii residents” offer to stay at one of Hawaii’s top luxury resort experiences for $325 per night, plus a $100 flight credit to be used within the resort. Offer expires December 2011.

For gourmands, there is perhaps no more indulgent luxury than observing a paper-thin wafer of fresh, European truffles shaved over your plate. Whatever the contents of the dish may be, there is something wholly gratifying about the knowledge that went in to procuring the truffle, the expense, and of course, the explosion of flavor that comes with each bight. And while we’re usually relegated to chemically-processed “truffle infused oils” in these parts, there is one man who has your earthy cravings top of mind.

Sticking with the truffles theme, we’ve been alerted to another event, this time on the isle of Maui. Pulehu Italian Grill is celebrating its first anniversary with a “Chocolate and Truffles Decadenza” on Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Executive chef Francois Milliet will command various food stations set up around the picturesque eatery for guests to sample, of which chocolate truffles are the common theme.

Do you like fine cocktails so much that it’s borderline scary? If so, we have a wonderful opportunity for you. On Wednesday, October 27, chef Alan Wong presents a Halloween-themed cocktail development seminar that—for the first time to the public—is open to a limited number of patrons. The session will be led by Wong’s resident Wine Director, Mark Shishido, as well as Southern Wines & Spirits’ Director of Mixology, Chandra Lam.

If you’re keen on a scenic, north-bound drive on Oahu, like seafood, beautiful vistas and a day outside eating and imbibing with some of the best chefs around, you might want to get yourself to the 6th Annual Seafood Festival at Turtle Bay Resort this Friday and Saturday, October 1st and 2nd. The event will kick off on Friday with a sampling of the North Shore shrimp trucks, followed by the legendary Sam Choy Poke Contest, at 10 a.m., Saturday morning. The affair will wrap up with the Seafood Festival on Saturday night.

The islands are teeming with upscale culinary events this month—and here’s one you won’t want to miss. The finale event in the “Mangoes at the Moana” series is this Friday’s “Tree to Table: A Mango Throw Down” to take place at the Westin Moana Surfrider. (For malihini/visitors who couldn’t already smell it in the air, its mango harvest season in Hawaii.)

From 6:00 p.m.

Part of the “magic” of living in (or visiting) Hawaii is the multi-cultural fabric that weaves through each of our communities. On September 25, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii will honor five members of this community as both significant contributors to Hawaii as well as Japanese icons. The theme is “Kakushin No Tatsujin!

It’s that time of year again: The 11th annual Taste of Kapolei is an outdoor food and wine frenzy on Oahu’s leeward coast that features the cuisine of dozens of island chefs. With live entertainment under the stars and tastings of wine not typically attainable through public channels, the “Taste” commences on Saturday, September 18, 2010, at 5:30 p.m.

There are those who think of that morning cup o’ joe as something more than a quick pick-me-up. Coffee—especially to those of us who have explored the “kona typica” varietals that thrive here in Hawai`i—can be as intricate as a fine wine to the right palate. And while many know that we’re blessed with the only coffee-producing region in North America, not as many are aware that farmers throughout Hawai`i have “stepped it up” over the last decade.

The fine folks at Mac 24/7—the late night eatery known for their gigantic pancakes and retro-chic diner decor—have sponsored AJ Goldman’s solo sail across 2,120 miles of Pacific Ocean.