by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com
G.Lion, an award -winning, world-renowned hospitality group based in Hawaii, opened two innovative, upscale, and dynamic restaurants, Quiora and LaVie, in the posh Ritz Carlton Residencies on Waikiki Beach, following the massive success of Hy’s Steakhouse, which the company acquired in 2011.
Upon G.Lion’s expansion to offer travel and event management services, the company rapidly gained notoriety as one of the world’s leading luxury lifestyle groups, offering private concierge services, lifestyle management and access to some of the most prestigious events around the globe.
The Backstage Pass team from iHeart Radio had the opportunity to highlight two of the aforementioned restaurants, for dining experiences filled with elegance, refinement and culinary magic.
WEBSITE: www.glionhawaii.com
INSTAGRAM @gliongroup, @g.lionhawaii
We extend our utmost gratitude to Carl Anderson, G. Lion’s director of sales and marketing, for facilitating our spotlight visits to these exceptional restaurants.
QUIORA
A play on the Italian phrase “qui e ora “, meaning “here and now”, Quiora offers unparalleled views of Waikiki’s sparkling waters and sleek cityscape, a sophisticated open air dining atmosphere and a vast selection of hearty, artfully prepared Italian fare that is sure to satiate your cravings for authentic Italian cuisine.
Most famous for their fresh, handmade pastas (which are made in house every day), Quiora has also cemented its status as the premiere destination for celebratory events and gatherings, ranging from business luncheons to birthday dinners (several birthday parties occurred during our visit) and everything in between, due to its festive atmosphere and delectable varieties of cocktail, appetizer, entree and dessert options.
Quiora regularly features live acoustic music by local artists and prides itself on largely featuring only the freshest ingredients grown and harvested by local farmers.
We would like to extend gratitude for excellent service and a smooth commute to our driver, Hideyaki Sato, G.Lion’s private travel concierge/driver, for transporting us to the Ritz Carlton Residences (Instagram: @ritzcarltonwaikiki ) in a stylish white Mercedes Benz.
Here are some of our favorites.
BEVERAGES:
Non-alcoholic: Hawaii-Grown Black Tea. Locally grown on the island, this tea features a strong taste and bold finish that will please the palette of even the most discerning tea connoisseur.
COCKTAILS:
Capri-Game: Martini and Rossi Fiero Vermouth. Luciano Limoncello, Calamansi and Prosecco.
Afternoon in Jalisco: Featuring Codigo G.Lion exclusive single barrel reposado tequila, jalapeño tincture, honey, triple sec, lime and grapefruit.
Smoked Roots: El Silencio Mezcal, Ginger, Turmeric Agave, Yuzu and Laphroaig mist. Garnished with fresh sugared ginger.
STARTERS:
Housemade spreads: Cannellini bean spread, citrus ricotta and olive tapenade.
Arugula & Kale Salad (black peppered marcona almonds, ricotta salata and dried fruit.
Kaua’i Prawns Calabrese: Calabrian chili oil, white wine and garlic.
ENTREES:
Lobster Tagliatelle: Shellfish cream, fine herbs, lemon zest and bottarga. The chefs boil the shells for a set time period for optimal flavor enhancement, procured in almost the same manner in which you would make a bisque.
Porcini Pappardelle: Roasted mushrooms, crispy kale and parmesan.
Wood Grilled Fish: The Fish of Day during our visit was Mahi Mahi, which was extremely tender and flavorful. Served with local beans, marinated zucchini, baby arugula and salsa giallo.
DESSERTS:
Ricotta cheesecake: Drizzled blood orange coulis, sitting atop a delectable Biscoff cookie crust and garnished with fresh basil.
Salted Caramel Budino: Caramel custard, chocolate biscotti and candied hazelnut.
Tiramisu: Stracciatella cream, espresso lady fingers and Kahlua coffee liquor.
The espresso was a delightful accompaniment to the above desserts, offering a rich, bold taste that beautifully enhanced each post-meal sweet treat.
Special thanks to our extremely hospitable and knowledgeable server, Joe Grandietti for a delightful overall experience.
WEBSITE: www.Quiorawaikiki.com
PHONE NUMBER: (808) 729-9757
INSTAGRAM @quiorawaikiki
LA VIE:
Meaning “Life” in French, a culinary experience at La Vie will make one feel truly alive with an effortlessly sophisticated ambiance, an exceptionally curated menu and an unbelievably expansive selection of wines, beers, and liquors from around the world.
Featuring refined open-air dining with breathtaking views of the Waikiki skyline, this Modern French restaurant prides itself on offering unique and playful twists on French classics, placing a concerted emphasis upon utilizing largely locally grown and sourced ingredients to ensure optimal freshness and sustainability.
Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and a full bar, La Vie has just the right cuisine or libation to fit any occasion. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just simply savoring life to the fullest, we highly recommend indulging in the French-inspired Prix Fixe Menu, where guests have the opportunity to customize and personalize their dining experience by hand selecting four total courses from the impressive menu selections. This menu features an array of fresh, Hawaii grown and raised fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats.
We also recommend that you enjoy the wine pairing, during which a highly skilled and trained sommelier will liaison your tasting experience while educating you on details ranging from the wines’ origins and backgrounds, as well as the foods with which they best pair. (Special thanks to our superb sommelier for providing an unparalleled tasting experience, during which we immeasurably expanded both our palettes and knowledge of wines.)
Below are our top recommended selections for the 4-course meal as well as the wine pairings, expertly selected to complement each dish.
Every four-course meal is served with a variety of freshly baked breads from the bread shop in Kaimuki, highlighting Green Olive Ciabatta and Seeded Sourdough, served with made-in-house Mushroom Babka, laced with Mushroom Duxelle.
Chilled Lobster Remoulade: Celery root, Granny Smith apple and curry.
Shellfish Plateau: A selection of our fruits de mer.
Exp Abalone + caviar: Smoked potato vichyssoise seaweed and Maui sunflower oil.
Truffled cheese tart: Petite salads, manoa honey and candied walnut.
Potato gnocchi fondue: Wild mushrooms, crispy ham and brown butter hazelnut.
Dry aged Kona kanpachi: Celery root purée, bacon marmalade and sauce meurette.
Ludovico farm truffle chicken: Lentils du puy, bacon lardon and perigord truffle jus.
A5 Miyazaki wagyu: Potato purée , maitake mushroom and sauce bordelaise)
WINE PAIRING SELECTIONS:
Plateau -Trouillard “Special Selection” champagne.
Weingut Brundlmayer ‘Terrasseni Gruner Veltliner (paired with the lobster)
- Huet ‘Le Mont Vouray Chenin Blanc (paired with the cheese tart)
Tanaka 1789 Chartier 2018 (paired with the abalone)
Xavier Monnot ‘Les Grandes Coutures’ Chardonnay (paired with the cnocchi)
Planets Frappato (paired with the kanpacci)
- Michel Gros St Martin Pinot Noir (paired with the chicken)
Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (paired with the wagyu)
DESSERTS:
Lychee Rose Cake (raspberry glaze, white chocolate mousse , toasted almond, beautifully topped off with a Dianthus)
Our dessert selection was beautifully paired with Lindeman’s Lambic Strawberry Belgium beer, which boasts a sparkling, fruity flavor, refreshing finish and has the same alcohol volume as regular wine.
Special thanks to our gracious and accommodating server, Bianca, for taking excellent care of us and ensuring that our visit was nothing short of top notch.
WEBSITE: www.laviewaikiki.com
PHONE NUMBER: (808) 729-9729
INSTAGRAM @laviewaikiki
