March 26, 2017: Mud Hen Water

Christal's extended family was in town from Japan for Masumi's burial so we all had dinner together the last few nights. Fortunately we were able to get a reservation for Sunday night for all ten of us at Mud Hen Water in Kaimuki. Christal and I had dined there with Myeron and Shannon before and we all really enjoyed it so I hoped that all the Japanese relatives would enjoy it too. They specialize in what I would call modern Hawaiian cuisine. So far the only criticism that I can nitpick is that the lighting is too low so my pictures don't come out quite as nice, but that's really reaching for a negative. Since the style is shared plates Koji-Ojiichan had me order for the table and I ended up ordering a lot of similar items as when we came with Myeron and Shannon.

Burnt Bread Pudding w Sumac Vinaigrette

To start they brought out an amuse bouche of burnt bread pudding with a sumac vinaigrette. It had a nice soft, chewy texture with just a slight crunchiness on the outside and the sumac vinaigrette provided a pleasant citrusy flavor. It was a nice start to the meal.

Beet Poke w Avocado, Gorilla Ogo & Smoked Macadamia Nuts

After the amuse bouche the small plates and snacks started coming out with a flurry. First came the beet poke with wasabi-avocado, gorilla ogo and smoked macadamia nuts. The beets were cooked well and had the right firm yet tender texture and they were dressed to mimic ahi poke, which was definitely successful. The ogo had a nice minerally, oceany flavor to it and the mac nuts added a pleasant crunch and very subtle smokiness. The avocado was a nice smooth texture and rich flavor to finish the dish off with.

Preserved Akule w Soda Crackers, Pickles & Limu Butter

The preserved akule with soda crackers, pickles and limu butter was brought out next. The akule, or bigeye scad, had a very mild fish flavor even though it seemed to be a more oily fish and the richness was offset perfectly by the pickled vegetables. The crackers provided an adequate vehicle for everything, as well as a nice crunch, but the limu butter really made the snack a winner. The limu added a deep savoriness and umami that I wasn't expecting to go along with the creamy richness of the butter and it seemed to boost the flavor of the akule and pickles.

'Ulu w Black Bean, Sour Orange & Cilantro

The 'ulu with black bean, sour orange and cilantro was our lone starchy dish of the night. The 'ulu, or breadfruit, had a texture that was very similar to potato and a flavor that reminded me of cassava with a hint of a fruity aroma. The black beans provided a nice salty compliment to the breadfruit and when it mixed with the sour orange it made a pleasant sauce to spoon over and it was all tied together with the herbaceous cilantro leaves.

Pohole Salad w Pomelo, Smoked Tomato, Pickled Shallot & Mint

The pohole salad with pomelo, smoked tomato, pickled shallot and mint was the next dish we ate. Pohole are edible Hawaiian ferns that have similar texture to green beans and taste like asparagus, but sweeter. Anytime I see pohole on the menu I have to order it and this version certainly didn't let me down. The pomelo and pickled shallot provided a pleasant acidity and the smoked tomato had a stronger smokey flavor than I was expecting, but it worked well with the pohole. The mint helped to highlight the sweetness of the pohole and when everything was eaten together it was all very balanced.

Tilapia Skin Salad w Silken Tofu, Maui Onion, Bittermelon, Palm Heart, Crispy Shallot & Yuzu

Our last smaller plate to come out was the tilapia skin salad with silken tofu, Maui onion, bittermelon, palm hearts, crispy shallots and yuzu. I usually don't really like to eat tilapia due to the mushy texture and muddy flavor that I have experienced previously. Luckily neither could be detected in this version, maybe because it was cut into such small pieces, or because all the other ingredients masked the unpleasant flavor and texture I think of with tilapia. Either way even though it seemed like there may have been too many ingredients in the salad everything worked well together and it was a refreshing dish before our larger plates came out.

I'a Lawalu - Opah Belly buried in Coals w Pastele, Local Veggies & Coconut Cream

The first bigger plate to come out was the i'a lawalu, or baked fish. It consisted of opah belly buried in coals with pastele, local veggies and coconut milk. The opah was cooked to a perfect medium rare so the fish was still moist and all the veggies were nice and tender. The coconut milk helped to compliment the sweetness of the opah and added some overall richness to the dish. The pastele, which is very similar to a tamale, was starchy and tender and provided a pleasant filler for the dish.

Grilled Whole Ehu (Short Tail Red Snapper) w Mizuna, Long Bean, Red Onion, Mint & Patis Vinaigrette

Next was the whole grilled ehu with mizuna, long beans, red onions, mint and a patis vinaigrette. The ehu, which is short tailed red snapper, was grilled expertly with a crispy skin and moist, succulent flesh. The meat was tender and flaky and had a very mild and sweet fish flavor. The salad of mizuna, long beans, red onions and mint gave the dish a nice freshness that helped to liven it up, but the patis (Filipino fish sauce) vinaigrette really brightened everything and made all the flavors explode in your mouth.

Fried Chicken w Szechuan Salt, Tamarind Mustard, Shrimp Chips, Lettuce & Cucumber (pic from previous visit)

Our last savory dish of the night was the fried chicken with Szechuan salt, tamarind mustard, shrimp chips, lettuce and cucumber. By frying the chicken the skin was really crispy and the flesh stayed moist. When you wrapped it up in the lettuce along with the salt, tamarind mustard, a shrimp chip and the pickled cucumber everything came together in harmony and provided a really satisfying dish.

Miso-Butterscotch Rice Pudding w Ginger Lace Cookie

We got all three of the desserts that were on the menu, the first of which was the miso-butterscotch rice pudding with a ginger lace cookie. This was probably my favorite dessert, but only by a thin margin. The ginger lace cookie didn't have too strong of a ginger flavor so it complimented the rice pudding and added another layer of flavor instead of overpowering it. The rice pudding was really tasty and the miso added a saltiness and umami depth that brought it up another level and the generous serving of whipped cream made it all feel as light as a cloud.

Chocolate-Kiawe Bean Brownie w Black Sesame Gelato, Banana & Mac Nut (pic from previous visit)

The chocolate-kiawe bean brownie with black sesame gelato, banana and macadamia nut was our next dessert. The brownie was a little thinner than I had expected but it was moist and rich, which is pretty much all I need in a brownie. The kiawe bean along with the black sesame gelato gave the dessert an overall nuttiness that went with the chocolate perfectly. The banana lent some sweetness and the macadamia nuts provided a pleasant textural contrast.

Pineapple-Polenta Upside Down Cake w Coconut Sorbetto (pic from previous visit)

Our last dessert was the pineapple-polenta upside down cake with coconut sorbetto. The cake itself was moist and rich and you could feel the course texture of the polenta when you chewed it. The coconut sorbetto was both light and rich at the same time with an intense coconut flavor and when eaten with the upside down cake it was the essence of the tropics and a truly satisfying dessert. 

Both of the times we have visited Mud Hen Water I have been impressed with how well balanced everything is and the service is attentive without being overbearing. It's a really great restaurant for a casual gourmet experience where you will probably try something you have never had before and find that you really like it.

Food 4.5/5

Service 4/5

Christal's Rating 4/5

http://www.mudhenwater.com/