Grondin

Grondin Restaurant Review:

Fusion cuisine in Hawaii usually involves Asian cooking, but Grondin melds the roots of owners Jenny Grondin (French) and David Segarra (Ecuadorian). The duo’s prior restaurant experience was in New York City, and it suits the exposed brick walls, high ceilings and industrial details throughout the small dining area. The downtown business crowd goes for the charcuterie sandwich at lunch, and we also recommend the house-made charcuterie plate at dinner. Bistro-style favorites such as cassoulet highlight local Shinsato pork and house-cured lardon and saucisson l'ail (garlic sausage), while the fresh-catch fish is pan-roasted and brightened with the flavors of corn, fennel, spicy aji amarillo sauce and cotija cheese. Chef Andrew Pressler changes the menu to reflect the seasons, so it pays to check on the days' specials as well. Beverages include a small but well-selected array of beer and wine; however, do yourself a favor and try a signature cocktail like the Check Mate made with rye, lemon, local honey and yerba mate tea.