Chinatown Series: Brasserie Du Vin

Okay, so this restaurant was a bit of a splurge, but since we went to celebrate a birthday, it was worth it. It is located across the street from the Hawaii Theatre's box office, and reservations aren't required. Seating can be either indoors or out.

Ambiance:

A very open and breezy atmosphere (even indoors), this restaurant has the feel of a french restaurant. Long, but narrow. We decided to sit near the entrance to the courtyard. We sat on park benches.

Service:

The waiter we had did a good job at selling the wine--he knew the accents to the different wines we asked about, and did a thorough job of educating us. He had a nifty handheld device that connected to the network, and placed our orders that way. Cool for techies.

Food:

Cheese: we had four different types of cheese. Though the name escapes the mind at the moment, they were all delicious. We had cheese from goat, sheep, and cow. With the cheese, we also had two types of wine.

Wine: we had two different types of wine. One of the "new world" and one of the "old world." The new world wine came from Napa valley (I think), and was a Merlot. The old world wine came from Italy, and it was our favourite.

One of our entrees was a broiled salmon on bed of lentils and apple wood smoked bacon. It was delicious.

The other entree we had was roasted duck on a bed of lettuce, with a mandarin orange dressing. It was also delicious.

Value:

Now for the ugly, and we're going to be honest: the bill came out to around $100. However, for the right occasion, it's worth it. Our experience at Brasserie Du Vin was a special one and one that we'll remember for some time. Remember, moderation is key!

Overall: 

A fun experience, but not for everyday. We'd come back for some cheese and wine, but maybe skip the entree next time.

Chinatown Series: Summer Frappe

Here begins our Chinatown series! Just so happens that we've been eating out a lot in Chinatown. Hope you enjoy our dining experiences as much as we did!

We were killing some time before Slow Friday in Chinatown and looking for a small snack to eat when we came across Summer Frappe. At first we were going to pass it by, but we're so glad we didn't!

Ambiance:

A small shop with barely enough room for two tables, Summer Frappe is not for the claustrophobic. However, the interior was cutely decorated and it was nice to see the fresh fruits used for the drinks on display.

Service:

The guy who made our drinks was friendly and personable. Our drinks and food were made in a timely manner. No complaints here!

Food:

• Mango and orange smoothie: Absolutely delicious and perfect on a summer afternoon. There were no powders used to make this drink. They use real fruits here and it makes a world of difference. Would drink this every day if possible. 
• Thai iced tea: Pretty good. They ran out of tapioca balls, so different bubbles were added. The bubbles were fruity and not a good taste match for the Thai iced tea. 
• Summer rolls: So good! Unlike many of the summer rolls we've had at other Vietnamese restaurants, these summer rolls were heavy on the lettuce and lighter on the noodles. Summer rolls are pretty much one of the most deeelicious foods on the planet anyway, but Summer Frappe makes them on a whole different level.

Value:

Our snack came out to a little over $10. A little pricey for drinks and summer rolls, but with the amount of fresh fruit used in the smoothie, it was worth every penny.

Overall:

A great place for healthy but delicious drinks made with real fruit. So good! If only it were located a little closer to home...