Hidden in the chic Promenade shopping center in Bonita Springs, there is a restaurant, Roy's Hawaiian Fusion. For more than eight years, Roy has been one of the main venues for special events in Southwest Florida. Birthdays. Interactions. Anniversaries. Graduations. Stocks If you invite someone home, send someone, celebrate your last Florida vacation day, or just want a promising exceptional meal ... Roy in Bonita Springs cultivated a steady legacy as the perfect place to enjoy colorful food and celebrate special moments .
I decided to visit to make sure that they still respectfully respect their long traditions of carefully honed hospitality and advanced kitchens.
In 1988, Roy was first introduced to Honolulu by Chef Roy Yamaguchi, who has the special honor of being the first winner of Hawaii's prestigious James Beard Award. For those who don't know, the James Beard awards are often called the "Oscars of food." Roy founded Fusion Hawaiian Cuisine for his restaurant in childhood memories of the feelings and flavors of Hawaii. His menu combines the freshest local ingredients with European sauces and bold Asian spices, always with an emphasis on seafood. Shortly after the original Roy opened in Honolulu, it was named one of the “Top 50 Conde Nast Traverter” restaurants in the United States. The New York Times referred to Roy Yamaguchi as the Pacific Wolfgang Puck. After opening several other places in Hawaii, Roy branched into the continental US and historically collaborated with Outback Steakhouse, which greatly expanded his restaurant concept. Yamaguchi is now considered the pioneer who mastered the special style that led his preparation to the avant-garde of modern gastronomy. As evidence of his success, there are now 37 Roy, including 28 in the continental US, 7 in Hawaii, 1 in Japan and 1 in Guam.
The swarm I visited is located right in front of Bonita Bay in US 41 in Bonita Springs. Some tips: entering the Swarm is blinking and you will miss it. There is a small sign of Roy, but US 41 is an active road, and the sign is difficult to see. To relieve yourself, just find the sign of Promenade.
The parking lot near Roy was full, always a good sign during the slow season in southwest Florida. My guest and I were early for our booking, so we took a short walk through the Promenade shopping center. Mediterranean architecture, extensive tropical landscaping and prominent water features create our mood in South Florida. The sound of rushing water soothed us when we wandered in and out of boutiques and art galleries.
When it came time for our booking, we headed to the restaurant. The names of large cities with Roy restaurants are decorated with two high glass doors. A smiling member of the host staff opened the door for us as we approached, and we were greeted by welcoming the “Aloha”. The rest of the staff, behind a neatly granite podium, smiled and greeted us with the same warmth. We gave our name and were quickly discarded to our table. All the way to the table, we were usually greeted by servers and kitchen staff.
The request for the stand we made was honored.
Chef Partner Roy at Bonita Springs - Chef Wade Lowe. He is immediately recognizable. In this era of chain restaurant shows, such as Top Chef and Hell & Kitchen, Chef Lowe & concoming and outgoing personality, positioning him as the main character in local food environments. His inspired layout of ingredients creates noise and affects the menu of other local restaurants. He is a thinking character, and his interviews and cooking demonstrations often appear in local magazines and television shows. On a regular basis, he also conducts well-prepared cooking lessons in Roy, teaching the basics of Hawaiian Fusion.
An open and expansive cave kitchen gives us a unique perspective on the work and artistry of the season culinary team preparing our dishes. Sushi was obediently cooked at one station, while on grates and ovens at another. At the opposite end, a dedicated pastry chef adds finishing touches to freshly prepared eye-pleasing desserts, while at the same time making vivid banter with guests dining at the pastry chef. In a central position, organizing all the activities and finishing each plate with colorful sauces, fresh micro-green and other exotic flowers, standing chef Wade Lowe.
At Roy, our culinary journey began with an unusual surprise. At that very moment, when most restaurants usually greet me with a few dull pieces of bread and tin-wrapped tin foil, Roy blew all the usual dinner waits out of the water, presenting our table with a colorful bowl of freshly baked edamam. Also known as Japanese soybeans, edamame is a healthy and flavorful alternative to bread rolls served by every other restaurant in the world. A swarm of seasons of soybeans with an exciting, slightly spicy mixture of sea salt, Shichimi Togarashi and sugar. Edamam was a welcome departure from everything I expected from local restaurants. It was a unique and exotic way to start our meal, and the sign that we really were on the gastronomic road traveled less.
A few seconds after the arrival of our Edamam, our server greeted us with another “Aloha” and asked if we wanted something from the bar.
We both ordered a glass of the brand Bon Bon Climat Roy Chardonnay.
Our glasses of wine were set before us for a couple of minutes.
After the appropriate duration, our server returned and gave us a full explanation of the menu. She led us through the many different types of fish that they offered that evening, making sure that we understood the taste and texture profiles of each, as well as how they were prepared. Some of them were exotic Hawaiian species such as Opacapaca and Lehi. Others were local varieties such as Corvina, Pompano and Cobia. In addition to seafood, there were several tempting meat dishes. Outstanding offerings included steamed Hawaiian kayi short drops and 8 oz beef fillet with roasted garlic halo.
We asked a few minutes to continue viewing the menu. Our server nicely agreed.
The interior of Roy's Restaurant at Bonita Springs is tastefully decorated and innovative as food. High purple walls correspond to a flourishing yellow ceiling. One section of the ceiling gives an even higher dome with bright ceramics, unstable balancing. An attractive seating area and bar are located near the front door. Light - the atmosphere is low, but bright enough to read the menu. Soft Hawaiian music competes with the energetic sounds of a working kitchen. All the tables around us were full, but the restaurant did not feel the cry. Diverse customer ages surprised us. Older teenagers on dates, fashionable twenties, enjoying advanced kitchens, parents with children with good behavior, elderly people, businessmen and full families celebrating special events, all surrounded us. I think that the love of fine food does not know the age.
When our menus were closed in front of us, our server returned to accept our order. We started with two snacks. The first was the tuna “Nori Seared Ahi Tuna”, completed with a straw peanut vinaigrette. The other was Crispy Char Sui Chicken Spring Rolls with black bean dragon pineapple sauce. We ordered chopped lettuce, mixed field salad. As an invitation, my guest chose Roy's classic fried macadamia & # 39; Crusted Mahimahi. I chose Teppanyaki Seared U-10 Scallops and Butter Sared Tiger Shrimp, also known as Combfish.
A few minutes later, the food-runner delivered our snacks and spent time explaining the sauces paired with each. Chopsticks were offered, and we were politely asked to use our choices.
Orange tuna "Nori" was served in a shallow bowl. The tuna itself, which served as a rare default, was covered with furikake and sesame seeds. He was cut into pieces. Decorated with chopped ginger, chopped onions and bright red tobiko (flying fish roe), tuna was served on a small bed with white rice. Peanut Ginger Soy Vinagrette packed a fragrant Asian punch and provided a strong counterweight to the soft, delicate meatiness of tuna sashimi. Tobiko served as a functional side dish, adding another level of complexity to the appetizer, complete with a smoky, salty taste and crispy texture.
Luxurious Char Sui Chicken Spring jackets revived the tabletop with color, pizak and sly presentation. Roy's food is well known. A wonderful snack to share was two spring rolls, cut in half, located in a tower in the center of a swirling neon sea of pineapple black bean sauce. The outer part of the spring rolls was crispy, not greasy. The interior was complemented with baked chicken, bok choi, a Napa cage and glass noodles. The sweet pineapple component of the sauce was dominant. As the “dragon” in the title implies, there is a pleasant, warm zip flavor index. In general, an undeniable unforgettable snack.
Our salad of mixed field green plants was divided into two separate plates, as we requested. The unique pairing of greens of the children’s field, candied pecans and dried cherries with maple raspberry vinaigrette impressed. In a world dominated by raw lettuce and tired Italian dressings, this boldly executed creation far exceeded our expectations. Explosions of taste. Layers of texture. Garden fresh ingredients. Impeccable.
Our table was consistently scattered between attentive server courses. Before the main courses started, the server described several variants of warm desserts and told us that we had to order them in advance, since they prepared twenty minutes. We could not make a decision one at a time, so we ordered Roy's uncovered Chocolate Sauce and Pineapple Cake from the butt.
The server also asked if we could enjoy wine with dinner. The Roy’s Bonita Springs restaurant has an extensive wine list, including many surprises to choose from. My guest ordered the label Roy & # 39; s Laurel Glen Desolation Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma. I went with the choice of Ali. Ali, or the Hawaiian Rose, wine options are marked with a small crown next to the name of the wine, indicating wines of a different nature and taste, rarely available in glass. My particular choice was Caymus Belle Glos "Meiomi" Pinot Noir, also from the Sonoma Coast.
The time was wonderful. The wines arrived in large burgundy glasses exactly at the same time as our dishes. The wines were identified as they were set before us. Again, the main dishes and sauces were named and briefly described as they were presented.
My guest Royce Original Macadamia Nut Korchil Mahimahi. Much of the universal mahimahi fit perfectly into finely chopped macadamia nuts and pankko crumb. Served on top of fries with bliss and roasted asparagus, and surrounded by the signature fistula of the Main Lobster Cognac Cream Sachte sauce, this dish is an excellent example of the preparation of Hawaiian Fusion dishes. Tropical fish and nuts, Asian bread crumbs and European-style sauce blend into a single plate of Roy Yamaguchi, creating goodness. The flesh of the mahimahi was milky white. The cream lobster sauce was rich and decadent against the rough ground of the crispy macadamia nut bark. Roy's food always looks great ... and tastes even better than it sounds.
My "Mollusk" was the perfect picture. Teppanyaki Seared U-10 Sea Sea Scallops and Tiger Prawns are almost Napoleonic style, laid over a bed of Pad Thai noodles, snow peas and Asian vegetables. The location looked complicated and beautiful to the extent that I almost regretted having to take it apart and eat it. Kim Chee Yuzu Lime Butter was a bit spicy and had a quiet citrus element. Scallops were caramelized on top, but they were easily developed. Gentle. Juicy. Large shrimp were pink and hard. Excellent varieties of mollusks and complex flavors were delivered with each bite.
Throughout the dinner, we saw a few people celebrating special occasions. Desserts with candles and personalized messages written on chocolate were tactfully presented to guests of honor. As an additional service, Roy's servers take pictures of all their guests, noting special moments and giving them a free and attractive photo before leaving the restaurant. Rest assured, your cherished dates and important points will always be delicately handled by competent Roy personnel.
Dessert was a double run home.
"Pineapple cake from the top down" - this is something like a hibernation among the ordinary Roy. The legendary Roy Chocolate Chocolate usually takes center stage, advancing to the status of a front runner with mad voices of indecently dependent chocolate fans. Pineapple feeders with thin cakes are more prone to order and enjoy the dessert in calm confidence. But today I share their secret with the world: “Pineapple cake from top to bottom” in “Roy” is, sometimes, one of the most famous desserts of all time.
Chocolate can be sexy. Chocolate can attract attention and sell magazines. And the taste of this melted chocolate center paired with vanilla ice cream that is slowly melting can increase the level of serotonin in the brain and act like an aphrodisiac .... BUT ... in terms of pure gourmet nothing binds all the loose ends of a real Fusion Hawaiian dinner, such as Roy & # 39; s Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Call me a purist, but this fusion of caramelized pineapple sugars and coconut ice cream resonates somewhere deep inside me, throwing me away with visions of tropical, swaying palms and soaring spray of waterfalls. Did I mention striking hula dancers, rumbling waves and exotic flowers? Roy Pineapple Cake is the true flavor of the Hawaiian Islands and offers a suitable closure of one of the finest dishes I've used for a long time.
With all my heart I appointed the Hawaiian Fusion Roy's Bonita Springs as my highest recommendation. In an industry known for its high turnover, managing partner Sondra Hon has assembled a highly qualified, veteran team of restaurant professionals for his ward. Full of personality and well versed in the nuances of exquisite dining etiquette, their knowledge of products and the ability to create a magical dining experience make their way easily. The kitchen team keeps track of the costume, using their enormous skills to create absolutely stunning stoves of pristine food, complementing the balance necessary for the success of the restaurant. The food had to die and the service was excellent.
Waving to Roy for the unforgivable dinner.
