Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/970887
4 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t The Pig and the Lady: The pig in question here would be Executive Chef/Owner Andrew Le, and the lady, his mother Loan "Mama" Le. Described by Andrew as "cooking with Vietnamese sensibilities," The Pig and the Lady started out as a food truck and is now firmly established in an old brick warehouse in the newly-revitalized Chinatown. At lunch, come for the banh mi, rice bowls, and "pho of the day." Dinner should definitely start with a cocktail and an order (or maybe two) of twice-fried chicken wings with fried shallots and makrut lime, followed by a Burmese salad resplendent with green papaya and a host of other ingredients in a lahpet (fermented tea) dressing. You should also try the octopus sausage wrapped in wild betel leaf and grilled—but if you're re- ally, really hungry, go for the primal feast for four: The main event is a Balinese-style roasted porchetta. The Pig and the Lady, 83 N. King St., 808-585-8255, thepigandthelady.com A variety of banh mis are offered at the Pig and the Lady, including the pho-strami dip and a roasted porchetta okonomiyaki. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PIG AND THE LADY PHOTO: RYAN YAMAMOTA ■cr Senia: You need to make reservations early to experi- ence the extraordinary tasting menu at Honolulu's most ambitious and exciting restaurant. Just 12 seats are available at the chef's counter where Co-Owners/Execu- tive Chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, who met at Thomas Keller's Per Se, cook right in front of their awed patrons Wednesday through Sunday. Is it worth $185? Absolutely, but the dining room serves a casual, less expensive a la carte menu that stands solidly on its own—especially the smoked cab- bage smothered with dill and Parmesan or the yellow- tail collar with lop cheong and the last of the season's pickled plums. When the glistening pork belly arrives on a handcrafted wooden platter, it's accompanied by tender lettuce leaves and green garlic crepes for wrapping the incredibly-tender meat. Pastry Chef Mimi Mendoza, meanwhile, wields formidable technique while making desserts like sticky toffee pudding with jackfruit. Senia, 75 N. King St., 808-200-5412, restaurantsenia.com Senia's tasting menu features dishes like foie gras mousse with unagi, radish, and wasabi.