Cattleya Wine Bar

Kudos to Kale! On his way to being a master sommelier! I knew I was in the right place with they handed my the wine list and it was nothing but Italians!! Anyway, I was just checking the place out for a future date, but they sat me down...glad I did. So, I spent the next two hours doing my own 3 flight of Italians with Kale providing all the background and what to look for, specifically from the Mt. Etna (Sicilian wines) crew. Outstanding as we progressed up the ladder in refinement and complexity. Again, Kale was spot-on with his profile of the wine, which made the experience massively enjoyable. Did not eat, so I cannot comment. However, the atmosphere was upscale but unpretentious, beautiful wooden flooring and furniture, with a view to the beach and surrounding outside view points. Outstanding place for a date if you enjoy a relaxed wine experience...or just come by yourself and have Kale pour you multiple glasses and put him to work...it'll be fun and educational.

I was invited to Cattleya Wine Bar in the Halekulani Hotel for a belated birthday celebration by a friend. Cattleya is a relatively new venue, open from 4 to 7 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I suppose I should have been better prepared but I thought Cattleya was located in the area used for High Tea. Of course they didn’t have our reservation but escorted us to Orchids as Cattelya is inside the Orchids restaurant, using the raised space used for larger parties and when the restaurant needs more seating for diners. A large, communal table dominates the space and we found ourselves the only patrons on Thursday evening. Our server, Kale, was very personable and helped us with the wine list and ordering food. My host drinks white wines and I helped her select a 3oz pour of Montevetrano Bianco. I was going to start with a glass of sparkling wine but decided upon a rosé, selecting the Ame du Vin from Provence. Unfortunately, it wasn’t available so Kale suggested the Marissa Cuomo Rosato from Amalfi. It was nice yet austere, probably a result of the limestone and dolomite on which the vines are grown. I thought of a pink facsimile of a wine from Chablis due to the underlying minerality. We started with the Charcuterie Plate, consisting of three types of meats, assorted cheeses, olives and baby carrots accompanied by a basket of lavosh and breads. The prosciutto was the best of the three and I liked all of the cheeses and olives. I just wish the plate had some fruit to pair with the cheese. We went with the Kona Lobster and Kahuku Shrimp Gyoza. There were four large gyoza on the plate, accompanied by a dish of spicy Ponzu sauce. The gyoza was brimming with lobster and shrimp meat and we thoroughly enjoyed them. I was going to order a red (because I like reds) but Kale suggested the Kellerei Cantine Terlan Pinot Grigio. It was a nice Pinot Grigio; I think I would have preferred something drier. There are 8 whites on the menu, from Italy, Spain, France and Turkey. I want to return to try the other wines. We ended with the Truffle Fries; I was going to order the Prime Beef Tartar but the charcuterie plate was very filling. Kale suggested the 2020 Terre Nere Etna Rosso; I finally got my glass of red. It was fine; balanced with luscious red fruit. I don’t often drink Italian wines, but these wines opened my eyes to another part of the world. All 8 reds were from Italy. Final thoughts … We enjoyed our time at Cattleya. There are 28 wines available by the glass; 17 from Italy. You can get all but the sparkling and dessert wines in 3oz, 5oz and 8oz pours or by the bottle. The other two are by the glass (8oz for sparkling, 5oz for dessert) or by the bottle. There are 11 food choices; I would like to see more than one fresh seafood option and perhaps something like bone marrow or foie gras. I want to return with the better half of the world food traveler duo to sample other wines and dishes.

This wine bar is located inside Orchids at Halekulani. You can enjoy casual tapas and wine here. The large table in the center of the restaurant is the Cattleya Wine Bar. Even though it's in the center of the restaurant, the location is quite nice, and it's full of resort charm. I can't wait for Halekulani to reopen.