Roy's
475 Bayfront Place
Naples, Florida
(239) 261-1416
www.roysrestaurant.com
I must confess that I have never been a fan of so-called "celebrity chefs," especially those at the helm of restaurant empires. And Roy Yamaguchi's impressive stable of Hawaiian fusion establishments certainly qualifies on both counts.
Actually, the decision to dine at Roy's was very much spur of the moment. We were visiting friends in the Naples area and had reservations at another restaurant that evening, when our friend mentioned the newly opened Roy's. One thing led to another, and we managed to secure a reservation for that evening. And the choice proved to be quite fortuitous; for, despite my initial misgivings, I came away most impressed. And for a hardened professional "hired belly" that's difficult to do.
The décor is stylishly modern yet comfortable, the service impeccable, and the "Hawaiian fusion" fare attractively presented, properly proportioned, and outlandishly delicious.
To start things off, the spicy kung pao calamari ($10.00) is difficult to beat. The diminutive rings are mouth-wateringly tender and enlivened with roasted peanut slaw and a zippy black bean Mongolian glaze. I would also highly recommend the "Maui Wowie Salad" $11.00). Adorned with sweet Kula onions, capers, morsels of shrimp, feta cheese, and fresh lime, the greenery is pristinely fresh and an absolute feast for the palate.
For more substantial starters, you might consider the sumptuous wood-grilled Szechwan-spiced pork ribs ($10.00) or the Hawaiian takeoff on comfort cuisine, "Yama Mama's Meatloaf" embellished with giant crisp onion rings and a mushroom jus ($9.00).
When it comes to the main courses, treasures of the sea predominate. The sweet and succulent butterfish is perfectly complemented by an exotic lemon ginger beurre blanc ($27.00), while the grilled Atlantic salmon reaps the benefits of a citrus ponzu ($21.00). The shellfish combo features scallops and tiger shrimp ($26.00), and the classic trio teams the butterfish and salmon with blackened ahi tuna in a spicy soy-mustard butter sauce ($28.00).
And confirmed carnivores are also not short-changed. The moist soy-marinated pork loin comes replete with blue cheese grits and a plum wine fig reduction ($23.00); the oven-roasted New Zealand rack of lamb is sided by delicious scalloped potatoes and finished with a charred apple kabayaki sauce ($27.00); and the pulehu-style filet mignon is companioned by a bacon-Brie knish spring roll, Swiss chard, and a sake-peppercorn jus ($29.00).
If you plan to indulge your sweet tooth with either the melting hot chocolate soufflé ($8.50) or the scrumptious pineapple upside down cake ($8.00), bear in mind that both take approximately 20 minutes preparation time. Be assured, however, that they are worth waiting for. You might also consider the Kona coffee crème brûlée ($7.00) or the macadamia-almond nut tart lovingly embraced by a delectable shortbread crust ($7.00).
Roy's features a very nice wine list, as well as a number of specialty drinks, dessert wines, and more potent postprandial libations.
The Artful Diner
January 2007
The Artful Diner is a freelance food writer who writes restaurant reviews for nj.com. His latest review can be seen on his nj.com weblog at http://blog.nj.com/artful_diner/. An archive of past reviews for New Jersey Online as well as reviews for restaurants around the country and the world can be found on this Web site at http://www.artfuldiner.com/reviews .
Want to receive e-mail notification when a new review or article is posted? E-mail Artful Diner!
