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Spanish-Inspired Tapas Bar Opens On Maui |
Mediterranean Morsels Meld With Upcountry Organics
by Brian Berusch
It seems that finally, Generation X (and younger) culinary graduates have paired years of kitchen training with travels abroad and are opening conceptually diverse restaurants across the Aloha State. Whether inspired by an enoteca in Rome, a crab shack in Maryland or a wine bar in New York, the islands are seeing a great influx of food options that stray far from the typical Asian-Hawaiian flavor profile.
Bin69 will be opening soon in the Wailea Town Center and will feature 69 wines by the glass in addition to small Mediterranean-inspired plates, or tapas. The fare will lean heavily towards the flavors of Spain, with a significant number of ingredients coming from local organic farmers.
We caught up with Bin69 chef Justin Pardo and conducted this interview. Along the way, we learned about Pardo’s storied past...
B on Hawaii: So you’ll be creating Mediterranean-inspired, Spanish-themed tapas for the well-heeled in Wailea. What kind of ingredients can we expect to bring it all together?
Justin Pardo: We’ll be getting imported Serrano ham, Spanish goat cheese, chorizo, many kinds of hard and soft cheeses, stuffed olives, the best European olive oils, saffron and smoked Spanish paprika.
Our tapas are going to offer sizeable portions that will remain affordable. We want Bin69 to be a place where people can come as often as they like, without breaking the bank. I’ve found that you actually can use quality albeit affordable ingredients and keep your prices down as well.
B on Hawaii: You said it. And what about the local ingredients?
Justin Pardo: We’re obviously going to use whatever fresh fish we can get our hands on. We are using Maui Cattle Co. beef, and Hamakua mushrooms. But 60 percent of my herbs and veggies will come from Mike McCoy [of Aina Lani Farms] in Kula. He’s awesome. I’ll get from him everything from micro greens, baby carrots and spinach to beets, fennel and so on. Every time I go up there he’s got something new I want to get in to the kitchen.
B on Hawaii: So tell us a few dishes we can expect to see at Bin69?
Justin Pardo: I was inspired by some of the Wailea eateries, that amazingly charge $40 for a hunk of fish and some veggies on a plate, to do a dish that includes a 5 ounce piece of Tasmanian salmon wrapped in Serrano ham, served with Haiku roasted asparagus in a saffron lemon fumé. My “twist” is that I roast the fish bones before making the stock, which adds a smoky flavor. I then add some dry white wine, all white veggies—so the color doesn’t change—and use it for the fumé. I then finish the dish with that roasted paprika I mentioned, and some coriander seed. That dish is $19, and it’s one of the most expensive we have.
B on Hawaii: I love that overpriced dishes inspire you to drive down prices and make better quality grinds. Gimme some more.
Justin Pardo: For $21, our most expensive entrée, I’ll serve a braised Maui Cattle Co. short rib and serve it with a crispy Big Island Goat Cheese polenta. The polenta will be crisp on the outside, and I’ll then braise the ribs in red wine vinegar and brown sugar. Roasted Hamakua mushrooms will finish the dish. It will be hearty, yet not heavy. I don’t like heavy food; I feel like if you do it right, it will feel light and give people the energy they need.
B on Hawaii: OK, you’ve got us salivating. What about the smaller, tapas-style dishes?
Justin Pardo: My signature dish is going to be Cabrales, a special blue cheese made with cow, goat and sheep’s milk, which will be folded into a flan. I’ll serve it with Kalamata olive chutney, Serrano ham bread sticks and a pile of local micro greens. We’ll drizzle some special olive oil over the plate—it will be the perfect tapenade to go with just about every wine we offer.
B on Hawaii: So on to you…I understand—from your thick New York accent—you’re not from these parts. How’d you come to open a restaurant at Wailea?
Justin Pardo: I’ve been on Maui for five years. I was working at the Grand Wailea for a while, and then Roy’s for a little bit. While there I met Travis Takahashi, Maui’s top wine guy. I made an impression on him, and he asked if I wanted to ‘start something, someday.’ Bin69 is that ‘something.’
B on Hawaii: I also understand you have some rather interesting training from New York.
Justin Pardo: I worked at Daniel [Boulud, acclaimed NYC-based French chef] for a number of years, yet not in the most conventional manner. I approached him with an offer to work for free after sitting outside his restaurant for four months, hoping to meet him. He let me work 6am to 3pm five days per week, for free, just to learn the trade. After, I took an hour break and went to a sports bar where I worked for rent money. I did that for almost two years. On my days off, I went in to Daniel so I could work other stations than the ones he posted me at. I was so hungry for the education. He thought I was nuts; I got the education of a lifetime. I was in the kitchen when he got his four stars. I was roasting tomatoes and cleaning mushrooms…
B on Hawaii: What quirky things will you do at Bin69?
Justin Pardo: One thing is that Wailea Wine & Spirits, the shop next door to us, will stock a lot of the items we serve at Bin69. From the wines to the spices and breads, right down to the anchovy-stuffed olives and lamb chops. And if they don’t have it, they’ll special order it for you. It’s real upscale, yet attainable. It should work well with the Maui foodies and Wailea clientele.
Visit Bin69 online
Or call: 808.879.0669 |
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