Brunch is my favorite meal of the day, and no other place does it better than Bogart’s Cafe. They’re a cozy lil eatery located on Monsarrat Ave. alongside other small, local restaurants and shops. Ever since the acai bowl craze happened a few years ago and I stumbled upon this place, it’s always been my go-to for all things brunch.
“Okay, hold up. The title mentions an Italian Dinner, but you’re talking about brunch – wassup??” Great question. Bogart’s is celebrating their 20thyear, and figured that the perfect way to celebrate was to give back to the locals that have been begging for a dinner menu option too!
While they’re known for acai bowls, sandwiches, bagels, coffee, and pancakes, their new dinner menu takes a completely different approach. The owner, Maria Barnette, wanted to bring a slice of Florence, Italy, to Hawaii which is why you’ll find mouth-watering dishes like Burrata Salad, Seared Scallops, Carbonara, Osso Bucco, and Profiteroles.
Here are a few of Maria’s proudest creations that I got to try:
Complimentary Bread Basket –Forget the stale, tasteless French bread that some restaurants try to serve you. Bogart’s has a soft and chewy aromatic Rosemary Focaccia Bread, and an irresistibly chewy, cheesy, bouncy cheese bread, similar to the Brazilian Pao de Queijo.
Beet Carpaccio –
Simple and elegant, this colorful appetizer is a refreshing starter that’s light enough to allow you to fill up on your main course. The orange gives the dish a nice citrus-y kick while the avocado contributes a creamy texture to the overall slightly sweet beets.
Seared Scallops– Out of all seafoods, scallops are at the bottom of my list. I’ve never liked them as a kid, and although I’ve stopped hating on them so much, I would still never jump to order them if I saw them on a menu. That’s why I was so surprised when I actually LIKED these scallops. The sweet potato puree is a nice sweet contrast to the seared, meaty scallops.
Cacio e Pepe – ‘a Bogart’s exclusive’ is what’s written on the menu, and this was definitely one of the stars of the night. Maria explained to us that the cheese used in the dish is imported from a mountain range in Italy. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to try Comté cheese from France, it resembles that – just a hint of sharpness with an earthy, cheesy, slightly salty taste. Totally cheesy, totally irresistible, 100% recommend.
Uni Tagliatelle– If seafood is your forte, you’ve hit the jackpot, because Bogart’s Uni Tagliatelle has so much rich seafood-y flavors that flow out of the sea urchin and crab bits. Did I mention they make their own pasta in-house?
Prawns in Calabrian Chili Sauce– Plump, juicy, supple prawns are the stars of this dish, with a spicy kick from the chili sauce coating the prawns and perfectly cooked polenta. This one’s a keeper, especially because it’s a nice change from all the different types of pasta you can get at Bogart’s!
Braised Osso Bucco– If there was only one thing I could get from Bogart’s from the rest of my life, it would be this osso bucco. I’m a die-hard fan of their Acai Bowls and Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, but I would give those up in a heart-beat for this dish. We got a slightly different version, with veal cheeks instead (which they hope to introduce to the menu soon) but WOAH. The meat is so tender it’s like slicing into a room temperature stick of butter. Trust me, just #treatyoself and get this one.
Pork Chop– Another ‘woah’ dish was these pork chops. If I ever went to a restaurant, never would I order pork chops because they’re usually just done SO. WRONG. I’m talking tough, firm pieces of meat that are too thick to cut and usually lacking flavor and wayyyy to heavy on the fat. Well, this was the complete opposite. It tasted like something my Chinese grandma used to make for us, but Italian-ized.
Dulce de Leche Lava Cake– Forget generic chocolate lava cakes, man. This Dulce de Leche Lava Cake is where. it’s. at. Warm, smooth caramel oozing out of a perfectly baked cake with a side a scoop of vanilla ice cream and strawberries. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect way to end your Italian dinner, you’re insane, and we honestly can’t be friends.
Bogart’s is loved by locals and tourists, and although they’re known for their breakfast & brunch items, it’s time more people heard about their dinner options. I know for a fact I’ll be coming back, not only in the mornings to grab acai bowls after taking my visiting family around Waikiki, but also in the evening to dine with my girls for GNO
Breakfast & Lunch served from 7:00am – 2:00pm
Cafe open for Drinks & Acai Bowls from 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Dinner – Wednesday thru Sunday, 5:30pm – 9:00pm