Mud Hen Water makes 38 essential restaurants list for the U.S. It is the only Hawaii restaurant to make the list this year.
America’s 38 Essential Restaurants List
The America’s 38 Essential Restaurants list is an annual lineup of restaurants put together by eater.com. Its purpose is to highlight restaurants that define dining in America for that year. And in its third iteration this year, the list isn’t just a who’s who of fine dining. Instead, it includes a wide variety of restaurants from humble food trucks to the three-Michelin Star Alenia in Chicago.
Personally, I’m often skeptical of these types of list. Here in Hawaii, our best restaurant lists always seem biased and they usually are thanks to the method in which they’re made. However, Eater’s lists I often trust. I may not always agree with their rankings, but I understand why they do what they do. And the 2017 America’s Essential Restaurants list is no exception. There are some great picks on here like L.A.’s n/naka and San Francisco’s Mister Jiu’s, which I got to sample at this year’s Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. n/naka… I hope to be able to take Mrs. Island Miler there for her birthday next year.
Mud Hen Water Makes the List
Chef Ed Kenney has long been at the forefront of cooking local in Hawaii. All of his restaurants follow the practice of being local first and organic when possible. And Mud Hen Water sought to take his culinary principles to the next level. Here, Kenney takes traditional Hawaiian and local foods and infuses them with his own innovations. And while that might sound culturally insensitive, the results are anything but. It ends up being a spectacular homage to the comfort foods of Hawaii.
This past August was the first time Mrs. Island Miler and I had dined at Mud Hen Water. I was always apprehensive about doing so thanks to lackluster social media reviews. However, we like Kenney’s original restaurant, Town, and found Mud Hen Water’s menu to be interesting, so we gave it a shot. And as you’ll recall from my review, we are now quite fond of the restaurant. While not everything was to our liking, there was lot’s to love, and Eater seems to agree with some of our favorites too. Favorite dishes for me include…
Mud Hen Water Makes 38 Essential Restaurants List, Final Thoughts
Hawaii is home to many excellent restaurants. Many times, though, some of the most unique often evade the spotlight. So I’m glad to see that Mud Hen Water is receiving recognition for its thoughtful, inventive cuisine. It’s a restaurant I love and hope will be around for a long time, though I’m embarrassed that it’s taken me so long to finally give it a try. But, if you’re in Honolulu and want to experience something uniquely local, I highly suggest giving Mud Hen Water a try.