Patina Restaurant
Opening a few months ago in a space previously occupied by a Thai restaurant, Patina is a realization of an imagined gastro-bar from the mind of Chef Keith Pajinag.
As you walk in you are greeted by an open kitchen with a chef’s counter and to the left of that a classy if minimal bar. The bartender is an alum of Kawaihae’s Seafood Bar who’s been set free to let his imagination and creativity run wild. Homemade bitters and tinctures feature in interesting riffs on classic cocktails. The Hibiscus Tea-Ni introduces floral hibiscus notes and a hint of ginger to the standard martini. The Purple Donkey brings the sweetness and purple hue of ube to the Moscow Mule. And the Refreshed Garden is an all-day cooler — the kind of drink you can consume a lot of in the Hawaiʻi heat before you know what hit you, with its fresh citrus energy and a bite of jalapeño. This is the drink menu, and it’s reason enough to visit on its own.
Purple Donkey
Tio’s Cold Brew
Hibiscus Tea-Ni
But then you add the food. Chef Keith leans into his influences from growing up in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, paying homage to ingredients like oysters, mushrooms, and fish. At the same time, he gives a huge nod to the Basque Country with his takes on tapas — think steak tartare with toast points, fried olives, shrimp with garlic, patatas bravas, mushroom tartines, and more.
For mains, he serves a perfect flatiron steak alongside tallow fries — crispy outside, pillowy inside. A chimichurri served over tuna adds another dimension to the fish with the herbs and citrus elevating the tuna. And what I thought was truly amazing: scallops on a beef cheek risotto, the sweetness of the scallops set against the earthiness of the risotto. A perfect surf and turf.
All of this was followed by phenomenal desserts — a citrusy crème brûlée, and a toffee pudding with charred pineapple that brings out bright citrus notes to balance the caramel.
Is this the perfect restaurant? Not quite — but it’s moving in the right direction, and it’s the kind of place that pushes everyone around it to up their game. This is a fantastic spot to take a date or a group friends for a special occasion. Go now — the menu is constantly changing, and what I’ve described here may not be around much longer but you can be assured that whatever is available it will be well thought out and tasty.
Tuna with chimichurri
patatas bravas
scallops on beef cheek rissotto
creme brulee
