Let's be honest here. Although Hawaiian food sounded like an exciting taste that I'd like to try, I had no idea what to expect. And like most other Philadelphia-dwellers, I couldn't tell you what makes a good mahimahi, butterfish or grilled ostrich.
But it takes no expertise to know when you've just had one of the best meals of your life. And that's exactly what I got at Roy's.
Known for its unique "Hawaiian fusion" style, Roy's is truly in a category of its own. Using European techniques, the restaurant's chefs blend tastes from the Pacific region, including Hawaii, Japan and East Asia. The result was an eye-opening experience for my guest and me.
Roy's uniqueness was apparent as soon as we entered the restaurant. Despite the relatively large size of the place, the dim lighting made the atmosphere rather cozy and intimate. The decor was modern and tropical.
Entrees are generally priced between $19 and $31, but with the majority of the menu consisting of chef's specials, price fluctuation is to be expected.
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Roy's
124 S. 15th Street
(215) 988-1814
Fare: American and Continental
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The first set of samples prepared for us included blackened island ahi, one of our waiter's favorite dishes -- and with good reason. The ahi was a very tender tuna seared on all four sides, sliced thin and dressed with a spicy soy mustard butter sauce.
We also sampled the misoyaki butterfish, which was a firmer fish in a flavorful vinaigrette, and some excellent honey mustard baby back ribs.
Next were the Maryland-style jumbo lump crab cakes. Served in a spicy sesame butter sauce, these crab cakes were delicious.
One of Roy's classic entrees is the macadamia-crusted roasted whitefish. As our waiter explained, the fish is usually mahimahi or, as in our case, nairagi, which was meaty and perfectly cooked. The butter sauce was reminiscent of a lobster bisque and the macadamia nuts added a pleasant crunch to this tasty dish.
The grilled ostrich, which is probably best described as a red meat, was another exciting dish that my guest and I had the chance to sample. The Chinese bok choy taste gave a refreshing twist to the barbecue sauce.
From the blackened ahi to the macadamia-crusted nairagi, the appetizers and entree samples were a hard act to follow. But the desserts blew away my high expectations.
Roy's signature hot chocolate souffle was the best dessert I've ever had, hands down. The outer layer was very rich with chocolate, but the best part was the molten liquid chocolate center. Top it off with raspberry glaze and a scoop of vanilla ice cream and Roy's patrons have a chance to taste dessert perfection.
Chocolate lovers will also rejoice over the chocolate decadence. Thick and rich, just as one would expect, this dessert will not disappoint.
More along the lines of Roy's Hawaiian background, there's the coconut haupia Napolean. Formerly called a canoli, this dessert is sweet and creamy.
The guava cheesecake is also a fine choice. This cheesecake has a very distinct taste that is sweeter and fruitier than most cheesecakes.
And if the food isn't satisfying enough for you, Roy's is well-equipped with a selection of fine wines to accompany and enhance the taste of any appetizer, entree or dessert.
With all this fine dining, it is easy to rack up a bill of over $50 per person, not including the cost of wine, but this unique dining experience is definitely worth the price. A dinner at Roy's makes for the perfect date, especially when looking for a place to go to celebrate any special occasion.
