That’s a wrap on this trip to Honolulu!

It was a short one, but the reason for coming out made it feel anything but. I was here to celebrate a big milestone with the family, and moments like those have a way of making everything feel a little more meaningful.

We closed out the trip with dinner at @elcielo_hawaii, and it was the right way to end it. The restaurant is the creation of Chef Masa Gushiken, whose journey through Argentina, Tokyo, and Spain shaped a menu that feels deeply personal and genuinely unlike anything else. It earned the Hale Aina Award for Best New Restaurant 2024, and after one dinner there, it’s easy to understand why.

The food was excellent and the hospitality from the staff made us feel so welcomed and taken care of.

Grateful for the memories made on this trip, and for the people I got to share them with.

A sincere thank you to the team at El Cielo for a truly lovely dinner. Swipe through for highlights from the evening!

1. Highlight reel
2. Empanada - ground beef, onion, paprika, raisin, lemon, lime
3. Empanada
4. Pan con Tomate - housemade baguette, fresh tomato puree, garlic, extra virgin olive oil
5. Truffle egg custard pudding - bacon, potato espuma, herb, truffle oil
6. El Cielo salad - chef’s selections of seasonal vegetables, bacon, tomato, passion fruit dressing
7. Fried Calamari - housemade romesco sauce
8. Mushrooms - seasonal marinated mushrooms, coriander seeds
9. Spanish style French fries - jamon serrano, fried egg
10. Shrimp Ajillo - Kauai shrimp, garlic, dried pepper, spanish paprika, housemade baguette
11. Octopus ala gallega - grilled spanish octopus, potatoes, olive oil, housemade chimichurri, paprika powder
12. Seafood paella - Kauai shrimp, clam, squid, green beans, red bell peppers, saffron aioli
13. Firefly Squid Paella (special of the day)
14. Ube Basque Cheesecake - housemade ube basque cheesecake, whipped marscapone
15. Churros - chocolate crema
16. Exterior

#elcielo #spanishfood #paella #Honolulueats #beneatshonolulu Less