Ricado's Italian Restaurant

The first clue should have been how empty the place was on a Saturday night. My two teenage daughters and I chose this place because my husband hates Italian food and he wan't with us, so we were really looking forward to some great food. Wrong. The decor is horrible: the colors, the 1982 tables, dusty, plastic flowers. If the dining room is this dirty, I can imagine what the kitchen looks like. The waitresses were almost burdened to wait on us, their third table. There were no pleasantries or smiles when we were seated or even when I attempted to chat with the waitresses. It was early in the evening and they weren't busy so I can't believe it was because they were tired and wanted to go home. It would be a plus if there were a single actual Italian in this place, working or eating. For the three of us they brought one serving of bread. I watched other tables that were seated after us and a table of two got one basket, a table of four got two. If it were my restaurant I would give a party of 3 two baskets. I know the economy is bad and they might be trying to save a buck but I'm sure we only got one basket because we are haole. I've seen it many times: Locals get served first and get better service. If you want return customers and want a tip, treat all your customers equally. I had the alfredo. BLAND. I had to send it back and they added more garlic and salt. It was then edible. My cannoli were miniature. Two tiny cannoli, not even equal to one regular size, and the texture of the filling was not good The girls got the chocolate ""gelato."" The ""gelato"" was just a $3 scoop of chocolate ice cream. Our sodas were NEVER refilled. more

Great Service. Great Food, good size portions... Save room for dessert.. the Cannollis are good.. different then other places.. A+++ Pros: Great Food, Service and Price more

With only a tiny sprinkling of restaurants celebrating true Italian regional cooking, Italian-American establishments reign here on Oahu. An Italian foodie myself, I'm not particularly enthusiastic about the Americanized version of the cuisine, which is probably due to bad childhood memories of watery marinara and cloying Alfredo sauce. About six years ago, when my stepfather first took us to this little place in Pearl Kai, my eyes were opened. The exuberant manager Barbara Hokama later explained that most of the ingredients and concepts of menu items were really from Italy. Ricado's has since expanded its dining room to more than twice its original size, allowing itself to be even more of a comfortable family-friendly yet still romantic restaurant. Let me tell you, they know what they're doing back there in the kitchen. Chef Richard Qin offers a vast array of appetizers, among them a dish of especially good and crispy calamari served with marinara. Caesar salad is wonderfully anchovy-intensive and the house creamy dressing that coats crisp ice-cold romaine is tangy and slightly sweet. An Italian Salad with that house dressing, salami, olives, roasted peppers, and crumbled cheese for only $3.90? Fantasticalthough you might have to search for a while for those ""roasted peppers,"" which really translates onto the plate as A tiny piece of pepper. Tender seasonal vegetables in a light, flavorful broth with a handful of baby spinach makes for a comforting little bowl of minestrone. Even simple, healthy pasta dishes like arrabbiata and primavera are covered with tomato sauces packed with so much flavor that you can feel good after eating them and have a satisfied palate. A personal favorite is pollo alla broccoli, with always-moist chicken breast, al dente broccoli, mushrooms, and bacon in a marvelous creamy tomato sauce. Have the creamy, rich cheesecake or a scoop of smooth icy sorbet for dessert...if you saved room. Pros: Outstanding ItalAmerican food, friendly service, great ambience Cons: Horrendous parking, slow on weekends and Wednesdays more

My son lives on Oahu and found this jewel of an italian restaurant and is a frequent patron. Don't let the location of this restaurant fool you. For a delicious meal, unbeatable service, superb wine and a memorable experience, this is truly a diamond in the rough! Ricado's was my last stop in Honolulu in January before boarding a flight to transport me back to the frigid midwest! This was the icing on the cake on my vacation of a lifetime. You won't be sorry you tried Ricado's! Pros: Delicious!, Excellent service!!, SUPERB VINO!!!! more