Duke’s Malibu has a way of making everyone feel like they’re on vacation – even if they’re not. The restaurant clings to the coastline like a barnacle, creating the ideal destination for tourists passing through the Bu.
If you’re a local, however, the moment you step inside the woodsy interior you are transported to Hawaii. If the vintage Hawaiian collectibles, nod to old-school Hawaiian décor and expanse of the Pacific aren’t enough to fool you, one sip of the Lava Flow surely will.
Not into fruity-sweet rum drinks? Try the gingery Hawaiian Mule. It’s a take on the classic Moscow Mule with the addition of pineapple juice. There’s also a classic Mai Tai and Tropical Itch made with passion fruit juice. If you’re looking for something with a little more zing try the Fire & Ice, a hand-shaken margarita made with fresh jalapeño. The Duke’s Style Bloody Mary is a savory stimulant, complete with black lava salted rim.
If you’re still not feeling swept away by the aloha spirit, watch the Hula dancers sway their hips Friday nights from 4-6 p.m. in the Barefoot Bar.
With the arrival of Tahitian Shrimp and Poke Tacos to our table, the Hawaiian feast was off to a good start. The shrimp, avocado, shaved peppers and grilled papaya were tossed in a creamy coconut milk-based sauce. The dish would have benefited from a squeeze of lime, but managed to find its bite in the occasional encounter with a Fresno chili.
Only poke can invoke memories of a picnic lunch eaten on a black sand beach. Duke’s version has a better delivery system than chopsticks grabbed on the run with accompanying poke from a little hole in the wall market. The house made wonton tacos are anchored by a dollop of guacamole in the center of the platter. They cradle the sushi grade ahi tossed in shoyu, Maui onion and wasabi oil. Scoop, crunch, and repeat.
In keeping with Duke’s respect for the ocean fish is served according to season and sustainability. Enter the Wild Alaskan Copper River Salmon – a well-marketed fish held in high regard and held to the highest standards of sustainability by the men and women who harvest them. The incredibly pink and tender filet was the fish of the day. It was roasted with basil and black garlic, and served with suprême grapefruit and avocado tossed in a fragrant ginger vinaigrette. There is so much flavor packed into the salmon the smear of harissa on the plate is only necessary if you enjoy an added kick of heat.
The same could be said of the Filet Mignon. It was so perfectly seasoned, rubbed with Dijon and perfectly medium rare the dollop of Maui onion jam – delicious in its own right – was almost akin to dredging a serious steak in ketchup. The Maui onion confit does give the steak context, but I wasn’t quite sure what the watercress sauce brought to the picture. The Yukon Gold mash, however, was loud and clear − as was the creamed corn. There is just no need to clutter the plate when the meat, potatoes and veggie are solid.
Duke’s does dessert like no other. They are not fooling around. We’ll have to go back for the much-celebrated colossal Kimo’s Hula Pie – an Oreo-crusted macadamia nut ice cream pie topped with hot fudge and whipped cream.
This time we nibbled on a Portuguese style pastry called Malasadas. They were served warm in a paper bag with a bowl of honey-drizzled McConnell’s Sweet Cream ice cream. They weren’t overly sweet, and the smooth ice cream by way of Santa Barbara was like “the little black dress” of ice cream. It just went so well with every dessert brought to the table.
The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter pie was even better with the Sweet Cream, as was the side of brûléed banana. The prime view of the sun setting into the ocean was the cherry on top.
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