Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine Creates Roy's Distinctive Flavor

Restaurant puts out the welcome mat for customers with 'Aloha Service'

Lawrence Karol Restaurants

There are all many different types of fusion cuisine.

Tex-Mex is probably one that’s familiar to pretty much everyone. But equally popular are restaurants whose menus are influenced by Asian ingredients.

Roy’s in Rancho Mirage — there are 31 Roy’s locations around the world — is built upon the concept of Hawaiian fusion cuisine, which is also known as Pacific Rim cooking.

“Basically, we’re using contemporary French cooking techniques with a variety of Asian ingredients,” says Chef Partner, Kevin Land. “Hawaii is more or less a melting pot, so that’s how we play with it.”

The restaurant’s fine dining experience is combined with what they call their Aloha service.

“You come in here and it’s a warm style of service,” says Managing Partner, Kameron Luyt. “We’re your neighbor and we want to get to know you and make you a regular.”

As part of my Aloha welcome, Land and Luyt gave me with a guided tour through some of the restaurant’s fusion style dishes.

One of Roy’s classics is the roasted macadamia nut crusted Mahi Mahi. It’s prepared with macadamia nut butter, panko (Japanese bread crumbs), and a lobster reduction sauce. “So it’s Hawaiian, Japanese, and French,” says Land.

Meat lovers should check out Roy’s Kai-style beef short ribs, which are made with red wine using a classic French braising technique

“We use a little honey mustard, grill them, and spin it a little Hawaiian style with lomi lomi tomatoes, it’s like a Hawaiian pico de gallo,” says Luyt.

Since we were on a roll, literally, I asked about the fusion aspects of the traditional Japanese-style spicy ahi tuna roll.

“It’s done tempura style,” says Luyt. “The sauce is a classic French beurre blanc that’s infused with miso, rice wine vinegar, and togarashi, a Japanese seven spice.”

Feeling like a fusion expert? You can take things a step further if you want. After dining at Roy’s, ask them about their next cooking class where you’ll prepare a three-course meal and then enjoy everything you’ve just cooked.

Roy’s, 71959 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, (760) 340-9044