You'll have to take their word for it or stake out the place to check on them. KEY to the panini is the foccacia, or flat bread, that took three months to perfect. Though punched up with rosemary and sage, I found Panini Grill's foccacia no more distinctive than any other in town. To look on the positive side, the bread doesn't compete with the fillings. Sandwiches do undergo a brief session under a cast-iron countertop grill.
Problem is, the heat tends to wilt the greens.
Spinach, especially, turns an unattractive shade of purplish-gray. It's too bad they don't add the greens after toasting. Gourmet Express, at 732-7700 Hoku's is your oyster Hoku's is hosting an Oyster Celebration Friday through Tuesday, for lunch and dinner. In addition to the regular menu, the restaurant in the Kahala Mandarin Oriental will be serving appetizers to desserts focusing on the slippery mollusks. For reservations, call 739-8777.