It’s great when a fine restaurant wins an award. That means you’re not the only one who likes the place. When a restaurant wins award after award, and does so year after year, it must be a great restaurant, right?

What happens when the restaurant stops winning awards?

Something tells me that a restaurant that stops winning awards has gone from award winning to award forgotten—something could be amiss.

Bali By The Sea at the Hilton Hawaiian Village has been an award winner for many years. Frankly, the list of awards is impressive. The American Automobile Association gave the Bali it’s prestigious Four Diamond Award in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. That’s a top award for six straight years?

Since then? Nada. Nothing. Nope. It’s as if the restaurant shut down. Or changed menu to match the local Jack in the Box. Something happened. In fact, something drastic must have happened.

The Hilton’s web site features Bali By The Sea. It features the renowned Chef Jean-Luc Voegele. It describes his culinary talent and skill. It lists the awards. Award after award.

But nothing since 2000.

Gourmet magazine lists Bali By The Sea as one of America’s Top Tables in 1998 and 1997.

The respected Zagat Survey puts Bali By The Sea as one of Hawaii’s Top 40 Restaurants. In 1996 and 1998.

Even local folks in Hawaii were once in love with Bali By The Sea. Honolulu Magazine’s Hale’aina Award for Best Restaurant of the Year and Best Wine List went to—you guessed it—Bali By The Sea. 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000.

But nothing since 2000.

Bali By The Sea is a classy, well known restaurant in what is arguably the top resort in Honolulu. Their award winning (not recently, according to the Hilton web site) wine list features over 350 selections from France, Germany, Italy, and the US.

As you might suspect, only evening and aloha attire are allowed. No t-shirts, shorts, tank tops, or slippers at Bali By The Sea.

And no more awards.

Something happened in 2001, 2002, and so far in 2003 and 2004. Or, rather, it didn’t happen. No more awards. Is the competition better in a down economy? Is the chef new? Did someone buy all the good wines and leave the cellar with only Bartles and James, or Boones Farm selections? Did they quit giving out awards?

Nope. But I don’t know what happened. I’m tempted to go there again just to find out. It’s a temptation I can resist.

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.