January 6, 2009

Doraku Sushi

John Heckathorn


The house Doraku Roll is tempura fried and topped with spicy mayo and masago. 

Photo by Monte Costa

You sometimes have to wonder what the thinking is in Waikiki. The refurbished Royal Hawaiian Center now has a P.F. Chang’s, a Señor Frog’s (more on that later), and, in the works, a Wolfgang Steak House (not, as I misled you a few months back, a Wolfgang Puck steakhouse, but an offshoot of an expensive, second-tier New York City steakhouse, managed by the same firm that put up Taormina). And now, a sushi bar from Miami. Really.

Doraku Sushi is the creation of Kevin Aoki, son of Benihana founder Rocky Aoki.

The restaurant began as part of the Benihana chain, but Kevin Aoki bought it out, and has now brought it to us, as a large restaurant, 4,700 spare yet stylish square feet, in the Royal Hawaiian Center.

I was grabbing dinner with a friend who teaches college. Since he talks to twentysomethings all day...

ARCHIVED:  Read John Heckathorn's entire review in our "Lewers and Kalakaua," May 2008 issue.

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