Frolic Has a New Look
Like dining scenes and people, we’ve evolved through different chapters. (Read: We’ve outgrown our all-caps phase.)
Mari Taketa
Articles
2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards’ Best Buffet Goes to Plumeria Beach House
Seafood and Hawaiian food are a winning combo at the Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s beachside buffet destination.
2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards: Restaurateur of the Year Peter Kim Built a Local Empire of Fast Food, Fine Dining and Coco Puffs
Kim’s motto: Expect the unexpected.
“I Want Them to Dream,” Says President of Izakaya Naru, 2025 Hale ‘Aina Award Winner of Best Izakaya
With the tiny izakaya on King Street winning Hale ‘Aina gold, we talk to president Hiroyuki Akiyama on the eatery’s 15-year history.
Through the Looking Glass With Glass Artist and Teacher Bud Spindt
A master artist finds joy in teaching basics to beginners.
Icy Thrills at Three of O‘ahu’s Most Popular Shave Ice Spots
We dig into the styles and flavors that make Chillest Shave Ice, Shimazu Store and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice the go-to for locals.
The Pig & the Lady: From Farmers Market Pop-Up to the City’s Hottest Restaurant
Revisiting the backstory of this six-time James Beard Award semifinalist a day before the Chinatown restaurant closes to move to a new home.
Local I‘a Fish Fry Plates Will Help Clear Invasive Ta‘ape Off Our Reefs
Come for $12 plates of fried fish, rice and salad on Labor Day Monday or get some ready-to-cook ta‘ape snappers to go.
Basalt’s New Chef Overhauls the Menu—and There’s a 20% Kama‘āina Discount
Veteran chef Lance Kosaka brings homegrown flavors to the heart of Waikīkī.
New & Coming Restaurants on O‘ahu
Notable openings around the island plus upcoming Michelin-grade yakitori, a Korean convenience store and lobster rolls.
Seriously, Thanks for Not Stealing My Avocados
Counting the fruits of my avocado tree has become my obsession.
Kama‘āina Deals: Restaurants and Eateries
50-plus places where it pays to show your Hawai‘i ID—just remember to ask before the check comes.
Best of HONOLULU 2025: Food and Drinks on O‘ahu
Our editors picked 11 top categories plus 21 readers’ choices to establish the best food and drinks on O‘ahu this year.
Finally, a Portuguese Restaurant: Faria Brings Hawai‘i-Style Portuguese Food to O‘ahu
For 40 years, there were none on O‘ahu. Now, there’s Faria, helmed by Hawaiian Portuguese chef Kawehi Haug.
12 Restaurants Are Creating Slimy Specials for Next Week’s Natto Takeout Dine-Around
Everything from natto eggplant bolognese and natto oyako donburi to guava natto white chocolate chip cookies.
Foodflash: After 12 Years in Chinatown, The Pig & the Lady Is Closing to Move to Kaimukī
The scrappy, brick-walled icon is moving to a bigger, brighter place.
Frolic’s 7-Course Natto Day Dinner Is Coming to Jinya on July 10
Seven original comfort dishes with oishii slimy twists, and only one rule: You must love natto.
Foodflash: Get Ready, West Side—Side Street Inn Is Opening Next Month
Hali‘a by Side Street Inn is bringing the famous fried rice and pan-fried pork chops to ‘Ewa Beach.
Best Mac Salad on O‘ahu: Our Readers Weighed In
Revisiting that time when reader comments on a Top 5 Mac Salad ranking turned into a spontaneous new poll.
A Former Sushi Chef Sells and Sharpens Knives at Aframes Tokyo in Kalihi
Revisiting that time we found an off-the-beaten-path stall selling top-line handmade knives and everyday knives at City Square’s open market.
Sooper Secret’s à la Carte Izakaya Pop-Up With Bar Maze Sold Out in Minutes. More May Follow
Ricky Goings isn’t promising, but à la carte fast food from two James Beard Award semifinalists would be hard to resist.
Hawai‘i’s Historic Homes
They reveal our past and offer a richer understanding of who we are. We look at three neighborhoods full of these gems.
Niu Soft Serve’s Hot Kūlolo Sundae Is Its Top Seller (and It’s Vegan)
‘Aiku‘e and Kekahu Napoleon-Ahn opened a coconut-based ice cream shop. They didn’t expect to spend more of their time making kūlolo.
4 New Korean Restaurants Opened in Honolulu in 12 Days
Lani Sot, MooBongRi, Hangang Hawai‘i Kai and Yakiniku Like, a Japanese take on KBBQ, opened between March 20 and April 1.
When Rice = Comfort Food: 6 Steaming Bowls from Around the World
Reprising a classic for this cloudy, breezy cool spell: Where to find comforting rice porridge from China, Japan, the Philippines, Spain and more.
Foodflash: Pint + Jigger’s Dave Newman Moves on to Finals of 2025 James Beard Awards
Newman is up for a new national James Beard award for outstanding cocktail professional.
New Latin Foodscape: Guaiqueri’s Venezuelan Empanadas
There are empanadas, and there are Guaiqueri empanadas—made from a family recipe from an island off the coast of Venezuela.
New Latin Foodscape: A Central American Gateway at La Casita
La Casita’s Salvadoran and Honduran (and Mexican) dishes bring tastes of Central America to Waipahu.
New Latin Foodscape: All In, Brazilian-Style, at San Paolo Pizza & Wine
Brazilian, Neapolitan and Portuguese craft pies showcase a higher-end vision of pizza at San Paolo.
New Latin Foodscape: At Peruvian Corner, a Backyard Oasis of Sabor
Miguel Torres cooked at trendy Peruvian Nikkei restaurants around South America. Now he has a place of his own—in a tranquil backyard in Waialua.
New Latin Foodscape: The New Generation at Mercado de la Raza
New owners of the 30-year-old grocery store are turning it into a hub for Latino food entrepreneurs and the community.
6 Questions You’re Too Shy to Ask When Dining Out
When to send food back? What’s a kitchen service fee? We ask restaurateurs for answers about awkward aspects of dining out.
John Signor Sets the Stage for Cirque du Soleil: ‘Auana With a Hawaiian Nose Flute
Musical director John Signor leads up to the show with a quiet yet powerful guitar and Hawaiian nose flute performance.
Restaurants We Love: Resonant Stories From the Best Restaurants in Honolulu
Restaurants with superlative food are one thing. Those with a place in our hearts are another. Our writers explore the restaurants they love.
Foodflash: 9 Hawai‘i Chefs and Eateries Are in the Running for 2025 James Beard Awards
An emerging chef and a baker new to Honolulu are semifinalists for the country’s top culinary honors.
‘Ai Love Nalo Is Back With Vegan Hawaiian Plates and Other Meatless Comfort Food
Oh Wow Laulau and the poi-fect parfait are back at the roadside stand in Waimānalo.
Ethel’s Grill: Why It Closed and What Lies Ahead for the Longtime Kalihi Hole-in-the-Wall
It wasn’t just one thing, but the story from co-owner Minaka Urquidi mirrors similar issues at many local eateries.
Frolic’s Top 10 Most Popular Stories of 2024
Page views don’t lie: From farmers markets to dim sum, these were our most-read food stories of 2024.
