Where Time Stands Still: Yanagi Sushi
It’s served my family sushi, combination meals and the perfect talk-story setting since I was just old enough to hold chopsticks.
Photo: Alexander Pang
Yanagi Sushi’s history is revealed on its walls, covered with framed photos of grinning sumo wrestlers and actresses with big blowout hair. Open since 1978, this cozy clamshell of a restaurant has been a fixture for my family since I was a kid, carrying memories of Granny treating us to Christmas dinner, sliding me an extra nigiri or shrimp tempura and passing out lisee or red envelopes filled with money.
The author, Alexander Pang, celebrating a birthday at Yanagi Sushi as a child. Photo: Courtesy of Alexander Pang
Our family dinners unfolded like a ritual, starting with the little red platter of bean sprouts, edamame and a single shrimp. Along with green tea for the table and perhaps a pitcher of Kirin, we always ordered the same combination dinners—fried oysters, nigiri, butterfish nitsuke, tempura and udon frequent choices—splitting them family-style. Even today, the combos come with the same miso soup, iceberg lettuce salad and rice, then end with a clincher: a cool scoop of Dave’s Ice Cream.
The author’s family at Yanagi, including his grandmother (in red dress) and mother (in red dress cutting cake). Photo: Courtesy of Alexander Pang
I remember the roll call of entrees arriving at our table (“Fried oysters?” “Here!”). And as we shared dishes, Granny cooed with contentment whenever she ate something good and chuckled at our jokes. If someone was bragging, she’d take them down a peg with a hilarious one-liner.
Photo: Alexander Pang
Granny passed away this year, and we returned to Yanagi on Mother’s Day without her. As I finished my dinner with a scoop of green tea ice cream, I thought about the laughs, memories and combination dinners we shared over the years.
Thank you, Granny. I’ll be sure someone else gets an extra tempura in your honor.
Open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., 762 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Kaka‘ako yanagisushi-hawaii.com, @yanagisushi
Read more from this series:
Where Time Stands Still: Stadium Giant Malts & Bar-B-Que
Where Time Stands Still: Kim Chee II
Where Time Stands Still: Bravo Italian Restaurant
Where Time Stands Still: Maguro-Ya
Where Time Stands Still: Nanding’s Bakery
Where Time Stands Still: Yagura Restaurant
Where Time Stands Still: Buzz’s Original Steak House
Where Time Stands Still: Andy’s Sandwiches & Smoothies
Alexander Pang is a regular contributor of Frolic Hawai‘i.
