After 21 Years, Mitch’s Sushi Just Opened Izakaya Mitch’s Next Door

Photo: Melissa Chang

Most locals in the know have brought their coolers to Mitch’s Sushi in Mapunapuna for a super casual evening of high-quality sushi and BYOB, right? It’s almost like ducking into a secret spot since it’s such an unexpected oasis in the industrial neighborhood.

Photo: Melissa Chang

Well, after 21 years, owner Craig Mitchell has turned his back room into an izakaya. It can get a little confusing because although they share the same building, Izakaya Mitch’s has a different address and a different doorway just around the corner.

Give them a little time if you go, as they only just opened on Oct. 3 and are as short-staffed as most restaurants in town. Just sip the sake or beer that you brought so you can kick back and catch up with your group.

SEE ALSO: Tororo Is a New Izakaya With a 6 to 8 p.m. Happy Hour

The menu is inspired by the fresh seafood of the Goto Islands, an archipelago off Nagasaki. There’s a good variety of items: sashimi, salads, seafood, beef and chicken, as well as kamameshi and nabe. Since it is a part of Mitch’s Sushi, you can expect the same ultra-fresh seafood.

Photo: Melissa Chang

We started with a spicy Hokkaido king crab salad ($25), which was a green salad tossed with generous chunks of crab. It was a little zesty, but done Japanese-style, so not too spicy. Since we’re all crab lovers, we had to get the Hokkaido king crab tempura with matcha salt ($25). This was quite a surprise because most people eat their tempura with a ponzu sauce. Here, the matcha salt is really nice with the sweet crab meat.

Photo: Melissa Chang

We also got the carpaccio of the day ($18), which happened to be scallop. This was served on a bed of lemon and onions and drizzled with a light sauce to give it a little more punch.

Photo: Melissa Chang

As a mentaiko lover, I had to get the mentaiko cream cheese tofu with baguette ($11), and the staff was nice enough to bring us extra slices of toasted bread so we could get every last bit.

Photo: Melissa Chang

To match the quality of the seafood, the A5 wagyu was a bit of a splurge ($45 for four pieces), but it was rich and buttery. Be sure to pull it off the sizzling skillet it’s served on after you get your Instagram video!

Photo: Melissa Chang

The karaage chicken ($14) was nicely moist inside, and they do give you large pieces, so be sure to ask for a knife if you’re a delicate blossom like me—that way you can cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Photo: Melissa Chang

One thing that you don’t see much in Honolulu was the kamameshi, which is basically a one-pot meal. It’s rice topped with different ingredients, including a protein, then cooked in a kettle so all the flavors can be absorbed by the rice. We had the salmon with ikura ($40 for half, pictured; or $80 for full) and that was lovely and savory.

Photo: Melissa Chang

My friends declined dessert, but I had to end on a sweet note, so I ordered the ice cream of the day ($5) which happened to be vanilla with a scoop of mashed Okinawan sweet potato, fried Okinawan sweet potato sticks, honey and rum raisins. I’ll be damned if my friends didn’t “help” me finish my dessert!

There are a few stalls at the curb and lots of free street parking, which I recommend. Drink responsibly or bring a designated driver!

Open Wednesday to Sunday 4 to 10 p.m., 3006 Ualena St., Mapunapuna, (808) 888-0990,  @izakayamitchs

Melissa Chang is a longtime regular contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i. @melissa808