Author: Eric Baranda

This Waikele Pop-Up Specializes in Seriously Loaded Steak Fries

Hella ‘Ono Grindz tops cheesy steak fries with beef birria, carne asada, longanisa and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

This Monthly Food Truck Rally Attracts Eaters from Across O‘ahu to Waikele

What The Truck?! brings 30+ local vendors together for a popular monthly food truck rally like we haven’t seen since Eat the Street.

Favorite Dishes

What Happens When Cheesy Pizza Meets Salty, Tangy Filipino Adobo?

We headed to Shay’s Filipino Cafe to try this Italian-Filipino mashup.

Two-minute takeout: TsuruTonTan Udon Noodle Brasserie

It's a delicious landscape out there! As we ride out this pandemic, many of us are trying takeout from places we've never been before. Eric Baranda goes to Waikiki to get udon and bentos from TsuruTonTan in Royal Hawaiian Center.…

More butter beer: Holiday Bar pops up at Ala Moana Center

It's that time of the year again: The Holiday Bar has returned to Ala Moana! Brought to you by the same people that hosted the spooky Ghost Bar in October, the festive Christmas-themed pop-up can be found nestled in the…

Poke

Honolulu’s Newest Poke Shop Makes it Fresh by the Pound

Poke by the Pound opened in 2019 in the heart of Kalihi Kai.

Harry Potter cocktails to charm the adults at Comic Con Honolulu

Today, Comic Con Honolulu 2019 kicks off a three-day family-friendly celebration of comics, costumes, fantasy, sci-fi and all things nerdom at the Hawaii Convention Center. As a lifelong fan of comic books and geek culture, anime and comic cons hold a special place…

Finally! Hawaii's getting a Filipino Food Week

After moving to Hawaii during my freshman year of high school, I learned that Filipinos were viewed in different ways. Some saw us as unfashionable FOBs that dressed in loud colors. Others saw us as potential troublemakers with an affinity…

This is kamayan: Filipino-style benefit feast coming 4/27

When I first came to Hawaii, it was a reverse culture shock. I grew up on the mainland, so moving to a place where I was no longer a minority took a bit of getting used to. A part of…

What I found at Target: Frozen poke meal kit

What I found at ... is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought food finds. It’s the mainland and global parallel to KaSnack attack!, our series reviewing made-in-Hawaii snacks. What: Authentic Hawaiian Poke, Shoyu Ahi Mix & Serve…

Legit flavors at the cutest poke shop in Manoa

It's worth a drive into Manoa for a new poke shop with shave ice in an old-time Hawaii storefront. Off the Hook grand-opened this past weekend in between Starbucks and Andy's Sandwiches on East Manoa Road across from Manoa Marketplace.…

Is this poke? Poke Bar at Waikiki Beach Walk

The mainland poke craze has morphed Hawaii's iconic dish into a DIY salad bar creation — that's now boomeranged back to the islands. Mainland poke chains have opened on Oahu with customizable choices that go well beyond shoyu ahi and…

This quirky Waikiki izakaya has cheap eats and a DIY dessert ending

Down a lantern-lined alley in the heart of Waikiki, a quaint izakaya full of charm and quirk serves up some of the best Japanese bar food around town. The prices aren't too shabby either with most dishes under $10 and a happy…

Aloha, Rumours!

Ramen alert: Gomaichi's bowls live on at Menchanko-Tei

It's the end of an era, as longtime ramen shop Gomaichi closed its doors for good at the beginning of 2018. A high-rise condominium is scheduled to be built on their location. In addition, the shopowners' son had graduated high…

Brilliant! New gastropub opens at Ala Moana

Brilliant Ox, a new gastropub, soft-opened last week in the former Pearl Ultra Lounge space at Ala Moana Center. Here's your sneak peek at dishes by chef Brian Gremillion, formerly of Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop in New York City. Brilliant…

Do you know this cocktail speakeasy?

In the heart of Kakaako, on top of a brewpub, is a speakeasy only open on Thursday to Saturday. It's not at street level, it's a little higher up: The Hi Brau Room. The Hi Brau Room 700 Queen St.…

Before you shop, fuel up at Ala Moana's Christmas Bar pop-up

The Christmas Bar is a new pop-up at Ala Moana Center serving festive and holiday-themed drinks – the most popular being a sweet, cream soda-based Hogwarts Butterbeer, finished with a marshmallow fluff foam. They don't have food, however, you're welcome…

Purple alert: There's a new ube bakeshop in town

This new spot in Kalihi's all about the brilliant purple yam. Ube Before Anything Else, aka Ubae Hawaii, is in the City Square Shopping Center on Dillingham Boulevard. Ubae Hawaii 1284 Kalani St. 439-3224 Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday 9…

Favorite Dishes

My Own Private Adobo

A long-ago cooking lesson from my mom takes on new meaning.

Droolworthy: Steak & Fish Company scallops

Do you ever not expect much from a place, so you get yourself ready for the worst? That’s what we did. Expect the worst from Steak & Fish Company, because it was a tiny place we’d never heard of, in…

Your guide to Comic Con Honolulu 2017

Someone told me recently that I was their best source for the latest news on the nerd stuff they like. That caught me by surprise, so thanks for the encouragement! Why was I surprised? Lately I’ve been feeling my attention…

Our Top 5: Ramen

I owe my addiction to ramen to Yotteko-Ya. The small shop at McCully Shopping Center was my initiation into the world of true ramen, and it left me hungry to try more. But as I tried bowl after bowl at…

Sayonara, Yotteko-Ya

The last bowl. Savoring every drop of the steaming paitan broth. Memorizing the creamy texture on my tongue. Chewing slowly the tender, juicy kakuni meat. Enjoying this meal to its fullest, because it will be my last. Goodbye, Yotteko-ya. The…