The Best Italian-ish Bites at Giovedí in Chinatown
(Sponsored) We dive into the dishes where Asian roots meet Italian imports on this bold block of Chinatown.
What happens when you mix Asian roots with Italian imports and the confidence to be different in Hawaii’s restaurant scene? You get Giovedí, the Hale ‘Aina Best New Restaurant of 2025 and these are the Best Bites, presented by First Hawaiian Bank.
The dishes at Giovedí are best split between a group of two or three. You get some of this and some of that. Back them up with one of their structured cocktails or a zippy glass of vino and just vibe all night long. It doesn’t hurt that the playlist slays, too.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
Instantly iconic, the Prosciutto San Daniele with sesame donuts, which you’ll recognize right away as jin dui, is the perfect representation of the Asian-Italian crossover dishes chef Bao Tran and partner Jenn Akiyoshi crank out. Tear open the hollow donuts to stuff them with strips of translucent strips of prosciutto and parmigiano and spoons of vinegary giardiniera pickles for an acidic punch and extra crunch.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
The special veal tartare should be on every table this month. They layer hand-cut local rose veal over a bed of nanatsuboshi rice with puffed bits and shower it with parmigiano and Burgundy black truffle. The dreamy texture play is both delicate and full of savory umaminess.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
For a richer bite, the Foie Gras Torchon with caramelized onion in syrupy vino cotto and slices of grilled Breadshop city bread is the indulgence I go for. The sweet tartness from the condiment balances out the decadent, buttery spread over the thick slices of sourdough. Each bite is heavenly.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
Moving on to mains, you should aim to for one pasta per person, but if you’re going with only one it’s hard to decide which it’ll be. The Granchio Capellini is a fab choice that won’t weigh you down. The delicate strands of pasta carries the equally delicate dungeness crab sauce with a combination of preserved lemon and kani miso breadcrumbs.
Photo: Thomas Obungen
The char siu-style bone-in porkchop with wine stewed plums (hello, chan pui mui) is often overshadowed by the garlic steak or the Kona kampachi, but it deserves its time to shine. It’s a darling dish for many of the wines on Giovedí’s list because you can match it up with the barbecue profile, the richness of the chop or the plums in the sauce. It’s a mainstay on the menu but it totally gives fall-winter vibes, so why not lean into that this month.
Giovedí’s menu is a playful nod to Tran and Akiyoshi’s Asian roots with a heavy influence from their time spent in New York and these bites are just a taste of what you can expect. The name comes from Thursday in Italian, a nod to their day off which they would host dinner parties at their home. In addition to their Hale ‘Aina Award this year, the restaurant was also named a Best New Restaurant of 2025 by Bon Appétit magazine.
