The Best Things We Ate in Hawai‘i in 2023

Butter rolls, Four Sisters Bakery

Photo: Melissa Chang

Two things that I constantly think about came from Maui. My most recent “discovery” is something that Maui residents have known for decades: Four Sisters Bakery in Wailuku has these amazing butter rolls that are made with butter, filled with butter and dipped in butter. I mean … do I even need to say more about this bold butter bomb? It’s so simple, but everyone who’s had it swoons when they think about it. Including me. —Melissa Chang, Frolic

1968 E. Vineyard St., Wailuku, (808) 244-9333

Canh chua gazpacho, The Pig & the Lady

Photo: Mari Taketa

Served in a glass bowl nestled on ice at the height of summer, this was my happy dish. A lemongrass zing, a fruity lightness and a pop of spice perched on the spoon amid crunches and velvety cool. Like nearly all dishes at The Pig & the Lady, this was as ephemeral as the ice, swept off the menu with the arrival of fall. Had I known I’d be thinking about it five months later, I’d have taken a better picture before digging in. —Mari Taketa, dining editor, HONOLULU and Frolic

83 N. King St., (808) 585-8255, thepigandthelady.com, @pigandthelady

Chicken malai tikka, Spice Up House of Indian Cuisine and Tadka Indian Cuisine

Photo: Thomas Obungen

I used to steer clear of tandoor-grilled chicken, scarred by dry, overcooked disappointments that were invariably the low point of a meal. Spice Up and its new sister eatery, Tadka Indian Cuisine, turned me around. The chicken malai tikka varies slightly at each; similarities are wondrously succulent chunks of boneless breast dotted with traces of the yogurt, garlic, ginger and spices they marinate in before donning a light tandoor char. Chicken malai tikka is now the first thing I order. —MT

Spice Up, 1289 S. King St., (808) 784-0338; Tadka, 1960 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 941-0414, @tadkaindiancuisine808

SEE ALSO: Thumbs Up for Spice Up House of Indian Cuisine

Crispy Spanish octopus, Hau Tree

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Tenderly soft under a crisp skin, what does this Spanish octopus at Hau Tree remind me of? Then I get it: Dipped in miso bernaise sauce, it’s not unlike chicken karaage with a dab of Kewpie mayo. With the pops of acid and salt from tomatoes and sea asparagus, it’s also a distant but equally attractive cousin of lechon kawali. I hope this stays on the menu five-ever. —Thomas Obungen, associate editor, HONOLULU and Frolic

2863 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 921-7066, kaimana.com/dining, @thehautree

Dweji Gomtang and kim chee mandoo, Ok Dong Sik

Photo: Thomas Obungen

It took me a few days to truly appreciate the appeal of this pop-up meal deep in ‘Ewa Beach. The older I get, the more I crave simpler foods as my palate sharpens. Bland might have been my first thought, but as I slurped the broth, I realized I couldn’t stop. That’s how I came to understand the value of this simple pork soup with nutty rice and tender slips of meat. A side of teardrop dumplings plump with kim chee, tofu and glass noodles heightened my appreciation. Until the next time I’m in Seoul or New York, where this Michelin Guide-listed eatery is located, I’ll have the lingering memory of this really good soup. —TO

@okdongsik

Engawa sushi, Amaterasu

Every time I go for sushi omakase at Amaterasu, I enjoy every bite. The last time I visited, Hideo Ohmiya served us a slice of torched engawa, the tail fin muscle meat of a flounder. The light touch of flame renders just enough fat to reveal unctuous, mouthwatering striated flesh with a texture just between chew and give. Sweet, hot wasabi bounces off the tongue; grains of sushi rice leave a savory trace on the way down. In my mind, I go to this bite as often as needed throughout a stressful workweek. —Maria Burke, Frolic

888 Kapi‘olani Blvd. inside Artizen by MW, (808) 570-4200, @amaterasushi808

SEE ALSO: Amaterasu, the City’s Newest Sushi Omakase, Is in a Car Showroom

Kalbi jjim, O’Kim’s Korean Kitchen

I ate this dish very early in the year and knew after the first bite that it would stay in my memory for a long time. O’Kim’s kalbi jjim nicely straddles the border between sweet and savory, comforting and with a slight tingle of heat that makes you dive in for more. The dish only shows up as a special, so check the restaurant’s social media posts for updates. —Gregg Hoshida, Frolic

1028 Nu‘uanu Ave., (808) 537-3787, okimshawaii.com, @okims_honolulu

Lychee ice cream, Henry’s Place

Photo: Andrea Lee

I moved out of Waikīkī earlier this year, and one of my biggest regrets is not going to Henry’s Place more often. I only discovered the lychee ice cream this past summer, and it is phenomenal. It captures the sweetness of a perfectly ripe lychee and even has little bits of the fruit mixed in. Henry’s Place makes all its ice creams from scratch—you can taste and feel the difference. The smooth texture hits the mark between sorbet and ice cream and doesn’t melt easily or freeze too hard, so it’s always ready to eat. I have four flavors in my freezer, but the lychee will be the first to run out. —Andrea Lee, digital editor, HONOLULU

Cash only, 234 Beach Walk, @henrysplacehi

SEE ALSO: Ultimate Guide to 11 Luscious Local Ice Cream Shops

Meyer lemon French toast, Sixty Two Marcket

Photo: Melissa Chang

One of my favorite brunch spots is Maui’s Sixty Two Marcket, owned by longtime chef Marc McDowell. He puts his fancy spin on local brunch favorites, and everything I’ve had is great. Earlier this year, I had his Meyer lemon-stuffed French toast sprinkled with pistachios, and that dish has stuck with me for the rest of the year. —MChang

62 N. Market St., Wailuku, (808) 793-2277, sixtytwomarcket.com, @sixtytwomarcket

Sausage & Clams, Mud Hen Water

I didn’t expect this surf-and-turf twist to become my favorite dish of the year when I ordered it at Ed Kenney’s Kaimukī restaurant. But this was my standout meal, a Southeast Asian-inspired medley of lemongrass sausage, clams in their shells, ong choi and coconut milk. True comfort food, but what made this perfection was the accompanying crusty bread for soaking up the creamy broth. That broth … rich, flavorful, delightful. —Diane Seo, editorial director, HONOLULU

3452 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 737-6000, mudhenwater.com, @mudhenwater

Spaghetti Vietnam-atriciana, Giovedi

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Frame an entire restaurant concept on one dish? When you taste the marriage of lap xuong (in place of guanciale), tomato, pickled peppers, onion and a torrent of pecorino romano, your mind goes blank. Rather than debate whether to interpret it as Italian or Vietnamese, it’s best to focus on how delicious it all is. Although Giovedi, a pop-up spawned by its Spaghetti Vietnam-atriciana, is closed, a more permanent 2.0 version is in the works. I’m assured this pasta will make a comeback. —TO

giovedihawaii.com, @giovedirestaurant

SEE ALSO: Giovedi, A New Pop-up Italian Restaurant with Asian Sensibilities

‘Ulu Aloo, Fête

My knee-jerk reaction is to order ‘ulu when it’s on the menu, but I was not expecting this explosion of flavor—of ‘ulu suffused with spices including ginger, olena, black mustard seeds and cumin seeds, then topped with crispy okra shreds dusted with a house-made chaat masala. And THEN, in addition to all that, a super bright and tangy liliko‘i black sesame chutney. The flavors are incredible, but so is the texture of the ‘ulu, lighter than usual. Fête owner and founding chef Robynne Maii says they only run the dish when they can get Ma‘afala ‘ulu from Kualoa Ranch, and then only from a specific grove on the property. It’s just not the same otherwise, she says. —Martha Cheng, Frolic

2 North Hotel St., (808) 369-1390, fetehawaii.com, @fetehawaii

SEE ALSO: Foodflash: Fête’s Robynne Maii Wins Hawai‘i’s First James Beard Award in 19 Years

Venison bolognese, Tiki’s Grill & Bar

This was a surprise for me. I’ve always had a soft spot for Tiki’s, but I never remembered it as having any particularly standout dishes. When I decided to treat myself to dinner before a concert at the Waikīkī Shell in August, I just wandered in from the beach, figuring I’d get fish tacos or something. But the house-made moringa pappardelle with Moloka‘i venison knocked me off guard with its perfect texture and deeply satisfying sauce. Paired with a POG Slammer and indulgent Maui pineapple crème brûlée (served in half a pineapple, dusted with li hing powder), it was my favorite meal in Honolulu this year. —Katrina Valcourt, executive editor, HONOLULU

2570 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 923-8454, tikisgrill.com, @tikisgrill