Melissa Chang

Cosmic fashion, makeup and food is the big trend now, so naturally, Shokudo created a psychedelic dessert to celebrate their anniversary month. Every year, the restaurant offers a different and unusual honey toast — since it's their signature dessert, it's…

Sponsored Most people planning a trip to Japan will invariably put Tokyo at the top of their list. But Osaka — Japan’s third most populated city — is a destination that is a feast for the senses as well as…

Pineapple pastry char siu bao, $2 The deep dive: Let's just start with the name. The pineapple bun, or bo lo bao, does not contain any pineapple! It got its name from the pineapple-looking pattern the crust makes. This extra layer of…

The weeks leading up to Chinese New Year seem to be when I spend a lot of time with my fellow Hawaii Chinese Dinner Society members. We go to our favorite Chinese restaurants, and seek out delicious new ones as chefs…

They say that if a business makes it to the three year mark, they're going to be okay. Can you believe it's only been three years since Square Barrels opened in Tamarind Park downtown?  Part of what keeps them going…

Growing up, I thought it was strange that although I could handle spicy foods, I didn't like them. It seems logical that someone who can take the heat would enjoy it, right? Then, 10 years ago, I went to Singapore…

Although I'm telling you about a new sushi bar in Honolulu today, the place is actually not so new. If you've been around a while, you remember Sakuraya on Beretania Street (that took the place of George's Delicatessen) during the…

Elmer Guzman with his "fish and chips" ($14.95), two kinds of ahi dip with taro chips. Everyone in Hawaii knows chef Elmer Guzman for his fresh, innovative menu at The Poke Stop ... out in Waipahu and Mililani. Now he's…

Via Corner San Nicholas I’ve heard chef Lee Anne Wong say that French canelés are one of her favorite desserts, but had to ask twice when she said “cream’le” was probably one of her favorites in the world. “Canelé. Yes. I…

Last month, I got a last-minute invitation to a wine dinner at Bread + Butter. Normally, I would debate attending, but since the theme was truffles, I cancelled all my appointments and headed over. Aside from the fact that it was…

It's back! The Maui Chefs Invitational was such a hit last year, there was no question the Mill House Maui would host this three-day dining series with some of the nation's most acclaimed chefs. This event is a smaller version…

Chef Ron Simon, left, with his wife Rose and son Coby. The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) in Kakaako is always offering fresh, healthy choices for their students and faculty, and chef Ron Simon has just stepped up…

The Foodland chefs, from left: Brian Nagai, chef de cuisine; Rick Chang, pastry chef; and Keoni Chang, corporate chef and senior director of culinary. It's already been a year since Foodland Farms opened its flagship store at Ala Moana Center,…

I’m always looking for unique, local omiyage to share with friends and family outside of Hawaii, so it was nice to meet the woman behind Maui Sweet Cakes recently after following each other on social media for a while. Heidi Cramer had come…

Neiman Marcus Executive Chef Lawrence Nakamoto. — photo from Mariposa There’s a new chef in charge at Mariposa, but don’t worry — he’s not going to take away your favorite lobster club and crab salad. Lawrence Nakamoto has already been…

Chef Masamu Yamamoto at Toridokoro Matsumoto, showing us what he’s about to grill. I put writing this blog off for a while. Some of you may have read an earlier article about a secret yakitori restaurant in Honolulu, which actually got…

#ThrowbackThursday from my friend Ruth Academia Baker, left shown here with Leah Shimotsukasa Allen and me: “Front page of the March 4, 1991, Downtown Planet. We were 20-somethings working at Professional Communications/Starr Seigle McCombs.” Back in the day when I…

Sponsored Everyone has a good time at the Joy of Sake. Period. Unlike other food and alcohol events where one might feel intimidated, there’s almost no way to tell who is a seasoned sake drinker or a novice; everyone is discovering…

Kapiolani Community College’s culinary program recently opened their Lē’ahi Concept Kitchen, in the former Nobu space in the Waikiki Parc Hotel. At the grand opening, everyone got a bag of KCC’s butter mochi crisps, and my instagram of it made the public go…

Pai Honolulu is located on the ground floor of Harbor Court, where Umami Cafe used to be. It’s been a long time coming for chef Kevin Lee … almost three years in the making, in fact. Most people in Hawaii…

Michael Mina’s innovative dining concept, The Street, now offers 13 different food and drink options on the ground floor of the International Marketplace, and the dizzying array of choices can be overwhelming. What do you eat first? What if you want to eat…

After Senia first opened, it was physically impossible to get a dinner reservation for weeks in advance (I know, I tried). But a month ago, they quietly added lunch service to their program, and that seems to have helped alleviate the pressure on…

Kan Zaman fans have been eagerly awaiting for chef-owners Kamal Jemmari and Youssef Dakroub to open their second outpost in Kaimuki. Let’s face it, you can’t always make it to Chinatown; this new location offers more options in East Honolulu, and…

Can you believe it’s been 19 years since George Mavrothalassitis opened his iconic Chef Mavro restaurant on King Street? People who have dined there know that the experience is comprised of a tasting menu, between six and 12 courses, depending on…