Melissa Chang

After a lot of fanfare over opening with chef Chris Kajioka and then a period with chef Jonathan Mizukami, the original Vintage Cave seemed to go dark once Shirokiya and the Vintage Cave Cafe got built on the Ewa side of…

When I was little, my mom would take me to the neighborhood butcher in Chun Hoon Market every week as she picked out cuts of meat for dinner. We were such regulars there that I called the butcher Uncle Burt.…

Downtown office workers are eagerly anticipating the opening of Gochi Grill in the Remington College building on June 4. Yes, there are plate lunches and bentos everywhere, but this one promises to be a little different. Not many people know…

It's been a year since Michael Mina launched his food hall concept, The Street, in International Marketplace, and he's looking to launch some new food stations in the next two months to meet the demands and tastes of the customers. …

I'm headed to one of the big events in Kaanapali this weekend, "Turf Meets Surf," a culinary exchange program that has Maui chefs Tom Muromoto of Kā’anapali Beach Hotel and Lyndon Honda of Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa collaborating with Canadian guest chefs Lino…

There's a couple of fresh new faces on Waialae Avenue opening a new restaurant in ... well, an old space.  The old Hung Won on Waialae Avenue closed after two decades and turned into a Thai restaurant last year. The…

We live in Hawaii, a cluster of islands surrounded by a vast ocean, so you'd assume all of our seafood is fresh and local. I was shocked when chef Lee Anne Wong told me that we import 60 percent of…

It's a good sign when you see Chinese people from the motherland eating in a Chinese restaurant. It's even more legit when the comrades are smoking outside. Are we in Beijing? Actually, we're eating noodles at 808 Sheridan. Wait, what happened to…

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…