Farmers Market Finds: Funky Fresh Spins on Spring Rolls at Kaka‘ako
The Corner Rolls wraps up cheeseburgers, shrimp and avocado into crispy fried spring rolls.
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Contributing Dining Editor
Thomas Obungen joined the Frolic Hawai‘i team in 2015 as a contributor after a two-year stint in Los Angeles where his passion for seeking out unique and delicious finds was set ablaze. In the years that followed, he rose the ranks to become its associate editor and is now the assistant editor. Prior to Frolic, he worked for an Apple reseller that outfitted Hollywood’s top studios with custom computers, planned obscure costume parties and wrote press releases for the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of Mililani High School and Hawai‘i Pacific University.
In addition to writing for Frolic Hawai‘i and HONOLULU, Thomas co-owns a boutique marketing agency called Slug Media and works in retail for therapeutic reasons. You can find him power walking through Makiki and Mānoa on most mornings and most likely with an iced coffee in hand.
The Corner Rolls wraps up cheeseburgers, shrimp and avocado into crispy fried spring rolls.
The Korean-Japanese restaurant from Shibuya flies in fresh Japanese wagyu and Oregon washu beef.
The Korean-Spanish mashup is a March special at O’Kim’s Korean Kitchen in Chinatown.
Paper-thin salami, juicy roast beef, tasty tonkatsu, sumptuous smoked brisket, hefty lumps of crab, fresh fish and everything else that’s best between bread.
Make no bones about it—these tenders pack well for beach days, lunch on the go and all-around snacking.
Where to find warm, comforting rice porridge from China, Japan, the Philippines, Spain and more, all in Honolulu.
Western-style dishes viewed through a Japanese lens are quirky, comforting and oishii.
The new pop-up serves delicate seafood and veg tempura in the style of Waikīkī Yokocho’s shuttered Kaneko Hannosuke.
Did you even know these pillowy fruit-and-cream sandos were missing from your life?
The team behind V-Lounge and Prima return with ‘Ili‘ili Cash and Carry, a hipster bodega with killer pizzas.
After a long closure, the Chinese barbecue restaurant has reopened in a new spot on Kapahulu.
Youpo Noodles specializes in stretchy, bouncy biangbiang noodles from northwest China.
Keaka Lee’s first restaurant fuses elements of Hawaiian, local, modern American and global.
Pizza Mamo’s American-style pies are unique on O‘ahu.
"Kapa tells a story," Keaka Lee explains. He is standing in the kitchen at Kapa Hale, his new restaurant. "A blank plate, much like a blank piece of kapa, is the canvas with which I tell my stories." Lee has spent…
Curly noodles in steaming broth with teri sticks and burgers on the side, complete with a Coca-Cola menu board.
Slurp like you’re at a hawker stall.
We're seeing a huge shift in our dining scene as high-end restaurants come up with ways to reach a more budget-conscious crowd. Takeout specials have replaced white tablecloths at M by Chef Mavro, 53 by the Sea and Dean & DeLuca have weekly…
It’s not weird, it’s a yin-yang thing.
This is a story of how a really great tonkatsu sandwich became my gateway drug to Coco Bloom Kitchen's local organic menu of power salads, jam toasts and smoothies. I'm yearning to travel again, especially to Japan, where eating everything I come across…
Readers had lots of opinions about Our Top 5 loco mocos, so we asked you to name your faves.
How did we even make it this far into 2020 without hitting the reset button a million times? It's already Election Day, so take a deep breath and vote: Help decide who makes Hawaii's best loco mocos. Jason Chin's best…
The crispy, dippable street food is hot, and so are the imaginative dishes served out of La Birria Tacos food truck.
Some of our top picks for comforting slurps when a cold snap is coming.
It starts Sunday, Oct. 25, when you’ll have three hours to get smoked tako-chorizo gyoza and other grilled goodness.
Remember “No hu hu, call Magoo’s”? Now you can—the iconic pizza shop has reopened in Kapahulu.
Farmer's markets are breeding grounds for food innovation and have given rise to some of Hawaii's most successful concepts and restaurants. Frolic's farmer's market finds series shines a light on interesting, unique and ono discoveries. The Kakaako Farmers Market has evolved…
Why we stand in line for $4 doughnuts.
Fried chicken sandwiches are so 2019. But chicken katsu sammies? That's a game-changer. Imagine: Katsu that's crispy on the outside and thiccc and juicy inside, paired with sweet-and-tangy katsu sauce and griddled burger buns or ultra soft Japanese white bread.…
Call ahead or get in line—Nana Ai Katsu already has a following.
I truly believe people are born loving three things: puppies, kittens and donuts. So when Holey Grail, a Kauai-based donut truck with a cult following, began popping up in Kakaako in late August, donut worshipers made the pilgrimage to Ward Village Shops…
Sage Creamery sells out so often, we recommend signing up for new flavor notifications.
All kinds of restaurants are open for takeout, and now's as good a time as any to try them. Two-Minute Takeout sends Frolickers to places they haven't been to pick up meals for quick tableside reviews at home. Lyndon Okata…
Butcher & Bird, Village Bottle Shop, Colin Hazama and Sake Shop headline two takeout dinners this Saturday and Sunday.
Hint: There’s a new eatery in the works.
For National Farmers Market Week earlier this month, we took you to Hawaii Kai for Kaiser High School PTSA's bustling market. For two hours on Tuesday afternoons, people converge on the grassy parking lot for chef-driven comfort food, Swedish apple…
Zippy's, the iconic local diner chain, was a regular stop for many, so while they've been open for takeout, there was a collective holding of breath through the months-long closure of all their dining rooms statewide. Now they're slowly reopening,…
The shave ice shop from Hilo recently opened its second location in Hale‘iwa.
Update: This farmers market closed temporarily from Sept. 1, 2020 for the duration of the islandwide stay-at-home order, since all school campuses are closed. Check kaiserptsafarmersmarket.wordpress.com for the latest. It's National Farmers Market Week and we're shining some light on…