ites of Korea is a mini-series of short videos documenting the delicious food mecca of Seoul, South Korea. Each episode is a tiny look into the cuisine and food culture found in every corner of the bustling metropolis, from Michelin-rated…
A new shop specializing in pineapple cakebars has opened on the second floor of the International Market Place. And Kula & Ko Confectionery (kula means “gold” and ko means “sugarcane”) makes an unusual claim about the buttery bars. While the…
Bites of Korea is a mini-series of short videos documenting the delicious food mecca of Seoul, South Korea. Each episode is a tiny look into the cuisine and food culture found in every corner of the bustling metropolis, from Michelin-rated…
Truth be told, I had a difficult time writing this post. Not because I wasn’t confident you would love Pindan’s paella, oh no. I wrestled with the thought of telling a secret I’ve been keeping for the past eight months…
Layered, loaded, over the top — and then you pour fresh espresso over everything
This is pretty darn majestic, I thought as we drove up to the new home of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific. Perched on the slopes of Diamond Head crater, this state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the generations of…
On a map, Uzbekistan is worlds away from Downtown Honolulu. But since a hot new lunch spot called Silk Road Cafe opened, we can get a taste. It’s pretty safe to say this is the only Uzbek restaurant in Hawaii.…
Tsukada Nojo, an established Japanese chain of nabe restaurants and noodle shops soft-opened their first Hawaii location near the convention center in early March with an emphasis on a rustic, group-friendly eating experience. Nojo in Japanese means farmer and thusly…
On the Los Angeles ramen scene, Tsujita is as much a household name as Daikokuya, Santouka and Shin-Sen-Gumi. Specializing in tsukemen dipping noodles with a glorious tonkotsu and seafood broth, the Tsujita empire has spidered out from four locations in…
Fat Kid Friday is a video series spotlighting exuberant dishes across Oahu. Crazy, ginormous or over-the-top luxe, these are the broke-the-mouth dishes we push across the table and tell our friends, “Try this. TRY IT.” We head to Kalihi this…
This location has since closed. Anyone who has been to the original Ethel’s Grill in Kalihi Kai knows it has been there forever. As in decades. And only there. So when I saw that Ethel’s second generation – daughter Minaka…
The latest food craze to sweep the nation and some points of the globe is our beloved post-beach-sesh meal, the poke bowl. From Sydney’s Bondi Beach to bustling midtown Manhattan, new-wave shops have been slicing and dicing up versions of…
Hy’s Steak House, a staple in Waikiki’s fine dining scene, is celebrating 40 years of serving sumptuous kiawe wood grilled steaks and enticing local seafood with a calendar of monthly wine and chef’s table dinners. The collection of glasses in…
Note: Updated Dec. 4, 2018 On a recent trip to Tokyo I ate yakitori to my heart’s content. Juicy thighs, crispy charred skin, toothsome cartilage, all skewered and grilled over slow-burning charcoal. But yakitori is more than just chicken on…
An astute downtownie might have noticed that the latest restaurant openings in Chinatown have been on and around Bethel Street, on the outer fringe of the 36-acre district. Korean newcomer Topped is different. It will have you venturing into the…
The new year brings to Honolulu two new yakitori hotspots – one budget and one luxe.
Hachibei may very well be the pinnacle of yakitori in Honolulu, a juxtaposition of luxe ingredients on rustic skewers.
Sponsored Congratulations goes to Kendrick Chun and Denise Tanaka for winning tickets to Square Barrels’ Locals Only beer dinner! Do you love beer, food and supporting local? You could win tickets to a dinner at Square Barrels this Saturday, Jan.…
I first heard rumblings of a new JJ Dolan’s sister restaurant in the works at the former Brasserie du Vin spot back in November 2015. With JJ Dolan’s pedigree for delicious pizza and wings, I couldn’t wait for this new…
(click to enlarge) This Sunday, Nov. 27, chefs Michelle and Wade Ueoka will welcome yet another spectacular roster of chefs they’ve worked with over the years to their restaurant for the second annual MW and Friends Reunited grazing event. With…
Fat Kid Friday is a video series spotlighting exuberant dishes across Oahu. Crazy, ginormous or over-the-top luxe, these are the broke-the-mouth dishes we push across the table and tell our friends, “Try this. TRY IT.” Burgers are like people –…
When you think of Encore Saloon, you imagine a bar full of dusty people on a dusty street in a western boom town. Not so fast, pardner. Turns out Encore was the name of the original establishment in this spot…
Billing itself as Hawaii’s first gourmet Japanese food alley, Waikiki Yokocho is set to open Dec. 1 in the basement of Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Sixteen new-to-Hawaii eateries will fill a culinary village with three themed alleyways: Ramen Road, Noren Street…
Jon Matsubara is a culinary Jedi Master in the kitchen of Forty Carrots at Bloomingdale’s Ala Moana. He is able to transport you back in time to dishes of your past, except reinvented with new combinations of ingredients you’ve probably…
Masataka Taketsuru If there’s one name in Japanese whisky you should know, it’s Masataka Taketsuru. Why, you ask? Taketsuru-san was the first person to bring whisky distilling to Japan from Scotland when he began working for the company now called…
Back in January, we announced Moku Kitchen was coming to SALT at Our Kakaako. In February we threw our epic Something New SALT party with a taste of what was coming to the complex between Keawe and Coral streets. Finally,…
A few weeks ago, James Charisma reviewed the noms at the King of Convenience (stores), 7-Eleven. His trove of discoveries and the passion with which he dug in inspired me to do the same on my recent first visit to…
Last November, I high-tailed it across the Pacific to Los Angeles for a dining experience I had been waiting my entire life for. No, it wasn’t a Michelin-star dinner or omakase by a famed sushi master. It was a meal…
Chef Michael Mina at his new Stripsteak restaurant in Waikiki. Renowned chef and restaurateur Michael Mina has opened his first restaurant in Hawaii in the new International Marketplace, the 29th in his worldwide culinary empire. Stripsteak is his chic chop house…
For many, Labor Day weekend signifies the official end of summer. Don’t let those looming storms deter you from having a good time as we say farewell to our favorite season with luxe chocolates, two film festivals, a benefit brunch…
I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m not a movie theater kind of person. No summer blockbusters, cult classic sequels or trailers can get me to cough up $12 to see a flick on the big screen. I won’t…
As we count down the days until classes start at UH, soak up the sun and all this weekend has to offer like homegrown products, a foodie-centric film fest in Chinatown, all things watersports in honor of Duke, a Pokemon…
Note: This restaurant has since closed. For someone who works in downtown, driving into Waikiki is a pain. Whether it’s the traffic, lack of parking or one-way streets, sometimes it’s just not worth the effort. However, when an invite to…
By the time you’ve caught your fiftieth voltorb of the night and your phone battery is down to 20 percent, a familiar feeling creeps up from your stomach. Pounding the pavement in search of rare Pokemon has taken its toll…
Note: The restaurant now serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Just over a year has passed since James Beard-nominated chef Ed Kenney opened Mud Hen Water, the third restaurant of his four restaurants in Kaimuki…
Three words: matcha soft serve. ??? When my Waikiki fixer Dan Chang from Wang Chung’s shared a photo of his matcha hojicha float on Facebook, I was all over it like white on rice. Serendipitously, I had a meeting in…
It isn’t every day you get to meet a Michelin-starred, James Beard Award-winning chef, let alone have him prepare your lunch from a decked-out food truck. With the help of Poni and Brandon Askew of Street Grindz, Michael Mina and…
Nearly three years have passed since Diane Seo wrote about her insatiable lust for fried chicken. She laid out her standards for the perfect piece: “It must be juicy and tender, but not overly greasy. It has to be flavorful,…
The spectacular view from Mt Eden or Maungawhau, a dormant volcanic cone just five minutes south of the Auckland CBD. (Click to enlarge) I’m going to be honest, despite its sneaky rolling hills and spotty weather, exploring Auckland is best…
