Thomas Obungen

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.

 

Email Thomas

Articles

Mio Pastalogy pasta bowls

Build your own fresh pasta bowls at new Mio Pastalogy

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…

tonkatsu sandwich

How a katsu sandwich got me hooked on healthy eats

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…

dragonslayer dragonfruit donut

5 holey reasons to try Kakaako’s new donut truck

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…

lokahimarket

Farmers market finds: Kailua’s chill Lokahi Market

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…

kula shave ice trailer

Hilo’s farm-to-bowl shave ice expands to Haleiwa

I've planned vacations entirely around visiting shave ice shops. In 2018, I devoured 68 bowls of shave ice from shops in Japan and Hawaii. I just might be a little obsessed with shave ice. I know, I'm weird.  See also: Shave ice…

FookiHero

Fooki brings happy Taiwanese fusion to Aiea

Under the looming elevated railway that defines this stretch of Kamehameha Highway, a Taiwanese fusion noodle bar called Fooki opened a few weeks ago in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center. An unlikely restaurant in an unlikely part of Oahu, it begs a question: Who's…

DeanDelucahero

Farmers market finds: $5 bites from Dean & DeLuca

Farmers markets are breeding grounds for food innovation and some of Hawaii's most successful restaurants. Frolic's series spotlights some of these ono finds.  What: Truffle egg salad, chicken namban and ahi melt sandwiches, antipasto pasta, caprese saladHow much: $4.95 eachWhat…

ShrimpLaksa

New SingMaTei’s curry laksa is a Malaysian delight

Let's be honest, food courts don't exactly set a high bar for culinary finds. However, if you've spent any time in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore, you know that open-air hawker centers and food markets tend to buck…

HigotoBentoBowl

20 new and coming restaurants in June 2020: Foodmap

Not to jinx things, but at a time when we thought we would be covering more closures, we're seeing instead signs of confidence in brave restaurateurs. At least 20 new restaurants have opened in recent weeks or plan to open…