First Look: Fooki, a Playful New Taiwanese Restaurant in ‘Aiea
The team behind Egghead Café brings beef noodle soup, a pineapple fried chicken burger, scallion-pancake nachos and more to the Pearl Kai Shopping Center.
Thomas Obungen
Articles
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…
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…
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…
Kaka‘ako’s Islander Sake Brewery Has Opened Its Sake Bar
Honolulu now has a place to drink fresh, locally made sake with homey food pairings.
Lemon peel gummy fans, here's a side-by-side look at 6 favorites
It's been a while since lemon peel gummy bears have addicted our taste buds, so it's time for a re-check. If you think that just because you’ve tried one lemon peel gummy, you’ve tried them all, you’re wrong. Just ask…
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…
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…
6 We Tried: We Search for the Best Lemon Peel Gummy Bears on O‘ahu
Not all lemon peel gummy bears are made the same. We cracked open bags from six different places to find the best of these sweet-sour treats.
Sweet Alert: Agnes' Malassadas Are Back in Kailua
A new truck is serving up the iconic malassadas hot and crispy.
H Mart opens first Hawaii store and food hall
Hoping. Praying. Dreaming. Answering the anticipation of Asian food fans and halmonis waiting for America's largest Asian grocery chain to arrive in Hawaii, H Mart opened its doors at 9 a.m. today, May 28, to a socially distanced line that wrapped…
Oahu's new restaurant reality: How Shokudo will look when it reopens
As June 5 nears — the date when Oahu restaurants can finally reopen for dine-in customers — many are in a mad dash to figure out how to comply with new rules for safety and sanitation. Tables must be spaced at least…
Two-minute takeout: Hide-chan Restaurant
It's still a delicious landscape out there! As we wait for Oahu restaurants to reopen for dine-in, we're trying takeout from places we've never been before. Hey everyone, it's Thomas again. I'm back for another Two-minute takeout. I was craving…
New Higoto brings elevated bento, musubi to Kaimuki
Higoto Japanese Eatery opened May 14, at a time when takeout is the only option for restaurants open during the pandemic. Luckily, takeout is exactly what Nobu Kurokawa, former owner of Kona Kai Sushi up the hill on the same…
New Midnight Hi delivers midnight munchies
Enormous chocolate chip cookies bigger than your head. Two pounds of assorted fries with tubs of dipping sauce. Tater tots covered with mac and cheese, sriracha aioli AND Flaming Hot Cheetos. It's clear that all inhibitions are lost when you order delivery…
Two-minute takeout: Cafe Maharani
It's still a delicious landscape out there! As we ride out this pandemic by staying at home, many of us are trying takeout from places we've never been before. Thomas Obungen discovers a longtime Moiliili institution that's new to him. …
Sweet and savory lumpia from a new spot is just what we need
Oh, lumpia. The many ways you comfort cannot be counted. In my family, the kids would get a call on their birthday to come over to Grandma and Papa's house where warm pans of pancit bihon and bags of freshly…
Two-minute takeout: Aburiya Ibushi
It's still a delicious landscape out there! As we ride out this pandemic by staying at home, many of us are trying takeout from places we've never been before. Thomas Obungen picks up dinner from Aburiya Ibushi, a new izakaya…
What I found at Palama Market: Brown sugar boba ice cream bars
What I found at … is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought foodie finds. What: Xiao Mei brown sugar boba ice cream barsWhere: Freezer aisle or near ice cream at Palama Market (note: Teaspresso also sells single bars at…
Islander Sake Is Making Hawai‘i's First Sake in Three Decades
Here's a look at the brand new Kakaako brewery and its junmai ginjo, nigori and amazake.
Two-Minute Takeout: Yamas Mediterranean Cuisine
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. Hey everyone,…
New Little Joe's Steakhouse delivers big on value
When dining at a steakhouse, you're normally confronted with three options: big portions, a diverse menu or reasonable prices. As you might have guessed, you can only pick one. At Little Joe's, which opens Friday, Mar. 13, you can have all three and…
11 new and coming restaurants in March 2020: Foodmap
1938 Indochine Kevin Aoki's third new restaurant at The Collection will serve Southeast Asian fare with special attention to techniques and flavors from Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The sign was recently installed and outdoor seating areas assembled along Ala Moana Boulevard.…
You’ll Want to Dip Everything into Ichifuji’s Oxtail Hot Pot
The new Mōʻiliʻili spot grand opened above sister restaurant Tori Ton.
Waikiki Food Hall grand opens at Royal Hawaiian Center
Who knew Waikiki needed a fourth food hall? This one, aptly named Waikiki Food Hall, grand opens at Royal Hawaiian Center on Saturday, Mar. 7 at 8 a.m. A mix of eight local and Japanese concepts will serve up everything from garlic shrimp plates and…
Farmers Market Finds: Katsu Sandwiches at Kaka‘ako
New series starts with crispy pork and chicken katsu sandwiches on fluffy Japanese bread.
Reader poll: What's your favorite poke shop?
People's poke preferences are about as diverse as they come. Some love it spicy while others crave it simple and tasting like the sea. Variations in texture range from crunchy to tender, chewy to crispy; each has its own merits. So which poke…
Our go-to: Bubbling hot pots
Chilly winter nights have Frolickers bundling up and heading out for steaming bowls of comfort. Hot pots filled with simmering broth and everything from chicken meatballs and local veggies to beef short rib, lamb, Korean ramen and Spam, of course. Some…
Kevin Hanney's Chopchop Rotisserie opens in Waikiki
Without much fanfare, Kevin Hanney and his wife Denise Luke opened the doors to Chopchop Rotisserie, their third restaurant, on Monday night. It's not on 12th Avenue. It's not on Koko Head Avenue. It ain't even in Kaimuki — it's on…
Pupusas, pastelitos and other Salvadoran eats are in Waipahu
Waipahu is changing. It doesn't matter if you haven't been in weeks, months or years. Drive along Farrington Highway and you'd be surprised how much newness has crept in with the construction of the rail line. Even Highway Inn has migrated…
Market City's new Taiwanese cafe has fluffy souffle pancakes
I'm a total sucker for boba. I might add them to my milk tea from time to time; I am gung-ho when I see them on a dessert. Imagine my reaction when I came across a towering stack of souffle pancakes…
20 new and coming restaurants for 2020: Foodmap
It's only Day 2 of the new decade and Oahu's food scene is already off to an exciting start. The mix is literally all over the map with Vietnamese sandwiches, Salvadoran pupusas and Taiwanese dumplings scattered across the island. Here…
Poke and pupus: Foodland's new restaurant is a good catch
Foodland is closing out the year on a high note: Foodland Farms Pearl City opened a few weeks ago to nonstop crowds and tomorrow, Dec. 12, their new poke restaurant opens in the hippest corner of Honolulu. Redfish Poke Bar…
Mad Bene's legit East Coast Italian is the best thing in Kapolei
A flight from Hawaii to New York is at least nine hours long. But then you have to find a way into the city, settle in, yada-yada, badabing badaboom, by the time you're enjoying a hot slice of pizza you're mad tired.…
Tasty Middle Eastern fare comes from a van in Waikiki
Editor's note: As of July 24, Habibi Tasty now pops up at 210 Kapuni St. and Kuhio Avenue. Do you remember Zanzibar, the nightclub in the former Waikiki Trade Center? Well, I don't, but I do remember Da Falafel King, a…
Okinawa's Potama Spam musubi sandwiches are coming to Waikiki
Okinawa shares many similarities with Hawaii including weather, gorgeous beaches and an affinity for canned comfort food. One Okinawan delicacy shop that has gained popularity in recent years is Pork Tamago Onigiri or "Potama" as it's affectionately called. A potama is…
The 22 best burgers on Oahu: Foodmap
I have been a burger fan for as long as I can remember. Ask my parents — no matter where we went, if there was a burger on the menu, that's what I was having. From palm-sized sliders to triple-deckers as big…
Poll Results: Here’s Your Top 5 Crispy Gau Gee
From Wai‘anae to Lā‘ie, crispy gau gee ranked by readers.
Reader poll: Vote for your fave crispy gau gee
Deep-fried envelopes of ground pork, crispy gau gee are a hot commodity at every potluck: Show up with a box and a bucket of hot mustard and you'll be the life of the party. Just like our inaugural poll that…
