Thomas Obungen

Associate 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 the Associate Editor of Frolic Hawai‘i and HONOLULU Magazine as well as the Content Strategy Manager of aio, the magazine’s parent company.

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 his free time, he enjoys soaking up too many UV rays at the beach, playing with all the puppers and acquiring cute reusable tote bags only for them to stay in the trunk of his car.

Articles

Thomas Favorite Sandwiches Biscuit Sandwich Morning Glass Coffee Credit Thomas Obungen

My 8 Favorite Sandwiches on O‘ahu

Frolic’s sandwich-loving contributing dining editor Thomas Obungen rounds up his top picks.

Kaimuki shokudo Credit Thomas Obungen Interior

Kaimukī Shokudo Is the Izakaya This Neighborhood Needed

Not the OG Shokudo you know, this one has a solid menu of vegetable and seafood otsumami classics with oishii cocktails.

88 Mart Credit Thomas Obungen Back Store

What You’ll See at the New 88 Mart in Downtown Honolulu

Downtown’s Korean market opens with light groceries, bentos, drinks and a self-serve ramyun bar at Executive Centre.

Ami Mei tea shelf Credit Thomas Obungen 6

Frolic’s Picks

Find a Moment of Zen at Ami Mei Tea & Wellness Boutique in Kaimukī

Brittnee Lau’s calming, well-sourced shop checks all the boxes for gifting in May.

Hokkaido Ramen Festival Photo Credit Thomas Obungen Miso Butter Corn Ramen

Hokkaido Ramen Festival Is Bringing 18 Ramen Shops to Waikīkī

Every two weeks, a new trio of shops will sell their ramen. Up now: Sanomaru, Tokin and Yukiguni Story.

Iliili Altaglio Pizza Case Credit Thomas Obungen

‘Ili‘ili Cash & Carry Debuts New Pizzas by the Slice Every Tuesday

One day a week, the Mō‘ili‘ili store’s new Roman-inspired pizzas take over the case with eight varieties.

Tanto Ramen Credit Thomas Obungen 4

Shirokiya’s Tanto Gyoza & Ramen Bar Reopens in Mō‘ili‘ili

Tanto’s sole location outside of Japan is a buzzy new shop inside Puck’s Alley serving bite-sized gyoza and hearty ramen.

Dash of Sazón Lomo Saltado Credit Thomas Obungen

Dash of Sazón Spices Up Hotel Street With Caribbean and Latin Fare

Peruvian, Jamaican and Puerto Rican flavors mesh well with the diversity of Chinatown.

White Sands Hotel pool bar area Credit Thomas Obungen

Travel Accommodation

Editors’ Picks: Our Favorite O‘ahu Hotels for Staycations

Feel like escaping, but don’t want to wander too far? Just in time for spring break, the HONOLULU team spills its favorite O’ahu staycation spots.

Bar Leather Apron Justin Park

Bars and Cocktails

Bar Leather Apron Makes the Cut as Hawai‘i’s Only James Beard Award Finalist

It’s up for the big win as Outstanding Bar at the James Beard Awards gala in Chicago in June.

Hk Cafe Noodles Toast Milk Tea

Chinatown’s New HK Café Has Retro Vibes and Legit Noodles

Honolulu’s first modern tea restaurant has delicious milk tea, laksa and sweet toasts six days a week except Thursdays (for now).

Giovedi Main Course Gray Snapper Credit Thomas Obungen

Giovedi, A New Pop-up Italian Restaurant with Asian Sensibilities

The team that opened Mad Bene pops up in Kaka‘ako with a rotating $95 prix fixe menu.

Tonjiru Set Fujiyama Texas Credit Thomas Obungen

Fujiyama Texas Izakaya Now Serves Japanese Breakfast in McCully

Start your day with solid Japanese breakfast sets with tonjiru soup to pork belly kakuni and grilled menpachi with rice and sides.

Stix Asia Food Hall Credit Thomas Obungen

Stix Asia Food Hall Now Open With 13 Restaurants in Waikīkī

Waikīkī's revamped Asian food hall grand opens today with discounts and deals at select restaurants.

Honolulu Noodle And Co House Signature Dry Noodle with full table Credit Thomas Obungen

Honolulu Noodle & Co. Brings Taiwanese Noodles and Snacks to Waikīkī

It's one of seven new noodle-focused restaurants open and coming to the Stix Asia food hall.

Various Foods Mat Courtesy Waikiki Market

See Inside the New Waikīkī Market and Piko Kitchen

Food Pantry’s full-service grocery with malassadas, poke bowls, plate lunches and a restaurant opens today across from International Market Place.

The Best Food We Ate in Tokyo in 72 Hours

Thomas Obungen and Maria Burke’s Top 6 picks from three short days in Japan.

Wagyukushi Plate Credit Thomas Obungen

Wagyu Skewers Are a Tasty New Add at Don Quijote Kaheka’s Food Court

Moo-ve over, takoyaki and ramen, Wagyukushi steals the scene with $6 grilled washugyu beef skewers.

Nijiya Japanese Supermarket Credit Thomas Obungen

What You’ll See at the New Nijiya Japanese Market at Ala Moana Center

The market moved from Pi‘ikoi Street to a bigger, shinier space between Famous Footwear and Bloomingdale’s.

Choco Lea Candy Truffles Pc Choco Lea

These Choco Le‘a Truffles Are Inspired by Favorite Candies

Ready for a sugar rush? You’ve never had Jolly Ranchers and Starbursts like this—but they’ll disappear after Nov. 23.

Nana Ai Katsu Uzumaki Credit Thomas Obungen 01

Kaimukī’s Nana Ai Katsu Finally Opens for Dine-In

Transformation from a takeout counter to Honolulu’s newest tonkatsu restaurant means maximum hot crispiness.

Kebabjii Middle Eats Kofta Koshari Credit Thomas Obungen 5

Farmers Market Finds: Egyptian Koshari and Kebab Plates in Kaka‘ako and Kailua

Kebabjii Cairo Barbecue debuts at the market with kebab plates, while Middle Eats scoops up Egypt’s national dish.

Tiffanys Credit Thomas Obungen Table

Sheldon Simeon’s Tiffany’s Maui Is a Homecoming for Palate and Soul

The Top Chef alum and James Beard Award nominee turns a local sports bar into his family restaurant.

Restaurant Suntory Credit Thomas Obungen Shunsai Zen 1

Worth the Splurge: Restaurant Suntory’s $42 Seasonal Kaiseki Lunch

Japan’s seasonal delicacies inspire a feast that satisfies the eyes and palate.

Foodiefieldtrip Paradise Grinds Boxlunch 2 Credit Thomas Obungen 5

Foodie Field Trip: Everything I Ate (and Drank) in One Day on Kaua‘i

A day trip reassures that the Garden Isle’s evolving dining scene still has room for the classics.

Fft Maui Blingbing Credit Thomas Obungen 5

Foodie Field Trip: Everything We Ate in One Day on Maui, Part 1

From newly opened destinations to bagels and matcha to classic pit stops, try to keep up with our eating agenda.

Roll With It El Gallo Credit Thomas Obungen Hero

Roll With It: Peruvian Street Food from El Gallo in Kaka‘ako

Grilled beef kebobs, chewy butternut squash doughnuts and other Peruvian fare have arrived in the urban core.

Hoonolulu Hotpot Hale Pot Credit Thomas Obungen

Honolulu Hotpot Hale Is a Souper Sleeper Hit on Ke‘eaumoku

Marbled beef by the yard, offal, bean curd and fungus are some of the optional add-ins at Honolulu Skewer House's sister restaurant.

Camado Ramen Tavern Tan Men Credit Thomas Obungen 06

Waikīkī’s New Camado Ramen Tavern Serves Up Retro Chic by the Bowl

Solid sides and shave ice bolster an izakaya menu with reasonable ramen and vegan options.

Ono Hana Kitchens

Classes and Recipes

Hana Kitchens Incubates New Culinary Community

A first-of-its-kind commissary kitchen in Honolulu offering space for retail, pop-up restaurants and cooking classes.

Best Of Food Drink 2022 Featureb

Best of Honolulu

Best of HONOLULU 2022: The Best Food and Drinks on O‘ahu

Find 13 of our editors’ favorites, plus 36 winners and finalists voted on by readers.

Best Of Honolulu 2022 Feature

Best of Honolulu

Best of HONOLULU 2022

From best Korean fried chicken to banh mi, the best way to get into pickleball to best beach blanket, we pulled together the top food, fitness, shopping, services and family-friendly picks.

Habibi Tasty Credit Thomas Obungen Beef Kebab 2

Arabic Cuisine Finds a New Home on South King Street at Habibi Tasty

The former late night Waikīkī food truck expands its menu with stuffed falafel, meaty kababs and a slew of appetizers.

Pizza Dadi Hot Honey Pizza Credit Thomas Obungen 2

Pizza Dadi Brings Mad Bene’s New York-Style Pies to Ward Village

Mad Garlic, NYC and Hot Honey pizzas headline a modest menu with big sides at the former Goma Tei Ramen.

Sxy Szechuan Whole Fish

44 Insanely Good Dishes in Hawai‘i

Our writers select the dishes and drinks around Honolulu and beyond that we crave.

Japanese ramen with side dishes

Is Kamukura the Best Food Court Ramen in Honolulu?

Osaka’s Kamukura Ramen debuts its exceptional “healthy” consommé ramen at Ala Moana Center this week.

Nami Kaze Benedict Credit Thomas Obungen 1

Nami Kaze Debuts New Seafood-Focused Brunch at Pier 38

Jason Peel breaks the mold of typical brunches with amusing seafood spins on comfort food classics.

Kualoagrown Market Credit Thomas Obungen

Foodie Field Trip: 7 Local Products We Found at the Kualoa Ranch Market

We knew about the shrimp and the oysters, but did you know they have all of these?

Foodie Field Trip in Kahuku

Foodie Field Trip: 3 Food Trailers to Check Out in Kahuku This Summer

Load up on corn dogs, chicken sandwiches and Korean shave ice at this one-stop smorgasbord of food trailers on O‘ahu’s North Shore.

Shingen Moringa Soba Credit Thomas Obungen

My New Favorite Soba Spot is an Underground Izakaya in Mō‘ili‘ili

Shingen Soba Izakaya’s fresh moringa soba and ube udon are at the heart of a noodle-centric menu.