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.

 

Email Thomas

Articles

Sunday is your last chance at Thai street food until April

As the highly revered father of modern Thailand, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Dec. 5 birthday is celebrated by Thais as Father's Day. Although it lands on Wednesday, the Thai Buddhist temple between Waipahu and Pearl City is getting the party started this Sunday,…

What I found at Foodland: Detroit-style pizza

What I found at … is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought foodie finds. What: Outsiders Pizza Company Detroit-style three-cheese pizza Where: Frozen foods aisle at Foodland and Target storesCost: $13.99 (on ad for $9.69)  Q: Can this frozen pizza turn out better…

What I found at Costco: Cheeseburger

What I found at … is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought foodie finds. What: Kirkland Signature CheeseburgerWhere: All Oahu Costco Wholesale food courtsCost: $4.99  Q: Is this $5 cheeseburger better than what you can get at a fast food…

New Kahala Shave Ice keeps Kakaako cool

Aloha wear designer Kahala Sportswear opened a shave ice stand at their new Salt at Our Kakaako store and flavors are outrageously good. I'm talking about organic syrups made with local fruit like guava, mountain apple and a Brazillian grape called jaboticaba. They've…

HPU’s AYCE cafe at Aloha Tower has Sam Choy dishes

When I was a student at Hawaii Pacific University nearly 10 years ago, I didn't have any of this. I never had the luxury of dining with a waterfront view of Honolulu's bustling harbor – a fabulous spot to zone out…

Honolulu Skewer House = spicy Chinese barbecue sticks

If you knew Japanese Restaurant Aki when it was on Makaloa Street, you may experience deja vu upon stepping into Honolulu Skewer House. The space, largely unchanged, has the same high ceilings, modern white seats and whimsical mural depicting a swirly sun and…

Seoul Mix 2.0 is open at Ala Moana Center

Seoul Mix 2.0, the last and final spot at Ala Moana's Lanai food court, opened with a welcome dose of Korean-Mexican fusion. Right off the bat, the menu reads like a list of everything you want in life. I order one…

Akira combines affordable kaiseki with izakaya fare

Kaiseki represents the highest form of Japanese cuisine – a sequence of artful dishes displaying the precise skills and techniques a chef has perfected over the course of a career. It is often cited as the inspiration for haute cuisine…

Paris.Hawaii is Waikiki’s most exciting new restaurant

Two years. Delay upon construction delay set chef Yuya Yamanaka and Zetton Inc., a Tokyo-based restaurant conglomerate that's helping to change modern dining in Waikiki, back from opening Paris.Hawaii as intended in 2016. The two years turned out to be a blessing:…

Cool slurps: Basil pesto kale udon at Zigu

Although I've waxed poetic about the smoked egg and potato salad that in my opinion is a mandatory order at Zigu, these warm nights have me craving their cold basil pesto kale udon with watercress. Every morning, the udon master incorporates…

Shave ice wonders in Japan that go way beyond rainbow cones

Summers in Japan are brutal: 100-degree heatwaves coupled with 99 percent humidity. Luckily, kakigori or delicate shaved ice topped with fruit purees, espuma foam and other delights offers a reprieve, if only for a few melting moments. The Japan Kakigori Association designates…

Chick-fil-A sets sights on first Oahu location

We normally don't get our undies in a bunch over announcements from chain restaurants, but this announcement has me flocking to Snopes to see if it was fake news or not. The confirmation came in a memo from Chick-fil-A corporate communications, the chicken…

Go, see, eat: Big Island

In recent years I've grown very fond of Hawaii Island, especially Hilo and the towns that dot the Hamakua Coast. The mellow pace, sweeping pastures and cozy snuggle weather remind me of New Zealand, albeit with less sheep. While the harsh reality…

Fat Kid Friday: Desserts at Kahuku Farms Cafe

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." Enamored by the desserts at…

Fat Kid Friday: Kahuku’s HI-CHIX

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.” Doing heavy lifting with the…

Eating is believing: Half-off lunch at Vintage Cave Cafe

Eating is believing is a series spotlighting great deals on incredible food.  What: Those in the know get half off Vintage Cave Cafe's food on the lunch menuWhere: Vintage Cave Cafe, Ala Moana Center, Ewa Wing, Street LevelWhen: Daily 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.Price: $9…

ZIGU is Waikiki’s newest izakaya with locavore roots

If Terrace House filmed a second season of Aloha State, ZIGU would be the locale for a pivotal first date episode. Its ambiance evokes the uber oshare or stylish vibe of a converted home on LA's Melrose Avenue, while its Hawaii farm-to-table menu…

This is the new Old Spaghetti Factory

Finally, oh, finally. I was fearing I wouldn't see the day The Old Spaghetti Factory would reopen at the Aloha Tower Marketplace, but it has finally arrived. Judging by the reactions and comments on my post on the Frolic Instagram last…

New Izakaya Danji features Japanese food from Kyushu

It's no secret that Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan, is home to some of Japan's most celebrated foods. Tonkotsu ramen is a specialty of Fukuoka in the north. Chicken nanban, a vinegary fried dish, had its start in Miyazaki on…

First-timers’ guide to Kuala Lumpur

Sponsored Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia, the crossroads of Southeast Asia. It is one of the most visited cities in the world and home to AirAsia, which recently celebrated flying its 500 millionth passenger. I’m smitten with KL's diversity, probably…

Newsflash: Rainbow Drive-in is open in Kalihi

You know what's better than a mix plate with gravy all ova? Not having to drive across town to get it!  The tarps came down and lines have been growing at the spot where Kamehameha Bakery fried up their famously…

Eating is believing: Chogajib’s $6.99 lunch set specials

Eating is believing is a series spotlighting great deals on incredible food.   What: 5th Anniversary lunch specials Where: Chogajib Korean Restaurant When: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Price: $6.99 Compare: Regular prices range from $8.95 to $14.95 Fullness factor: 8 out of 10…

If you love eating local, help save Nalo Farms

Nalo Farms needs our help. After two months of heavy rain waterlogged the third-generation family farm, Friday night's torrential downpours brought disaster. By daybreak Saturday, 12 of the farm's 14 acres were under four feet of water, wiping out nearly the…

Chingu brings LA’s K-Town to Kakaako

Chris Oh, the self-proclaimed unofficial mayor of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, just expanded his California restaurant empire to the Aloha State with Chingu in the former Cafe Maru space on Kapiolani Boulevard. If the name sounds familiar, Oh was on the…

What I found at Marukai: Milk tea that looks like water

What I found at … is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought foodie finds. It’s the wide-angle parallel to KaSnack attack!, our series reviewing made-in-Hawaii snacks.  What: Suntory Premium Morning Tea milk tea and lemon teaWhere: Refrigerated drinks case and…

Kawaii! Honolulu has a new musubi shop

A kawaii musubi shop called Ookini Onigiri opened in Waikiki on Feb. 26 with 24 different types of rice balls, various bento and a special pork miso soup. At night, the shop turns into the Waikiki branch of Moiliili's Sweet…

What I found at Costco: Acai bowl

What I found at … is a series that tests and vets intriguing store-bought foodie finds. It’s the wide-angle parallel to KaSnack attack!, our series reviewing made-in-Hawaii snacks.  What: Kirkland Signature Acai Bowl Where: All Oahu Costco food courtsCost: $4.99  Q: Is this $5 acai bowl…

Izakaya Uosan is a sashimi slice of Japan

There's lots of buzz about a new izakaya from a former chef and manager of Sushi Izakaya Gaku. Izakaya Uosan (it means "three fishes") has opened in Kapiolani Boulevard’s Blackfield Building with a simple, rustic menu and an emphasis on…

Droolworthy: The Smoked Prime Rib Dip at The Street

I consider prime rib to be a meal for special occasions. My family will make an eight-pounder for Christmas dinner or we might go to a buffet that serves it to celebrate a birthday. So when I saw The Street Social…