Just Opened: 5 New Restaurants in Honolulu
Izakaya Torae Torae, W Bistro, Nagomi, Kissaten, Sushi Ginza Onodera.
Inside the new Izakaya Torae Torae
Maybe it's a sign that the economy's getting better—there's a slew of new restaurants in Honolulu, with more to come. Here's a glance at a few places that have just opened. Expect a closer look in upcoming weeks.
Izakaya Torae Torae
Hide Yoshimoto, the former executive chef of Doraku, lets loose on this menu that includes whole fried baby shrimp (shell and all) dusted with curry, uni and shiso in fried mentaiko batter, and a hamburger steak stuffed with mozzarella cheese. There's also a selection of sashimi and sushi rolls, from the standard to the creative, including the chef's namesake roll, the Hideyoshi, with spicy ahi, shiso and takuan.
1111 McCully St., 949-5959
W Bistro
Where Le Guignol used to be. The restaurant has been renovated, and there's a new chef in the kitchen: Eric Omick, previously the executive chef at Haliimaile General Store on Maui. He was running a catering business when he met Richard and Judy Weinstein, who wanted to reopen the restaurant space when Le Guignol closed. (They own a pharmaceutical company and the pharmacy right next to W Bistro.) The new restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, with items such as a watermelon and feta salad and roast duck and Chinese black bean sauce flatbread. Entrees include a hamburger and blackened mahi mahi.
1010 S. King St., #108, 589-2295, wbistroat1010.com
Nagomi
A shiny new teppanyaki place on a stretch of Kapiolani better known for its strip clubs. Nagomi is open late, with a full dinner menu until 11:30 p.m. In addition to the usual teppan suspects of steak, chicken and seafood, Nagomi offers a variety of okonomiyaki and yakisoba and bacon-wrapped mochi prepared on the flat top. And for dessert: fried mochi with green tea ice cream.
1687 Kapiolani Blvd., 312-3534, nagomilounge.com
Kissaten
The 24-hour coffee shop on Piikoi just opened a new spot in Restaurant Row. This one's not open 24 hours, but it does stay open late—until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays. "Kissaten" in Japanese refers to a coffee shop with snacks, light fare and simple meals, an apt description of the original Kissaten in Honolulu. The new one will be much the same, with a full coffee bar, breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night menu. Breakfast includes POG pancakes and banana cream stuffed French toast; lunch is a loco moco, burger, salads and pasta.
500 Ala Moana Blvd., 593-7050, kissatencafe.com
Sushi Ginza Onodera
Honolulu, meet your new, high-end sushi bar, with only 18 seats and three omakase menus at $160, $200, and $250. Onodera's other location is in Tokyo's tony Ginza district. After Honolulu, it's planning on opening two more locations, in Paris and Hong Kong. Looks like Honolulu has made it on the Sushi Ginza Onodera map.
808 Kapahulu Ave., 735-2375, sushi-onodera.com
