M&M Eats: Yataimura at Shirokiya
A new food section in Shirokiya opens today: Yataimura. It’s on the third floor of Ala Moana Center (or the second floor of the store itself), in a section that was previously Japanese dishes, dry goods and snacks.
We went in thinking we’d just do a preview of the 21 different food booths, but as we ate and traded opinions, we realized there was enough material for an M&M Eats. Thus, here are our photos, and a fun little video, to show you the newly renovated spot in our favorite (and only) local Japanese department store.
M&M Eats: Yataimura at Shirokiya
Here’s Julie Aragaki, one of the media noshing with us at the Yataimura preview last week. “Yatai” means “shop stand” in Japanese, and is traditionally a small, mobile food stall selling udon, oden or other hot foods. Shirokiya Yataimura has 21 yatai, but unlike the ones in Japan, these are permanent stalls. Think “Eat the Street” Japanese style.
Shirokiya Yataimura
Ala Moana Center
808-973-9111
Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
M&M: the video by Mari Taketa
We had no plans for an M&M segment until the pics had been snapped, video shot and we were the last to leave Yataimura. We’d spent so long eating and trading opinions, as usual, with amateur videographer Mari shooting experimental clips and dialogue, that we realized we had enough material to wrap a she said-she said treatment into this sneak preview. That’s why only Melissa appears in the video, while Mari is heard off-camera. (She apologizes for the rough camera work. She promises to improve.)
Note from Melissa: I tried to get Mari in the video, but she maintained a vice-like grip on her camera while shrieking, “I’m doing video! I don’t want to be on camera!”
