New on Koreamoku: Chicken Factory
Driving up Keeaumoku Street, you may have noticed a new restaurant in the space that used to be Chick & Meck, which used to be Red House, which used to be Sanji Ramen, which used to be … I can’t…
Something New
This Black Sheep is good: new ice cream in Waipahu
There may be a black sheep in every family, but in the case of Black Sheep Cream Co., that’s not a bad thing. The local ice creamery recently opened in Waipahu near Costco, and news spread fast. I text my fellow Leeward…
Hooray for a new andagi and bento shop
Andagi tends to be hit or miss. The best I’ve ever had was a black sesame version in the Okinawan motherland last summer. The random kiosk we came across on International Street nailed their fried balls of goodness — perfectly…
Just opened at Ward: Scratch Kitchen & Meatery
The wait is over. Well, for the most part. Scratch Kitchen & Meatery, the new sister restaurant of Chinatown’s Scratch Kitchen & Bake Shop, soft-opens at Ward Villages’ South Shore Market today, April 10. What’s different? Unlike Chinatown, which starts…
Kaimuki’s new vegan hotspot: Vegan Hills
I always say, “I could never become vegan.” But after dining at Vegan Hills, I might have to change my omnivore tune … at least once a week. Vegan Hills is located along the Waialae strip near Happy Days, Top…
Uzbek food hits downtown at Silk Road Cafe
On a map, Uzbekistan is worlds away from Downtown Honolulu. But since a hot new lunch spot called Silk Road Cafe opened, we can get a taste. It’s pretty safe to say this is the only Uzbek restaurant in Hawaii.…
It’s finally open: AYCE Gen Korean BBQ at Ala Moana
By Dale Yasunaga Special to Frolic Hawaii If you’re among the 6,700-plus people who have liked Gen Korean BBQ Ala Moana’s Facebook page, you probably know that they soft opened this past Friday. You may have even braved the crowds…
Ethel’s Grill expands … to Hawaii Kai
This location has since closed. Anyone who has been to the original Ethel’s Grill in Kalihi Kai knows it has been there forever. As in decades. And only there. So when I saw that Ethel’s second generation – daughter Minaka…
Something new: Yauatcha
This restaurant has closed. Sponsored When you think of dim sum, it’s usually a noisy brunch crowd in Chinatown with large carts of steamer baskets lumbering past. But when you bring dim sum from a chain in London, you know…
Attention, adults: Maui has boozy shave ice
Happy hour. Shave ice. Maui. Don’t these five words just make you smile? If so, you’ll be intrigued by the sweet new deal at Breakwall Shave Ice Co. in Lahaina. From 2 to 6 p.m. daily, Breakwall offers an “adult” shave ice…
Maru Sushi: Finally, a Michelin sushi bar comes to town
Owner/chef Takeshi Kawasaki at the nine-seat sushi bar. Sushi fanatics have been waiting for Maru Sushi, an iconic Michelin-starred sushi bar from Sapporo, to open in Honolulu. Founding owner and executive chef Takeshi Kawasaki held a little pop-up a few months…
Korea comes to Chinatown: Topped restaurant
An astute downtownie might have noticed that the latest restaurant openings in Chinatown have been on and around Bethel Street, on the outer fringe of the 36-acre district. Korean newcomer Topped is different. It will have you venturing into the…
Something new: Sweet Creams
The cream team: Business partners Jeffrey Kao, left, and Bari Carroll. If you haven’t been to the ice cream pop ups, you may have at least seen Sweet Creams on social media, where staffers make ice cream from scratch, lay…
Something new: Royal Hawaiian Bakery opens today
Today marks the Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort’s 90th anniversary, and one of the celebrations includes the opening of their Royal Hawaiian Bakery. The bakery opens at 10 a.m. today, but will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 4…
Budget on a stick: Tori Ton
The new year brings to Honolulu two new yakitori hotspots – one budget and one luxe.
Luxe on a stick: Yakitori Hachibei Chinatown
Hachibei may very well be the pinnacle of yakitori in Honolulu, a juxtaposition of luxe ingredients on rustic skewers.
Something new: Aloha Beer brewery and tap room
By Will McGough Special to Frolic Hawaii The line was out the door Thursday evening when Aloha Beer Co. tapped its kegs in its brand-new location on Queen Street in a much-anticipated revival. A few minutes after the 4 p.m.…
Something new: KatsuMidori Sushi Tokyo
By Thomas Obungen and Dale Yasunaga You may have heard about the deal that can be had at KatsuMidori Sushi Tokyo, the latest uber-popular Japanese chain to open on Oahu. Foodies are abuzz about the $5 otoro (fatty tuna) nigiri,…
Something new: Rain Honolulu
Rain Honolulu quietly opened its doors a couple of weeks ago, just around the corner from its sister bar, Scarlet Honolulu. But make no mistake, people aren’t going to be quiet about this place for very long. The guys who…
Something new: Flour & Barley – Brick Oven Pizza Waikiki
Sponsored When was the last time you had a pizza party? You might want to plan one at Flour & Barley – Brick Oven Pizza Waikiki. The new restaurant in the International Market Place specializes in creative brick oven pizzas…
Opening Wednesday (at last): Senia
Without a doubt, Senia — a long-awaited restaurant by chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush — has been one of the most hyped restaurants in town for a spot that hasn’t even opened yet. Well, the wait is over: Tomorrow,…
Something new: Auntie’s Kitchen on Maui
Driving through Maui’s west side, the last place I’d look for Hawaiian food and local kine grinds would be in one of the glamorous resorts. Which is exactly why I was excited about Auntie’s Kitchen, a new poolside restaurant at…
Something new: Encore Saloon
When you think of Encore Saloon, you imagine a bar full of dusty people on a dusty street in a western boom town. Not so fast, pardner. Turns out Encore was the name of the original establishment in this spot…
The home base for the 2022 Hale ‘Aina Restaurateurs of the Year is a hidden paradise that serves up the best Lao and Thai food in Honolulu.