Honolulu Weekly

So, can I just say that you don’t always need the bells and whistles to lure us to your spot, especially if you’ve been known to have barbecues with The Cobrasnake and Steve Aoki and like to project fixed-gear videos like Macafarma on the building across from you? Nice try with the Jell-O shots, Tiffany Tanaka, but the hook was just the name for me. Fresh Café. Lowercase letters though. fresh café. What’s fresh? Your Web site , already up with your hours and the entire menu (with prices). I know if I’m wandering around Ward Ave. an hour early for my next meeting I can just stop by and expect to see you run to the door in an apron saying, “Are you hungry?” with your cherub dimpley smile, and that the $5 cash I have is still enough to get a peanut butter bagel puff and a double espresso. She has that whole warehouse there on Queen St., by the way, not just the We Sell Things For You Ebay shop, and she’s not done. Until the giant space in the back unfolds even more, I’m totally cool with laid-back movie nights, eating soup with the Dropshadows and discussing the excitement of the upcoming shows at Nextdoor and Loft with Chris Kahunahana and Ara Laylo, respectively. Ahhhh you guys make me love this town.

“Oh, so that’s where everyone goes at 2am on a Wednesday,” I was saying to myself much, much later that night at Bar Seven. I was only away from the V Lounge side for a second when all of a sudden it was literally shoulder to shoulder. Everywhere. I had to ask someone if there was some kind of special occasion. “Nah, it’s always like this after 2,” the cocktail said. Dave and Busters mixed with Acid Wash mixed with Jazz Minds mixed with Tsunami’s at seven different bar options in one club. On a Wednesday. Jeesh. It definitely made me miss working a swing shift, that’s for sure. I’ll be with you guys in spirit, and definitely dreaming about you.

Finally too, I made it to Tsunami’s. I know, super late on that, but if you’ve been there you know it’s worth the wait. Two bottles of sake and a crazy spread of next-level bar food heated up my Thursday all proper. Restaurateur Brian Yoshida has one of those distinctive sort of sexy radio voices, I could listen to him talk all day, which is probably why I spaced out on what exactly that fish was he brought out for us to try, but man it was good. The place has a great feel to it, if you can smoosh upscale and casual together, but more with the upscale. I have yet to make it on a weekend but definitely hear it’s the usual stomping ground for a lot of my arty T-shirt wearing faves for stuff like darts and crazy-delicious food. The night I was there just happened to be its Thursday night with all the throw-back tunes, so I was singing to myself the entire time we were eating. The night before was my first ever Acid Wash since it moved to SoHo, so I was definitely still on a dancie throw-back tip. Until I can figure out more ways to say the word “amazing,” I’ll just say that Acid Wash is back, folks. The Acid Wash we all remembered with wall to wall people and nothing but smiles on the dance floor. Wednesday night appears to be the bar industry’s Saturday night and they are out in full force–drinking and dancing and drinking (and dancing). Those guys are so fun.

Week of Wow. It fit nicely with my Weekend of Nothing. I guess I can only rage during the week or on the weekend, not both. Lame. I’ll work on that.