New or Noteworthy

American

Poke Stop

Waipahu Town Center, 94-050 Farrington Hwy., next to Sizzlers (676-8100). Mon.-Sat. 8am-7pm, Sun. 8am-5pm. AmEx, MC, V.

You can pick up poi, bags of dried aku and a bowl of ‘deconstructed sushi’ along with daily specials such as perfectly seared opah in a deliciously salty broth swimming with Portuguese sausage chunks and cabbage.

Soul De Cuba Cafe

1121 Bethel St. (545-CUBA), across from the Hawai’i Theatre. Lunch 11:30am-2pm; dinner 5:30-10pm. Starters: $5-$9. Entrees: $9-$16. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.

Start with the devil crab appetizers; the crispy outside, the thick, stuffing-soft layer of dumpling and the inner pocket of seasoned lump crab are addictive. The restaurant’s signature entree, the Pollo Soul de Cuba, is a breaded chicken breast smothered in a chunky warm salsa that boasts sweet, meaty chunks of guava and mango, citrusy pineapple, buttery rum and black beans.

Restaurant Epic

1131 Nu’uanu Ave. (587-7877). Mon.-Sat. 11am-2:30pm, 5-11pm, Sun. 5-10pm. $5-$25, AmEx, Disc, JCB, MC, V.

A new chef and a new menu means good things for Epic. The Euro-Asian fare is solid and satisfying, from the li hing heirloom tomato salad to the blue cheese-crusted opa.

Cafe & Deli

Daily Bread

1909 S. King St. (951-6634). Mon.-Sat., 7am-7pm. Cash only.

With a dollop of European-style butter, something as simple as a slice of bread can be as exquisite and heartwarming as a fine chocolate truffle. Daily Bread makes a rare attempt to be a true boulangerie. Aside from baguettes, there are batards, boules, rectangular loaves of soft, sandwich bread, croissants and danishes.

Kalapawai Cafe and Deli

750 Kailua Rd. (262-3354) Daily 6:30am-9pm, tapas after 5:30pm, $5-$14.95 Amex, MC, V.

It’s a cute, charming and quaint surprise–part country cafe, part saloon-style eatery–that serves up solid picnic basket fare, from Tuscan white bean salad to hot pastrami on rye. Also on the evening menu: local fish with an ethnic flare.

This Is It Bakery & Deli

443 Cooke St. between Pohukaina and Auahi Sts. (597-1017), Mon.-Fri. 6am-4pm, Sat. 7am-3pm; This Is It Too, 1001 Bishop St and Alakea (526-2280), Mon.-Fri. 5:30am-2:30pm. Plain bagels: 85 cents each, $9 a dozen. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.

Bagels, sandwiches, salads and desserts are also on the menu. When it comes to bagels, well, this is it.

Chinese

Fook Lam Seafood

Restaurant

Chinatown Cultural Plaza, 100 N. Beretania St. (523-9168). Daily 8am-3pm and 5-10pm. Dim sum from $1.90. MC, V.

The dim sum cart comes around more often than at the bigger dim sum palaces, and cheap prices mean your stomach can be as big as your eyes. Superior taro gok and shrimp gau, when hot out of the kitchen, are highlights. Augment your plate with a handful of filled look fun rolls and house specialty braised e-mein.

Kirin at Ala Moana Center

Ala Moana Center, street level, makai side (946-1888). Daily 10:30am-10pm (dim sum served 10:30am-5pm). Dim sum: $2.75-$3.95. Entrees: $8.95-$15. AmEx, Disc, JCB, MC, V.

This Kirin is the chic younger sister to the 20-year-old Kirin on Beretania. Here you order from a menu, not carts, and chef Shen King Kan (previously at Legend) updates dim sum. Try the broth-filled Shanghai juicy pork buns. For a bigger meal, there are also entrees like Peking duck and Tai Shan crab.

Japanese & Okinawan

Kyo-Ya

2057 Kalakaua Ave. (947-3911). Mon.-Sat. 11am-1:30pm, 5:30pm-9:15pm (Sunday dinner only); valet parking; $5-$58.

An upscale alternative to the izakaya-style, Kyo-Ya presents classy, traditional moriawase, teishoku and nebemono in a zen-like setting. Exemplary of the high quality offerings is the sashimi teishoku with thick slabs of hamachi, ahi and salmon that lay among bushes of daikon, dried onion and ogo with strips of white fish arranged into a flower and pieces of mirugai snuggled between slices of lemon.

Matsugen

255 Beach Walk (926-0255). Daily 11:30am-2pm; 5:30-10pm. AmEx, DC, MC, JCB, V.

At this shrine dedicated to the craft of Japanese buckwheat soba, noodles are hand-made fresh in the dining room’s exhibition area six to eight times a day. The noodles are firm without being burdened by firmness, and you can get them chilled or hot, from barely adorned mori and kake to natto-bukkake and ebi tempura variations. The ‘edo’-style poke is both restrained and whimsical in seasoning.

Taiyo Ramen

451 Pi’ikoi St. (589-2123). Mon.-Thu. 10-1am, Fri.-Sat. 10-3am, Sun. 10am-9pm. Entrees: $6.25-$7.95. Cash only.

Some of the best things on Taiyo Ramen’s menu aren’t long and stringy. The real reason to come here is the chicken katsu curry rice. Just as notable are the moist, garlicky gyoza and the pleasingly spicy diced kim chee. The noodles aren’t bad, either.

Mexican

El Palenque

177 Kamehameha Hwy., Wahiawa (622-5829). Mon.-Sat. 11am-2pm & 5-9pm, Sun 11am-3pm. Entrees: $6.95-$10.50. MC, V.

El Palenque serves up aromatic platters of Northern Mexican cuisine with old family recipes from Ciudad Juarez. From chimichangas to tamales to chile relleno, most every Mexican specialty is covered. The piquantly spiced mole is particularly enjoyable. El Palenque’s dark, thick version is championed by an imported Mexican chocolate and homemade chicken stock.

Mexico Lindo

600 Kailua Rd. (263-0055). Sun.-Thu. 11am-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 11am-10pm. MC, V.

Mexicao Lindo has friendly service, live mariachi and hearty fare that’s far from authentic–perfect for Windwardites who prefer things western with a Pacific twist. The blue crab quesadilla with the signature papaya avocado salsa is perfect.

Just opened (too new to review)

Nihon Noodles

2065 S. King St. (944-6622). Mon.-Sat. 11am-3pm, 4pm-midnight.

Taking the place of Neo Nabe, this noodle house serves dishes garnished with bean sprouts, charsiu, menma, green onions and nori. All dishes are under $8, and you can add a mini curry with rice for only $2. Try the Nihon Noodle Special for groups of 4 or more–shoyu, miso and pork broths with three types of traditional noodle.