Japanese & Okinawan

Gaku Sushi Izakaya

1329 S. King St., (589-1329). Mon.–Sat. 5pm–11pm, Closed Sun. Entrees: $7.50–$40. Disc, JCB, MC, V.

The staff is exceptionally knowledgeable about the menu, even though a good portion of it changes daily. Izakaya-style specialties include baked king crab, ribeye steak with garlic or ponzu and asari clams either sauteed in garlic butter of steeped in sake. Among the cooked specials, there was beef tongue wrapped in shiitake mushroom and grilled green mussels. A hand-lettered and photocopied menu insert of the day’s specials showcases what Kikuchi picked out that morning at the fish market. – Napua Leong (4/4/07)

Kyoto Ohsho

Ala Moana Center Ho’okipa Terrace (949-0040). Daily 11:30am–10pm. Entrees: $11.50–$13.50.

The new sit-down-and-order dining format is not a bad thing. The teishokus (set meals) are very affordable. The grilled misoyaki butterfish is tender, sweet and juicy, just like Grandma used to make. More options for teishokus include hamburger steak, grilled yellowtail kama, chicken cutlet, beef teriyaki, sweet & sour Pork, the giggle-inducing grilled horse mackerel and other favorites. All come with miso soup, assorted vegetables and chawanmushi–egg custard steamed in a cup. Expect friendly service and the frequent bussing of superfluous plates.

– Ryan Senaga (2/27/08)

Matsugen

255 Beach Walk (926-0255). Daily, 11:30am–1:45pm, 5–9:30pm. Entrees: $7.80–$35.50. AmEx,DC, MC, JCB, V.

The handwritten, photocopied menu reflects the artisan allure of hand-crafted soba. The fresh soba noodles are perhaps best enjoyed mori style, served simply boiled and chilled and reverently laid atop a slattered lacquer tray alongside a carafe of tsuyu dipping sauce to pour into a broader dipping dish along with a clump of fresh wasabi and sliced scallion whites. There are izaka-style appetizers whose origins are primarily confined to the maw of sea creatures. There’s no sushi here, but you can get assorted seasonal sashimi and traditional “Edo” style poke.

– N. L. (2/30/07)

Nobu Waiki-ki-

2233 Helumoa Rd. (237-6999). Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11:30am–2pm, Dinner Daily 5:30am–2pm, Entree: From $11–$24. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.

Dinner is divided into two sections on the menu, cold dishes and hot dishes, with entrees, sushi and sashimi. Ponzu seems to be on everything. What was fascinating, different and exciting was the duck breast with wasabi salsa. The space itself is breath taking and almost alive with a subdued swirling chic attitude. It’s a restaurant you bring a date to with the expectation of getting laid after desert–or after the chu-toro, for that matter. To that end, Nobu is a stomach-driven aphrodisiac in a whole new style for Honolulu.

– R. S. (6/13/07)

Yohei Sushi Restaurant

1111 Dillingham Blvd. #E1A (841-3773). Mon.–Sat. 11am–1:45pm, 5–10pm. Entrees: $5–$28.

The food at Yohei Sushi exceeds expectations. Tamago sushi, the traditional litmus test to check out the cooking skills of the chef and/or his recipe was superb, definitely an in-house production by an experienced hand. The shokado, the most expensive item on the prix fixe dinner, other than the market price sushi combo, is a colorful assortment of more than 11 dishes on a large laquer tray.For true traditional Japanese dining, you don’t need to go to Japan. The delightful mini-dishes range from kazunoko and ikura in a bonita broth transitioning to minisashimi platter of tuna, tuna tataki, hamachi and flounder.The word to describe the food at Yohei’s is “Whoa!.”

– Walter Rhee (3/26/08)

Mexican

Mexico Restaurant

1247 N. School St. (845-9059). Mon.-Thu. & Sun.10:30am–9pm. Fri.–Sat. 10am–10pm. Entrees: $6.50–$16.95. MC, V.

The menu is mostly familiar (platters anchored by rice and beans and crested with sour cream and guacamole) with a few local touches (kalua pig enchiladas and quesadillas) and a scattering of surprises (crab chimichanga and scallop tacos). Best among the appetizers are the sizzling shrimp platters featuring large, shell-on but de-veined shrimp. Portions are generally large, but if you’ve got room, desserts (also more quantity than quality) include flan, churros with ice cream, a massive ball of fried ice cream and an interesting riff on the banana split.

– N. L. (1/24/07)

La Familia

94-226 Leoku St., Waipahu. (671-8776). Mon., Wed., Thu., Sun. 11am–10pm. Fri.–Sat. 11am–10pm. Entrees: $9.99–$14.99

Nachos and salsa are served first and are satisfyingly spicy with monster chunks of onions for your chip. The serving dish is a bit small, making requests for seconds a necessity. The brilliance comes with the entrees. The fajitas have a choice of beef or chicken, and the chicken comes sizzling on an iron skillet with large slices of green peppers and onions. Combo plates are available for those who want to try more things. The tamale are concocted with a moist and pleasantly sweet corn meal, while the green tortilla-shredded beef enchiladas were luscious with more of that wonderful green sauce. It’s almost like having an amazing home-cooked meal in someone’s kitchen.

– R. S. (2/20/08)

Southeast Asian & Indian

Bombay Indian Restaurant

Discovery Bay Center, 1778 Ala Moana Blvd. (942-3990). 5-10pm. Entrees: $9.95–$21.95. JCB, MC, V.

One of the highlights of Indian cuisine is its wonderful treatment of vegetables, and I was thrilled to see my favorite dish on the menu: Baingan bhartha, baked and mashed eggplant cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices. The popular veggie standards are here also: palak paneer, chana masala and dal makhni plus lesser-known variations like bhindi masala made with okra. While some Indian desserts can be either excessively floral or clunky, the ones at Bombay are subtle and mostly pleasant.

– N. L. (1/3/07)

Opal Thai Food

Across from McDonald’s, Kamehameha Hwy. Hale’iwa (381-8091). Wed.–Sun., 11am–6pm. Entrees: $6.50–$7.95. Cash only.

The diners devouring not Kahuku shrimp but satay and fried rice have come to Opal Thai Food for the cooking of Opel and Aoy Sirichandrha, both originally from Thailand and now united on the NorthShore with a shared dream: to serve simple, good, honest food. What may be the best things on the menu aren’t cooked at all. The popular green papaya salad is seasoned with an authentically pounded tincture of lime juice, fresh garlic and tomato.

– N. L. (1/10/07)

Pho Minh Thu

478 ‘Ena Rd., Waikiki (946-2299). Daily, 10am-9pm. Entrees: $7-$8.50.

The promise of hot, healthy pho helps to offset the lackluster ambience here, as does the swift and attentive–if hurried service. The pho is a watery beef-based broth slow-cooked with hefty doses of Saigon-Cinnamon, star anise and ginger. Pho is the saving grace at Pho Minh Thu, standing alone as a lone exemplar of the soul of the Vietnamese kitchen. Pho is also a testament to the many threads of influence in Vietnamese cuisine, the noodles-in-soup being a distinctively Chinese gastronomic desire.

– Carlie Singh (1/10/07)