American

Duc’s Bistro

The little restaurant on Maunakea Street is as unassuming as it is surprising. Duc himself is the gracious host that greets and seats you. Start with the Kobe beef tartar, a tender mound of pink beef minced with lemon, onions and capers and served with toast and a trio of condiments–diced tomatoes, onions and capers–to spoon onto the build-it-yourself open-faced triangles. Classicism is the common thread for the remainder of the menu, where French and Vietnamese dishes co-exist, but don’t mingle. The Vietnamese dishes are clean, fresh and fragrant. The French dishes are hearty and rich, like the seafood Feuillete Joinville, a decadent blend of prawns, scallops and morels tossed in a crawfish sauce and served in a flaky puff pastry.

– Kawehi Haug (10/3/07)

Food for Thought

For the owners and patrons of Food for Thought, being “green” means more than just organic, local ingredients–it also means handmade, homemade and slow-made. Along with delicious food, this wagon offers 100 percent biodegradable and compostable packaging, made from renewable resources such as corn, potato and sugarcane. The falafel pita wrap is especially satisfying–light and crispy on the outside, steamy and savory on the inside. The Ho Farms cherry tomatoes make several dishes pop with juicy joy and as one patron says, “these sprouts are so good, they make me want to laugh.”

– Carlie Singh (4/2/08)

Giovanni Pastrami

With its Peruvian glass tiles, the place looks more like a modern mid-scale Italian trattoria than a deli, pizza parlor or sports bar. There are a few reasons to visit, the first being its roast brisket and jack cheese grilled sandwich. Giovanni Pastrami takes a bit of a deli detour with a full breakfast menu that is served all day until midnight. The restaurant’s signature crab cake eggs benedict has the potential for a good twist on an old classic. Your best bet is to choose something you can’t get elsewhere–it’ll make it worth the trip to the strip.

– K. H. (9/5/07)

Ige’s 19th Puka Restaurant & Tavern

Although the tavern has a honky-tonk feel with live bands belting out tunes and line dancing diners, the family dining area is filled with all ages and groups. The dinner menu offers four different daily entrees with the choice of two sides. In particular, the saimin deluxe has a taste to die for. The 1940s original broth is taste-fortified with different flavors of pork, kamaboko, mustard greens and shredded cabbage. Good food, good music and a very friendly staff with good service–it’s the place to and relax in the ‘ohana spirit.– Walter Rhee (4/30/08)

Japanese & Okinawan

Chiba-ken

Chiba-ken is a quiet garden in Dante’s dark wood of outer Waikiki, just over the bridge. Their outdoor seating even includes a proper lava rock wall that really makes you feel like you’re in Hawai’i. While they offer Western-style drinks, the true star is the sake. And the sushi? Chiba-ken makes it as it’s supposed to be made: perfectly bite-sized with just a tiny mouthful of rice under a slice of fish you don’t have to gnaw in half. Reasonably priced delicious sushi in a great location with a spectacularly helpful staff, Chiba-ken promises a perfect evening before you can say, “Banzai!”

– Rachel Brown (5/21/08)

Hinone Mizunone

Hinone Mizunone joins the ranks of family-oriented Japanese restaurants that offer a fair amount of food for a fair price in an atmosphere that can accommodate larger parties. The interior welcoming and the food satisfying, filling and reasonably priced. Teishoku with tonkatsu offers the Hinone original sauce–tart and not as sweet or thick as the typical katsu sauce. If you’re hankering for Japanese comfort food, Hinone Mizunone is worth a visit.

– Margot Seeto (7/16/08)

Korean

Kum Chee Korean Buffet

This family restaurant offers native Korean dishes and local style Korean dishes that are equally delicious. The lunch buffet offers an assortment of typical local Korean fare, including kalbi, fish jun, fried mandoo and an assortment of sides. Kum Chee’s kalbi is a standout–sweet, juicy and tender like no other in town. The atmosphere is friendly, the service is prompt and the buffet trays are always quickly replenished. — W. R. (4/9/08)

Mexican

La Familia

Nachos and salsa are served first and are satisfyingly spicy with monster chunks of onions. The brilliance comes with the entrees. The fajitas include a choice of beef or chicken, with the chicken sizzling on an iron skillet with large slices of green peppers and onions. The tamales 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. – Ryan Senaga (2/20/08)