American

Molly’s Smokehouse

–Walter Rhee (7/9/08)

Molly’s meets all the criteria of good Southern barbecue: well-marinated, rich brown coloring, meat falling off the bones and a superb balance of flavors. A standout among the barbeque is Molly’s Southern Fried Catfish; fried in traditional cornmeal batter, the catfish hits home on taste, consistency and has that soul-searching crunch only a homesick Southerner can fully appreciate. Molly’s is a rare find of Southern flavor in Wahiawa–it may be a drive from downtown Honolulu, but this place will feed your stomach and your soul.

Filipino

Marilou’s Restaurant & Catering

–W. R. (3/5/08)

The allure of traditional Filipino cooking lies in the braising of meats slow-cooked for several hours to release the flavors. Each lunch/dinner combo comes with 4 items of your choice–pinapaitan, pinakbet (a soup with long green beans, few pieces of lechon-crispy fried pork, bitter melon, eggplant and tomatoes), dinguanan, pork guisantes, pork adobo, mungo beans or pork menudo. All items on the combo plates are savory. Save room for banana lumpia and halo halo for dessert. Marilou’s is the place to go for a real comforting home-cooked Filipino meal.

Japanese & Okinawan

Rokkaku

–Eugenie Goodman (1/23/08)

Rokkaku offers an extensive menu with plenty of seasonal specials and is a great place to try the unusual. With the tastefully minimalist setting and handmade serving pieces it is easy to believe that you are in an elegant Tokyo bistro. For those who appreciate the Japanese concept of exquisite morsels savored slowly, Rokkaku is the perfect dining out excursion. Their signature dish is kamameshi, rice cooked in a ceramic pot with a choice of goodies, such as unagi, ikura and shiso. The grilled dishes or sumiyaki are another of the menu’s featured attraction. All dishes are suitable for sharing and savoring.

Nobu Waikiki

–Ryan Senaga (6/13/07)

Dinner at Nobu is divided into two sections on the menu, cold dishes and hot dishes, with entrees, sushi and sashimi. It doesn’t take a savvy palate to recognize that Nobu really likes ponzu. It 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 that you bring a date to, with the expectation of getting laid after dessert–or after the chu-toro, for that matter. To that end, Nobu is a stomach-driven aphrodisiac in a whole new style for Honolulu.

Yohei Sushi Restaurant

–W. R. (3/26/08)

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. 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. The delightful mini-dishes range from kazunoko and ikura in a bonita broth transitioning to mini-sashimi. The word to describe the food at Yohei’s is, “Whoa!”

Wasabi & Nadaman

–R. S. (10/24/07)

With the environment of a fine-dining classy affair, fresh flowers and pleasantly scented pillar candles accent the tables with larger orchid arrangements. The option to order dishes izakaya-style is there, so if you’re in the mood to scarf, by all means this is the better option with which to dine in style. But food snobs will not be disappointed by the kaiseki menu. Food snobs with smaller stomachs, that is.

Italian

Baci Bistro

–Kawehi Haug (5/9/07)

Don’t leave without trying the tiramisu. Where most places take on the traditional dolci as an Italian version of the Midwestern trifle, Baci treats it right: Each layer separate, but all coming together perfectly on the fork. The ladyfingers are moist, not wet; the mascarpone layer is light, not cheesecake-like; the amaretto is complimentary, not overpowering. The answer is simple: When in Kailua, eat at Baci Bistro.

Pasta Basta by Donato’s

–Napua Leong (4/25/07)

Pasta Basta does brisk business for the lunch crowds that come pouring out of neighboring office towers around noon, and while ordering at the counter may seem unglamorous, it’s a smart way for the restaurant to maximize its lunch service. Handmade pizzas come straight from the oven, including spicy shrimp, margherita, napoletana. If you like fresh pasta but want a simpler dish, there’s fresh spinach fettucine with Bolognese sauce or linguine with basil pesto.