New or Noteworthy 10-8-2008
Cafe & Deli
Kalapawai Cafe & Deli
750 Kailua Rd. (262-DELI) Mon.–Thu. & Sun. 6am–9pm, Sat. & Sun. 6am–10pm. Entrees: $12.95–$14.95. AmEx, MC, VSitting right off of Kailua’s main drag, between KFC and Arby’s, Kalapawai Cafe & Deli is a cute, charming and quaint surprise. Part country cafe, part saloon-style eatery, it’s this island’s equivalent to Maui’s Hali’imaile General Store. The mostly southern-European-inspired flavors can be mixed and matched at whim, and always with rewarding results. The portions are kept in check–you won’t get mountains of food or family-sized platters. Who says you can’t have your steak…and fish and pizza and pasta…and eat it, too?
Mix Cafe
35. S. Beretania St. (537-1191) Mon.–Fri. 7am–7pm. Entrees:$4.75–$8.90. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.The bustle and din at Mix Cafe belies its smallness. Six tables for two and one table for six turn the long narrow space into a cafe that seats fewer diners than most people here have family members. The full staff–warm, friendly and charming–is always at your beck and call. Order the sandwiches with a side of country salad, potatoes and roasted veggies tossed with oil, vinegar and salt and pepper and you won’t miss the fried starch that we normally pair with our sandwiches. These aren’t your typical New York-style sammies. These are simpler and purer. Bread, meat, cheese and maybe a few veggies. For the pasta, choose from three homemade sauces: spicy crab, creamy Portobello or sausage. Its breakfast menu is also certainly worth waking up for. The amazing waffles are in good company with Bruno’s signature omelette, a fritatta-like dish that’s chock-full of fresh veggies and the most surprising breakfast sandwiches that threaten to make an addict out of anyone who discovers them.
Japanese
Nobu Waikiki
2233 Helumoa Rd. (237-6999) Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11:30am–2pm, Dinner Daily 5:30am–2pm. Entrees: $11–$24. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.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 breathtaking 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.
Rokkaku
Ala Moana Center #2056. (946-3355) Daily 11:30am–1:30pm, 5:30am–9pm. Entrees: $12–$38. AmEx, DC, Disc, JCB, MC, V.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.
Wasabi & Nadaman
1006 Kapahulu Ave. (735-2800) Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11:30am–2pm, Dinner Daily 5:30–10pm. Entrees: $13–$80. AmEx, MC, V.With the environment of a fine-dining classy affair, fresh flowers and pleasantly scented pillar candles accent the tables with larger orchid arrangements to denote key areas of the restaurant. 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.
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 a superb, in-house production by an experienced hand. The Shokado, the most expensive item on the prix fixe dinner menu 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 bonito broth transitioning to mini-sashimi platter of tuna, tuna tataki, hamachi and flounder. The word to describe the food at Yohei is, “Whoa!”
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.
La Familia
94-226 Leoku St., Waipahu. (671-8776) Mon., Wed., Thu., Sun. 11am–10pm. Fri.-Sat. 11am–10pm. Entrees: $9.99-$14.99Nachos 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 include a choice of beef or chicken, with the chicken 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 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. All entree plates are served with Mexican rice, salad and refried beans. It’s almost like having an amazing home-cooked meal in someone’s kitchen.
Middle Eastern & Greek
The Fat Greek
3040 Wai’alae Ave. (734-0404) Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm. Entrees: $7-$19.95.While the food isn’t startlingly original, the atmosphere and patrons give the place a certain collegiate, white-collar appeal. The soundtrack of the establishment is a firm mix of upbeat tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The prices at this place really can’t be beat. Once the bourgeoisie onslaught diminishes, The Fat Greek will probably become a favorite for starving dorm students who no longer feel like heating up a Cup o’ Noodle.
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.
Madras Cafe
2320 South King St. Suite B4. (949-4840) Mon.–Thurs., 11am–3pm. Entrees: $6.95–$7.95.Madras is just about your only choice for fast, cafe style Indian food at lunchtime. While ingredients change daily, the food tastes home-cooked instead of “restaurant food.” The dishes are thoughtful, well-balanced and consistent–they will satisfy your hankering for Indian food without sending you back to work exuding clouds of curry. The service is friendly and fast with enough variation in the menu to make Madras Cafe a weekly lunch spot.
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