Honolulu Weekly

Honolulu Weekly restaurant reviewers dine anonymously, editorial integrity being our first priority. Reviewers may visit the establishment more than once, and any interviews with restaurant staff are conducted after the visits. We do not run photos of the reviewers, and the Weekly pays the tab. The reviews are not influenced by the purchase of advertising or other incentives.

12th Avenue Grill

1145 12th Ave between Wai’alae and Harding Aves (732-9469). Mon-Thu 5:30-9pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-10pm. Appetizers: $5.95-$10.95. EntrÈes: $7.95-$26.95. AmEx, MC, V

The casual American bistro trend takes hold in Kaimuki. Catering veteran Kevin Hanney’s woody, sleek space serves basic fare done well, like smoked ahi salad niÁoise, kim chee steak, pan-fried trout in a beurre blanc sauce, and achingly tender smoked duck. The specials are always winners. Supping solo? Belly up to the long red-oak bar made just for singletons.

Formaggio

Market City, lower level, 2919 Kapi’olani Blvd (739-7719). Tue-Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri, Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 4-9pm. Tasting plates: $6.50-$14.95. AmEx, MC, V

This cozy wine bar offers options like citrusy ceviche and cassoulet (it tastes like the best Portuguese soup in the world), along with pizza and panini. The late hours make it an after-work hangout for the restaurant-biz crowd. Live acoustic and jazz enliven the atmosphere.

Good & Healthy CafÈ

212 Merchant St (566-6365). Mon-Fri 10:30am-5pm, Sat 10:30am-2pm, Sandwiches and salads $5.75-$6.50, plates $6.75-7.95. V, MC

Chef Janet Kaloustian’s simple, fresh fare is the main sell of this new downtown eatery. The refreshing nature of Lebanese cuisine–heavy on the cool crisp salads, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres and kebabs–makes it suited for Hawai’i’s warm, sunny climate. Try the hummus: smooth, pungent and satisfying. The lunchtime queue indicates people like this new alternative.

Mi Casa

3046 Monsarrat Ave (737-1562). Tue-Thu 4-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 9am-9pm. Combo plates: $7.95-$12.95. MC, V. BYOB

Besides the familiar staples–soft tacos, burritos, enchiladas–Mi Casa serves up some harder-to-find Mexican favorites, such as mulitas, a type of quesadilla oozing with Monterey Jack and the filling of your choice (picadillo is a good option). The pork carnitas are the juiciest in town–the meat is finished in milk and orange juice, making it super moist and subtly tangy. The thick corn tortillas are handrolled and come fresh off the grill, soft as the wheat-flour version.

Panya Bistro

Ala Moana Center, mauka side next to The Gap (946-6388). Mon-Sat 8am-< \h>10pm; Sun 8am-10pm. Appetizers $4.50-$9.99. EntrÈes: $7.50-$26. AmEx, Disc, MC, V

The Ala Moana off-shoot of the ‘Euro-Japanese’ bakery mini-chain is a postmodern tea room (or coffee house) with sleek neo-Bauhaus design elements and blue-grey walls. Nibble on Japanese cheesecake or dig into full-fledged meals such as laksa (curry noodle soup) and rack of lamb. The pastel-colored martinis also make it the coolest bar in the mall.

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

Owner Steve Gelson and his wife, Mona, have been making bagels in Hawai’i for 25 years. Sandwiches, salads and desserts are also on the menu. When it comes to bagels, well, this is it.

Tsukuneya Robata

1442 University Ave (943-0390). Mon-Sat 4:30pm-midnight, Sun 4:30-11pm. Tsukune: $1.50-$2.50, AmEx, MC, V, Disc

Tsukuneya’s name refers directly to its house specialty: tsukune, a mixture of minced chicken and yam, skewered and grilled over charcoal. The Nogoya-based chain’s menu includes a page’s worth of variations on this dish, from a traditional, teriyaki-glazed staple to a spicy wasabi mayonnaise-drizzled variant. Don’t overlook the paitan nabe (a do-it-yourself chicken soup) and tofu offerings like natto and tofu-and-potato croquettes. The purpose of visiting a proper robata is not to eat and run, so knock back some sake and stay a while.

Uncle Bo’s Pupu Bar & Grill

559 Kapahulu Ave (739-2426). Daily 5pm-2am. Pupu $6-$10, Entrees $10-$25. AmEx, Disc, JCB, MC, V

Kapahulu’s unofficial restaurant row gets a late-night dining option with this sleek resto-lounge. The seafood-heavy, page-long pupu menu features strong flavors–sweet chili calamari, dynamite shrimp–to pair with successive rounds of drinks from the pink backlit bar. Don’t miss the Thai style steamer clams in a sweet chili garlic oyster sauce. Service is gracious, informative and exactly what you’d expect from a place where the chef prefixes his name with ‘Uncle.’