Honolulu Weekly

New & Noteworthy

Chinese

Happy Day Restaurant

3553 Wai’alae Ave at 11th Ave (738-8666). Daily 8:30am-10:30pm. Dim sum: $2.30 per plate. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.

Servers greet customers like old friends. The place is great for big family dinners (Peking duck is tops), but it also has good dim sum. The turnip cake can’t be beat. The cooks turn coarse, bland daikon into delicately crusted creamy, savory-sweet squares.

Legend Seafood

Chinatown Cultural Plaza, 100 N Beretania St at River St (532-1868). Daily 10:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm. Dim sum: $2.85-$3.75 per plate. AmEx, MC, V.

Legend is Honolulu’s gold standard for dim sum. Nearly every dish is textbook perfect in preparation and freshness. Look fun stuffed with scallops melt in the mouth and minifootballs of fried mochi stuffed with dried shrimp and pork are irresistibly crisp and sticky-soft.

Mexican

BC Burrito

3607 Wai’alae Ave. (737-4700). Sun-Thu 10am-9pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm. Burritos starting at $4.99. MC, V.

BC Burrito is no-frills fast food with plenty of choices and speedy service. Your choice of a flavored tortilla (flour, whole wheat, spinach and tomato chile) is placed in a steam press along with the cheese. Then your toppings–choice of chicken mole, chicken bay leaf, pork, beef, chile verde or veggies–are spooned on with beans, guacamole and sour cream.

Carnaval Las Palmas

Restaurant Row, 500 Ala Moana Blvd (533-0129). Mon-Fri 10:30am-3pm, 5-9pm, Sat, Sun 5-9pm. Appetizers: $3-$8.95. Entrees: $7.50-$15.95. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.

Besides tacos and echiladas, it has what-is-that dishes like carne de pernin (baked pork butt, FYI). The dishes are all well done, with fresh ingredients and lots of cilantro.

Diego’s Taco Shop

2239 S. King St next to Old Stadium Park (944-2942). Mon-Sat 11am-8pm. Soft taco: $2-$3.85. Combination plate: $5.50-$7. MC, V.

The new Honolulu branch of this Pearl City eatery serves Mexican basics–burritos, tortas, enchiladas. But its fillings ain’t no Taco Bell ground beef. Get carne asada (marinated, grilled, chopped steak) and carnitas (lusciously greasy roasted pork). Everything, including refried beans and rice, is made fresh daily.

Middle Eastern

Da Spot

1908 Pumehana St between Waiola and Algaroba Streets (941-1313). Mon-Sat 10am-9:30pm. Plate lunch: $6.50. Smoothies: $2.75-$3.75. Cash only.

Ahmed Ramadan and Ako Kifuji serve a lot of love along with their cheap, good food–the best of it Middle Eastern dishes based on recipes from Ramadan’s Egyptian family. Sauteed lamb with vegetables is a rich, red stew heady with cardomom and cinnamon.

Good & Healthy Cafe

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. MC, V.

Don’t expect belly dancers or elaborate oriental rugs at this cafe; the simple, fresh fare be the centerpiece. 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 sunny climate. The hummus is smooth, pungent and satisfying.

Southeast Asian & Indian

Cafe Maharani

2509 S. King St (951-7447). Daily 5-10pm. Naan: $2.50-$3.99. Entrees: $7.50-$17.95. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.

Cafe Maharani has a tandoor, and it knows how to use it. From lamb tikka to tandoori chicken, the menu highlights northern Indian cuisine cooked in the cylindrical clay oven, including the staple of the region dominated by wheat: naan. Try the aloo (potato) naan, which holds a thin layer of potato puree with parsley and sprinkles of green onion, or the peshwari naan stuffed with almonds, cashews and raisins.