Honolulu Weekly

Korean

Choon Chun Chicken B.B.Q.

1269 King St. at Birch St. (593-4499). 11am-2am daily. Entrees: $8.95-$32.95. AmEx, MC, V.

The restaurant wants to turn you on to dak kalbi, a Korean stir fry originally from the Choon Chun area of Seoul. It’s a cook-at-the-table one-pot dish that can feed four. What you get is a mountain of raw chicken, carrots, onion, cabbage, sesame leaves, sweet potato, chili paste and rice cakes. The gas is turned on and the server tosses the ingredients together. Also tops is the spicy buckwheat noodle salad.

Mary Jane’s Kitchen

1694C Kalakaua Ave. at Fern St. (943-2109). Mon.-Fri., Sun. 9am-9pm. Entrees: $6-$12.50. Cash only.

You get unadulterated Korean home cooking at this humble fluorescent-lit box on Kalakaua’s budding K-strip. Jane Shim creates MSG-free, flavorful food and her daughter Ellen is your ebullient host. A must-order is the dol sot bi bim bap, an earthily savory DIY fried rice.

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.

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.

El Palenque

177 Kamehameha Hwy., Wahiawa (622-5829). Mon.-Sat. 11am-2pm & 5-9pm, Sun. 11am-3pm. Entrees: $6.95-$10.50. MC, V.

El Palenque serves up aromatic platters of Northern Mexican cuisine with old family recipes from Ciudad Juarez. From chimichangas to tamales to chile relleno, most every Mexican specialty is covered. The piquantly spiced mole is particularly enjoyable. El Palenque’s dark, thick version is championed by an imported Mexican chocolate and homemade chicken stock.

Maria Bonita

15 N. Hotel St. between Smith and Nu’uanu Sts. (536-6185). Mon.-Sat. 11am-8pm. Plates: $7-$10. Cash only.

Serving the same standard gringofied Mexican fare–enchiladas, burritos–the cafe is a welcome addition in an area where you can’t swing a rice noodle without hitting a Vietnamese restaurant. You can’t go wrong with soft tacos stuffed with moist, tasty carnitas.

Mexico Lindo

600 Kailua Rd. (263-0055). Sun.-Thu. 11am-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 11am-10pm. MC, V.

Mexico Lindo has friendly service, live mariachi and hearty fare that’s far from authentic–perfect for Windwardites who prefer things western with a Pacific twist. The blue crab quesadilla with the signature papaya avocado salsa is perfect.

Mexico Restaurant

1247 N. School St. (845-9059). Mon.-Thu. 10am-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 10am-10pm; Sun. 10am-9pm. Entrees: $6.50-$16.95. MC, V.

All your rice-and-bean accompanied standards are here, along with an extensive seafood selection (crab rellenos, scallop tacos, chipotle shrimp). Best bet: double-tortilla, south-of-the-border style tacos, featuring authentic fillings like carnitas and carne asada topped with cilantro, onions and salsa verde.

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.

You can get the familiar staples–soft tacos, burritos, enchiladas–along with a few new items, 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 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.

Wahoo’s Fish Taco

940 Auahi St. (591-1646), Sun.-Wed. 11am-9pm, Thu.-Sat. 11am-10pm, Combos: $5-$11.75. AmEx, Disc, MC, V.

Wahoo’s comprehensive menu contains more than 20 items, including combos that include heaps of rice and beans, salads (that surprisingly don’t come in a fried tortilla bowl) and, best of all, a decent selection of Mexican beer. The classic burrito with shrimp is the most appealing offering.

Middle Eastern

Da Spot

1908 Pumehana St. between Waiola and Algaroba Sts. (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

Bac Nam

1117 S. King St. between Pensacola and Pi’ikoi Sts. (597-8201). Daily 10:30am-9:30pm. Appetizers: $2-$8.95. Entrees: $5.75-$14.75. Payment: MC, V.

Husband-and-wife team Tam and Kimmy Huyng run a family affair, and the food is home-cooking-good in this bright new utilitarian eatery. Pho is memorably peppery and lemony, but the menu goes beyond the usuals with dishes like stuffed baby squid and a pungent lamb curry. The salt-and-pepper shrimp are addictive.

Bali Indonesia

1901 Kapi’olani Blvd. at McCully St. (949-2254). Tue.-Sun. 11:30am-2pm, 6-9pm. Lunch & dinner: $7.95. MC, V.

Serving dishes from 15 different provinces at buffet-only Bali Indonesia. The set-up looks like a potluck party and the food follows suit, tasting like richly seasoned home cooking. Staples like gado-gado and bakmi goreng are always part of the spread, while main dishes such as beef rendang and chicken curry rotate.