Crack Pot

The Cream Pot is a breakfast nook. Literally. Tucked away in the Hawaiian Monarch Hotel on the edge of the Ala Wai, the country house-style restaurant is decorated with wrought iron chairs, wood tables, little doors and fairy figurines sitting on wall ledges. With the herb garden outside, it’s the closest thing to being a hobbit there is in Hawaii without actually making a trek out to the Shire. The crepes are made with care, fresh fruits, and not overly sweet Japanese flair. Also unique and worth a taste is the ‘ahi eggs Benedict and iced chocolate drink. Those without a sweet tooth can try the fluffy omelettes.

Ono Seafood poke bowls

We haven’t so much made our peace with poke as we’ve found delicious peace in Ono Seafood’s poke bowls. Six dollars buys tossed-to-order poke with fresh, fatty ‘ahi or toothsome tako on top of rice. We’re lucky to have poke on practically every street corner; we’re especially blessed to have Ono Seafood, a little store wedged between a Shell gas station and an apartment building on Kapahulu.

Pot of Munchies

Listing all the best attributes of Sweet Home Café could take up an entire page (which it did, in a Weekly issue about a year ago), but here’s the abbreviated version: the uber-friendly family that runs this little place, the richly flavorful broths (there are 14 broths total: favorites include healthy herb, made with soy milk and an intoxicating blend of aromatics, and the spicy, sour cabbage soup). There’s the self-serve selection of dippables that move beyond the usual sliced meats to fried tofu that soak up the broth like little sponges, tongue, clams and so much more. And of course, there’s the giant bowl of shave ice they bring at the end of the meal to help cool off.

Simmerin’ Akasaka

Venturing into the shanty-town-like melange of strip clubs tucked on top of each other on Kapiolani Blvd. may not the first place one thinks of for top-notch local Asian cuisine, but tucked away around all the Dionysian decadence is Akasaka, one of the best Japanese restaurants on the island. The classic combo dishes, the full sushi bar, and the legendary scallop butteryaki sizzling with cholesterol in a creamy mayonnaise sauce, all in a comfortable, quiet, tatami-style decor makes walking on the seedy side of town worth it.

Meat grinder

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is the new place to go to blow a ton of money on meat. The cut and quality of meat are succulent and unmatched. Share a steak for two (or three) straight from their own aging box and split a side of creamed spinach–one of the best in the world. Happy hour specials are amazing and shockingly affordable too.

Cappuccino crush

Sitting in Glazer’s Coffee feels as good as the coffee tastes. Not to mention the pretty designs their baristas leave behind on the foam of one’s espresso. Their coffee roaster is serious about his organic, fair-trade beans, and their lattes are golden and creamy. Parking is validated, and wi-fi is free.

Sandwich arts

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin

Keep your upscale sandwiches, New York. We’ve got the pork tenderloin katsu sandwich–the perfect mix of comfort (white bread, no crusts) and gourmet (delicately fried, meaty and moist pork katsu). The unlimited side salad that provides a vehicle for tangy ume-shiso and sesame dressings keeps it interesting.

Stage right

The fine-dining experience at Stage Restaurant is scrumptious and intricately designed but what sets the place apart is the fact that it’s located in the Honolulu Design Center. The restaurant is furnished with tables, chairs, candleholders and shelves from all over the world. There’s even a life-sized horse sculpture with a lamp shade on its head. Also impressive is the presentation of the courses themselves. Conceptualized as a play, the menu is divided into acts (the entrees), with opening curtain (the amuse bouche du jour), intermezzo (sorbet to clean the palate) and comic relief (cocktails). And of course, the food is delicious. Meats, porks and fish are all prepared with the care and presentation of art.

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