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General Message Board for Aku Eats .com
Linda M (8/1/10) So glad to have found your great website!! My month of searching finally paid off. Just moved here and have started to enjoy the local fare. Your information will definitely influence future restaurants choices! Thanks!
Aku (8/3/10) Wonderful Linda!
Thanks a lot, and good eats to ya!
Thanks a lot, and good eats to ya!
Mickey A (5/15/10) Hey Aku, Great site... just wanted to return the favor if you are ever in the states or traveling abroad! Check out my food blog @ fooditinerary.com for some great recommendations while on the go around the World!
Aku (5/16/10) Hey Mickey, I did check out your site, and it is fabulous! I wish I could travel the world as you do! One day! Take care, and keep up the great work!
Anyone know who has the best corned beef hash???
Leslie T (4/28/10) Who doesn't love to eat here in Hawaii. Breakfast is my favorite tho. Any suggestions for great cornbeef hash breakfast? We've tried Jacks in Aina Haina (Metro Mix higly rated) and thought it was possibly made with canned cornbeef, which was a disappointment.
Aku (4/28/10) Oooooh, you know..... Sorry Leslie, but I'm not a big fan of corned beef hash at all! Just don't like the stuff! I mean, I can eat it, but quite honestly, I've never ordered a corned beef hash in my life, and never ate more than a few bites when my mom used to make it small-kid time! Of course, I could go ahead and do an exhaustive search on the internet, but then I'd be less than sincere in giving any kind of advice. That being said, the only info I can give is second-hand knowledge, of the "I heard..."-kind! A good friend said he loved the corned beef hash at Koa Pancake House, and I know that Sekiya's in Kaimuki has a large, tempura-fried corned beef hash that seems interesting. I've also heard Boots 'n Kimo's version is good, too. You probably already know that all the okazuya's carry old-school corned beef hash, probably not of the fresh variety, though. Other than that, so sorry, I guess you can call me stumped this time! Oh, and one last word - Pomai over at Tasty Island should know the subject better, as I know he loves corned beef hash and seems to specializes more in local grindz. Maybe write him about it - he's super-cool and will respond back quickly.
Once again, so sorry! I'll put-out a shout to see if anyone knows more about the subject! If anyone writes back, I'll let you know.
Once again, so sorry! I'll put-out a shout to see if anyone knows more about the subject! If anyone writes back, I'll let you know.
Leslie T (4/28/10) you so funny, thanks anyhow- u da bestest!
Ken W (4/22/10) Reviewed your hot dog section, please note, the only original thing about the "Puka Dog" is the Hawaii made tropical mustards and relish. The "Pula Dog" is a knockoff of the "French Hot Dog" or "European Hot Dog" which is also sold throughout European Countries and even in New York City!
Aku (4/22/10) Aaah, Ken, I didn't know that! I'll go ahead and do some changes to the text when I can! Thanks for the word-up!!! Someone told me Burger King offered them 2 million for rights to their mustards, salsa's, and relishes, but I don't know if it's true or not. Rumors, perhaps...
Ken W (4/23/10) Sorry to bust the bubble but so many mainstream media, TV Food Network and Blogers were writing how this was a Hawaiian creation it got me thinking and doing a little research.
Hawaii is not known as a "tube-steak" heaven so how could it be "Puka Dog" concept be invented in Hawaii? We like our dogs simple or smothered in Zippy's chili or plain in a Bento!
I'm a East Coast mainlander transplant that has been visiting the isles since 1960 and finally decided to retire here but I'm also a diehard foodie and also love my hot dogs!
I've been to Woody's, Puka Dog, Hanks, Costco, 7-eleven , ABC Stores and Hawaiian Hot Dog Company for my cravings.
When Pomai Souza in his Blog "The Tasty Island" wrote; "It really is a neat, all-in-one system that I’m sure they have patents (pending) over. One reviewer on another site said (speculated?) the manufacturers who build McDonald’s industrial kitchen equipment are behind this “machine”.": http://tastyislandhawaii.com/blog/2008/04/16/a-hole-lot-of-flavor-at-puka-dog-waikiki/
But when I read Hawk Krall Blog of Serious Eats; "The Puka Dog is the culmination of sixty years of island hot dog evolution. Puka means "Hole" in Hawaiian. Special loaves are baked on a custom contraption which creates a perfect tunnel for the Polish sausages, which are grilled and jammed into the hole. Puka dogs are dressed with any combination of secret sauces, tropical mustards, and fruit relish (think habanero, lemon, mango, coconut, papaya, guava, and so on)." : http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/hot-dog-of-the-week-puka-dog-hawaii.html
And you on your blog writing;" Beer taps? How 'bout mustard taps? An entire line of mustards and relishes accompany the most original dog on the planet at Puka Dog."
"Puka Dog. 2301 Kuhio Ave. at the Waikiki Town Center. 979-2405. Daily from 10am-10pm. No validated parking available. Prices: $. Map. This unusual dog originated on Kauai, and has been receiving a lot of attention recently as a feature story on the Food Network. “Puka” means “hole” in Hawaiian, and this specialty is made by baking a bun-sized piece of bread, poking out a hole down its length, grilling it from the inside of the hole with a special contraption, and sliding a grilled sausage into the cavity. From there, you have your choice of great specialty mustards, mayo’s, and salsa’s, all home-made and stuffed down the same puka, with flavors like garlic, mango, banana, pineapple, and a huge collection you gotta experience yourself to appreciate. I doubt you will ever find a more original hotdog than this."
The owners of Puka Dog have changed their web site information. It use to be a folksy type web site giving out a lot of family history especially about Dominique coming from "France".
They (Puka Dog) are riding the marketing wave but all of us in living in Hawaii are being primed for a fall in creditability check with proclamations of "Puka Dog" Hawaii origin.
This lead me to do 10 min of checking on the Internet and this is what I found. Dogmatic news links will take you to history of the Euro Dog.
Hot dog variations around the world (French Hot Dog).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_dog_variations
European Hot Dog Machines.
http://www.equipex.com/hotdog.asp
Dogmatic of New York City: At this inspired street-cart-turned-fast-casual-restaurant near Union Square, your choice of sausage (sustainably raised lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, beef) and sauce (truffle-Gruyère, mint yogurt, etc.) are stuffed inside a mini baguette toasted on the inside with a heated spike. 26 East 17th Street; (212)-414-0600; eatdogmatic.com
All of us got snookered by the Puka Dog promo including a lot of big names (and at $6.25 ea. they are laughing all the way to the bank on everyone's printed and TV news)! It would have been nice if they had just said they were building a Hawaiian version of the European Dog or the French Dog and not let people speculated that they had created a new style hot dog! It makes all of us in Hawaii look bad! This will come back to take a bite out of Hawaii food culture!
I've already talked to Pomai and Hawk.
Hawaii is not known as a "tube-steak" heaven so how could it be "Puka Dog" concept be invented in Hawaii? We like our dogs simple or smothered in Zippy's chili or plain in a Bento!
I'm a East Coast mainlander transplant that has been visiting the isles since 1960 and finally decided to retire here but I'm also a diehard foodie and also love my hot dogs!
I've been to Woody's, Puka Dog, Hanks, Costco, 7-eleven , ABC Stores and Hawaiian Hot Dog Company for my cravings.
When Pomai Souza in his Blog "The Tasty Island" wrote; "It really is a neat, all-in-one system that I’m sure they have patents (pending) over. One reviewer on another site said (speculated?) the manufacturers who build McDonald’s industrial kitchen equipment are behind this “machine”.": http://tastyislandhawaii.com/blog/2008/04/16/a-hole-lot-of-flavor-at-puka-dog-waikiki/
But when I read Hawk Krall Blog of Serious Eats; "The Puka Dog is the culmination of sixty years of island hot dog evolution. Puka means "Hole" in Hawaiian. Special loaves are baked on a custom contraption which creates a perfect tunnel for the Polish sausages, which are grilled and jammed into the hole. Puka dogs are dressed with any combination of secret sauces, tropical mustards, and fruit relish (think habanero, lemon, mango, coconut, papaya, guava, and so on)." : http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/hot-dog-of-the-week-puka-dog-hawaii.html
And you on your blog writing;" Beer taps? How 'bout mustard taps? An entire line of mustards and relishes accompany the most original dog on the planet at Puka Dog."
"Puka Dog. 2301 Kuhio Ave. at the Waikiki Town Center. 979-2405. Daily from 10am-10pm. No validated parking available. Prices: $. Map. This unusual dog originated on Kauai, and has been receiving a lot of attention recently as a feature story on the Food Network. “Puka” means “hole” in Hawaiian, and this specialty is made by baking a bun-sized piece of bread, poking out a hole down its length, grilling it from the inside of the hole with a special contraption, and sliding a grilled sausage into the cavity. From there, you have your choice of great specialty mustards, mayo’s, and salsa’s, all home-made and stuffed down the same puka, with flavors like garlic, mango, banana, pineapple, and a huge collection you gotta experience yourself to appreciate. I doubt you will ever find a more original hotdog than this."
The owners of Puka Dog have changed their web site information. It use to be a folksy type web site giving out a lot of family history especially about Dominique coming from "France".
They (Puka Dog) are riding the marketing wave but all of us in living in Hawaii are being primed for a fall in creditability check with proclamations of "Puka Dog" Hawaii origin.
This lead me to do 10 min of checking on the Internet and this is what I found. Dogmatic news links will take you to history of the Euro Dog.
Hot dog variations around the world (French Hot Dog).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_dog_variations
European Hot Dog Machines.
http://www.equipex.com/hotdog.asp
Dogmatic of New York City: At this inspired street-cart-turned-fast-casual-restaurant near Union Square, your choice of sausage (sustainably raised lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, beef) and sauce (truffle-Gruyère, mint yogurt, etc.) are stuffed inside a mini baguette toasted on the inside with a heated spike. 26 East 17th Street; (212)-414-0600; eatdogmatic.com
All of us got snookered by the Puka Dog promo including a lot of big names (and at $6.25 ea. they are laughing all the way to the bank on everyone's printed and TV news)! It would have been nice if they had just said they were building a Hawaiian version of the European Dog or the French Dog and not let people speculated that they had created a new style hot dog! It makes all of us in Hawaii look bad! This will come back to take a bite out of Hawaii food culture!
I've already talked to Pomai and Hawk.
Ken,
Aku (4/23/10) Amazing. Who woulda thought??? And why the heck do you not have your own blog? You are certainly qualified!!! Me, I'm not the biggest fan of Puka Dog to begin with - yeah, they're different from anything else here, but I'm not really sold on the taste and quality very much. You know, the only hotdog I know of that I haven't tried yet is a Nathan's dog (notice you haven't listed it below as one of the dogs you've tried, either). I can't remember if it's from New York or Chicago, but they sell it at Antonio's Pizzeria and I kinda remember it at another couple of places, too. Gotta get out there.
Hey, thanks for the correction, really. I'll definitely post this entire conversation and correct myself. Any other food types you especially passionate about, or is it pretty much across the board?
Aku (4/23/10) Amazing. Who woulda thought??? And why the heck do you not have your own blog? You are certainly qualified!!! Me, I'm not the biggest fan of Puka Dog to begin with - yeah, they're different from anything else here, but I'm not really sold on the taste and quality very much. You know, the only hotdog I know of that I haven't tried yet is a Nathan's dog (notice you haven't listed it below as one of the dogs you've tried, either). I can't remember if it's from New York or Chicago, but they sell it at Antonio's Pizzeria and I kinda remember it at another couple of places, too. Gotta get out there.
Hey, thanks for the correction, really. I'll definitely post this entire conversation and correct myself. Any other food types you especially passionate about, or is it pretty much across the board?
Ken W (4/24/10) Aku, I had a Nathan's dog back on the mainland and found it to be very good and spicy! It's been indicated that Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker's Ida created the recipe for the wurst (Hot Dog) for their first hot dog stand in Coney Island, New York. It said Nathan used two different spice vendors to keep his wife's recipe secret. The exact recipe for Nathan's hot dog is still a secret even who makes them for Nathan's!
I know there are Nathan's here on Oahu but I haven't spent the time searching Nathan's out for a dog yet!
I worked as a line cook in a restaurant back on the mainland while going to college studying electronics, communications and computers; while in the military service my squadron commanders use to have me cook at picnic outings and even as I worked for the government I always somehow ended up cooking at picnics, chili cook offs, Buffalo wing cook offs or smoking turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas; my house had two full gourmet kitchens (his and hers because there can be only 1 chef in the kitchen) plus 2 BBQ smokers and 3 Weber grills in the backyard plus my friends that we use to go camping with would setup dueling camp kitchens at the campgrounds and try to out cook each other all weekend driving other camper crazy with the smells!
My departed wife was professionally trained at Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts University and I learned the old fashion way from my mother. My wife volunteered both of us to be sous-chefs for the International Professional Chefs Convention held in our capitol city year 2000. 1,7000 professional chefs showed up. I spent the morning in a Japanese restaurant with the owner/chef grilling (with perfect grill marks and raw center) sushi tuna lollipops with dipping sauce as appetizers and in evening I spent working with another local celebrity chef in front of all 1,700 professional chefs creating the most melt in your mouth prime filet mignon dinner. We served 40 celebrity and professional chefs. When we announced to the 1,700 audience the table we served rose and gave us a standing ovation for the outstanding meal! Julia Child and a host of other well known celebrity chefs were among the 40 chefs we served.
In my state there were a lot of Italians, Portuguese and Irish but I lived in a French-Canadian dominated city and my best friend owned the best Hong Kong Chinese style restaurant (which I was allowed in the kitchen) so you can see my love of food is all over the place. Since middle school I've been making my own pizza from scratch. I also make my own pasta and my Italian friend's mother taught me how to make sausage. My state was right on the water so we always ate a lot of seafood (I use to bring home a 6 lb. lobster for my wife and I for Friday night dinner). In my state is the restaurant Al Forno (ranked one of the top USA restaurants) owners/chefs Johanne Killeen and George Germon who created the grilled pizza signed their books for me. I have their recipe for grilled pizza including the dough recipe for any type outdoor grill.
When Julia Child was retiring and moving from Boston, MA to California I and my wife were invited to the going away party and was seated at Julia Child's family table. I have books autographed by Julia and my cooks aprons are signed by Julia and a lot of celebrity chefs some living and some passed not to mention the all the photographs.
In Rhode Island we have a USA regional hot dog specific only to the state. It is called the New York System hot weiner. Only problem is there is no New York System! It's a name only. If you grew up in RI you lived off the gaggers or belly-busters as we called them! In the early days they were 2 or 3 for twenty-five cents and you washed them down with ice cold coffee milk (another RI creation). I loved the Greek style meat sauce better than the Italian style. http://www.olneyvillenewyorksystem.com/
A New York System hot weiner is constructed with a steamed side split bun; add a slow grilled (on flat commercial grill plate) all beef hand cut wiener; top with wipe of bright yellow mustard; ladle hot Greek style sweet chili sauce to fill top of bun; top with finely chopped sweet white onions and finish with sprinkle of celery salt. I have a Greek family recipe for the sweet Greek chili sauce which uses ground lamb and ground beef and a lot of spices. It's great on pasta!
It was nothing for my wife and I to jump into the car and drive 2 hours into Connecticut for a pizza at a place Frank Sinatra use to order take out from when he was in New York City or 1 1/2 hr for New England style fried clams or another 2 hr trip to a restaurant that served Thanksgiving dinner all year round. In my section of the RI state all-you-can-eat served family style roasted chicken dinner (bread rolls or cinnamon buns, soup, salad and dressing, pasta with meat sauce, roasted potatoes or French fries and chicken quarters) is the norm at $11.95 if you ran out of an item just ask server and they bring more. The other odd ball is Dynamites a thick spicy mixture of ground beef and peppers, onions in light tomato sauce pilled high in a torpedo roll which is so good you can't stop eating it.
My culinary taste buds run from street food to five-star cuisine and across all cultures. I have been in Canada, Nova Scotia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Mexico, Viet Nam, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, British Columbia, US and British Virgin Islands, about 30 of the 50 USA state including Alaska.
Auk I'm retired and a widower. I've done my time and just enjoying life one day at a time. I don't need to start taking on being a blogger. Like I told Pomai I can be a research resource but to be working full time nope! I'm loving getting up when I want, cooking what I like or eating at a restaurant and hanging at the beach plus laid back living country style on the Leeward side reading what you guys blog about plus toying around cooking food!
Right now I'm trying to purchase a Cuisinart Brick Oven Classic $199.00 which is a .90 Cu Ft countertop oven lined with brick that is conventional oven bake, convection bake, broiler, rotisserie and toaster. You can make up to 12' round pizzas in it on the bricks for great crusts and use the rotisserie for great in house huli- huli style chicken plus I am fooling around with Idaho Steak Fingers pupus trying to convert them to Hawaiian style.
Happy Eating!
I know there are Nathan's here on Oahu but I haven't spent the time searching Nathan's out for a dog yet!
I worked as a line cook in a restaurant back on the mainland while going to college studying electronics, communications and computers; while in the military service my squadron commanders use to have me cook at picnic outings and even as I worked for the government I always somehow ended up cooking at picnics, chili cook offs, Buffalo wing cook offs or smoking turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas; my house had two full gourmet kitchens (his and hers because there can be only 1 chef in the kitchen) plus 2 BBQ smokers and 3 Weber grills in the backyard plus my friends that we use to go camping with would setup dueling camp kitchens at the campgrounds and try to out cook each other all weekend driving other camper crazy with the smells!
My departed wife was professionally trained at Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts University and I learned the old fashion way from my mother. My wife volunteered both of us to be sous-chefs for the International Professional Chefs Convention held in our capitol city year 2000. 1,7000 professional chefs showed up. I spent the morning in a Japanese restaurant with the owner/chef grilling (with perfect grill marks and raw center) sushi tuna lollipops with dipping sauce as appetizers and in evening I spent working with another local celebrity chef in front of all 1,700 professional chefs creating the most melt in your mouth prime filet mignon dinner. We served 40 celebrity and professional chefs. When we announced to the 1,700 audience the table we served rose and gave us a standing ovation for the outstanding meal! Julia Child and a host of other well known celebrity chefs were among the 40 chefs we served.
In my state there were a lot of Italians, Portuguese and Irish but I lived in a French-Canadian dominated city and my best friend owned the best Hong Kong Chinese style restaurant (which I was allowed in the kitchen) so you can see my love of food is all over the place. Since middle school I've been making my own pizza from scratch. I also make my own pasta and my Italian friend's mother taught me how to make sausage. My state was right on the water so we always ate a lot of seafood (I use to bring home a 6 lb. lobster for my wife and I for Friday night dinner). In my state is the restaurant Al Forno (ranked one of the top USA restaurants) owners/chefs Johanne Killeen and George Germon who created the grilled pizza signed their books for me. I have their recipe for grilled pizza including the dough recipe for any type outdoor grill.
When Julia Child was retiring and moving from Boston, MA to California I and my wife were invited to the going away party and was seated at Julia Child's family table. I have books autographed by Julia and my cooks aprons are signed by Julia and a lot of celebrity chefs some living and some passed not to mention the all the photographs.
In Rhode Island we have a USA regional hot dog specific only to the state. It is called the New York System hot weiner. Only problem is there is no New York System! It's a name only. If you grew up in RI you lived off the gaggers or belly-busters as we called them! In the early days they were 2 or 3 for twenty-five cents and you washed them down with ice cold coffee milk (another RI creation). I loved the Greek style meat sauce better than the Italian style. http://www.olneyvillenewyorksystem.com/
A New York System hot weiner is constructed with a steamed side split bun; add a slow grilled (on flat commercial grill plate) all beef hand cut wiener; top with wipe of bright yellow mustard; ladle hot Greek style sweet chili sauce to fill top of bun; top with finely chopped sweet white onions and finish with sprinkle of celery salt. I have a Greek family recipe for the sweet Greek chili sauce which uses ground lamb and ground beef and a lot of spices. It's great on pasta!
It was nothing for my wife and I to jump into the car and drive 2 hours into Connecticut for a pizza at a place Frank Sinatra use to order take out from when he was in New York City or 1 1/2 hr for New England style fried clams or another 2 hr trip to a restaurant that served Thanksgiving dinner all year round. In my section of the RI state all-you-can-eat served family style roasted chicken dinner (bread rolls or cinnamon buns, soup, salad and dressing, pasta with meat sauce, roasted potatoes or French fries and chicken quarters) is the norm at $11.95 if you ran out of an item just ask server and they bring more. The other odd ball is Dynamites a thick spicy mixture of ground beef and peppers, onions in light tomato sauce pilled high in a torpedo roll which is so good you can't stop eating it.
My culinary taste buds run from street food to five-star cuisine and across all cultures. I have been in Canada, Nova Scotia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Mexico, Viet Nam, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, British Columbia, US and British Virgin Islands, about 30 of the 50 USA state including Alaska.
Auk I'm retired and a widower. I've done my time and just enjoying life one day at a time. I don't need to start taking on being a blogger. Like I told Pomai I can be a research resource but to be working full time nope! I'm loving getting up when I want, cooking what I like or eating at a restaurant and hanging at the beach plus laid back living country style on the Leeward side reading what you guys blog about plus toying around cooking food!
Right now I'm trying to purchase a Cuisinart Brick Oven Classic $199.00 which is a .90 Cu Ft countertop oven lined with brick that is conventional oven bake, convection bake, broiler, rotisserie and toaster. You can make up to 12' round pizzas in it on the bricks for great crusts and use the rotisserie for great in house huli- huli style chicken plus I am fooling around with Idaho Steak Fingers pupus trying to convert them to Hawaiian style.
Happy Eating!
Aku (4/24/10) Man, I only wish I had half the culinary experience as you! I dream one day to attend culinary school, and if things don't pan-out being a food/travel writer/website host full-time, I'd even love to open my own eatery down the line. Never know. Except for working in restaurants right out of high school and many years serving food at hotels and ballrooms, I don't have much of any real culinary experience. I do have a passion for food, though, so that kinda pulls me through!
I totally understand what you're saying about doing things on your time, whenever you want. You've already been through a lifetime of rich and meaningful experiences! Along that line, I'd like to officially extend a standing invitation to you - no pressure, no worries, no hassles - but if you are ever sitting at home, and the creative juices are flowing, maybe tomorrow, maybe a year from now, and for some reason, you feel like writing (a great creative outlet, yes?) about any ol' food story, you're always welcome to be a guest blogger on my site. You may have seen Tony Kawaguchi's two pages. He's a Real Estate professional and does pages here once in a while.
But like I said, no hassles, no worries. Just a standing invite and possible option, is all. Thanks again for your insights and the sharing of your time!
Take care, Aku
I totally understand what you're saying about doing things on your time, whenever you want. You've already been through a lifetime of rich and meaningful experiences! Along that line, I'd like to officially extend a standing invitation to you - no pressure, no worries, no hassles - but if you are ever sitting at home, and the creative juices are flowing, maybe tomorrow, maybe a year from now, and for some reason, you feel like writing (a great creative outlet, yes?) about any ol' food story, you're always welcome to be a guest blogger on my site. You may have seen Tony Kawaguchi's two pages. He's a Real Estate professional and does pages here once in a while.
But like I said, no hassles, no worries. Just a standing invite and possible option, is all. Thanks again for your insights and the sharing of your time!
Take care, Aku
Kevin G (3/21/10) Aloha! Great site! Lots of good information and pictures. Keep up the good work!
Aku (3/21/10) Hey, thanks a lot Kevin! Comments like that never get old for me! It's the oil that helps me keep blogging! Thanks again!
Evelyn C (3/20/10) We are coming to Oahu and my dad from Waimanalo wants me to bring him back some good seeds, where can I go to buy some, like Crack seed, li hi mui etc......
Aku (3/20/10) Hi Evelyn, by far, the best place to go for Hawaiian snack products is Wholesale Unlimited. Check out this page: http://cybersnacks.net/contact.html This is the locations page of their website. I've never been to their warehouse and store in Waipahu, but I always go to their main retail outlet on Ahua St. in Mapunapuna. The directions for both of these locales and also their many express stores are specified there.
Other than that, there's at least one crack seed store in every major shopping center on the island - Ala Moana, Pearl Ridge, Windward Mall, Kahala Mall, and more. Did you check out this page of my site - /crack-seed.asp? There are a few more crack seed stores listed there. And if you're really in a bind and have somehow forgotten crack seeds until the near end of your trip, there's lots of crack seed products at Longs, WalMart, and all the grocery stores on the island, as well! Just like Spam musubi, the stuff is everywhere! Hope it helps!
Other than that, there's at least one crack seed store in every major shopping center on the island - Ala Moana, Pearl Ridge, Windward Mall, Kahala Mall, and more. Did you check out this page of my site - /crack-seed.asp? There are a few more crack seed stores listed there. And if you're really in a bind and have somehow forgotten crack seeds until the near end of your trip, there's lots of crack seed products at Longs, WalMart, and all the grocery stores on the island, as well! Just like Spam musubi, the stuff is everywhere! Hope it helps!
Thomas Y (2/21/10) - I am not a enthusiasts with eatery. But,I was hoping that, good or bad, if you can rate Himalaya Kitchen for me. I like to see how you rank the restaurant. For me, I am not a big fan, but bit surprise that Indian culinary has a big following. the owner is a personable guy with full of energy and excitement. and you will know for yourself once you meet him.
Aku (2/22/10) - You know, after all this time - I still haven't been there yet!!! I don't know why. There's so many places I gotta get out to. I've tried every other Indian restaurant on the island except for Zaffron in Downtown, so I gotta get to both of 'em. This week, I'm shot, so I'll try to hit it the following week. I'll let ya know, though. Thanks for the heads-up!
Kauai Kauai (1/5/10) - Mean da site!!!u should make a happy hour page.
Aku (1/5/10) - True dat! We've been hitting lots of happy hour spots recently, and there's some seriously good deals out there! Wolfgang's, Morton's, Stage, Kincaid's, Top of Waikiki - so many! Thanks for the props!
John O. (Oklahoma, 12/22/09) - Greetings Mr. Aku-san!
I have urgent need for your very best reco for Japanese dinner this coming weekend - especially Saturday 12/26.
After studying your excellent website for a long time, I am incilined toward Izakaya Nonbei.
But your descriptions (fantastic!) seem to be from a visit back in May of this year. Please advise: is Izakaya Nonbei still up and going? And would you still recommend it?
Other locals in Honolulu have suggested Nobu.
Frankly, it seems very much gaijin-muke and frankly not my (our) style.)
Frankly, it seems very much gaijin-muke and frankly not my (our) style.)
Any comments or suggestions you might be willing to share would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for your time on this!
Aku (12/23/09) Hey John, Have you read my interaction with Jeff H., found at the bottom of the Nobu's Closer Look page? He had also asked about sushi spots, and there's some good info there. You know, if I were to take a guess (before hearing your further preferences), I'd say Gaku might be a good place to go. My wife tells me that gaijin-muke means "something a gaijin would like", yes? Gaku is definitely Japanese-style, but not in the sense of totally traditional, but with a more modern, drink-friendly vibe, like a place you'd see on the streets of Tokyo today. The Chef/Owner, Manabu Kikuchi, is always there, and he's a 10 year veteran that built-up Imanas tei, one of the most respected Izakaya's on the island. The dining area is on the smaller side, but the place is lively and fun, and they also have a separate zashiki room, too (with dropped floor under the table so you don't have to cross your legs!). If it's a Saturday, you gotta make reservations, especially with a big party, and it also can get pricey (that goes for all of 'em!).
But Gaku's just a guess. Nonbei is also good, but cuisine-wise and for the whole experience, I prefer Gaku. Nobu's will definitely wow you like a ritzy LA or New York hotspot, if that's the type of atmosphere you wanna build. If you choose Nobu's, I actually prefer the hot items or new-wave sashimi choices over the sushi, just because you can get good sushi at so many other spots for cheaper. Reservations are a must.
There's so many good spots out there, it's hard to say what will suit you just right. Besides the spots on my commentary with Jeff H., if you have a lunch open (don't do it for your night-time party), you may wanna check out the place that serves the biggest slices of fish on the island - surprise, surprise - Zippy's Kahala or Aiea! They're not fancy, and they don't have the wide selection of fish, but you can pretty much depend on the biggest slices of fresh ahi, hamachi, and salmon anywhere! Plus, they are one of the few genuine sushi places open during the day. Mitch's is also open day-time, and if you want fresh, don't worry - they supply a lot of the sushi restaurants in town, since they are a wholesaler, as well. Being the case, though, they do smell a little like a fishmonger! Who knows, you may even like one of these spots and choose to return to either one for your party!
Sometimes I think I confuse people even more - it's just that there's so many great spots out there, all with different personalities, and matching them up with our different personalities can never be a science!
Feel free to go a few more rounds before your special dinner!
Sometimes I think I confuse people even more - it's just that there's so many great spots out there, all with different personalities, and matching them up with our different personalities can never be a science!
Feel free to go a few more rounds before your special dinner!
John O. (12/23/09) Hola Aku! Gaku DOES sound pretty good and we may do that also, but I have already asked our invitee to make reservation at Nonbei.FYI: It's not just because I like the name ... ;-)
Yeah we can be pretty traditional Nihon ryori guys, but not-so-traditional can sometimes also be okay. But Nobu? No thanks. (I am grateful that you have saved us from such a fate!)
We won't be in town long enough to do a lot, but will definitely also give Gaku a good earnest try.
Although I haven't yet consulted your terrific website, I expect that we will make a run at Thai also.
(We have lived many years in both Japan and Thailand ... and a lot of other places ... so we can be really disappointed with what know-nothing gringoes seem to think is 'great Thai' or 'great Japanese' food.
Your site does us all a great service by capturing and clearly expressing what these places are like (the Japanese ones particularly; I have not yet had time to look at some of the other parts of your site).
About gaijin-muke
Of course your wife is absolutely correct (and polite) in her explanation of gaijin-muke.
When we use the term is also has the connotation of being someplace that we Japanese would definitely NOT like! (As in 'really can't stand' ...)
Yeah we can be pretty traditional Nihon ryori guys, but not-so-traditional can sometimes also be okay. But Nobu? No thanks. (I am grateful that you have saved us from such a fate!)
We won't be in town long enough to do a lot, but will definitely also give Gaku a good earnest try.
Although I haven't yet consulted your terrific website, I expect that we will make a run at Thai also.
(We have lived many years in both Japan and Thailand ... and a lot of other places ... so we can be really disappointed with what know-nothing gringoes seem to think is 'great Thai' or 'great Japanese' food.
Your site does us all a great service by capturing and clearly expressing what these places are like (the Japanese ones particularly; I have not yet had time to look at some of the other parts of your site).
About gaijin-muke
Of course your wife is absolutely correct (and polite) in her explanation of gaijin-muke.
When we use the term is also has the connotation of being someplace that we Japanese would definitely NOT like! (As in 'really can't stand' ...)
Aku (12/23/09) Hey no worries John,
Nonbei is still a fun place to hang-out, and there's lots of drink specials, too. It's the kind of place where you can buy a bottle of Ichiko Shochu, write your name on the bottle, and return the next day to finish it off. As far as Thai, I've never been to Thailand, so I have no idea how it compares to the real stuff, but strictly taste-wise, I like the Mekong's and Siam Garden best. Phuket Thai and Maile's Bistro, I also love, but they have a lot of fusion elements, as well. The Thai fried chicken at both places are killer! Maile's and the Phuket Thai on Kamakee St., near the Ward Centers, contain the most modern, stylish dining rooms of the bunch, making them lots more drink-friendly than any other Thai places on the island. I did Closer Look's on all the above if you have time to check 'em out.
Lemme know how your party went, and what you think of Thai food in Hawaii, if you get the chance to find a place!
Nonbei is still a fun place to hang-out, and there's lots of drink specials, too. It's the kind of place where you can buy a bottle of Ichiko Shochu, write your name on the bottle, and return the next day to finish it off. As far as Thai, I've never been to Thailand, so I have no idea how it compares to the real stuff, but strictly taste-wise, I like the Mekong's and Siam Garden best. Phuket Thai and Maile's Bistro, I also love, but they have a lot of fusion elements, as well. The Thai fried chicken at both places are killer! Maile's and the Phuket Thai on Kamakee St., near the Ward Centers, contain the most modern, stylish dining rooms of the bunch, making them lots more drink-friendly than any other Thai places on the island. I did Closer Look's on all the above if you have time to check 'em out.
Lemme know how your party went, and what you think of Thai food in Hawaii, if you get the chance to find a place!
John O (1/3/10)
Greetings Mr. Aku!
Did not make it ot your fair city.
Why?
Please see attached.
(Airport closed 2 days. Could not get out due to snow blizzard....)
Aku (1/3/10)
Oh my gosh! I feel for you guys, man! Yeah, it's been a typical winter here on the island. 80+ degrees. Just took the niece and nephew to Bellows, a two or three mile stretch of powder-white sand beach 20 minutes away from my house, under clear blue sky's! Absolutely gorgeous! I guess you folks had a good time playing chess and checkers, ey? I'll bet the hot chocolate was great, though!
Boy, I just love telling my friends about Hawaii when they're living on the Mainland, especially come winter!
No, in all seriousness, sorry for the cancelled trip. Hopefully, you folks can make it out soon. Lemme know, and I'll let you know if there's any new sushi spot making news here in the islands!
Thanks for the personalized vid! Take care both of you!
Boy, I just love telling my friends about Hawaii when they're living on the Mainland, especially come winter!
No, in all seriousness, sorry for the cancelled trip. Hopefully, you folks can make it out soon. Lemme know, and I'll let you know if there's any new sushi spot making news here in the islands!
Thanks for the personalized vid! Take care both of you!
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Alissa (10/24/09) - aloha! we are in oahu. just got married on the north shore and are now staying in kailua.
wondering what you suggest for great seafood places with drinks.
looking for fresh oysters, obviously ahi, maybe lobster....
what do you suggest?
we love nico's pier 38 but looking for something a bit more casual dinnertime and drinks.
mahalo!
alissa
Aku (10/24/09) - Hey Alissa,
Just wondering... You have been to Boots n Kimo's (banana mac nut pancakes - very crowded and not the best quality, but the syrup makes it different, super sweet, though, and lots and lots of people swear by it, especially the women!), Brent's (killer omelets and a NY style Jewish deli counter), or Cinnamon's (just a nice atmosphere, great service, try the Hawaiian omelet or guava pancakes), all for breakfast and located in Kailua, yes? Kailua seems to have a lot of great breakfast spots, but not many dinner spots.
As far as seafood goes, did you say more casual than Nico's at Pier 38? Funny, because that's about as casual as it gets! I prefer Uncle's, right next to Nico's, but it's more expensive. I notice that a lot of folks from the Mainland are looking for seafood restaurants, but you know what? There's not a whole lotta restaurants here that specialize in seafood, like crab pots and chowder houses on the Mainland (there's Red Lobster in Waikiki and Bubba Gump at the Ala Moana shopping Center, but you're probably looking for something else, right?). Rather, just about all restaurants here have a seafood selection in addition to their menu, instead. Maybe everyone just takes seafood for granted in Hawaii? In Waikiki, Chart House (Watering Holes section) is a great place for fresh fish and seafood, as is Duke's (Dinner w/drinks section), especially fish. Both are fun, very lively, drink-friendly atmosphere's, and have live entertainment, too. All the Hawaii Regional cuisine restaurants have great fish, though it's a high-priced section. Did you try Kakaako Kitchen at the Ward Center (Local Grindz>Plate Lunch section)? The owner/Chef there is Russel Siu, who is the creator of 3660 on the Rise (HI regional section), one of the best restaurants on the island. He brings a lot of quality in a casual plate lunch setting. Try the tempura furikake catfish.
Before you leave, if you haven't already, you gotta try opakapaka at least once, and also moi. Everyone here knows what they are, and they can be found at many different places, especially the mid to upper range restaurants. Moi is the fish of kings, and commoners of old Hawaii found to be eating moi would have their heads chopped off because it was reserved only for Alii (royalty). Both are great any way, but Hawaii's most famous style is Chinese-style, which is steamed and then drenched with hot oil. Moi will be served whole, head, tail, and all - always more fun!
Hey, are you familiar with poke? Be sure to check the poke section (Local Grindz>Other Specialty Local Products>Poke) for some of the freshest ahi on the island, though completely in the raw.
Other than that, without going the route of sushi (unless you want to!), it's surprising how many Chinese restaurants have some really great seafood. Fook Yuen (Chinese section) is easily accessible and has a $9.95 whole lobster (though a bit small, still one of the cheapest you'll find!) cooked in several different styles. You know what else I've found surprising? I don't know how it is on the Mainland, but the whole steamed lobster at Outback in Hawaii Kai is consistently the best lobster I've found anywhere, and that's including from places like Ruth's Chris or other super-expensive, high-class places! Don't know why it is.
Lemme know if you need more follow-up.
Hope it helps.
Aku
wondering what you suggest for great seafood places with drinks.
looking for fresh oysters, obviously ahi, maybe lobster....
what do you suggest?
we love nico's pier 38 but looking for something a bit more casual dinnertime and drinks.
mahalo!
alissa
Aku (10/24/09) - Hey Alissa,
Just wondering... You have been to Boots n Kimo's (banana mac nut pancakes - very crowded and not the best quality, but the syrup makes it different, super sweet, though, and lots and lots of people swear by it, especially the women!), Brent's (killer omelets and a NY style Jewish deli counter), or Cinnamon's (just a nice atmosphere, great service, try the Hawaiian omelet or guava pancakes), all for breakfast and located in Kailua, yes? Kailua seems to have a lot of great breakfast spots, but not many dinner spots.
As far as seafood goes, did you say more casual than Nico's at Pier 38? Funny, because that's about as casual as it gets! I prefer Uncle's, right next to Nico's, but it's more expensive. I notice that a lot of folks from the Mainland are looking for seafood restaurants, but you know what? There's not a whole lotta restaurants here that specialize in seafood, like crab pots and chowder houses on the Mainland (there's Red Lobster in Waikiki and Bubba Gump at the Ala Moana shopping Center, but you're probably looking for something else, right?). Rather, just about all restaurants here have a seafood selection in addition to their menu, instead. Maybe everyone just takes seafood for granted in Hawaii? In Waikiki, Chart House (Watering Holes section) is a great place for fresh fish and seafood, as is Duke's (Dinner w/drinks section), especially fish. Both are fun, very lively, drink-friendly atmosphere's, and have live entertainment, too. All the Hawaii Regional cuisine restaurants have great fish, though it's a high-priced section. Did you try Kakaako Kitchen at the Ward Center (Local Grindz>Plate Lunch section)? The owner/Chef there is Russel Siu, who is the creator of 3660 on the Rise (HI regional section), one of the best restaurants on the island. He brings a lot of quality in a casual plate lunch setting. Try the tempura furikake catfish.
Before you leave, if you haven't already, you gotta try opakapaka at least once, and also moi. Everyone here knows what they are, and they can be found at many different places, especially the mid to upper range restaurants. Moi is the fish of kings, and commoners of old Hawaii found to be eating moi would have their heads chopped off because it was reserved only for Alii (royalty). Both are great any way, but Hawaii's most famous style is Chinese-style, which is steamed and then drenched with hot oil. Moi will be served whole, head, tail, and all - always more fun!
Hey, are you familiar with poke? Be sure to check the poke section (Local Grindz>Other Specialty Local Products>Poke) for some of the freshest ahi on the island, though completely in the raw.
Other than that, without going the route of sushi (unless you want to!), it's surprising how many Chinese restaurants have some really great seafood. Fook Yuen (Chinese section) is easily accessible and has a $9.95 whole lobster (though a bit small, still one of the cheapest you'll find!) cooked in several different styles. You know what else I've found surprising? I don't know how it is on the Mainland, but the whole steamed lobster at Outback in Hawaii Kai is consistently the best lobster I've found anywhere, and that's including from places like Ruth's Chris or other super-expensive, high-class places! Don't know why it is.
Lemme know if you need more follow-up.
Hope it helps.
Aku
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Desiree (10/22/09) - Aloha Aku, Your site is so informative, I was wondering if you would have any suggestions of restaurants with private rooms. I’m looking to plan a small company dinner party. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Congrats on the new book! Mahalo, Desiree,
Aku (10/22/09) - Hmmm....
That's a really great question... It's funny you ask that, as I'm in Japan right now, and just about everywhere we've been so far, they have private tatami rooms that are perfect for small parties! As for Hawaii, I'm not exactly sure what kind of food you're looking for, how large, or what kind of general experience you are looking for, but there aren't too many private rooms out there anyway, so I'll just give you a few general suggestions:
One place I'd recommend is 3660 on the Rise, as many people don't really know that they also have full-scale banquet rooms right there next to the restaurant, as well. And the prices really aren't too bad.
By the way, have you considered any hotel banquet meeting rooms? There's a whole lotta options, even for the smallest of parties, and for as little as $40 or so per head, you can have lots and lots of privacy in a hotel setting. After the function, if you stay at places like the Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, or others, you can still enjoy a few more drinks and pupus at the hotel bars and restaurants. www.savvycoordination.com. That's my friends new company, and she does a great job with party planning. Jennifer is a former banquet coordinator at the Hilton, and she has all the connections working with all the different hotels and more. It's an extra cost, but I just gave her site to you as an extra option.
I know several of the Japanese restaurants have small, semi-private rooms, like Hanamaru, Yoshiya, Jinroku, Kaiwa, and so do a lot of Chinese restaurants. But maybe not enough privacy?
And heck, maybe you really don't need all that much privacy in the first place! Places like Ryan's, Kincaid's, and so many restaurants in both the Dinner w/drinks section and Watering holes sections are used to hosting large or small parties, even though you won't have a private room, but only a reserved table. Sometimes that's even more fun, as the energy of the entire room kinda has a way of livening up your own party! But then again, that's all up to you!
Hope that helps a little. That's about all I can disseminate right now, though it's not much info, I know. Lemme know if I'm off the mark.
Congrats on the new book! Mahalo, Desiree,
Aku (10/22/09) - Hmmm....
That's a really great question... It's funny you ask that, as I'm in Japan right now, and just about everywhere we've been so far, they have private tatami rooms that are perfect for small parties! As for Hawaii, I'm not exactly sure what kind of food you're looking for, how large, or what kind of general experience you are looking for, but there aren't too many private rooms out there anyway, so I'll just give you a few general suggestions:
One place I'd recommend is 3660 on the Rise, as many people don't really know that they also have full-scale banquet rooms right there next to the restaurant, as well. And the prices really aren't too bad.
By the way, have you considered any hotel banquet meeting rooms? There's a whole lotta options, even for the smallest of parties, and for as little as $40 or so per head, you can have lots and lots of privacy in a hotel setting. After the function, if you stay at places like the Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, or others, you can still enjoy a few more drinks and pupus at the hotel bars and restaurants. www.savvycoordination.com. That's my friends new company, and she does a great job with party planning. Jennifer is a former banquet coordinator at the Hilton, and she has all the connections working with all the different hotels and more. It's an extra cost, but I just gave her site to you as an extra option.
I know several of the Japanese restaurants have small, semi-private rooms, like Hanamaru, Yoshiya, Jinroku, Kaiwa, and so do a lot of Chinese restaurants. But maybe not enough privacy?
And heck, maybe you really don't need all that much privacy in the first place! Places like Ryan's, Kincaid's, and so many restaurants in both the Dinner w/drinks section and Watering holes sections are used to hosting large or small parties, even though you won't have a private room, but only a reserved table. Sometimes that's even more fun, as the energy of the entire room kinda has a way of livening up your own party! But then again, that's all up to you!
Hope that helps a little. That's about all I can disseminate right now, though it's not much info, I know. Lemme know if I'm off the mark.
Desiree (10/24/09) - Thank you for replying though you are all the way in Japan! Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Coincidently our company holiday party was held at 3660 last year and it was perfect. This year I think we want a change, hence my email to you. I will definitely look into the hotel options. Thank you for the suggestion!
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Anuhea (10/12/09) - Hi, my friends are throwing a baby luau this month on Molokai. They're looking for good quality poke that's affordable and are having a hard time finding that on Molokai. Where would you recommend I look here on Oahu? Is it cheaper to buy the ingredients and prepare it ourselves, or is it cheaper to buy ready to eat from a specific location?
Aku (10/12/09) - Aaaah, Anuhea, what a loaded question!
Here's a quick run-down of options:
1) $5.99-$6.99 per pound - You know the old adage - you get what you pay for! If the main concern is price, and you want cheap, the bottom of the barrel is Foodland or Don Quijote, with their $5.99-$6.99 ahi poke varieties, but they are always pre-frozen and often gas-treated to maintain color. Call them before-hand and request that they make a separate batch the very day you pick it up. It won't be terrible poke (I myself got this variety for our wedding!), but if you want better or best, read on...
2) $8.99-$12.99 per pound. That's what you'll pay for non-frozen, fresh ahi of a good quality, the kind at stores that specialize in poke like Poke Stop, Fresh Catch, Ono Seafood, Ft. Ruger, Tamashiro Market, and places like these (see the poke section of the site if you haven't already). The big downside is, depending on how big your party is, the prices could really add-up!
3) Almost free... maybe!!! Make 'em yourself! This is by far the best way to go, but only if you have the extra time and know someone who knows a fisherman willing to donate a fresh fish or two for you - Doesn't everyone fish on Molokai? Just kidding. But if you can find a fisherman, of course, that would be a slam-dunk choice, as the seasonings are all common stuff you probably already have (except maybe inamona and ogo, if you want), so it shouldn't cost hardly anything, not to mention the benefits of a freshly caught fish. Hawaiian salt, sesame oil, shoyu, sweet onions, green onions, chili or chil flakes, all cheap and readily available stuff! You can even kick it up a knotch and cube the fish and prepare the sauce separately, store, and then mix last-minute, as the longer it sits in the sauce, the more it will distort the true taste of the fish. If the fish is really fresh, it's always better to toss it at the last possible minute to really showcase the freshness, but only if you're willing to take the extra time and effort. If you can't pull-off a coup with donated ahi, and have to purchase filets at the store to prepare yourselves, you have to consider what kind of quality you want to pay for, as you already know it can vary greatly. With so much to buy, however, I wouldn't be messing with a super high-quality, sashimi-grade cut - the cheaper stuff will be just fine for a large party, and noone will skip a beat!
In the end, I'll say that the $5.99-$6.99 varieties are probably just fine for large gatherings, and probably even cheaper than making store-bought cuts from scratch on your own, as long as they can be picked-up and served on the same day. The next day? Hmmm... Big difference sitting in the sauce for that long, and not something I'd personally do. If same-day arrangements can't be made, maybe ask if they can provide the fish and sauce separately, and make sure the fish stays real cold at all times before the actual preparation, and I wouldn't go further than the next day-out. That might work. Any further out, and well, I'm not so sure.
And so, that's the skinny on the options, for the most part. Hope it helps, and hope I haven't confused you even more! Lemme know if I missed the mark!
Anuhea (10/13/09) - Thanks so much for your quick and very helpful reply! It's much appreciated :)
Aku (10/12/09) - Aaaah, Anuhea, what a loaded question!
Here's a quick run-down of options:
1) $5.99-$6.99 per pound - You know the old adage - you get what you pay for! If the main concern is price, and you want cheap, the bottom of the barrel is Foodland or Don Quijote, with their $5.99-$6.99 ahi poke varieties, but they are always pre-frozen and often gas-treated to maintain color. Call them before-hand and request that they make a separate batch the very day you pick it up. It won't be terrible poke (I myself got this variety for our wedding!), but if you want better or best, read on...
2) $8.99-$12.99 per pound. That's what you'll pay for non-frozen, fresh ahi of a good quality, the kind at stores that specialize in poke like Poke Stop, Fresh Catch, Ono Seafood, Ft. Ruger, Tamashiro Market, and places like these (see the poke section of the site if you haven't already). The big downside is, depending on how big your party is, the prices could really add-up!
3) Almost free... maybe!!! Make 'em yourself! This is by far the best way to go, but only if you have the extra time and know someone who knows a fisherman willing to donate a fresh fish or two for you - Doesn't everyone fish on Molokai? Just kidding. But if you can find a fisherman, of course, that would be a slam-dunk choice, as the seasonings are all common stuff you probably already have (except maybe inamona and ogo, if you want), so it shouldn't cost hardly anything, not to mention the benefits of a freshly caught fish. Hawaiian salt, sesame oil, shoyu, sweet onions, green onions, chili or chil flakes, all cheap and readily available stuff! You can even kick it up a knotch and cube the fish and prepare the sauce separately, store, and then mix last-minute, as the longer it sits in the sauce, the more it will distort the true taste of the fish. If the fish is really fresh, it's always better to toss it at the last possible minute to really showcase the freshness, but only if you're willing to take the extra time and effort. If you can't pull-off a coup with donated ahi, and have to purchase filets at the store to prepare yourselves, you have to consider what kind of quality you want to pay for, as you already know it can vary greatly. With so much to buy, however, I wouldn't be messing with a super high-quality, sashimi-grade cut - the cheaper stuff will be just fine for a large party, and noone will skip a beat!
In the end, I'll say that the $5.99-$6.99 varieties are probably just fine for large gatherings, and probably even cheaper than making store-bought cuts from scratch on your own, as long as they can be picked-up and served on the same day. The next day? Hmmm... Big difference sitting in the sauce for that long, and not something I'd personally do. If same-day arrangements can't be made, maybe ask if they can provide the fish and sauce separately, and make sure the fish stays real cold at all times before the actual preparation, and I wouldn't go further than the next day-out. That might work. Any further out, and well, I'm not so sure.
And so, that's the skinny on the options, for the most part. Hope it helps, and hope I haven't confused you even more! Lemme know if I missed the mark!
Anuhea (10/13/09) - Thanks so much for your quick and very helpful reply! It's much appreciated :)
Aku (10/13/09) - Always fun! Have a great party!!!
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Alan (8/4/09) Wow! Look at this old article. It really was a long time ago that one of my favorites, Tin Tin Chop Suey, closed!
Alan (7/27/09) - I just read your post on Uncle’s. Where are they? I thought they were on Sand Island. Do they have more than one location? Uncle's is at Pier 38 - just turn ocean-side on Nimitz, where Nimitz business center entrance is (the one with New Eagle, Sensually Yours, etc.) There's a map link on the main guide pages - Uncle's is in the dinner w/drinks section.
And I thought they were the supposedly the best sushi bar in Honolulu. Was I mistaken? Poke and sashimi, yes, but no sushi. Where is the best sushi bar where I can get stuff like toro, mirugai, Japan hamachi hara, and stuff like that. I am not into the rolls and other Nuevo-crap, but the high end traditional stuff. Check out the main guide pages, sushi section (izakaya section, too!) - there I say my favorites. Lots of great places, and so many different opinions of them all! There's lots of closer looks for sushi houses, too, if you scroll back in time on the closer look page. Sounds like you'll love places like Sasabune, Mitch's, Kin-chan, and even izakaya places like Gaku and Imanas Tei for traditional, top-flight sushi. When I come back home in October, I want to have sushi and some other stuff that I really miss like great Cantonese food. Do you mean lighter, fresher stuff than your typical greasy neighborhood restaurants? I ask because most Chinese restaurants here don't strictly stay with one regional style, and offer all kinds - Peking, Szechuan, Hong Kong, and so many more - gets confusing sometimes, and there's lots of overlapping. But it sounds like you're looking for the higher-end stuff, like Fook Yuen, Kirin, Happy Day, etc. Again, check out the Chinese section for my favorites. Of course my wife has to go eat at Helena’s, and we like Camellia Buffet by the old Varsity Theatre. Oh, you gotta try Korea House, Million, Choi's Garden, and others that are frequented more by the Korean Community than the locals! We also like Makino Chaya but I heard they are going downhill. Yes, they are. And highly inconsistent. The Prince Court at the Prince Hotel is good for buffets. The hotel also houses Hanaki, which has an all you can eat sushi bar on weekends. Kinda pricey at $42 or so, but we're talking all-you-can-eat, traditional nigiri-zushi, including the good stuff, even ikura and uni. Don't remember if they had toro, though. Do they still serve the Wagyu beef yaki-niku? Yes, but if you want good Wagyu, visit a Japanese yakiniku restaurant, particularly Yakiniku Hiroshi's - check out the yakiniku section of Japanese foods. When we come back, all we do is eat. Gotta go Maunakea Street and buy roast pork and char siu for freezing so I can bring back to Arizona. Also, just heard this weekend that the old Chinese peanut candy and candied fruits shop in Chinatown reopened with a new owner. Gotta go there too so my wife can buy her peanut candy and puff rice squares that they pack in the gallon can. Sorry, not sure which shop you are speaking of. One last thing…..I heard that Uncle’s is BYOB. Do I also need to bring a cooler or will they put my beers in the fridge? No, Uncle's serves liquor now, so no byob anymore!
Thanks, Alan. Not a problem, brah - always good to talk about food!
Thanks, Alan. Not a problem, brah - always good to talk about food!
Alan (7/28/09) - Thanks for the reply…….I got confused. In reading your reply, I was thinking of Mitch’s (I think). Aren’t they on Sand Island and they are BYOB, yes? Correct on the byob, not correct on the location. Check the sushi section and scroll down to Mitch's for exact location, but just know that they are closer to the airport. As for the Chinese food, I typically like the Cantonese/Hong Kong style more. I even like Hakka food, and there used to be a Hakka restaurant in the Chinese Cultural Plaza downtown. Really? I don’t care much for Szchwan or Mandarin styles of cooking. Me, too, I don't care much for Szechuan, but I do love Mandarin! And actually, I kinda like the old fashion, family style, greasy style food. Some of my favorites are pork belly kau yuk, Crispy Kau Gee Mein, old-fashion, deep fried oyster rolls and stuff like that. My son loves the old Kapahulu Chop Suey, which is really a dive and doesn’t really have good food, but he used to be taken there a lot by my father (his grandfather) so he loves it. Hey, though I often differentiate between greasy, old-fashioned, "neighborhood" type Chinese and classier Chinese, I love 'em both! The neighborhood spots always have lots of flavor, bigger portions, better prices, and who can go wrong with all that variety? And I've never tried Kapahulu Chop suey yet! Checked out reviews on the place through Yelp after you mentioned it, as I do contribute reviews to Yelp once in a while, and they do have some pretty good reviews - I'll have to try it out! Every time he goes back to Honolulu, he has to eat at Kapahulu Chop Suey, Zippy’s, and Nick’s Fishmarket. Oooh, guess what? It was a shock to all of us, but Nick's Fishmarket has closed down! These places are not-so-good, but very nostalgic for him. When were living in Honolulu and he had a hot date in high school, he always asked me for some money so he could take his date to eat dinner at Nick’s. In the very old days, I used to frequent places like Tin Tin Chop Suey in Chinatown. Wow, never heard of this place! And I like the Food at Hanaki in Manoa, me, too, especially when considering the price! and at the Prince Court Buffet, but like you said they are pretty pricey. I also ate once at the Hakone Restaurant in the Prince Hotel and I like the food there, but again it was pretty pricey. Generally speaking, I like good food at a good value, but once in a while, I don’t mind paying the price for something great. I am a sucker for osso bucco, so if there is an Italian restaurant with great osso bucco, I will pay the price and go there. Can't say I've had osso bucco at all the different places, but if it's good Italian, I'd put my money on Sabrina's, Mediterraneo, or Cafe Sistina - they all have osso bucco, though I haven't actually tried the dish at these spots. Thanks again, Alan Always fun, brah! Aku
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Bob and Erica M. (7/22/09) - Hello, I'm writing a note to thank you for the tons of info that we've gathered from your site! My wife and I are moving to Oahu in September, and we are , i hate to use the term, but, foodies. We have already planned our first 50 stops, this should keep us busy enough for a while. I, sadly, will have to get a job though, and was wondering if you knew of any blogs or resources to use. I am a chef in Portland, Oregon currently, so I know the field is tight on the islands right now. Any info at all would be helpful. But in the meantime, please keep doing what you do so well, so that we can extend our list!!! Thanx so much
Aku (7/22/09) - I'm glad you like the site! It's always good to know when people enjoy or use it to their advantage! Hmmm... It's funny, a friend of mine living in Oregon just wrote me about finding apartment rentals, so I tried to access the two big papers here on-line - the Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star Bulletin, and I couldn't find an online section for searching classified's, only a place to place classified's. However, if you're serious, I'd at least order a few hard-copy Sunday paper's from either or both of the two (unless you can find out how to get them directly through their site) because that's where most of us locals look anyway. Just google both of them to order. I know there are a couple of other national sites - monster.com and jobs.com, I think, but I'm not sure about those. Yeah, the restaurant scene is tight right now, like everything else, but since you're already a Chef, it'll no doubt be easier for you to slip in. Other than that... Hotels, maybe? Union job, relatively tame hours...no? Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, Prince, Four Seasons, Fairmont (last two on outer islands only) - they're all here if you wanna try that route. Good luck - things always work out when you got the balls to step out! If I find anything new, I'll let ya know. Thanks again for the kind words! Meanwhile...
Anyone got any leads, lemme know, and I'll pass it on!
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Tracy T. (7/19/09) - Aku, How's about putting a recipe link on your website. Or is there one already?
Aku (7/19/09) - Aaaaah, I've been planning a recipe thing for a while now, just don't exactly know how to implement it, and time is always a serious factor. I do have some general ideas on implementation, but haven't really moved out of the planning stage yet. Got any thoughts?
"Wow, nice website Aku, Yeah you make me miss Hawaii even more now. - Paula
Hi Aku, Your site is terrific. Very Sophisticated and terrific photos! - Marcy
Really like your site, very informative and fun reads! - L.W.
I like the site, it's user friendly and very easy to navigate. There's a lot of attention to detail and all the information that most people want to know about a restaurant is there. Nice pictures too. I will tell my friends about the site....you must be gathering up a rather sizable web following. - Jan K.
Your website looks better than my company's website and we are the largest...... in the state of hawaii. Seems like you have been to everywhere. Keep up the good work! - HappygoLucky
- Nice page man! .....referred me to you. my wife and i moved to vegas last year, from oahu. check out my blog: http://foodshoesandtattoos.wordpress.com/ if youre ever in vegas and need a tatt or want to check out the cuisine: www.110976.com shoots! - Ben S.
- Aku, awesome website! - Robert Hamilton ( Hawaii Christian Weddings founder - www.hawaiichristianweddings.com)
Aloha Aku, I like the site and what you are doing with it. I like it much more than the newspaper restaurant sites and the other generic sites. - Pono S.
Great job on this website!!! That is awesome!!! - Gina S.
Your site rocks!!! - Kristen C.
