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Where the buffet spread never runs dry

A La Carte Columns

March 1, 2016

Story By: Caitlin Basilio | Photos by: LAWRENCE TABUDLO

Salmon, hamachi and ahi sashimi

Salmon, hamachi and ahi sashimi

There are no limits when dining at Makino Chaya, especially when the words “all you can eat” continue to chime in your mind throughout your entire visit. The eatery’s buffet selection includes a vast array of seafood, local Japanese dishes and desserts to indulge in.

“We have 40 hot food items, 16 different types of sushi, 16 desserts —and that’s just for lunch,” explains general manager Chris Mitchell. “For dinner, we have at least another 20 items on the menu.”

What may be the most popular spot at Makino Chaya’s weekend dinner buffet is its Carving Station, which regularly offers Roast Beef and Barbecue Pork Ribs. The pork ribs are prepared with a house-made barbecue sauce, while the Roast Beef is seasoned with lemon, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, and slow roasted for about four hours.

Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

A customer favorite from Makino Chaya’s dinner menu is sashimi —salmon, ahi and hamachi, to be exact. “Our fish is fresh daily,” explains Mitchell. “We don’t use frozen fish.”

And, of course, you can’t forget about dessert. Among the buffet’s many sweets, Bread Pudding definitely takes the cake. Serving as one of Makino Chaya’s signature dishes, you really can’t go wrong with its warm decadence.

In addition to the restaurant’s tasty foods, Makino Chaya also is able to seat large groups of hungry patrons —perfect for a party or special occasion.

Roast Beef and Barbecue Short Ribs

Roast Beef and Barbecue Short Ribs

“We’ve been having a lot of people book the whole restaurant and we shut it down for them,” says Mitchell. “We just had one the other week that was for about 300 people. If you have a minimum of 250 people, you can close down the restaurant for either lunch or dinner, for the same price per person.”

Makino Chaya’s lunch buffets are offered Monday-Friday for $14.98 per person, and Saturday and Sunday for $19.98 per person. Its dinner buffet is offered daily for $32.98 person.

For more information about Makino Chaya and its mouth watering selections, call 486-5100 or visit makinochayahawaii.com.

Makino Chaya

Westridge Shopping Center
98-150 Kaonohi St. Ste. B219, Aiea
486-5100
Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner: Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 5:30-9 p.m.
makinochayahawaii.com

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