Restaurant Duo Offers Best of Both Worlds

Oxtail Pho ($14.50)
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For diners seeking a multitude of options within Kaimuki’s culinary enclave, Fairwood Drive Inn and its in-house sister restaurant Pho 27 Cafe serve up a host of tasty options as diners arrive hungry and leave with smiles on their faces.

Conveniently located on Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki Shopping Center, diners have the option of picking up a quick meal to go at Fairwood Drive Inn’s speedy-service counter, or sitting down with family and friends in the inviting Pho 27 Cafe dining room. The restaurants are situated just minutes away from University of Hawaii, Chaminade University, Saint Louis School and Sacred Hearts Academy, and the dining havens have gained popularity among students, educators and nearby residents by offering the best of both worlds.

Pig Feet Pho ($10.95)

“Customers are able to come in and order everything from Vietnamese food to Hong Kong-style choices and local dishes,” says owner Tiffany Ko, who brings two decades of experience to the table after initially operating Fairwood Drive Inn on Keeaumoku Street. “There are also those who have to go back to work quickly or take home meals for their family, so we came up with the idea of offering both sit-down and takeout dining. It’s really convenient for our customers so they keep coming back.”

The restaurant venture has lived up to its reputation for offering local-style comfort entrees and appetizers, including Spring Rolls ($8.95 for four pieces). In addition to serving up savory soup selections, Pho 27 Cafe also has a full menu from which to choose and offers enticing “sizzling platters” that feature choices like Chicken, Pork Chop ($10.95 apiece) and New York Steak ($12.50), which are accompanied by French fries, broccoli, tomato and a choice of onion, tomato or black pepper sauce.

Sizzling Platter New York Steak ($12.50)

“It’s a big menu and customers are presented with a lot of choices,” Ko explains with a smile. “Sometimes, families come in and they all want to eat different things. We offer many choices so everyone is happy, and we make sure that the quality is good.”

Diners also flock to Pho 27 Cafe for its vast assortment of soup creations. Ko recommends Pig Feet Pho ($10.95) and Oxtail Pho ($14.50), the latter of which includes a large portion of oxtail, carrots, peanuts, black mushrooms and Chinese cabbage. Both specialties can be ordered as soup dishes or with rice, and Ko notes that these and other choices on both menus are composed of high-quality ingredients to enhance the freshness and flavor.

Owner Tiffany Ko
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Fairwood Drive Inn & Pho 27 Cafe

Kaimuki Shopping Center,
3221 Waialae Ave., Ste. 21
739-6688 or 738-0027
Daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
fairwooddriveinn.wix.com/menu