Taking on a Taste for Nabemono

Allow your taste buds to transcend great distances at Odoriko Japanese Restaurant, located in King’s Village Shopping Center in Waikiki, where locals and tourists alike enjoy the true concept of izakaya dining.

Chanko Nabe ($16.50, lunch)

“Odoriko is not just a dining establishment, it’s a place for socializing over drinks,” says general manager Hiro Takei. “We have a full izakaya menu, but we offer a much more comprehensive menu as well. We also have a full sushi bar and, of course, we have our hot pot entrees and full-set meals.”

Odoriko’s Nabemono, or hot-pot dishes, are offered for lunch and dinner, and according to Takei, are quite popular. Dinner nabemono options include Shabu Shabu ($35 per order), Sukiyaki ($35 per order), Chanko-nabe ($38 per order) and Live Lobster-nabe ($45 per order).

A minimum of two orders is required and come complete with an appetizer, pickled vegetables, miso soup and rice.

“Traditional nabemono are Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki,” Takei explains. “With shabu shabu, you cook the assorted vegetables and New York steak in hot water, and there’s ponzu and sesame dipping sauces for additional flavor.”

For a quick on-the-go nabemono lunch option, Odoriko also features Chanko Nabe ($16.50), Shabu Shabu ($16.50) and Sukiyaki ($16.50) to satisfy your appetite. All come with a bowl of rice.

“Chanko Nabe is popular and is derived from the sumo wrestler days when sumo wrestlers would throw the whole kitchen sink into the hot pot,” Takei explains. “If you want a little bit of everything, this is a great choice. It consists of assorted vegetables, crab legs, clams, shrimp, fish, chicken meat-balls and more.”

Odoriko Japanese Restaurant celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and Takei says Happy Hour is scheduled to start sometime next month featuring discounted prices. Be sure to ask about kamaaina lunch specials.

Odoriko Japanese Restaurant