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Ichiriki’s Sweetest Sensations

Digest Jus' Desserts

December 9, 2012

Story By: Nicole Monton | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant is known for its amazing hot pot dishes that warm you all the way down to your toes. And the establishment also has a list of desserts that are proven to be a great way to cool off after your hot pot trip to heaven.

Ujikintoki ($4.95) is the most popular dessert at Ichiriki, which is well-known for its shave ice. After eating steamy nabe, what better way to cool off than with melt-in-your-mouth green tea shave ice served with condensed milk and red beans? There is no better way.

According to managing partner Masaki Sasade, Ujikintoki is great for sharing, and the perfect way to end a hot pot meal.

The warm Brownie Ala Mode ($4.95) has chocolate chunks hidden within, and comes with vanilla ice cream topped with powdered sugar and chocolate syrup.

“This one is a favorite, especially for kids,” Sasade says. “We use it a lot for anniversaries, too. It’s like our romantic, sweet dessert. A lot of couples love it, and it goes really well after the nabe.”

Many of the soups are very flavorful, and if you’ve had one of the saltier soups, Brownie Ala Mode is the ideal counterbalance of flavor to make sure your meal ends on a sweeter note.

If you’re an adventurous eater, Warabi Mochi with Ice Cream ($4.95) is the way to go.

“Warabi mochi is a special kind of mochi,” Sasade explains. “It’s like a gelantin mochi, so it’s really soft. Mochi tends to be chewy, but this one melts in your mouth.”

The green tea warabi mochi is served with vanilla ice cream and is topped off with kuromitsu, a maple syrup-like concoction, and the three flavors go well together.

And Ichiriki has a special treat for Dining Out readers that’s not on the menu — Fuji Uji ($9.90). Named for the Mount Fuji-like amount of dessert, Fuji Uji is the Ujikintoki on steroids. It’s perfect for a group of four who want to share green tea shave ice topped with sweet red beans.

Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant

PIIKOI
510 Piikoi St. #102, Honolulu
589.2299
Open daily, Lunch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m.-midnight

AIEA
Kaonohi St. #C216, Aiea
484.2222
Open daily, Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner: Monday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m.-midnight
Sunday, 4-10 p.m.

Honolulu, HI 96814

Aiea, HI 96701

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