Soaring High With Freshly Cooked Comfort Food

STORY BY MICHELLE LEE

Just a stone’s throw away from Honolulu’s famed pier district inside Nimitz Center sits New Eagle Cafe, the cozy, beloved diner that has been serving delicious local favorites for decades.

As manager, Tae Im, who took ownership of the restaurant last November, aims to provide a kind of culinary experience only comfort food made with the utmost care and attention can bring. “We are dedicated to serving high quality, local-style dishes anyone can enjoy in a family friendly environment,” says Im.

With the restaurant recently renovated, customers can now look forward to enjoying their meals among dark polished flooring, charming light fixtures and a swanky new bar.

The diner’s extensive menu appeals to a variety of appetites with local comfort food including Hawaiian Chopped Steak ($11.50) and Fillet of Mahi Mahi ($10.95) as well as Japanese-style teishoku dishes such as Chicken Karaage ($19.95) and Salmon Shiyoyaki ($19.95).

Fresh ingredients are an absolute necessity at New Eagle Cafe. Roasted Prime Rib of Beef (starting at $18.50) is one of the restaurant’s most popular entrees largely in part because of the meat’s superior quality. “The meat used for our prime ribs is never frozen,” says Im. “It is so tender you do not even have to use a knife to cut it.”

While the menu since the restaurant’s early days has largely remained the same, customer wishes have led to the addition of a few, highly anticipated newcomers. “The Mandoo dumplings ($4.95) have always been popular, and after noticing that we only offered one type of noodle, we created the Mandoo Min ($9.25),” says Im. “It has become one of our most popular noodle dishes along with our famous Oxtail Soup (starting at $12.95).”

Homemade flavors and cooking techniques are a staple with every dish at New Eagle Cafe. For those with a sweet tooth, the diner features an array of dessert pies such as Apple Pie and Pumpkin Crunch (starting at $2.45), which are made in house from scratch.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday between 6 and 8 p.m. customers can find Im preparing and passing out complimentary homemade buttermilk biscuits straight from the oven to all patrons. “It is a joy for me to step into the kitchen, prepare the flour mixture and start kneading away,” she says.

“People have grown to love the biscuits so much that oftentimes they will come in specifically because of them.”

In the end, New Eagle Cafe offers a place where diners can truly enjoy being part of an international ohana with employees who care about their customers. “I firmly believe that in order for a restaurant to succeed, all those involved have to put their heart in what they do,” says Im. “The staff’s genuine love for the food and customers is an essential part of the business.”

New Eagle Cafe also boasts an impressive variety of early bird specials and daily specials as well as a take-out menu. The diner also invites families to take advantage of the keiki menu.

New Eagle Cafe

1130 N. Nimitz Hwy, A-100
545-2233
Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.