Mitsu-Ken Okazu & Catering

Digest Kitchen Insider

July 28, 2013

Story By: Dining Out Team | Photos by: Leah Friel

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Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at your favorite restaurant? Well, much credit goes to the many chefs, owners and managers who work diligently day in and day out to make sure Hawaii’s diners have a top-notch dining experience.

This week, Dining Out gets the inside scoops from Mitsu-Ken’s manager Sherri Kaneshiro, who gives us a little taste of Mitsu-Ken and shares just what fuels her culinary drive.

NAME Sherri Kaneshiro
TITLE Manager at Mitsu-Ken
TRAINING/EDUCATION 25 years in the restaurant industry, 20 years at Mitsu-Ken

Who or what inspires you as a manager? Mitsu-Ken is the creation and dream of my brother-in-law Brad Kaneshiro. Twenty years ago, he dreamed of opening his own okazu, being his own boss and serving the foods he loved. Brad and I always got along very well and realized how well we work together, so when he decided to go for it and make it happen, we decided that I would be the one to run the business operations and give him more time to focus on making incredible food. He and my family are my inspiration. They keep me going and keep me dedicated to Mitsu-Ken every day.

What is your favorite dish on the menu? Why? Definitely Fried Saimin — I love noodles! When we first opened we didn’t have a noodle dish on the menu. One night, we were at another restaurant and they had a bento similar to ours with fried saimin that was so good. I turned to Brad and I told him that we had to get a noodle dish on the menu. Now we serve Fried Saimin every day! Our Fried Saimin has all of the classic ingredients, but what really makes it awesome is Brad’s special sauce.

What is your favorite ingredient to work with? Why? The noodles! Every day I can smell when the kitchen is cooking up Fried Saimin, and I get excited knowing a fresh batch is about to come out.

Is there a dish that you create that’s not on your menu, but available upon request? We currently don’t have Chicken Katsu or Pork Shoyu on the daily menu, but if you call far enough in advance, Brad can make these items for you.