Something for everyone

We all know that deciding where to eat can be a real struggle. Mom and Dad want Chinese food, but the kids are craving Japanese.

“It’s a situation all too familiar to many families, which is why we decided to open up a restaurant that could satisfy a variety of tastes,” says Tiffany Ko, owner of Fairwood Drive-Inn & Ramen Diner.

Specializing in Chinese-, Japanese- and local-style cuisine, Fairwood is a culinary jack-of-all-trades. While half the restaurant offers some of the most flavorful Canton-inspired dishes, the other half of the eatery concentrates on beautifully prepared, traditional Japanese ramen.

The Kaimuki Shopping Center restaurant currently has a few specials in the works. Seafood Platter ($11.95) features an appetizing spread of shrimp tempura, oysters and Aji fish, lightly fried and served with a house tartar sauce alongside macaroni salad and two scoops of rice.

Another popular choice is House Special Cake Noodle ($9.95), a classic crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-in the-middle noodle dish with generous portions of sauteed mixed vegetables, shrimp, char siu, chicken and imitation crab meat. “We cook the ingredients in garlic with a little bit of cooking wine, to give it that deep flavor,” explains Ko.

The restaurant is spacious, clean and charmingly decorated.

“Throughout the years, we have made a lot of improvements, both to our menu and space,” says Ko. “It has always been our goal to make Fairwood the ideal gathering place for friends and family to come together and enjoy a quality meal.”

In addition to a dine-in service, Fairwood Drive-Inn & Ramen Diner also offers takeout and catering options.

Fairwood Drive-Inn & Ramen Diner

Kaimuki Shopping Center
3221 Waialae Ave., Honolulu
738-0027
Daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.