Eatery offers tasty Japanese cuisine

Sawara Tataki ($16)

Using the best local ingredients, Akira Japanese Restaurant showcases refreshing cuisine made with aloha in the heart of Honolulu.

“I want more people to know about Akira,” says restaurant owner and chef Taiki Kawai. “We want our customers to be happy.”

Guests are welcome to enjoy a wide variety of Japanese cuisine prepared “kaiseki style” in the eatery’s cozy setting. These dishes include the Uni Toro Caviar Hand Roll ($18) made with Hokkaido uni, bluefin tuna and caviar, and the Chilean Sea Bass Agedashi Tofu ($11) crafted with deep-fried tofu topped with Chilean sea bass tempura.

The restaurant also showcases Grilled Hotate Asparagus Butter ($11), which includes Hokkaido scallops and asparagus grilled in butter.

Guests are also welcome to savor appetizers such as Edamame ($4.50), Daikon and Beef Tendon ($7.50), and Simmered Tofu ($7.50).

Kawai, who has been perfecting his cooking skills since 1995, became chef of Kaimana Beach Hotel in 2005 and later became the head chef at Akira Japanese Restaurant in 2018, according to the eatery’s website.

“We were happy that customers were pleased with Akira’s food and service,” he says.

As summer continues, Akira will soon present a new soba menu for lunch and celebrate its sixth anniversary. It plans to continue providing authentic Japanese cuisine and caring customer service.

“I will continue to pursue perfection every day from now on,” Kawai says. “We look forward to seeing you.”