Tamarind Soy Glazed Seared Ahi ($44)
Waiolu Ocean Cuisine is known for its quality seafood, including its traditional and innovative sushi options. Open for lunch and dinner, guests are invited to dine in and admire the Waikiki skyline from Waiolu Ocean Cuisine.
“We have something here to satisfy every craving,” says Yoshi Ohata, executive chef at Ka Lai Waikiki Beach Hotel and Waiolu Ocean Cuisine. “Whether it’s our unique sushi selection of fish air-shipped from Japan’s Toyosu Fish Market twice a week, to our easily shareable Happy Hour menu and appetizers, or modern-style plated entrees with vibrant flavors (and) refreshing mixed island drinks, we got you. We also have live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 7:30 p.m.”
We spoke to Ohata to learn more about Waiolu Ocean Cuisine’s various offerings.
DO: Is there any special meaning behind the restaurant’s name?
YO: Waiolu means calm water. The design of the bar counter mimics flowing water going toward the ocean.
DO: What’s your favorite dish on the menu?
YO: Tamarind Soy Glazed Seared Ahi ($44) is my favorite right now. I like the sweet tangy flavor from the sauce on the ahi and it goes well with the ginger scallion rice and the garlic crumbs.
DO: What are some of your best drinks/dishes?
YO: Some of our bestsellers include our Smoked Kona Kampachi Chip & Dip ($19) with taro chips; Ono Crudo ($20) with spicy scallions, truffle ponzu and yuzu avocado puree; Grilled Tarragon Butter Atlantic Lobster Tails ($69) with charred lemon, broccolini and herb roasted Klondike potatoes; Miso Glazed Black Cod ($42) with wasabi mashed potatoes, baby bok choy, pickled onion and ginger scallion pesto; and the Waiolu Martini ($18) with Pau Maui Vodka, Malibu coconut rum infused with pineapple juice, lychee, vanilla bean and lilikoi.
DO: As chef, what’s a typical day for you like?
YO: My mornings consist of making sure our proteins and produce deliveries are correct and meet quality standards.
Afternoons are usually meetings and administrative work. Evenings are my favorites. As we get into the night, our dinner menu turns to a more elegant style of preparing dishes. I usually expedite the hotline, ensuring dishes are well plated and I garnish each dish before sending them out.
DO: What makes Waiolu Ocean Cuisine unique from other eateries?
YO: You can relax in an open-air atmosphere of Hawaii while indulging in the best seafood experience that Waikiki has to offer. There’s modern seafood dishes as well, complemented with a unique sushi experience.
DO: Do you have anything special/ new going on this month?
YO: (In) September we are looking to enhance our happy hour menu. By mid-September, we should have about 15 items on the happy hour food menu, which range from $12 to $16, draft beers $6 and wine/mixed cocktails from $11 to $14.
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