Stirring Up The Nabe Pot

Bijin Tomato Nabe ($38). Elima Pangorang photo

Tsukada Nojo may be the new kid on the block, but it’s already amping up the competition in Honolulu’s dining scene.

The eatery opened its doors earlier this year in March and boasts a vast, fresh menu of Japanese nabe (hot pot), as well as other traditional and unique Japanese fare. Its dining area is lovely, warm and contemporary, making for a comfortable environment for hungry diners.

What’s more, Tsukada Nojo supports local farmers by sourcing locally whenever possible — so much so that it’s even in the name.

“Tsukada is one of the regions in Japan and ‘nojo‘ means farm,” explains general manager Ed Mailoa.

Tsukada Nojo’s modern interior. L. Tabudlo photo

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As part of its unique menu, the eatery presents a dessert selection worth saving some room for, including the adorable Yellow Bear ($9). A mound of shaved ice covered in mango puree is molded into the shape of a bear’s head, while white chocolate candies serve as ears, a scoop of vanilla gelato makes its mouth and black beans position themselves as eyes and a nose. This cutesy dessert is stuffed with mixed fruits, mochi and boba for a refreshing and frosty end to your meal.

A NEW HEAT WAVE

Turn up the heat (literally) with Tsukada Nojo’s nabe selections. Bijin Tomato Nabe ($38) is a tomato-based soup with Chinese cabbage, watermelon radish, red and yellow bell pepper, enoki and maitake mushrooms, cherry tomato, zucchini and chicken. General manager Ed Mailoa says the nabe is different from other hot pots since it comes out as a golden chicken stock that is stewed for more than eight hours, thus creating the thick concoction. Once it heats up, all the ingredients can cook up perfectly.