Page 3 - Dining Out - July 18, 2021
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  Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
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be your grandmother, but they have great work ethic, loyal and are friendly — that is why our customers love them. The style of cuisine is basic old-style Japanese food with a lot of different options, all with traditional cooking methods.
AL: What dishes is the restaurant known for?
JA: We have a wide array of options that are uncommon for a local Japanese restau- rant. We are known for our butterfish (the miso sauce is a secret homemade recipe). We offer teishoku to soba, family-style dinners and more. Set A ($26.95 per per- son), for instance, comes with
barbecue short ribs, chick- en teriyaki, hand-pounded tonkatsu, assorted tempura and sashimi. It’s served with soup, rice and tsukemono.We also have ochazuke, which is rare to see on a menu, steak and seafood, and a full sushi counter greeted by our sushi chefMasaNagamine.Wealso have our popular okazuya for takeout. Also, our nabes are excellent.
AL: What did the chef pre- pare for us today?
JA: Salmon Ochazuke ($14.50) — our salmon is fresh chilled; our fish is fresh not frozen.We bring in hama- chi and ikura from Japan.
Yose Nabe ($18.50) is my personal favorite. It’s an as- sortment of seafood, chicken, tofu and assorted fresh veg- etables in a delicious broth. You try this once; you will be back again for more.
Nama Chirashi Bowl ($26.95) — this has a lot of different items. When I say a lot, I mean a lot: maguro, fresh hamachi, fresh salmon, saba, hokkigai clams, tako, tobiko and shiitake mush- rooms served over sushi rice. Based on availability, we add seared ahi.
Regular Teishoku Butter- fish ($25.50) — the way we marinate the fish in the miso is what makes this dish truly special. This is served with rice and tsukemono.
AL: How often does the menu change?
JA: We haven’t changed the menu, as there are many choices for customers to choose from. We did stop
the table cooking because of the pandemic and to make it easier for our waitstaff. Hope- fully,whenwecangetbackto normal, we will bring it back, as it is very popular with our customers. We do offer daily specials, which tend to sell out.You can call the restaurant to know what the specials are.
AL: How did the pandemic affect your business?
JA: The deli side really helped us stay afloat. Many customers came and sup- ported us and ordered take- out, and we are very thank- ful for that. We did close the restaurant side, as many people were not comfort- able dining in. Now that we are open for dine-in, there are
safety measures in place for our guests and staff. (We are now able to) offer larger par- ties for up to 25 guests within regulations.
I feel positive that we are getting near the end of the pandemic, and that we are eventually going to get back to where we were in 2019. I see more and more people come in, and the customer base has been increasing by the day.
AL: Anything else you want to share?
JA: Ironically, I’ve always wanted to own a bar — but I ended up owning a restau- rant that also serves alcohol. We want to thank all our cus- tomers and patrons that have
Kabuki Restaurant & Delicatessen Waimalu Shopping Plaza
98-020 Kamehameha Hwy., Aiea 808-487-2424 5:30 a.m.-1 p.m. daily okazuya/deli; 11 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. and 5-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays- Sundays
1. Nama Chirashi Bowl ($26.95) 2. Yose Nabe ($18.50)
3. Sushi chef Masa Nagamine 4. Salmon Ochazuke ($14.50) 5. Regular Teishoku Butterfish ($25.50)
supported us throughout this pandemic. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to survive.
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      Farm Fresh & Flavorful Tastings at Hoku’s
Using local ingredients and French techniques, Executive Chef Jonathan Mizukami showcases his seasonal wit in the Grand Tasting of Vegetables at Hoku’s. The intricate eight-course meal is a dazzling arrangement of delectable courses like Whole Roasted Celery Root and Hawaiian Heart of Peach Palm, straight from Oprah’s Farm. Alternatively, for those who enjoy delights from land and sea, try The Kahala Grand Tasting
Menu — both tastings are artful and flavorful summer satisfactions.
RESERVE NOW LIMITED SEATING
     HOKU’S TASTING
OF VEGETABLES OR GRAND TASTING MENU
Tuesday-Saturday, 5:30–8:30 p.m. $200* per person, wine pairing available *Does not include tax & gratuity
Reservations 739.8811 HokusKahala.com
Dining Out
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