Nathan "golfnutn8" K.'s Profile

This place has the best meat jun on the island in my opinion...my attempt to describe it in words wouldn't do it justice. Meat is always perfectly seasoned and the egg batter is light and crispy. Most of the time we get the "lunch special" or "dinner special" which comes with bbq chicken, meat jun, and kalbi (with dinner special). So ono! I haven't tried to many other things on the menu, but I love my meat jun and this is where I go to get it.

I've been hearing a lot of good things about Therapy Sports Grill in Hawaii Kai. The food is great. The atmosphere on the marina is great. The people are friendly. But living in Salt Lake, Koko Marina seems like a far way to go for a bite. But I finally did it last night with my family and friends and it was definitely worth the trip.

In full disclosure, my buddy is the owner of the restaurant, and while I would prefer he would have taken over a sports bar closer to town, I can certainly understand why he picked East Honolulu.  Things are a lot more mellow on that side of the island, he grew up in the area, and Hawaii Kai is just a nice place to be on Oahu.

So after arriving for my first visit last night, I was immediately impressed with the cleanliness and size of the restaurant. This a higher-end sports bar than what we're used to frequenting. After having a couple of drinks and watching the sun go down, it was time to eat.  

My friends that have been to the restaurant raved about the food and those who know me know I L-O-V-E to eat! We ordered up a bunch of food...Dynamite Chicken, Garlic Chicken, Pork Chops, Kalibi, Hamachi Kama, Kim Chee Fried Rice, Oyster Shooters, Nachos, Poke Soy Beans, Poke Trio, and a couple of sushi rolls (I forget which ones...DOH!). I was pleasantly surprised with how good everything tasted...IT WAS ALL ONO (DELICIOUS)!  We decided to eat "family style" and the dishes ranged in price from $10 - $15. My favorites by far were the Kalbi and Garlic Chicken, but my family and friends enjoyed everything we ordered. The sushi was good too, though the rice was a little overcooked. All in all a wonderful time had by all.

I should also mention that the bar also features four electronic dart boards (which we used all night), two pool tables, a basketball game, and jukebox to keep everyone entertained.

It would be unfair to compare Therapy Sports Grill to other popular sports bars like Side Street Inn, TJs, and King Street Cafe...all which serve great food...because it's a relative newcomer to the scene (opening in 2007) and tucked away in East Honolulu. But I would easily recommend this place to anyone looking for a similar style restaurant/bar in Hawaii Kai and especially residents of East Honolulu who may dread driving into town.  You folks have a great place to hang out right in your own backyard (with FREE PARKING TOO!).

I also saw on the table tents that Therapy offers $1 tacos on Taco Tuesdays which begins at 5 p.m. and offers a slew of drink specials. They also have flat screen TV plastered all over the walls to show the University of Hawaii games, as well as all the others sports fans would expect from a true sports bar.

I'm certain to return to Therapy when I'm in the area. Making it a consistent stop living in Central Oahu may be a stretch, but as I said it was definitely worth the drive for a great new food experience on Oahu.

Alan Wong's is my favorite restaurant for Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Chef Wong is truly a master of his trade and our recent dining experience there for Christmas Eve dinner was about as good as it could get. It was a five course prix fixe menu and just fantastic. You can view it here:

http://www.alanwongs.c...

The food was amazing and combination of flavors using local ingredients and delicious sauces is what this place is all about. Serving up a true taste of Hawaii is what Chef Wong does and for anyone looking to experience real flavors of the islands and our culture needs to dine here at least once. Here's a few more photos and descriptions of our great dinner.

http://flickr.com/phot...

Bon appetit!

I had heard from friends at the office that Outback Steakhouse in Kapolei had rolled out a new "test" menu with new offerings. As an Outback fan I had no option but to investigate and being that it was my sister-in-law's birthday, that was as good as an excuse as any to head there on Sunday.  In speaking with the manager, this is a concept menu they are looking to implement at all Outback restaurants in 2010. So if you want to play a hand in the restaurant's future, I highly recommend getting there, tasting some of the new dishes, and giving them your feedback. Our family enjoyed the new appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

The new menu looks great and it looks like it's been scaled back a bit removing some of the more expensive items focusing the menu on quality and value.  As we enjoyed a few Cooper beers as we glanced over the menu, I was sad to see one of my favorite appetizers removed - the calamari - but the two new apps we tried were delicious. The Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla (8 pieces for $9.95 or 4 pieces for $7.95) and Crab Stuffed Shrimp (4 pieces for $6.95) were a great way to start our meal. Both were tasty and satisfying. Not to mention the molasses bread they serve is to die for. I'm a bread fan and this one's a winner.

One of the things I love about Outback is that you get a starter with your meal with most entrees that includes Clam Chowder or a Signature Side Salad. I always have the Lettuce Wedge with Blue Cheese dressing. YUM! As for entrees this time around, all but one in our party tried some of the new items with the birthday girl (who doesn't eat meat or pork I might add) sticking to her favorite...Lobster Tails. Here's what we ate:

*  Roasted Filet Tenderloin ($21.95) - Sliced tenderloin, seared and slow roasted to preserve its juicy steak flavor. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies.

*  Pepper Strip Steak ($20.95) - Flavorful sliced New York Strip steak, cooked to order, encrusted with cracked black pepper and topped with  brandy cream sauce. Served with golden potato wedges.

*  Roasted Filet Tenderloin and Lobster Tail Combination ($33.95) - Roasted Tenderloin paired with a succulent lobster tail, steamed or grilled, and your choice of two freshly made sides.

*  Lobster Tails ($32.95) - Two succulent and tender lobster tails, grilled or steamed, and served with your choice of two freshly made sides. (NOTE: THIS ENTREE HAS BEEN A REGULAR ITEM ON THE MENU)

All the new dishes were very well done and very tasty. The lobster tails were perfectly cooked and the tenderloin filet melted in your mouth. The New York Strip steak was flavorful and tender as well. Everyone agreed that we'd probably order them again on a future visit.

And for the finale, we had to try the new Dessert Sampler Trio ($8.45) which included a slice of each of the following:

*  Cheesecake Olivia - New York Style with choice of raspberry or homemade chocolate sauce.
*  Chocolate Thunder from Down Under - Fresh-baked pecan brownie and rich vanilla ice cream topped with homemade chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings.
*  Peanut Butter Pie (NEW MENU ITEM) - Smooth and creamy peanut butter pie topped with home made chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings, and whipped cream.

Needless to say, this was the perfect way to end a great meal. Everything on this plate was so good.

I should also mention these were just the items we at that night.  There are several others for you to consider:

*  Classic Filet Tenderloin Wedge Salad ($16.95) - A cool, crisp wedge of Iceberg lettuce, sliced roasted filet tenderloin, Blue Cheese dressing, grape tomatoes, red onions, bacon, and Blue Cheese crumbles, all topped with a sweet balsamic glaze.

*  Pork Tenderloin ($18.95) - Sliced slow-roasted pork tenderloin drizzled with a sweet and spicy apricot-chili glaze and topped with a crunchy crumb. Served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and fresh seasonal veggies.

*  Shrimp en Fuego ($19.95) - Lightly fried butterflied shrimp tossed with sliced mushrooms and tomatoes in a spicy cream sauce atop a baked potato shell. Served with fresh seasonal veggies.

*  Roasted Filet Focaccia Sandwich ($14.95) - Thin sliced roasted filet, melted Provolone cheese, and garlic herb aioli on toasted focaccia bread with our mouthwatering au jus for dipping.

So when someones says "Let's go Outback tonight" just remember it's definitely worth the drive to Kapolei to get a taste of something new.

Bon appetit!

This is an awesome place for breakfast if you happen to be around the airport area. I've heard a lot of good things about the food and service here and our experience today lived up to the expectation. A great menu of breakfast items with all the local favorites, pancakes, waffles, and some. We opted for the ham, cheese, and mushroom omelette and bacon, eggs, and fried rice. Delicious and all very affordable. I was pleasantly surprised with how ono the fried rice was and would definitely get it again. We didin't have pancakes, but it gives us a good reason to get back there soon.

I'm not a huge fan of buffets to begin with, but must say I do like the variety and offerings at Tsukiji Fish Market. We've been here for lunch a few times and I've always enjoyed the food. The tempura is always ono and the kalbi is delicious. The sushi selection is about as good as it gets for the price...which is very reasonable for lunch. And the dessert bar is always a winner with fresh fruit, good selection of cakes, and the always popular shave ice. Read more about my experience there on my blog:

http://tinyurl.com/59e5qr

As new parents of a 14-month-old, we've quickly become big fans of the Honolulu Zoo. The Keiki Zoo is awesome. Check out our recent visit here:

http://tinyurl.com/64q4zg

Kamaaina should take advantage of the annual membership...just $25/year. Looking forward to our next visit there.

My dinner experiences at Tadashi have always been great. Service is always attentive and quick. My favorite entree on the menu hands down is the miso butterfish. I've not seen a larger portion than the one serve here anywhere else on the island. The teishoku is served with miso soup, assorted pickled veggies, and a bowl of rice. More than enough to fill you up for $$. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great Japanese food at a reasonable price. Not to mention the sushi bar is always fresh and delicious. Had the chutoro once which is always a treat!