Cin T.'s Profile
Date
Thai Town just opened about 3 weeks ago, so not much people know about it yet. Located within a tiny Kalihi strip mall, it's easy to pass right by it unless you drive through into the parking lot. The food is tasty and affordable.
There's some things that they need to work on, but it's a place I wouldn't mind revisiting if I'm ever in the area again. The extra star is for the Beef Larb, would've been 3 stars if it weren't for that dish.
SPICY BASIL EGGPLANT BEEF W/CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN & RICE (combo $6.50):
I was craving Thai food and fried chicken this morning, so imagine how happy I was to see this combo on their lunch special!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
****reg menu item of their Spicy Basil Eggplant is avail with chicken, pork, tofu & beef for $7.50, $8.50 for seafood (shrimp, calamari)****
The eggplant was cooked perfectly, tender yet still retaining a slight crunch to it.
The soy-based sauce was delicious and had just the right amount of seasoning. The fried garlic bits and basil adds extra levels of flavor to this dish.
There was a lot of beef, but it was overcooked and tough. This dish would've been perfect if the meat was cooked properly. There was nothing "spicy" about it.
The Gai Tod (crispy marinated fried chicken, $7.50 ala carte) was tasty! The soy & ginger marinade reminds me of Imanas Tei's Mochiko chicken. I would definitely order this again.
PAD SEE-EW w/beef (also avail w/tofu, chicken or pork for $7.50, $8.50 for seafood):
Thick chow fun noodles stir-fried w/egg, veggies and gai lan/chinese broccoli. Some of the noodles were too thick and needed to be cooked longer, but the pieces that were softer tasted great.
There was a lot of the same overcooked/tough beef, perhaps more sauce would've helped.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BEEF LARB (also avail with chicken or pork, $7.50):
Thai salad consisting of ground beef cooked w/basil & onions, served w/cucumbers and cabbage.
I LOVE this dish! Lots of book/leaf tripe and tons of beef in one order!
It had just the right amount of fish sauce and lime juice, just perfect for my taste.
My only complaint would be the absence of sticky rice.
My fault for assuming that it automatically comes with sticky rice like most places. An order of sticky rice will cost you $2 here.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TAPIOCA PUDDING W/BANANA ($2.95): Free w/any orders order $10.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
There's some things that they need to work on, but it's a place I wouldn't mind revisiting if I'm ever in the area again. The extra star is for the Beef Larb, would've been 3 stars if it weren't for that dish.
SPICY BASIL EGGPLANT BEEF W/CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN & RICE (combo $6.50):
I was craving Thai food and fried chicken this morning, so imagine how happy I was to see this combo on their lunch special!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
****reg menu item of their Spicy Basil Eggplant is avail with chicken, pork, tofu & beef for $7.50, $8.50 for seafood (shrimp, calamari)****
The eggplant was cooked perfectly, tender yet still retaining a slight crunch to it.
The soy-based sauce was delicious and had just the right amount of seasoning. The fried garlic bits and basil adds extra levels of flavor to this dish.
There was a lot of beef, but it was overcooked and tough. This dish would've been perfect if the meat was cooked properly. There was nothing "spicy" about it.
The Gai Tod (crispy marinated fried chicken, $7.50 ala carte) was tasty! The soy & ginger marinade reminds me of Imanas Tei's Mochiko chicken. I would definitely order this again.
PAD SEE-EW w/beef (also avail w/tofu, chicken or pork for $7.50, $8.50 for seafood):
Thick chow fun noodles stir-fried w/egg, veggies and gai lan/chinese broccoli. Some of the noodles were too thick and needed to be cooked longer, but the pieces that were softer tasted great.
There was a lot of the same overcooked/tough beef, perhaps more sauce would've helped.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BEEF LARB (also avail with chicken or pork, $7.50):
Thai salad consisting of ground beef cooked w/basil & onions, served w/cucumbers and cabbage.
I LOVE this dish! Lots of book/leaf tripe and tons of beef in one order!
It had just the right amount of fish sauce and lime juice, just perfect for my taste.
My only complaint would be the absence of sticky rice.
My fault for assuming that it automatically comes with sticky rice like most places. An order of sticky rice will cost you $2 here.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TAPIOCA PUDDING W/BANANA ($2.95): Free w/any orders order $10.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Listed in: Giving you the scoops to keep…
725 Kapiolani Blvd C112
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 593-2626
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 593-2626
La Cucina Ristorante Italiana
Category:
Italian
Neighborhood: Kaka'ako
I've been craving authentic Italian food lately, so when my friend Kammi suggested La Cucina Ristorante Italiana, I just couldn't resist. They're located inside of the Imperial Plaza (same building as Ah Lang's), this place isn't visible from the streets. Parking is free w/validation. They just had a grand opening last week!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We were greeted by Dara & John as we walked in. Got a basket of warm baguette soon after we sat down. I LOVED the balsamic-olive mix that arrived with the bread, the sprinkle of parsley & chili flakes was a nice touch!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Once again, my inner fat girl tendencies got the best of me as I scanned the appetizer section of the menu - I wanted almost everything on there.
BRUSCHETTA ($6):
Thick baguette slices are loaded with tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. Chef Don knocked it out of the park w/his delicious "fresh house tomatoes" mixture.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CROSTINI AL PORCINI ($7):
Thick baguette slices w/mounds of chopped porcini mushrooms & basil. There's a big chunk of fresh mozzarella in the middle of all that goodness, yes!!
I also tasted truffle oil in the mix, but very subtle.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
INSALATA DI MARE ($14):
Organic greens and chopped romaine lettuce gets tossed in with A LOT of seafood (whole shrimps, chopped calamari, chopped clams, whole manila clams & mussels) & garlic.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
There was a very light olive oil-vinaigrette dressing, I would've liked a bit more acid. There's also a dollop of their "fresh house tomatoes" on top (the same tasty tomato-garlic-basil mixture used on the bruschetta) and whole capers.
TRENETTE NORCIA ($15):
The Italian sausage (pork & beef mixture) is made in-house. Nicely browned and seasoned, I liked that it wasn't overpowered w/fennel seeds like most Italian sausage recipes. Probably my favorite dish of the night.
The sausage crumbles were cooked along w/button mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, onions & parsley. Topped off with Romano cheese, a hearty & flavorful dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their homemade pasta was just made today, that's as fresh as it gets!
I prefer my pasta al dente, but this needed a bit more cooking time. Even though it was a bit under, I'd definitely order this dish again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RAVIOLI NEV ZAFFERANO ($17):
Black ravioli (squid ink) filled with generous amounts of lobster. I was worried about the basil-saffron cream sauce overpowering the sweet lobster meat, but it wasn't the case at all. I don't like eating any seafood w/a cream sauce or cheese, but this works.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Lobster is by far my favorite type of shellfish, imagine my surprise when I opened up these pockets of deliciousness......Omg, chunks of lobster meat in every bite!!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TIRAMISU ($6, compliments of the chef. Thanks Chef Don!):
I'm not into sweets, so we decided to skip dessert. Plus, I stuffed myself to capacity and thought I was gonna blow up. But Chef Don surprised us with a slice of it.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Each bite of mascarpone was light & creamy. It's just the perfect amount of sweetness for me since dessert isn't my thing. What makes La Cucina's tiramisu different from the others I've had, is that it's not soaked in tons of marsala wine or dark rum. Bonus points for that!
ITALIAN BEERS ($6): It's not on the menu yet, so you'll have to ask for it.
They have 4 beers avail. I can't tell you much about it, since I'm not a beer drinker. My friend Richard had the Birra Moretti (a premium Italian beer, part of Heineken UK's lager line) and said it was "alright".
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ALEXANDER GRAPPA ($7):
Grappa is a type of pomace brandy (distilled from grape skins). This clear liquor has a nice fragrant fruity-floral aroma. It goes down really smooth but make no mistake, this stuff is strong!
Italians likes to drink this liquor as an "after-dinner/digestive drink", to help with digestion after a heavy meal. But since we cragee, we had a shot before AND after our entrees, ha! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Affordable & delicious! Thanks Chef Don, Dara & John!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We were greeted by Dara & John as we walked in. Got a basket of warm baguette soon after we sat down. I LOVED the balsamic-olive mix that arrived with the bread, the sprinkle of parsley & chili flakes was a nice touch!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Once again, my inner fat girl tendencies got the best of me as I scanned the appetizer section of the menu - I wanted almost everything on there.
BRUSCHETTA ($6):
Thick baguette slices are loaded with tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. Chef Don knocked it out of the park w/his delicious "fresh house tomatoes" mixture.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CROSTINI AL PORCINI ($7):
Thick baguette slices w/mounds of chopped porcini mushrooms & basil. There's a big chunk of fresh mozzarella in the middle of all that goodness, yes!!
I also tasted truffle oil in the mix, but very subtle.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
INSALATA DI MARE ($14):
Organic greens and chopped romaine lettuce gets tossed in with A LOT of seafood (whole shrimps, chopped calamari, chopped clams, whole manila clams & mussels) & garlic.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
There was a very light olive oil-vinaigrette dressing, I would've liked a bit more acid. There's also a dollop of their "fresh house tomatoes" on top (the same tasty tomato-garlic-basil mixture used on the bruschetta) and whole capers.
TRENETTE NORCIA ($15):
The Italian sausage (pork & beef mixture) is made in-house. Nicely browned and seasoned, I liked that it wasn't overpowered w/fennel seeds like most Italian sausage recipes. Probably my favorite dish of the night.
The sausage crumbles were cooked along w/button mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, onions & parsley. Topped off with Romano cheese, a hearty & flavorful dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their homemade pasta was just made today, that's as fresh as it gets!
I prefer my pasta al dente, but this needed a bit more cooking time. Even though it was a bit under, I'd definitely order this dish again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RAVIOLI NEV ZAFFERANO ($17):
Black ravioli (squid ink) filled with generous amounts of lobster. I was worried about the basil-saffron cream sauce overpowering the sweet lobster meat, but it wasn't the case at all. I don't like eating any seafood w/a cream sauce or cheese, but this works.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Lobster is by far my favorite type of shellfish, imagine my surprise when I opened up these pockets of deliciousness......Omg, chunks of lobster meat in every bite!!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TIRAMISU ($6, compliments of the chef. Thanks Chef Don!):
I'm not into sweets, so we decided to skip dessert. Plus, I stuffed myself to capacity and thought I was gonna blow up. But Chef Don surprised us with a slice of it.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Each bite of mascarpone was light & creamy. It's just the perfect amount of sweetness for me since dessert isn't my thing. What makes La Cucina's tiramisu different from the others I've had, is that it's not soaked in tons of marsala wine or dark rum. Bonus points for that!
ITALIAN BEERS ($6): It's not on the menu yet, so you'll have to ask for it.
They have 4 beers avail. I can't tell you much about it, since I'm not a beer drinker. My friend Richard had the Birra Moretti (a premium Italian beer, part of Heineken UK's lager line) and said it was "alright".
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ALEXANDER GRAPPA ($7):
Grappa is a type of pomace brandy (distilled from grape skins). This clear liquor has a nice fragrant fruity-floral aroma. It goes down really smooth but make no mistake, this stuff is strong!
Italians likes to drink this liquor as an "after-dinner/digestive drink", to help with digestion after a heavy meal. But since we cragee, we had a shot before AND after our entrees, ha! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Affordable & delicious! Thanks Chef Don, Dara & John!
Listed in: Giving you the scoops to keep…
Our dining experience last night was a huge disappointment (grand opening was April 12, so no excuses). Mainly due to service, partly due to food execution.
1) All entrees arrived at different times. All were cold or at room temp.
2) Kenny F. didn't get his rack of lamb until the rest of us were already halfway through w/our entrees. When it did finally arrive, it was cold in the center and very rare.
3) We made friends w/the table next to us and exchanged stories about our discontent over the food & service. They didn't even get the side dishes that was included w/their entrees. I alerted the servers, who then said that they would wrap up the couple's side dishes to take home since they were done w/their entrees.
***I want to point out that if it wasn't for Ryan (front of house), we would've walked***
Ryan is a server, but was placed in the front of house to greet patrons last night. He was so sincere and helpful throughout our service. He checked on us regularly to see how we were doing throughout our dinner, since our table was right by his station.
Much to our dismay, he was unjustly scolded by the Manager for trying to help customers out. Yes, we heard everything from where we were sitting.
Ryan should be praised for his service last night. He got us menus and water (even constantly refilling our water). Ask for him when you make your reservations.
We arrived early for our 8pm reservation, killed some time at their bar. Our 1st server Sheryl greeted us at the bar to introduce herself & said that she will be our server later during our meal. We never saw her again, she was replaced w/another server.
Once seated at our table, we were left alone for 20 mins. With no menu, no water, or bread.
Out of the 4 place settings, 2 were missing forks. Ryan came to our rescue again w/a fork.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
QUICHE AU CHAMPIGNON/MUSHROOM QUICHE ($8.50):
YUM! A tasty mixture of cremini, portobello, spinach & onions, enhanced w/truffle oil.
Sadly for $8.50, we only got a tiny 2x4 inch slice (and a handful of salad).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ESCARGOT BURUGINION/BOURGINON ($14):
Cremini mushrooms and snails swimming in a garlic-parsley butter sauce, served w/crostinis.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Cremini (left) and overcooked shriveled up snails (right): http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RILLETES DE PORC/PORK RILLETE ($7.50):
Salted pork cooked in herbs & fat/lard, made into a pate. The French call it "pig jam" and it's a usually served alongside olives or pickled cornichons to help counter the richness of this appetizer. We only got crostinis.
***Olives and cornichons are avail for an additional $4***
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
There's 2 seafood entrees and 3 beef entrees avail on menu.
HOMARD RÔTIR A LA NAGE "PAMPLEMOUSSE"/Roasted Lobster w/a french grapefruit nage ($27):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
1/2 a lobster tail & a single lobster claw, served w/a few pieces grapefruit swimming in a poaching liquid/nage. Not much lobster meat for $27 pricetag.
The worst part was that it arrived cold & overcooked. Kenny F. said that it tasted "fishy, not fresh", I agree.
BEOUF/BEEF BOURGUIGNON ($14):
I've cooked Beef Burgundy/Bourguignon a few times, so I was looking forward to this hearty dish. I was expecting to see a bowl of braised/stewed beef w/pearl onions, carrots and mushrooms.
Another disappointment. Never had Beef Burgundy w/mashed potatoes before: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
COTELETTE D'AGNEAU RÔTIR A LA ROQUEFORT/LAMB ROSTED W/ROQUEFORT ($25):
They forgot Kenny's lamb. This was done on the fly, wrong doneness (was raw!) AND THEY FORGOT THE ROQUEFORT part of the dish. Just a grilled rack of lamb.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sides are limited to 3 items or "Garniture"/add-on garnishes.
***All meat entrees (t-bone, lamb and beef bourguignon) comes w/choice of these items for free***
1) RATATOUILLE ($7.50): Hearty vegetable stew usually consisting of tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and bell peppers.
2) GRATIN A LA DAUPHINOISE ($7.50): The usual thinly sliced potatoes layered in a creamy cheesy butter sauce. It was good, but nothing spectacular.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3) POMME FRITES ($4.50): Taste and texture very similar to the Zippy's or Burger King Fries, but costs 4x as much.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
1) All entrees arrived at different times. All were cold or at room temp.
2) Kenny F. didn't get his rack of lamb until the rest of us were already halfway through w/our entrees. When it did finally arrive, it was cold in the center and very rare.
3) We made friends w/the table next to us and exchanged stories about our discontent over the food & service. They didn't even get the side dishes that was included w/their entrees. I alerted the servers, who then said that they would wrap up the couple's side dishes to take home since they were done w/their entrees.
***I want to point out that if it wasn't for Ryan (front of house), we would've walked***
Ryan is a server, but was placed in the front of house to greet patrons last night. He was so sincere and helpful throughout our service. He checked on us regularly to see how we were doing throughout our dinner, since our table was right by his station.
Much to our dismay, he was unjustly scolded by the Manager for trying to help customers out. Yes, we heard everything from where we were sitting.
Ryan should be praised for his service last night. He got us menus and water (even constantly refilling our water). Ask for him when you make your reservations.
We arrived early for our 8pm reservation, killed some time at their bar. Our 1st server Sheryl greeted us at the bar to introduce herself & said that she will be our server later during our meal. We never saw her again, she was replaced w/another server.
Once seated at our table, we were left alone for 20 mins. With no menu, no water, or bread.
Out of the 4 place settings, 2 were missing forks. Ryan came to our rescue again w/a fork.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
QUICHE AU CHAMPIGNON/MUSHROOM QUICHE ($8.50):
YUM! A tasty mixture of cremini, portobello, spinach & onions, enhanced w/truffle oil.
Sadly for $8.50, we only got a tiny 2x4 inch slice (and a handful of salad).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ESCARGOT BURUGINION/BOURGINON ($14):
Cremini mushrooms and snails swimming in a garlic-parsley butter sauce, served w/crostinis.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Cremini (left) and overcooked shriveled up snails (right): http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RILLETES DE PORC/PORK RILLETE ($7.50):
Salted pork cooked in herbs & fat/lard, made into a pate. The French call it "pig jam" and it's a usually served alongside olives or pickled cornichons to help counter the richness of this appetizer. We only got crostinis.
***Olives and cornichons are avail for an additional $4***
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
There's 2 seafood entrees and 3 beef entrees avail on menu.
HOMARD RÔTIR A LA NAGE "PAMPLEMOUSSE"/Roasted Lobster w/a french grapefruit nage ($27):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
1/2 a lobster tail & a single lobster claw, served w/a few pieces grapefruit swimming in a poaching liquid/nage. Not much lobster meat for $27 pricetag.
The worst part was that it arrived cold & overcooked. Kenny F. said that it tasted "fishy, not fresh", I agree.
BEOUF/BEEF BOURGUIGNON ($14):
I've cooked Beef Burgundy/Bourguignon a few times, so I was looking forward to this hearty dish. I was expecting to see a bowl of braised/stewed beef w/pearl onions, carrots and mushrooms.
Another disappointment. Never had Beef Burgundy w/mashed potatoes before: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
COTELETTE D'AGNEAU RÔTIR A LA ROQUEFORT/LAMB ROSTED W/ROQUEFORT ($25):
They forgot Kenny's lamb. This was done on the fly, wrong doneness (was raw!) AND THEY FORGOT THE ROQUEFORT part of the dish. Just a grilled rack of lamb.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sides are limited to 3 items or "Garniture"/add-on garnishes.
***All meat entrees (t-bone, lamb and beef bourguignon) comes w/choice of these items for free***
1) RATATOUILLE ($7.50): Hearty vegetable stew usually consisting of tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and bell peppers.
2) GRATIN A LA DAUPHINOISE ($7.50): The usual thinly sliced potatoes layered in a creamy cheesy butter sauce. It was good, but nothing spectacular.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3) POMME FRITES ($4.50): Taste and texture very similar to the Zippy's or Burger King Fries, but costs 4x as much.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Listed in: Eeeks, never again!, Giving you the scoops to keep…
The staff answers the phone with "Restaurant Katsu" but when I asked a couple employees there, they said that the restaurant name is "Katsu". It's anyone's guess what the correct name is.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Changes to the restaurant name, including the hours and phone number have already been submitted for approval. But in case it's still not visible, here's their info:
3008 Waialae Avenue (old Richio Korean Restaurant location)
808-734-2222
***walk-in only, they don't take reservations***
Hours:
Closed Mondays.
Open Tues-Sunday for lunch (11am-2:30) & dinner (5pm-9pm).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I'm torn between giving Katsu either a 3 star or 3.5 stars based on their food (it was just average-tasting for me).
But the staff was friendly and the unlimited curry was good (better than the main items) so an extra 1/2 star was added.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The staff will take your order and bring out your main entrees of various katsu dishes. Everything else, you're on your own:
-water & soft drinks (soft drinks & tea are free & unlimited for dinner, $1.99 unlimited during lunch).
-napkins
-silverware
-unlimited self-service to their food bar (udon, miso soup, salads, curry).
***I tipped 20% anyways because it's just how I am......and because I believe in Karma (and Karma's a bigger bit@h than me, trust)***
Let's not forget the booze:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unlimited food station (salads, cold desserts, udon, curry, miso soup & rice), but everyone at the table MUST order a main entree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unlimited Udon: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The best part of the unlimited station was the curry! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fried foods were just alright, nothing spectacular.
MEGA-PLATE ($29.98 dinner, $24.98 for lunch):
Go to http://Katsu-hawaii.com to print out your $10 off a mega-plate coupon).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Our plate:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Mega-Plate consists (one piece of each item):
-tempura: shrimp, onion, carrot, kabocha & potato.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
-zucchini katsu
-fried panko shrimp
-chicken katsu
-chicken karaage
-tomato rice (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
-roast beef
The roast beef looks nothing like their website or menu (advertised showing thick cuts of beef). We just got 2 pale-looking slices of cold meat http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SPICY CHICKEN KARAAGE ($18.98 reg, $15.98 mini):
Taste like sriraccha-basted fried chicken. I'd skip this dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Our order: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I regret not ordering just the regular CHICKEN KARAAGE.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CHICKEN KATSU ($17.98 reg, $14.95 mini):
We all said that we liked l&l's katsu better....that says a lot.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fatty parts made each bite too greasy for us.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TONKATSU/PORK LOIN ($18.98 reg, $15.98 mini):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It was tasty. I liked that there was some marbling in it to give it an extra richness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ASSORTED TEMPURA & ASSORTED VEGETABLE TEMPURA (both are $15.98):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall, it was just okay. But we all agreed that despite the average-tasting main fried items, you do get your money's worth from the unlimited food & drinks bar. Hit up the udon & curry!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Changes to the restaurant name, including the hours and phone number have already been submitted for approval. But in case it's still not visible, here's their info:
3008 Waialae Avenue (old Richio Korean Restaurant location)
808-734-2222
***walk-in only, they don't take reservations***
Hours:
Closed Mondays.
Open Tues-Sunday for lunch (11am-2:30) & dinner (5pm-9pm).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I'm torn between giving Katsu either a 3 star or 3.5 stars based on their food (it was just average-tasting for me).
But the staff was friendly and the unlimited curry was good (better than the main items) so an extra 1/2 star was added.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The staff will take your order and bring out your main entrees of various katsu dishes. Everything else, you're on your own:
-water & soft drinks (soft drinks & tea are free & unlimited for dinner, $1.99 unlimited during lunch).
-napkins
-silverware
-unlimited self-service to their food bar (udon, miso soup, salads, curry).
***I tipped 20% anyways because it's just how I am......and because I believe in Karma (and Karma's a bigger bit@h than me, trust)***
Let's not forget the booze:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unlimited food station (salads, cold desserts, udon, curry, miso soup & rice), but everyone at the table MUST order a main entree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unlimited Udon: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The best part of the unlimited station was the curry! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fried foods were just alright, nothing spectacular.
MEGA-PLATE ($29.98 dinner, $24.98 for lunch):
Go to http://Katsu-hawaii.com to print out your $10 off a mega-plate coupon).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Our plate:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Mega-Plate consists (one piece of each item):
-tempura: shrimp, onion, carrot, kabocha & potato.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
-zucchini katsu
-fried panko shrimp
-chicken katsu
-chicken karaage
-tomato rice (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
-roast beef
The roast beef looks nothing like their website or menu (advertised showing thick cuts of beef). We just got 2 pale-looking slices of cold meat http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SPICY CHICKEN KARAAGE ($18.98 reg, $15.98 mini):
Taste like sriraccha-basted fried chicken. I'd skip this dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Our order: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I regret not ordering just the regular CHICKEN KARAAGE.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CHICKEN KATSU ($17.98 reg, $14.95 mini):
We all said that we liked l&l's katsu better....that says a lot.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fatty parts made each bite too greasy for us.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TONKATSU/PORK LOIN ($18.98 reg, $15.98 mini):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It was tasty. I liked that there was some marbling in it to give it an extra richness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ASSORTED TEMPURA & ASSORTED VEGETABLE TEMPURA (both are $15.98):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall, it was just okay. But we all agreed that despite the average-tasting main fried items, you do get your money's worth from the unlimited food & drinks bar. Hit up the udon & curry!
Listed in: Giving you the scoops to keep…
A great event put together by the Off-Premise Crew (http://www.off-premise..., http://www.off-menu.com/), hosted at The Greenhouse Innovation Hub (http://www.higreenhous...).
This weekend's HUBurban pop-up event showcased the talents of Chefs Christopher Gee & Christopher Okuhara from Miso & Ale.
Their style and techniques focuses on gastropub fare w/Asian influence? Just a guess based on some of the ingredients used, my meal was just a small sample of their ever-changing menu.
They don't have a permanent location yet, so in the mean time, you'll just have to follow them on twitter & facebook to see when/where they'll be at next:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.c...
Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/...
For $45, we were served 4-course meal w/2 appetizers. It's BYOB, but a list of suggested beers and wine pairings was avail to diners beforehand.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2 Appetizers:
- POKE: Served on a spoon, topped off w/curry chicharrones. I couldn't taste any curry on the tiny amount of chicharrones. I just wished that there were more of it. Kenny F.'s spoon had more fried goodness than mines.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The poke was tasty, definitely a delicious start to our meal. I regret not grabbing more whenever the server came around (only had one serving).
- DUCK CONFIT (on a bed of pickled mango slaw and shaved jicama skins, drizzled w/curry-infused oil): The thin sheet of jicama was a little dried out but you could still taste the sweetness of it. It paired really well with the tender duck, I wanted more of this!
Loved the crunchy pickled red cabbage-mango slaw!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3 Main Courses
- SEAFOOD BOUDIN w/smoked sweet potato fries: Seafood sausage served on a challah bun w/miso gastrique & spicy ale mustard. Challah is similar to sweet brioche bread, except it's more airy and not as rich due to the absence of butter in its recipe. The bread did not look like challah at all, but the slight sweetness of the bun seemed close enough I guess.
The delicious sausage had big chunks of shrimps in it. I loved the snap I got when I bit down onto the casing, fantastic! The brown chunks within the sausage reminds me of eating Boudin Rouge/"Red Boudin" (sausage w/pork blood in the casing), but I was told it was just a mixture of enoki, shitake & radishes.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
This was one of my favorites of the night, with the only letdown being the small portion.
This was all the sweet potato fries I got:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
- HOT SOUR RAMEN w/heirloom tomatoes, radishes & shiitake mushrooms.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The broth was flavorful and very delicious but the temperature wasn't hot enough.
The biggest fault in this dish happens to be the noodles itself.
Even though we were instructed to let the noodles sit for a couple minutes before consuming (to allow the noodles to cook) it was still raw. Some diners had to go and ask for more broth.
This dish might have been successful had they blanched the noodles first before plating. It was gummy and still tasted of raw flour. The tomatoes were also raw.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
- SWEET PORK BELLY w/mint, cilantro & toasted coconut.
My dish was missing the cilantro, got basil leaves instead.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fried pieces of pork belly was sweet and tasty but the truffled mochi rice was overcooked & very mushy. I really wanted to like this dish and was excited to try it because it sounded similar to the zhong zhi/zong that I grew up eating (http://www.beachloverk...). A good idea that fell short on execution.
For dessert, TEMPURA CHEESECAKE w/3 different sauces: chocolate-chile, wild blueberry chutney and vanilla-bourbon:
Fried balls of soft cheesecake filling. With the exception of the blueberry compote, the other 2 sauces were very thin & watery. I did get a spicy kick from the chocolate sauce, but the chocolate flavor was very weak.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kenny F. and I both agreed that it was a fun event w/great company. 3 stars for the food, 4 stars overall for the fun event put together by Off-Premise!
This weekend's HUBurban pop-up event showcased the talents of Chefs Christopher Gee & Christopher Okuhara from Miso & Ale.
Their style and techniques focuses on gastropub fare w/Asian influence? Just a guess based on some of the ingredients used, my meal was just a small sample of their ever-changing menu.
They don't have a permanent location yet, so in the mean time, you'll just have to follow them on twitter & facebook to see when/where they'll be at next:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.c...
Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/...
For $45, we were served 4-course meal w/2 appetizers. It's BYOB, but a list of suggested beers and wine pairings was avail to diners beforehand.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2 Appetizers:
- POKE: Served on a spoon, topped off w/curry chicharrones. I couldn't taste any curry on the tiny amount of chicharrones. I just wished that there were more of it. Kenny F.'s spoon had more fried goodness than mines.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The poke was tasty, definitely a delicious start to our meal. I regret not grabbing more whenever the server came around (only had one serving).
- DUCK CONFIT (on a bed of pickled mango slaw and shaved jicama skins, drizzled w/curry-infused oil): The thin sheet of jicama was a little dried out but you could still taste the sweetness of it. It paired really well with the tender duck, I wanted more of this!
Loved the crunchy pickled red cabbage-mango slaw!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3 Main Courses
- SEAFOOD BOUDIN w/smoked sweet potato fries: Seafood sausage served on a challah bun w/miso gastrique & spicy ale mustard. Challah is similar to sweet brioche bread, except it's more airy and not as rich due to the absence of butter in its recipe. The bread did not look like challah at all, but the slight sweetness of the bun seemed close enough I guess.
The delicious sausage had big chunks of shrimps in it. I loved the snap I got when I bit down onto the casing, fantastic! The brown chunks within the sausage reminds me of eating Boudin Rouge/"Red Boudin" (sausage w/pork blood in the casing), but I was told it was just a mixture of enoki, shitake & radishes.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
This was one of my favorites of the night, with the only letdown being the small portion.
This was all the sweet potato fries I got:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
- HOT SOUR RAMEN w/heirloom tomatoes, radishes & shiitake mushrooms.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The broth was flavorful and very delicious but the temperature wasn't hot enough.
The biggest fault in this dish happens to be the noodles itself.
Even though we were instructed to let the noodles sit for a couple minutes before consuming (to allow the noodles to cook) it was still raw. Some diners had to go and ask for more broth.
This dish might have been successful had they blanched the noodles first before plating. It was gummy and still tasted of raw flour. The tomatoes were also raw.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
- SWEET PORK BELLY w/mint, cilantro & toasted coconut.
My dish was missing the cilantro, got basil leaves instead.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The fried pieces of pork belly was sweet and tasty but the truffled mochi rice was overcooked & very mushy. I really wanted to like this dish and was excited to try it because it sounded similar to the zhong zhi/zong that I grew up eating (http://www.beachloverk...). A good idea that fell short on execution.
For dessert, TEMPURA CHEESECAKE w/3 different sauces: chocolate-chile, wild blueberry chutney and vanilla-bourbon:
Fried balls of soft cheesecake filling. With the exception of the blueberry compote, the other 2 sauces were very thin & watery. I did get a spicy kick from the chocolate sauce, but the chocolate flavor was very weak.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kenny F. and I both agreed that it was a fun event w/great company. 3 stars for the food, 4 stars overall for the fun event put together by Off-Premise!
Listed in: Giving you the scoops to keep…
2122 Kaliawa St
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 841-8818
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 841-8818
JL Autobody Works
Category:
Body Shops
Neighborhood: Kalihi
Fellow Elite Phillip H. is right to call Joel "God" when it comes to fixing up cars like brand new. All of my car enthusiast friends see Joel for all their body & paint jobs. In fact, a couple of my good friends had told me "I only trust my car with Joel" and one even said that he'd fly Joel up to Seattle to paint his car! That says a lot, doesn't it?
Joel is also the only supplier on the island that carries the Portable Super Jack. Weighing only 135lbs, this powerful super jack can quickly raise a car up 36 inches in only 35 seconds! I have the video of him using it on my car but I have no idea how to post it. Sorry!
Here's a still shot: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I've been getting my cars serviced by Joel for more than a decade. I didn't realize until this past year that he had also fixed both of my old cars during my high school & college days. He had to drop off my beautifully repaired Lexus at my house 2 years ago and remembered a couple other cars that he had delivered to the same house......holy crap, my poor cars took a lot of beatings under my ownership! But they always come out looking brand new after he gets done with them.
Anyhow, the pics I uploaded last year are of my Lexus. As most people know, the pearl tints/colors of Lexus paint is really difficult to match (there's a lot of gold specks,etc within their pearl paint coats). Joel is highly qualified and skillfully matches the color so well that one won't even that repairs were even done.
He takes the time to match the colors and meticulously gets the job done. I've never been disappointed. Yeah, it might take long but the results and overall quality is worth the wait & money. Who the hell would want to pay for a fast poorly-done paint job that starts fading in a couple months or years?
Before pics of the left quarter panel:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After repairs:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Before pics of right front bumper: Bumper was crushed in. Entire side had to be replaced, including the lights and wiring:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After repairs:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Fast forward to the beginning of this year, my poor Infiniti got badly damaged to the point where the door hinges got shifted when the right quarter panel got smooshed in. Joel gave me 2 options: replace the whole door (for more money) or try to repair the dent and save the current door and panels (cheaper route). The cheaper route paid him less, yet costs him a lot of time/effort (he had to painstakingly pound out the dents by hand!) - but he never complained and did that for me to save me money. That just shows how honest he is! ***Pics coming soon for the Infiniti***
I only trust Joel and his guys to work on my cars, he's the best when it comes to color matching.
Joel is also the only supplier on the island that carries the Portable Super Jack. Weighing only 135lbs, this powerful super jack can quickly raise a car up 36 inches in only 35 seconds! I have the video of him using it on my car but I have no idea how to post it. Sorry!
Here's a still shot: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I've been getting my cars serviced by Joel for more than a decade. I didn't realize until this past year that he had also fixed both of my old cars during my high school & college days. He had to drop off my beautifully repaired Lexus at my house 2 years ago and remembered a couple other cars that he had delivered to the same house......holy crap, my poor cars took a lot of beatings under my ownership! But they always come out looking brand new after he gets done with them.
Anyhow, the pics I uploaded last year are of my Lexus. As most people know, the pearl tints/colors of Lexus paint is really difficult to match (there's a lot of gold specks,etc within their pearl paint coats). Joel is highly qualified and skillfully matches the color so well that one won't even that repairs were even done.
He takes the time to match the colors and meticulously gets the job done. I've never been disappointed. Yeah, it might take long but the results and overall quality is worth the wait & money. Who the hell would want to pay for a fast poorly-done paint job that starts fading in a couple months or years?
Before pics of the left quarter panel:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After repairs:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Before pics of right front bumper: Bumper was crushed in. Entire side had to be replaced, including the lights and wiring:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After repairs:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Fast forward to the beginning of this year, my poor Infiniti got badly damaged to the point where the door hinges got shifted when the right quarter panel got smooshed in. Joel gave me 2 options: replace the whole door (for more money) or try to repair the dent and save the current door and panels (cheaper route). The cheaper route paid him less, yet costs him a lot of time/effort (he had to painstakingly pound out the dents by hand!) - but he never complained and did that for me to save me money. That just shows how honest he is! ***Pics coming soon for the Infiniti***
I only trust Joel and his guys to work on my cars, he's the best when it comes to color matching.
Everyone in Yelpyland knows that I don't give out a lot of 5 stars (Yelp's "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" rating) unless I really do believe that it's the best of its kind, well the best that I've had in Hawaii. It's better than Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin - yep, I went there!
Kenny F. & I are definitely fans of this place.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
What sets Kimukatsu apart from others is their unique process of layering 25 thinly-sliced sheets of top-grade pork. That's 25 delicious layers of stacked porky goodness in a single bite! Every bite was moist and tender! Talk about Fried Pork Heaven!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Ponzu & tonkatsu sauce were avail, but I was able to enjoy these tasty pork cutlets by themselves (special flavors of other sauces can be purchased for $1).
**For now it's BYOB, they're in the process of getting their liquor license**
It's best to call ahead to check before bringing in your booze.
We brought in a bottle of liquor and purchased soda water & 7up from the restaurant (soft drinks & teas were $3 each).
Service is excellent! Everyone is friendly & attentive. They even came up to us to let us know that our tonkatsus were going to be ready in 3 mins, how nice is that!
I forewarned my friends that the food will take 15-20mins because every order of rice is cooked to order. The chefs takes pride in serving the freshest rice possible. Trust me, it was excellent rice, definitely worth the wait.
TAKOWASA ($4.50): Chopped octopus mixed with pickled wasabi sauce.The tako was sweet and has a nice crunch to it, but the wasabi was subtle.
The portion size was tiny, maybe about 1.5 tablespoons worth of tako.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TATSUTA-AGE (Chicken karaage, $6): 5-6 bite-sized pieces of tender, marinated chicken that's been dusted w/potato starch and fried to crunchy perfection. I could taste the ginger juice w/each bite. No dipping sauce needed!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MARINATED TOMATOES & ONIONS ($6): Half of a tomato, sliced and topped with sliced onions. The menu states that the tomato and onions were "lightly marinated" but it seems like it was just quickly tossed and plated because I didn't taste any sauce on it at all.
Skip this dish. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Take advantage of their "combo value" menu in order to sample all the different cutlets:
- 3 flavors $39
- 4 flavors $52
- 5 flavors $65
- 6 flavors $76 (this combo saved us $14)
**You get unlimited refills of cabbage**
Value combos doesn't incl rice, you'll need to order the rice set separately for $4 each (rice, miso soup & tsukemono). We only ordered 2 orders of the rice for our table of 4, since not all of us wanted rice.
The Original, Black Pepper & Cheese tonkatsu:
$19 each for a set meal (includes miso soup, rice and tsukemono/pickled veggies),
$15 a la carte.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ORIGINAL KIMUKATSU:
As expected, the meat was tender and mouthwatering. Frying it in a low-temperature oil resulted in a fantastic buttery crust that was non-greasy.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BLACK PEPPER:
Cracked black peppercorn sprinkled on the outermost layer of the cutlet. I thought it was going to be overpowering, but it wasn't the case at all. It was simple, but still delicious without any sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CHEESE:
Creamy melted (American?) cheese oozes out from the center of this tasty pork cutlet. It adds extra richness & flavor to the pork, delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The Okonomiyaki, Nanban & Demi-Glaced Cheese tonkatsu:
$22 for a set meal (rice, miso soup & tsukemono/pickled veggies,
$18 a la carte.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
OKONOMIYAKI:
Original cutlet topped w/okonomiyaki sauce (worcestershire, ketchup, soy,etc), Kewpie/Japanese mayo & shaved bonito flakes.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
NANBAN:
Original cutlet coated in a sweet & sour sauce and topped off w/a cheesy house tartar sauce. My least favorite due to the weird tartar sauce. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
DEMI-GLACED CHEESE:
Cheese cutlet covered in a sweet beefy-flavored demi-glace. The sauce tastes ketchupy, infused w/beef stock. Interesting tasty combo.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall, we had a great meal w/great service. I can't wait to return for more fried pork deliciousness!
Kenny F. & I are definitely fans of this place.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
What sets Kimukatsu apart from others is their unique process of layering 25 thinly-sliced sheets of top-grade pork. That's 25 delicious layers of stacked porky goodness in a single bite! Every bite was moist and tender! Talk about Fried Pork Heaven!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Ponzu & tonkatsu sauce were avail, but I was able to enjoy these tasty pork cutlets by themselves (special flavors of other sauces can be purchased for $1).
**For now it's BYOB, they're in the process of getting their liquor license**
It's best to call ahead to check before bringing in your booze.
We brought in a bottle of liquor and purchased soda water & 7up from the restaurant (soft drinks & teas were $3 each).
Service is excellent! Everyone is friendly & attentive. They even came up to us to let us know that our tonkatsus were going to be ready in 3 mins, how nice is that!
I forewarned my friends that the food will take 15-20mins because every order of rice is cooked to order. The chefs takes pride in serving the freshest rice possible. Trust me, it was excellent rice, definitely worth the wait.
TAKOWASA ($4.50): Chopped octopus mixed with pickled wasabi sauce.The tako was sweet and has a nice crunch to it, but the wasabi was subtle.
The portion size was tiny, maybe about 1.5 tablespoons worth of tako.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TATSUTA-AGE (Chicken karaage, $6): 5-6 bite-sized pieces of tender, marinated chicken that's been dusted w/potato starch and fried to crunchy perfection. I could taste the ginger juice w/each bite. No dipping sauce needed!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MARINATED TOMATOES & ONIONS ($6): Half of a tomato, sliced and topped with sliced onions. The menu states that the tomato and onions were "lightly marinated" but it seems like it was just quickly tossed and plated because I didn't taste any sauce on it at all.
Skip this dish. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Take advantage of their "combo value" menu in order to sample all the different cutlets:
- 3 flavors $39
- 4 flavors $52
- 5 flavors $65
- 6 flavors $76 (this combo saved us $14)
**You get unlimited refills of cabbage**
Value combos doesn't incl rice, you'll need to order the rice set separately for $4 each (rice, miso soup & tsukemono). We only ordered 2 orders of the rice for our table of 4, since not all of us wanted rice.
The Original, Black Pepper & Cheese tonkatsu:
$19 each for a set meal (includes miso soup, rice and tsukemono/pickled veggies),
$15 a la carte.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ORIGINAL KIMUKATSU:
As expected, the meat was tender and mouthwatering. Frying it in a low-temperature oil resulted in a fantastic buttery crust that was non-greasy.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BLACK PEPPER:
Cracked black peppercorn sprinkled on the outermost layer of the cutlet. I thought it was going to be overpowering, but it wasn't the case at all. It was simple, but still delicious without any sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CHEESE:
Creamy melted (American?) cheese oozes out from the center of this tasty pork cutlet. It adds extra richness & flavor to the pork, delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The Okonomiyaki, Nanban & Demi-Glaced Cheese tonkatsu:
$22 for a set meal (rice, miso soup & tsukemono/pickled veggies,
$18 a la carte.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
OKONOMIYAKI:
Original cutlet topped w/okonomiyaki sauce (worcestershire, ketchup, soy,etc), Kewpie/Japanese mayo & shaved bonito flakes.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
NANBAN:
Original cutlet coated in a sweet & sour sauce and topped off w/a cheesy house tartar sauce. My least favorite due to the weird tartar sauce. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
DEMI-GLACED CHEESE:
Cheese cutlet covered in a sweet beefy-flavored demi-glace. The sauce tastes ketchupy, infused w/beef stock. Interesting tasty combo.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall, we had a great meal w/great service. I can't wait to return for more fried pork deliciousness!
Listed in: Turning Japanese!
766 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 734-0077
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 734-0077
Yakitori Glad
Category:
Japanese
Neighborhood: Kaimuki
Yakitori Glad is all about the chicken, well mostly - not that I'm complaining.
Out of the 40-something food items on the menu, more than half are either chicken meat or chicken parts on a stick (organ meats, skin and even the cartilage was put to use).
Their grilled items are avail in 3 different preparations (although I really think it's just the first two):
1) Shio-yaki: Salt-grilled
2) Tare: Basted w/a thickened sweet soy/teriyaki sauce
3) "Spice"
Best to rsvp and ask for a table in the back of the restaurant. The counter area got too smoky for us.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*All food and drinks (alcohol included) costs $3.90 each!!*
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
They give plenty, woot!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I mentioned in previous reviews that the front-of-house is just as important as the ambience and food. First impression is everything. Kevin did a great job up front. He warmly greeted each customer and even took the time to talk story with us (while we waited for our tables & also during our meal). Even the yakitori chefs were nice & cracked jokes w/us.
HEART-TARE: Perfectly grilled chicken heart basted w/tare sauce. Along w/our sake, it was a great start to our meal!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TAKOWASA: Chopped up pieces of raw octopus mixed with a sweet soy & wasabi sauce. It's served alongside a shiso leaf and sweet-vinegary wakame/seaweed salad.
**Use your chopsticks to tear apart the shiso leaf (it shreds effortlessly) & mix everything on that plate together for one delicious bite***
Definitely my favorite!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TORI KARAAGE: I love all things karaage, bonus points if it tastes good.
This was just ok. But the batter/crust looked as if it was floured & left to sit around for a while before frying. The chicken was tender.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TSUKUNE CHEESE: 6 chicken meatballs basted w/tare sauce and topped off with cheese.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kenny F. & I were both excited about this one. The ground chicken was bland but the tare sauce helped save this dish. We also loved the melted cheesy deliciousness on top.
If I had some bread, I could've made us some tasty teri-chicken sliders, lol!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MOMO GLAD-YAKI: Tare/bbq-style
Chicken breasts grilled with Tokyo Negi (japanese leeks, some call it scallions on crack). The chicken was tender & moist. The negi was nicely charred to bring out its natural sweetness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SUNAGIMO (grilled chicken gizzards): We ordered this "shio-yaki"/salt-grilled since most of our other items were dressed in their tare/teriyaki sauce.
Perfectly cooked and tender. I can snack on these all day.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Least favorites:
GYU-KUSHI: BBQ beef grilled (tare-style) w/garlic.
Overcooked pieces of beef that were flavorless and hard to chew. The tare sauce couldn't save this dish. I didn't get any garlic that was promised on the menu.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ONIGIRI: Grilled musubi w/a crunchy outer crust, served w/pickled daikon and a very mild broth.
I'm used to it being basted w/miso or shoyu while grilling, but our 2 orders of onigiri lacked depth and flavor. I saw some sort of sauce on it, but couldn't really taste it. Should've just ordered one, bc this mutant riceball was more than enough for 2 people to share.
Our order was rushed and was the last dish to arrive because our server forgot to punch in the order. So that might be the reason why it was the blandest onigiri/omusubi I've had yet.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RENKON NIKUSUME: Mushy (almost undercooked) & under-seasoned ground chicken. The slices of lotus roots were thick and undercooked as well. A good idea that fell short on execution. I would've boiled the lotus roots a bit to soften before grilling.
PI-MAN NIKUZUME: Grilled peppers stuffed with the same mushy ground chicken mixture. The peppers could've used more cooking time. Another blah dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MOMO-CURRY SHIO-YAKI: Chicken thighs VERY lightly dusted w/curry salt. If I see anything with "curry" in the description, I anticipate spice and flavor. Disappointing. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Out of the 40-something food items on the menu, more than half are either chicken meat or chicken parts on a stick (organ meats, skin and even the cartilage was put to use).
Their grilled items are avail in 3 different preparations (although I really think it's just the first two):
1) Shio-yaki: Salt-grilled
2) Tare: Basted w/a thickened sweet soy/teriyaki sauce
3) "Spice"
Best to rsvp and ask for a table in the back of the restaurant. The counter area got too smoky for us.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*All food and drinks (alcohol included) costs $3.90 each!!*
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
They give plenty, woot!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I mentioned in previous reviews that the front-of-house is just as important as the ambience and food. First impression is everything. Kevin did a great job up front. He warmly greeted each customer and even took the time to talk story with us (while we waited for our tables & also during our meal). Even the yakitori chefs were nice & cracked jokes w/us.
HEART-TARE: Perfectly grilled chicken heart basted w/tare sauce. Along w/our sake, it was a great start to our meal!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TAKOWASA: Chopped up pieces of raw octopus mixed with a sweet soy & wasabi sauce. It's served alongside a shiso leaf and sweet-vinegary wakame/seaweed salad.
**Use your chopsticks to tear apart the shiso leaf (it shreds effortlessly) & mix everything on that plate together for one delicious bite***
Definitely my favorite!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TORI KARAAGE: I love all things karaage, bonus points if it tastes good.
This was just ok. But the batter/crust looked as if it was floured & left to sit around for a while before frying. The chicken was tender.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
TSUKUNE CHEESE: 6 chicken meatballs basted w/tare sauce and topped off with cheese.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kenny F. & I were both excited about this one. The ground chicken was bland but the tare sauce helped save this dish. We also loved the melted cheesy deliciousness on top.
If I had some bread, I could've made us some tasty teri-chicken sliders, lol!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MOMO GLAD-YAKI: Tare/bbq-style
Chicken breasts grilled with Tokyo Negi (japanese leeks, some call it scallions on crack). The chicken was tender & moist. The negi was nicely charred to bring out its natural sweetness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SUNAGIMO (grilled chicken gizzards): We ordered this "shio-yaki"/salt-grilled since most of our other items were dressed in their tare/teriyaki sauce.
Perfectly cooked and tender. I can snack on these all day.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Least favorites:
GYU-KUSHI: BBQ beef grilled (tare-style) w/garlic.
Overcooked pieces of beef that were flavorless and hard to chew. The tare sauce couldn't save this dish. I didn't get any garlic that was promised on the menu.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
ONIGIRI: Grilled musubi w/a crunchy outer crust, served w/pickled daikon and a very mild broth.
I'm used to it being basted w/miso or shoyu while grilling, but our 2 orders of onigiri lacked depth and flavor. I saw some sort of sauce on it, but couldn't really taste it. Should've just ordered one, bc this mutant riceball was more than enough for 2 people to share.
Our order was rushed and was the last dish to arrive because our server forgot to punch in the order. So that might be the reason why it was the blandest onigiri/omusubi I've had yet.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
RENKON NIKUSUME: Mushy (almost undercooked) & under-seasoned ground chicken. The slices of lotus roots were thick and undercooked as well. A good idea that fell short on execution. I would've boiled the lotus roots a bit to soften before grilling.
PI-MAN NIKUZUME: Grilled peppers stuffed with the same mushy ground chicken mixture. The peppers could've used more cooking time. Another blah dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MOMO-CURRY SHIO-YAKI: Chicken thighs VERY lightly dusted w/curry salt. If I see anything with "curry" in the description, I anticipate spice and flavor. Disappointing. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Listed in: Turning Japanese!
1585 Kapiolani Blvd, Ste 710
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 942-7799
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 942-7799
Jason Victorino
Categories:
Hair Salons,
Hair Removal
Neighborhood: Ala Moana
Through a couple of friends' referrals, I found one helluva hair designer/stylist back in 2004! I've been going to Jason Victorino ever since for all my color, cut and brow-waxing needs. Up until Oct 2011, he was the manager/top hair designer-stylist at Sear's Premier Salon.
I was super stoked upon hearing that he's now an INDEPENDENT contractor/stylist and is currently renting out a booth at Salon 808!!
You can reached him on his cell 808.222.8384 or at the salon 808.942.7799.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He's avail Tues-Sat from 11am-7pm w/appointments at Salon 808 for:
-customized cuts
-coloring, highlights, lowlights (using color to create darker strands)
-styling
- facial waxing (I get my brows done regularly for $15).
- hair & make-up for weddings and various other events (he does hair & make-up yearly for the Merrie Monarch ladies).
When I first met Jason, my hair was a complete disaster. It was so depressing that I was willing to chop it all off and start over. My hair was dry & so badly chemically-treated that it would easily break off in clumps. No joke! I was driving home after getting my hair done at another salon...... as i ran my fingers through my hair - clumps would break off! My car was filled with broken strands of hair, I was mortified......I cried during the entire drive home.
Jason worked hard over the years to restore life to my sad dead locks, I'm so glad I found him!
I've never met anyone so sincere, passionate and determined as he was in saving my hair. He cared so much about wanting to improve the overall health of my hair first and foremost. Because without that, my hair could never uptake the colors and bleeds out in just a few days.
Jason is one of the very few stylists in Hawaii that uses L'Oréal Professional (it's the #1 professional color brand that is used by stylists WORLDWIDE).
He customizes & mixes many different colors together to create a formula that's unique and perfect for me and my damaged hair.
Because my hair was so fried out and resistent to the color uptakes, Jason had the ingenious idea of mixing in blue dyes as well to prevent my hair from quickly fading into a disgusting coppery-orange color.
None of the other stylists had ever tried that, they were always too busy blaming me and my "stubborn hair" for the color fading, instead of trying to remedy it.
He's also the ONLY stylist to recommend the cellophane hair treatment following my color treatment.
The cellophane seals everything in to keep my color lasting longer and it helps in keeping my frizzy hair smooth and shiny (http://www.ehow.com/wa...).
Here's some pics of my hair (my regular cut/color and waxing was done 3/14/12).
At first glance, my color looks black doesn't it?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
But in the sunlight, the dark cherry/reds lowlights stands out (sometimes he switches it up and gives me dark purple lowlights).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sorry, these pics just doesn't do Jason any justice. My photographer was inexperienced and I suck at being a model, lol!
Over the years, he's perfected a unique color formula that works really well on my difficult hair. I've went from having to get my hair done every 3-4 weeks to 6-8 weeks! My hair feels so much more healthier and fuller since I've starting seeing Jason. He also took the time to educate me on which products works best based on my hair needs.
Jason independently carries Paul Mitchell, the full line of Enjoy (shampoos, conditioners and treatments) and the all-natural "It's A 10" line of shampoos & conditioners (Miracle Shampoo $21, Miracle Hair Mask $29).
http://www.itsa10hairc...
"It's A 10!" is f'ng magic. I use their Miracle Leave-In Conditioner ($35.95) prior to blow-drying and my hair stays silky smooth throughout the whole day.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He was also nice enough to order the 33oz professional-sized bottles of Enjoy for me, complete w/pumps (shampoo $35, conditioner $39).
It's cheaper than getting a regular 10oz bottle of Enjoy, which varies from $15-20.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He's usually pretty booked 3-4 weeks out in advance, always a good sign!
To guarantee an appt for myself once a month, I always book 2 or 3 appts in advance.....yes, I'm very selfish when it comes to quality time w/my guy. It was hard enough having to share him on yelp, lol!
If he can bring my horrible hair back to life, he can do anything, check him out for yourself. He's worth every penny, trust.
I was super stoked upon hearing that he's now an INDEPENDENT contractor/stylist and is currently renting out a booth at Salon 808!!
You can reached him on his cell 808.222.8384 or at the salon 808.942.7799.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He's avail Tues-Sat from 11am-7pm w/appointments at Salon 808 for:
-customized cuts
-coloring, highlights, lowlights (using color to create darker strands)
-styling
- facial waxing (I get my brows done regularly for $15).
- hair & make-up for weddings and various other events (he does hair & make-up yearly for the Merrie Monarch ladies).
When I first met Jason, my hair was a complete disaster. It was so depressing that I was willing to chop it all off and start over. My hair was dry & so badly chemically-treated that it would easily break off in clumps. No joke! I was driving home after getting my hair done at another salon...... as i ran my fingers through my hair - clumps would break off! My car was filled with broken strands of hair, I was mortified......I cried during the entire drive home.
Jason worked hard over the years to restore life to my sad dead locks, I'm so glad I found him!
I've never met anyone so sincere, passionate and determined as he was in saving my hair. He cared so much about wanting to improve the overall health of my hair first and foremost. Because without that, my hair could never uptake the colors and bleeds out in just a few days.
Jason is one of the very few stylists in Hawaii that uses L'Oréal Professional (it's the #1 professional color brand that is used by stylists WORLDWIDE).
He customizes & mixes many different colors together to create a formula that's unique and perfect for me and my damaged hair.
Because my hair was so fried out and resistent to the color uptakes, Jason had the ingenious idea of mixing in blue dyes as well to prevent my hair from quickly fading into a disgusting coppery-orange color.
None of the other stylists had ever tried that, they were always too busy blaming me and my "stubborn hair" for the color fading, instead of trying to remedy it.
He's also the ONLY stylist to recommend the cellophane hair treatment following my color treatment.
The cellophane seals everything in to keep my color lasting longer and it helps in keeping my frizzy hair smooth and shiny (http://www.ehow.com/wa...).
Here's some pics of my hair (my regular cut/color and waxing was done 3/14/12).
At first glance, my color looks black doesn't it?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
But in the sunlight, the dark cherry/reds lowlights stands out (sometimes he switches it up and gives me dark purple lowlights).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Sorry, these pics just doesn't do Jason any justice. My photographer was inexperienced and I suck at being a model, lol!
Over the years, he's perfected a unique color formula that works really well on my difficult hair. I've went from having to get my hair done every 3-4 weeks to 6-8 weeks! My hair feels so much more healthier and fuller since I've starting seeing Jason. He also took the time to educate me on which products works best based on my hair needs.
Jason independently carries Paul Mitchell, the full line of Enjoy (shampoos, conditioners and treatments) and the all-natural "It's A 10" line of shampoos & conditioners (Miracle Shampoo $21, Miracle Hair Mask $29).
http://www.itsa10hairc...
"It's A 10!" is f'ng magic. I use their Miracle Leave-In Conditioner ($35.95) prior to blow-drying and my hair stays silky smooth throughout the whole day.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He was also nice enough to order the 33oz professional-sized bottles of Enjoy for me, complete w/pumps (shampoo $35, conditioner $39).
It's cheaper than getting a regular 10oz bottle of Enjoy, which varies from $15-20.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
He's usually pretty booked 3-4 weeks out in advance, always a good sign!
To guarantee an appt for myself once a month, I always book 2 or 3 appts in advance.....yes, I'm very selfish when it comes to quality time w/my guy. It was hard enough having to share him on yelp, lol!
If he can bring my horrible hair back to life, he can do anything, check him out for yourself. He's worth every penny, trust.
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Location
Honolulu, HI
Yelping SinceJuly 2010
Things I Lovetapas&wine, korean food, japanese food, dim sum, Sephora, Vegas, live music, karaoke, soccer, Lululemon, working out to eat more
My HometownHonolulu, HI
My Blog Or Website Why You Should Read My ReviewsI tell it like it is, not how it should be. I'll try anything once.
My First ConcertPennywise & Sprung Monkey
My Favorite MovieThe Goonies, Legend, The Crow, 300, The Neverending Story...lots of favorites!
My Last Meal On Earthstone crab claws,crab cakes & scallop mignon fr Joe's Seafood,Prime & Stone Crab
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I'm your biggest fan.
As mentioned earlier, their Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef vermicelli) is their most popular item. The table of 5 next to us had all ordered that dish and almost convinced me to do the same. But since I'm not much of a ramen, saimin or pho fan I went w/their 2nd most popular dish:
COM GIA HAI NAM, $9 (Hainanese Chicken Rice).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Kim An's Hainanese Chicken Rice is basically poached chicken.
It was good, but not as tender as I've would've liked. Although this Vietnamese take on it was tasty, it missing the flavorful juicy chicken aspect that made Tian Tian's Hainanese Chicken Rice famous. One of these days, I need to travel to Singapore for the real stuff: http://www.foodtravelb...
The best part of Kim An's is the flavorful rice that's been cooked with the leftover poaching liquid.
Some of the fat rendered from the chicken broth is saved & used to toast the raw rice grains prior to cooking, giving it extra flavor. My rice was garlicky and delicious, there wasn't a grain left on my plate!
They'll try to accomodate you when it comes to dark or white meat, but no guarantees. My plate was all breast meat, while my mom's had the drumstick and wing parts.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Chili sauce, a bowl of chicken broth & pickled cabbage (marinated with the same chili dipping dipping sauce) comes with every order.
The dipping sauce was awesome! This pungent sauce consists of fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass, sugar and chilies. Sweet and salty deliciousness!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
A lot of folks were dipping their kimchi into the chili sauce, so I followed suit. Holy heffer......amazing! I think I prefer the Vietnamese Hainan-style chicken over Yee Hong Pavillion's one (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) just because of this sauce. I'll definitely be back for more.