Chicken wings
$$, Korean, Nuuanu Punchbowl
"These Asian fried chicken wings are the best! No sauce is needed.They're great hot and good at room temperature, too."
ChefD.K. Kodama
Honolulu
My Venues
Accolades
- Favorite Asian RestaurantsBon Appétit
- America’s Best Sushi BarsTravel + Leisure
- Best Maui RestaurantHale Aina Bronze Award, HONOLULU Magazine
- Best Sushi BarThe Maui News, Best of Maui
- ChefsFeed WinnerOne of the Best Things to Eat in Hawaii
Where I Go Out
Shave ice
$, Desserts, Ice Cream, Diamond Head Kapahulu St. Louis
"The original Waiola Shave Ice store is located in a residential area on Waiola Street. On a hot day, my kids love this store’s wide variety of completely refreshing shave ice."
Dry noodles
$$$$, Japanese, Breakfast, Asian,
"Dry noodles or 'dry mein' is one of Maui’s specialties, a comfort noodle dish that's wok'd with all kinds of different ingredients. I always make it a point to stop whenever I can to get my fix."
Ma tai soo
$, Chinese, Downtown
"This small hole-in-the-wall located in Chinatown is famous for their huge variety of dim sum, especially their char siu bao and pork hash. However, my favorite is the ma tai soo, which is a savory pastry."
Pipikaula style short ribs
$$, Hawaiian, Liliha Kapalama
"This small hole-in-the-wall serves quite an array of classic Hawaiian foods. My favorite dish is the homemade short rib pipikaula, a very flavorful jerky which is neither tough nor dried out. I would typically add a dash of chili pepper water and a scoop of steamed white rice."
Pan fried island pork chops
$$, Diner, Wine Bar, Bar, Ala Moana
"Side Street Inn is one of those local hangouts where you see all kinds of people there eating. Why? Because the food is comfort-oriented and just plain good, which is why so many of Hawaii’s top chefs regularly frequent there."
At My Venues
Panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll
$$$, Happy Hour, Sushi, Reservations, Full Bar, Seafood, Karaoke,
"Awesomely fresh fish! Some of the best sushi on Maui. Red dragon roll and crab salad hand roll were also extremely good."
Panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll
$$$, Happy Hour, Sushi, Reservations, Full Bar, Seafood, Karaoke,
"A warm, freshly cooked shrimp tempura roll is topped with spicy tuna and the leftover crunch from the tempura batter after it hits the fryer. It has two very different textures, from the firm crunchiness of the shrimp and the soft spicy tuna. The sweet chili sauce underneath the roll adds yet another dimension to the dish. Fun!"
Sunset
$$, Happy Hour, Sushi, Japanese, Full Bar, Asian,
"I love the Sunset roll at Sansei. It comes with ahi and yellowtail tuna topped with masago and uzura. It all works so well together."
Cajun seared white tuna
$$, Happy Hour, Sushi, Outdoor Seating, Full Bar, Asian, Seafood, Waikīkī
"The white tuna is seared on the outside, sliced sashimi-style, rolled up individually with a few slices of onion to cut the richness, then topped with aioli, tobiko, and a cilantro leaf. It's a very good combination and balance. There is also a light, almost kalbi-like sauce poured over the dish."
22 oz dry-aged "bone-in" rib eye
$$$$, Full Bar, American, Steakhouse, Waikīkī
"The 22-oz. bone-in rib eye that's been dry-aged for 30 days in-house at d.k Steak House in Waikiki, Oahu is like buttah! Do the bleu cheese butter 'Cafe du Paris' on it, too."
Panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll
$$$, Happy Hour, Sushi, Reservations, Full Bar, Seafood, Karaoke,
"The combination of textures and freshness of the ahi make this dish a success."
