53 replies to this topic

[LarryG]

I wonder if anyone has tried and has an opinion on Super Pho, 3538 Waialae Ave, Honolulu. We were taken there by a friend orginally from Vietnam, and she thought it was really good, maybe "the best". Nanette and I enjoyed Bắc Nam, but we can't really compare the two. It's pretty new, although not "just opened".

[Kiem Hwa]

I miss Suehiro's... This was my favorite restaurant. Ive found some good replacements with Kunio's in Waikele, and Ideta on Dillingham, but noone has the Tofu-butterfish dish that I always ordered at Suehiros.

Does anyone know the story behind why Suehiro's closed and whether the owners/chefs are in any new places?

Or where I can find a dish resembling the nitsuke butterfish-over tofu dish Suehiros used to serve?

[skchai]

Seemed like the Yamada restaurant group that had been owners for the past few decades just lost interest, and the Gyotaku people were looking for a new property for expansion after they had cut ties with the ill-fated Kyotaru Restaurant Group. Seems to me Gyotaku has really picked up much of the same clientele that Suehiro used to have, though the menu is less "local Japanese" than Suehiro.

I remember going there and eating tonkatsu when I was six or seven years old. . .

Butterfish nitsuke over tofu - there's got to be other places that serve it, even after the Wisteria closed down. Or it may be a long shot - you can ask someplace that serves butterfish nitsuke if they would prepare it tofu style for you. . . can't be that much of a stretch. . .

[skchai]

Speaking of places that closed, we were in Kaimuki the other day and after a lot of wandering around decided to head over to Sis Kitchen. Only to find it closed - on a Friday night. Asked the lady over at the Kahuku Papaya place next to it and she said they had gone out of business. Checked their website and it's no longer occupied.

How can? They had great reviews and were just named on the Advertiser's Hawai`i's Best Restaurants list. Sorry to say we didn't go that often ourselves but it seemed they were doing decent business.

Anyone with any insight? So sad. . .

[glossyp]

Speaking of places that closed, we were in Kaimuki the other day and after a lot of wandering around decided to head over to Sis Kitchen.  Only to find it closed - on a Friday night.  Asked the lady over at the Kahuku Papaya place next to it and she said they had gone out of business.

  So sad. . .

That is a shocker, SK. I was in there not even a month or so ago and there was no hint something was up. Business seemed good so maybe it was a personal family thing. I'm going to miss that place - it was one of my two favs in Kaimuki.

[oneidaone]

Wow, I always heard this was a good place (Sis Kitchen) and often thought of going, that would
of course mean 2 things. I'd have to leave my house and also drive all the way to town........

[PakePorkChop]

Thanks wesza. . . . the Ala Moana Flamingo Chuckwagon and the Pearl City Tavern were both landmark places whose niche hasn't been filled (at least not by any locally-owned restaurants). 

BTW, we were finally able to check out Mary Jane's Kitchen (aka Gohyangjip), based on kaukaulesa's fine review in last week's Honolulu Weekly.  It was just as good as you mentioned - really unique among Korean restaurants here in its honest appreciation of regional specialties.  Unlike other places, that generally focus on standardized Seoul-centered menu, Mary Jane's carries a lot of dishes from the Southwestern (Jeolla-do) region of Korea, that you can't get elsewhere.



Here's a sample of what we ate.  Thanks, again kaukaulesa, for the great tip.

Well, SK, this restaurant was included in the right column. I had lunch there yesterday (panchan came out just like your picture) and heard about the planned sale of the business. Those of you who want to eat interesting Korean food need to get down there before Mom Shin moves on.

[skchai]

I had heard that as well. It seems that she is going to go back to Korea to travel around and study the regional cuisines before moving on and deciding what she will do next. The restaurant will definitely be missed, in part because it covered two areas of Korean cuisine - Southwestern and health food that are pretty unique here. And also because she was a great cook. Here's hoping that once she's done with her travels she comes back here again!

[kaukaulesa]

Wow, I'm really sad to hear that!

Do you guys remember last year the Willows trying to change its image with a tasting-plates spot in its Rainbow Room? Well, chef Jay Matsukawa, after a stint at the Plaza Club, is back with a new rerstaurant in the Rainbor Room. Now it will be called J at the Willows. He'll be doing a French-Japanese fusion (shades of Hiroshi Fukui?). Opening July 29.

Just noticed a Philly cheesesteak place on Bishop Street. It's been there for three months. Ono Cheese Steak. A 7-inch philly classic is $4. They do a Hawaiian style version with kalua pork.

Also, Spices on King Street is worth trying for the Laotian curry and Burmese khao soi. Andchef Pony's housemade ice cream is really different for this town. Lemongrass-and-chili ice cream rocks. Spicy cold stuff!

I just got an e-mail from Jay Matsukawa. Here's the initial menu of J:

Dinner Menu
Tuesday thru Saturday
5:30pm-9pm
 
Appetizers
 
Fresh Japan Hamachi Carpaccio
Thinly sliced Island Hamachi in a citrus and Hawaiian chili pepper sauce.  Garnished with fresh garlic slices, Black sesame seeds, and roasted garlic and Shiso oil
12.00
Oxtail “Pot Au Feu”
Slow cooked oxtail served with a flavorful coriander infused broth.  Accompanied by Waimanalo micro greens
9.00
Blue Crab and Lobster Cake
A blue crab and Lobster cake sautéed and served with a Tarragon vinaigrette and Waimanalo micro greens
9.00
Chilled Portobella Mushroom and Roasted peppers
Thinly sliced Portobella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella cheese marinated with  an Anchovy and Citrus herb vinaigrette
8.00
Potato and Cheese Croquette with Warm Spicy Scallops
Deep fried potato cheese croquettes topped with a scallop and tobiko caviar mixture.  Served warm with an Asian style plum sauce
11.00

[reid]

Downtown (lunchtime) Japanese curry spot, Mr. Frypan, closed recently. In today's paper, I read that the last Yum Yum Tree restaurant is closing as well.

[reid]

Well Bento closed a couple weeks back as did another downtown lunch spot, Grillas. Sad times...

[skchai]

So sad, but;s that nature of the restaurant business. The vegan bentos offered Well bento filled a unique niche in the city's restaurant offerings - they will be missed.

[Gary Tanigawa]

I was sad to read that Leong's is closing. The owner blamed the lack of parking in the area.

[PakePorkChop]

Another Northern Chinese restaurant bites the dust!

King Tsin, on its comeback try, could not succeed where Yuen's Garden and Golden Crown had failed before. The Beretenia location will now house a Mexican restaurant.

However, a branch of the popular Hong Kong noodle house, Mini Garden, has opened close by and has received very good reviews.

The Moiliili area remains a very competitive market, with Golden Dynasty, Kirin, Maple Garden, Mini Garden, Golden Eagle, On On, McCully Chop Suey, and perhaps Fook Yuen vying for supremacy in what is characterized as "Japanese" neighborhood.

[oneidaone]

I am sad about King Tsin

We have followed the Wang's from the Beretania location, to McCully and Young and then were
so glad he reopened further down Young St. I really enjoyed his food and some of my happiest
memories from when we first moved to HI 20 years ago took place at King Tsin on Beretania.
Much aloha to them and maybe they can reopen somewhere else!! a hui hou........

[kaukaulesa]

Well Bento reopened in same spot, with same menu, with new owners, who were fans.

[mvpbonds]

Speaking of places that closed, we were in Kaimuki the other day and after a lot of wandering around decided to head over to Sis Kitchen.  Only to find it closed - on a Friday night.  Asked the lady over at the Kahuku Papaya place next to it and she said they had gone out of business.  Checked their website and it's no longer occupied.

How can?  They had great reviews and were just named on the Advertiser's Hawai`i's Best Restaurants list.  Sorry to say we didn't go that often ourselves but it seemed they were doing decent business. 

Anyone with any insight?  So sad. . .

Sorry to resurrect this old thread. I miss Sis Kitchen. This was a really great restaurant. Does anyone know if any of the cooks (sisters) here have resurfaced at other restaurants?

[mvpbonds]

Columbia Inn still has its Kaimuki location operating, though under new ownership (not the Kaneshiro family).

My ears are burning. If any readers have stories about the old Columbia Inn (Kapiolani), I'd love to hear them. I'm Tosh Kaneshiro's granddaughter, but a katonk who was still pretty young when the place turned over to Kyotaru.

Of course my family tells me some stories, but I am always on the lookout for more!

No stories here but I really liked the oxtail ramen at Columbia Inn.

[Gary Tanigawa]

McCully Chop Sui
Kyo-ya

[kaukaulesa]

McCully Chop Sui
Kyo-ya

McCully Chop Suey closed?!

[Gary Tanigawa]

I haven't gone there, but I read of another family-owned plate lunch place closing February 28, 2007 after more than 30 years in business: Masu's Massive Plate Lunch. Stories in the Advertiser and Star-Bulletin.

[SuzySushi]

And, as Mochihead and I discussed in my eGullet Foodblog (A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs) last week, 99 Ranch Market will also be closing by the end of February. It's a franchise, and I guess wasn't making enough profit.

[Lopaka]

And, as Mochihead and I discussed in my eGullet Foodblog (A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs) last week, 99 Ranch Market will also be closing by the end of February. It's a franchise, and I guess wasn't making enough profit.

Whatever happened to the Evergreen? My parents used to take me there back in the 50's. I think that it was on Kapiolani, but am not sure.

[Lopaka]

The Chuckwagon was my favorite restaurant in my teen years. Could go through 3 or 4 big plateloads without trying. The mac salad was quite good, not sweet like they make it these days. In the late 50s the tab was about $5 (36.00 in 2008 dollars).
Top's was another fav. For years my signature lunch was a grilled burger and a chocolate shake.