Photo: Kahala Hotel and Resort
One of the only places outside Japan where you can still eat like you’re in Japan is Honolulu. Tens of thousands of people of Japanese descent live and work in Hawaii’s capital, and local restaurants have to fight to satisfy the famously finicky tastes of both the locals and vacationers from Japan. So what does that mean? More great food for you.
Tokyo-Tokyo
Photo: Tokyo-Tokyo
Located next to the Kahala Hotel and Resort, Tokyo-Tokyo has some of the most spectacular sashimi anywhere in the islands. Ask the chef for those light-pink pieces of tuna (maguro), the especially fatty ones that practically melt in your mouth. From the menu, keep an eye out for avocado and crab purée, served with a slice of lotus root and set in an endive leaf. And save room for ishiyaki, where you get to sizzle up onions, mushrooms and six medallions of delicate Kobe beef on the hot stone served at your table.
Hakone
Photo: Honolulu Hakone
On any given night, most of the guests at this Waikiki gem are Japanese locals. Weekends are buffet days, while weekdays have more menu options. Be on the lookout for deep-fried sesame-encrusted tofu topped with wasabi, as well as kani (crab) and a killer tempura maki. You know you’re in the presence of a maestro when the head chef wants to chat about the variable texture of the thin membrane of salmon roe.
Tonkatsu Ginza
This is a heavenly place to stop by for lunch to fuel up for the afternoon. Try the breaded and fried pork cutlets, served with sweet barbecue sauce and shredded cabbage. Tonkatsu Ginza is one of Honolulu’s best, and the stonework and mahogany hues of the new space on Beach Walk give the restaurant an elegant feel.
Ichiriki Nabe
Photo: Honolulu Ichiriki Nabe
The bare-bones translation of nabe is big pot, but the nabe dining experience at a place like Ichiriki is a meaning unto itself. Seated around a gas-flame-heated pot filled with a simmering broth, you and your friends order a heaping plate full of raw cabbage, scallions, rice noodles, mushrooms, onions, chicken, seafood and thinly sliced beef. Oh, and beer. Soon arms are flying about as you lift finished items from the pot, load other goodies in, dip foods in sesame dressing or citrus-soy sauce, slurp noodles and enjoy an all around good time.
Morimoto Waikiki
Photo: Morimoto Waikiki
Some reviewers might be reluctant to recommend something as unoriginal as a restaurant owned by an Iron Chef winner, but the desire for novelty must sometimes give way to the realities of quality. Highlights? Pineapple tempura enfolded into Iberico ham. Alternatively, if the bright white and glassy decor gives you an extravagant feeling, go big with the masala-spiced lobster.
(David Wolman is a regular contributor to enRoute online and a contributing editor at Wired magazine.)
Where to Stay
Kahala Hotel and Resort
Popular among celebrities and visiting dignitaries, from President Obama to Bon Jovi, the Kahala is one of those oases where you can let a week go by without ever leaving your hotel. The private sheltered beach is almost empty, and golf, paddleboard or reef-casting excursions are all right there. And whatever you do, do not skip a massage at the luxurious spa.
Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki
The two iconic towers of the Hawaii Prince soar above the marina just east of Ala Moana, offering stunning views of Waikiki and Diamond Head crater. Mostly, though, what you see from your room or condo suite is the Pacific Ocean, lulling you to sleep at night and, in the morning, reminding you that there’s really no hurry to get up.
Getting There
Air Canada offers non-stop service from Calgary and Vancouver to Honolulu. Book now! Check out our deals on hotel rooms and car rentals.
