dining out pa'i awards

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SEPT. 16-22, 2012 Shift leader Romina Furr drizzles thick chocolate syrup over one of Cold Stone Creamery’s signature creations. With a can’t-be-beat lineup of rich and creamy ice cream, shakes, cakes, smoothies and more, Cold Stone Creamery remains the perfect retreat for those still hoping to cool off from summer’s lingering heat. See Page 4 | Leah Friel photo Romano’s smart pasta dish | 8 Sold on Hifumi’s full-flavored seafood | 9 ALSO: Are you ready for ramen? | 12 AN EDITION OF

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Page 1: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

S E P T . 1 6 - 2 2 , 2 0 1 2

Shift leader Romina Furr drizzles

thick chocolate syrup over one of Cold

Stone Creamery’s signature creations.

With a can’t-be-beat lineup of rich and creamyice cream, shakes, cakes,smoothies and more, ColdStone Creamery remainsthe perfect retreat for thosestill hoping to cool off fromsummer’s lingering heat.See Page 4 | Leah Friel photo

Romano’s smart pasta dish | 8Sold on Hifumi’s full-flavored seafood | 9

ALSO:Are you readyfor ramen? | 12

AN EDITION OF

Page 2: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

Sometimes the simplest things makethe biggest difference. For exam-ple, a smile to brighten someone’s

day or a “please” or “thank you” as a signof respect can really make a world of dif-ference. So can popcorn smothered inbutter, a cherry placed atop an ice creamsundae, or a hefty spread of cream cheeseon a freshly toasted bagel. Come to thinkof it, cream cheese has a way of makingeverything better. In fact, I recall startingeach day as a middle- and high-schooler with strawberry creamcheese — and a bit of bagel, ofcourse. And I confess, it was defi-nitely the best part of the day!

My cream cheese cravings havesubsided a bit since my high schoolyears, but this week, I was back atit — head over heels in love withthis widely consumed cheese.Luckily for me, the following Ono,You Know establishments whippedup a few cream cheese master-pieces to indulge in.

So without further ado, read onand take part in my weeklong love-fest with cream cheese!

Larry's BakeryOh, it’s always a sweet, sweet

day when Larry’s Bakery isinvolved. I’m a die-hard sugarfanatic, so paying a visit to thistop-of-the-line bakery onLawehana Street is almost like tak-ing a tour through Willy Wonka’sChocolate Factory — only here,you get much more than justchocolate!

Cookies, cupcakes, pastries,decadent cakes and more fill theshelves as its alluring aroma roams

through the kitchen. Of course, it doesn’ttake long before your sweet tooth ishooked on Larry’s Bakery.

Now, when you think of cream cheeseyou usually think bagels. Well, this timethis Salt Lake establishment is sprucing itup with a wonderland of cream cheesecreations.

“Cream cheese is great to work with,”says Iris Yafuso, who along with her broth-er, Lance, is the mastermind behind Larry’s

Bakery. “It can go withpretty much anything.”

When asked about thebakery’s cream cheesespecialties, Iris couldn’thelp but rave about Iris’OMG. Priced at $2 each,this treat of treats mostcertainly will have yousaying, “Oh … my …gosh!” after each bite. Yes, it’s that deli-

cious! Made with a shortbreadcookie crust as its foundation,Iris’ OMG features a lusciousbrownie filled with cream cheeseand topped with sprinkles.

“We put together this recipejust for fun, and initially we onlymade one just to sample, but itwas so good,” Iris exclaims.

Yet, that’s not to discreditLarry’s Bakery’s Cream CheeseCoffee Cake ($7.95) and CreamCheese Ensaimada ($1.75 each).Both pastries are amazing in theirown right. Seriously, what’s not tolove about Cream Cheese CoffeeCake? A Larry’s Bakery original,this favorite of mine had been onhiatus from the menu, but has nowreturned better than ever, thanksto its fluffy Danish dough withcream cheese, drizzled withstreusel and a sugar glaze, andsprinkled with almonds. As adevout lover of ensaimadas, I wasmore than eager to devour thissweet and savory offering, whichwas topped with buttercreamfrosting and dusted with powderedsugar. Yum!

ono,youknow

Larry’s Bakery Ho Ho Chinese Cuisine Fendu Boulangerie

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EDITORAlana Folen

Phone: [email protected]

SALES MANAGERSandi SakaguchiPhone: 342.8802

[email protected]

SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Bill MossmanPhone: 529.4863

[email protected]

Dining OutDining Out is a weekly advertising

supplement published by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Visit us at dining.staradvertiser.com

– See page 18

By Alana Folen | Photos by Leah Friel Cropof the

The

Above: Larry’s Bakery employee NikkiTamashiro and the editor serve up CreamCheese Coffee Cake ($7.95) and Iris'sOMG ($2).

Left: Fendu’s Lilikoi Cheesecake ($4.50each)

Page 3: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

the sizzling sum-mer heat contin-ues to linger,

diners find comfort in thecool creations available atCold Stone Creamery.

Cold Stone’s collectionof tantalizing treats, fromrich and creamy ice creamand shakes to cakes, cup-cakes and light andrefreshing smoothies, areperfect for those lookingto beat the heat. With ninefranchise locations inHawaii, including seven

on Oahu and two onMaui, Island residents areminutes away from enjoy-ing what Cold Stonefounders Donald andSusan Sutherland dubbedthe world’s “perfect” icecream when they openedthe creamery’s first storein Tempe, Ariz., in 1988.

As Tod Takahashi, arearepresentative for ColdStone in Hawaii, explains,the company strives todeliver “the Ultimate IceCream Experience” to its

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Story by Kyle GaldeiraPhotos by Leah Friel

DINING OUT // COVER STORY // COLD STONE CREAMERY

LEFT Ice Cream

Cookies (price varies

per location)

RIGHT Tod Takahashi,

area representative,

and Romina Furr, shift

leader

Page 4: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

customers. Cold StoneCreamery prides itself inproviding ice cream madefresh daily, as the smoothand creamy flavors arepaired and mixed on theiconic frozen granite stonewith more than 35 flavorfulchoices of “mix-ins,” fromfruits to candies and cakepieces.

“The ice cream is smoothand creamy, and we alsomake our fresh waffle conesand chocolate-dipped conesdaily,” Takahashi says. “Wemake everything on a stone— everything’s mixed asyou choose. We chop andfold your choice of ingredi-ents with your ice cream ofchoice. Everything is madeto order.”

For starters, ice cream isserved in three memorablesizes: Like It, Love It andGotta Have It (prices varyby franchise). Diners may

choose from some of ColdStone’s iconic flavors, rang-ing from Cake Batter toCheesecake, Sweet Creamand mainstays such asFrench Vanilla, Strawberryand Chocolate. The icecream comes together withCold Stone’s tremendousassortment of mix-ins andtoppings, and makes suchSignature Creations as theCheesecake Fantasy,Cookie Monster, OREOOverload and Mud PieMojo possible. Cold Stonealso encourages eaters toform their own CustomCreations from scratch asthe ice-cold stone becomesa canvas of colors and fla-vors.

“Hot Stone” favoritesare also a hit with new andreturning customers,including the Brownie ALa Cold Stone (pricevaries by franchise) — a

warm chocolate brownietopped with FrenchVanilla ice cream and cov-ered with whipped top-ping, caramel, hot fudgeand pecans. The No FairFunnel Cake is another

“Hot” seller, and includeswarm funnel cake toppedwith French Vanilla icecream, whipped topping,savory strawberries,strawberry puree and pow-dered sugar.

For those celebrating abirthday or other specialevent, Cold Stone has itcovered with a wide rangeof signature cakes, cup-cakes and ice cream sand-wiches. Cakes are avail-able in both round and rec-tangular forms, and can becustom-designed to feedanywhere from two to 50or more people. TheMidnight Delight andCake Batter Confetti arejust a couple of the crowd-pleasing options available,as is the Caramel Turtle

Pie (all prices vary byfranchise. Cold Stoneeven offers a handy onlinecake ordering system.

Cold Stone Creamerycontinues its mission ofgiving back to the commu-

nity with its 11th annualWorld’s Largest Ice CreamSocial that benefits Make-A-Wish. On Sept. 27, $1from the sale of any LoveIt or Gotta Have It icecream, yogurt or sorbetcreation will be donated toMake-A-Wish from storesin Hawaii and across thenation. Proceeds will ben-efit the organization,which grants the wishes ofchildren with life-threat-ening medical conditionsto “enrich the humanexperience with hope,strength and joy.”

Stop in and scoop upthe flavorful fun at ColdStone Creamery, and seewhat the Ultimate IceCream Experience is allabout.

D I N I N G O U T | S E P T . 1 6 - 2 2 , 2 0 1 2 | 5

S E P T . 1 6 - 2 2 , 2 0 1 2

Shift leader Romina Furr drizzles

thick chocolate syrup over one of Cold

Stone Creamery’s signature creations.

With a can’t-be-beat lineup of rich and creamyice cream, shakes, cakes,smoothies and more,Cold Stone Creameryremains the perfectretreat for those stillhoping to cool off fromsummer’s lingering heat.See Page 4 | Leah Friel photo

Romano’s smart pasta dish | 8Sold on Hifumi’s full-flavored seafood | 9

ALSO:Are you readyfor ramen? | 12

AN EDITION OF

SEVEN FRANCHISE LOCATIONS ON OAHU, AND TWO ON MAUI.LOG ON TO COLDSTONECREAMERY.COM FOR FRANCHISE LOCATIONS, INDIVIDUALPHONE NUMBERS AND HOURS

LEFT Brownie a la Cold

Stone (price varies per

location)

RIGHT Ice Cream

Cupcakes (price varies

per location)

LEFT Small Round Cake

(price varies per loca-

tion)

RIGHT No Fair Funnel

Cake (price varies per

location)

Page 5: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

Japengo, the year-old PacificRim hot spot at HyattRegency Waikiki Beach

Resort and Spa, has appetizers asfresh and pleasurable to look atas its warm, modern interior. Theingredients are the stars of thevaried and well-balanced menu,which surely deserves second,third and even fourth visits.

The restaurant’s signatureappetizer is the Scallop ButterYaki ($16). The large, pan-searedscallops are flown in fresh twicea week from Boston, topped inbutter yaki and torched to a gold-en brown. Plated on shiso leavesand topped with black tobiko andtubular chives, it’s no wonderwhy so many of these sweet seacreatures have passed throughthe kitchen over the past 11months. The scallops are so juicythey are almost wet, and theslightly peppery flavor and defi-nite crunch of the tobiko adds animportant textural change to this

exquisite dish.If you prefer your pupus with a

bit of a kick, the Steamed ManilaClams ($15) may be what you’reseeking. The appetizer is sauteedin garlic, shallots, lemon grass,Thai bird chili, kaffir limeleaves, sambal chili sauce andclam juice. The sweet clams aredeglazed with Chablis, steamed,tossed with butter and servedwith cilantro, green onion andcrispy shallots. Oh, it’s tasty.Fresh, spicy, sweet, good forsharing and bathed in a broth justdying to be absorbed in therestaurant’s homemade bread,this appetizer is more of a mealthan a menu option. That’s not abad thing. Big is good.

In addition to the fabulouspaintings, sculptures and otherhistoric pieces at HonoluluMuseum of Art, attendees of theAugust Moon fundraiser got toenjoy Japengo’s Crab andShrimp Cakes. The art, both edi-

ble and not, were a big hit. TheCrab and Shrimp Cakes ($16) areconstructed of lump crab,chopped shrimp cakes and mixedwith gobo and mayo. Thesoon-to-be golden pattiesare then panko-coated,pan-fried and servedwith a pan-seared largeNew Caledonia prawn.A drag though lemongrass butter providesjust the right amount of

creaminess to the crunchy cre-ations. And if you’re not a sauceaficionado, no problem, as withany good ingredient they are finejust by themselves.

Finally, a Pacific Rim dinnerjust wouldn’t be complete with-out sushi. Two that are especiallypopular are the Tengu ($21),Japengo’s most popular maki-style sushi, and the Hanamaki($18). Both are created in areverse California roll-style withcrab, avocado and Japanesecucumber (the Tengu boasts bothsoft shell and snow crab), andtopped with fresh seafood.The Hanamaki boasts ahiwhile the Tengu has scal-lops. Both are topped with

a spicy mayo sauce and blacktobiko for the Hanamaki andorange tobiko for the Tengu. Youcan’t go wrong with either.

Chef de cuisine Michael Imadasays, “We want to keep it simplewhile highlighting the naturalingredients.” He’s done just thatwith fresh produce from acrossthe Islands and imported delica-cies that have been carefullyselected and taken severalmonths to test and incorporate.

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Signature appetizersare a tasty work of art

JAPENGO

WHEREHyatt Regency Waikiki BeachResort and SpaEwa Tower, third floor.

CALL237.6140

HOURSOpen nightly for dinner, 6-10 p.m.Sushi bar and lounge open at5:30 p.m.

Crab and Shrimp Cake ($16)

Tengu ($21)Nathalie Walker photos

Hanamaki ($18), at left, and Manillaclams ($15)

Page 6: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

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By Nicole Kato

Seafood Village is known forits award-winning Chinesecuisine, and offers early

bird specials (before 7 p.m.) thatinclude Steak & Fried Shrimp($14.95), Steak & Mahi Mahi($16.95), Sweet & Sour Fish($13.95), Mongolian Beef($13.95) and Kung Pao Chicken($13.95). Each special comeswith Egg Swirl Soup, gardensalad, steamed rice and analmond float.

Dining Out met two lovelycouples from Colorado one nightfor dinner, and all four membersagreed that the Seafood Villagespecials were a superb mealchoice during their visit to Oahu.

Great food coupled with greatservice made for an amazingevening in the Islands.

Dominic Petrocco: “We hadthe Steak & Fried Shrimp. It wasfantastic! The Mango Puddingdessert was great, too.”

Walter Hivner: “I also got theSteak & Friend Shrimp. Greatpresentation. I had mine asmedium rare, and it was cookedexactly right. It was served hot,and it was good. And the serviceis fantastic.”

Genie Petrocco: “I had theSweet & Sour Fish. It was verygood … very Asian and spicy.And I like the Egg Swirl Soup(included in early bird specialbefore 7 p.m.).”

Pat Hivner: “I had the same,Sweet & Sour Fish. I loved it. Thewhole meal was just an amazingprice for what we got. I just reallyenjoyed the fish. This is what wecame here for … This is one ofthose restaurants that you want tocome back to.”

whatwe’reeatingat...

Seafood Village

SEAFOOD VILLAGE

WHERE Hyatt Regency WaikikiResort and Spa2424 Kalakaua Ave. #103,Honolulu

CALL 971.1818

HOURS Open daily, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.(Lunch) 5-10 p.m. (Dinner)

Dominic and Genie Petrocco, at left, and Pat and Walter Hivner enjoy both thefood and ambiance at Seafood Village in Waikiki.

Nicole Kato photo

Page 7: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

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The best thing about pasta is … well, just abouteverything. You really can’t go wrong. Thereare so many fun shapes to choose from and so

many ways to prepare it. And in restaurants, cre-ative chefs love to embellish pasta in their own sig-nature style, while others steadfastly adhere to tradi-tional recipes.

The only problem with pasta dishes on manyrestaurant menus is the addition of meat, fish, eggsand cheese in nearly every offering.

With the word macaroni in its name, Romano’sMacaroni Grill should know a thing or two aboutpasta and what it takes to make customers comeback for more — and it does.

The menu offers a simple yet smart concept:Create Your Own Pasta ($14), which offers a choiceof pasta, sauce, three vegetables and a meat (orroasted eggplant for vegetarians). And, according toexecutive chef Nawai Keko‘olani, veggie loversdon’t have to stop at three. In fact, his favorite con-coction is fettucini with roasted garlic tomato sauce,mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli and roasted pepperstopped with fresh grana padano cheese.

Guests can choose as many of their favorite veg-etables available — roasted peppers, broccoli, freshspinach, roasted tomatoes, artichokes, roasted gar-lic, roasted mushrooms, asparagus, sun-dried toma-toes and more — as they wish for this dish.

Pasta choices include spaghetti, capellini, penne,farfalle and rigatoni, as well as fresh quadratini andwhole wheat fettucini. The chef notes that fresh pas-tas are made with eggs, so ask your server beforeordering, or just opt for the high-quality dried variety.

“Our dried pastas are specially made forMacaroni Grill,” Chef Keko‘olani says. “You won’tfind it in stores.”

Top off your pasta with your favorite sauce:pomodoro, arrabbiata, garlic olive oil, garlic cream,Alfredo, basil pesto and more. Chef Keko‘olani notesthat some guests like to mix it up with the sauces,ordering two for the same dish — so have fun!

“We try our best to take care of every guest,” hesays. “We make accommodations to make guests as

happy as possible. After all, they come here to dine.”Macaroni just the way you want it. It’s all in the

name.

Contact Terri Hefner at [email protected]

VO veg’noutwith

Terri Hefner

WHEREAla Moana Center1450 Ala Moana Blvd.

CALL356.8300

HOURSOpen daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

call itThey Romano’s

MacaroniGrill

Executive chef Nawai Keko‘olani withRomano’s very akamai dish, Create YourOwn Pasta ($14)

INSET: Create Your Own Pasta ($14) fea-tures such choices as fettuccine with roast-ed garlic tomato sauce, roasted mushrooms,broccoli and roasted peppers.

Nathalie Walker photos

Page 8: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

By Ali Resich

Whether you’ve always loved tovisit the Chinese Cultural Plazaor you are exploring China-

town’s impressive center of shops andrestaurants for the first time, HifumiJapanese Restaurant comes as a surprise toall who first see it. That’s because it’s oneof the only Japanese eateries located insidethe conglomeration of Chinese culture.

But as longtime waitress Elsie Chingdescribes, Hifumi abides by the philosophythat “as long as you have good food, it doesn’tmatter where you are, you’ll stay in business.”

It seems she is right, seeing as the restau-rant has been in business for more than 44years. And many locals who frequent theplaza agree that it’s nice to have options whenyou are looking to switch up the routine.

“We have our own dis-tinct style of flavors, andall of our sauces are ourown recipes,” says Ching.“We’re known for ourtonkatsu and our steamedfish because it’s so soft.We also have sashimi, ahi— all fresh.”

Speaking of Hifumi’sseafood, the establishmentcurrently has some spe-cials you’ll want to diveinto. Fresh Local WholeSteamed Mullet (about$13-19) presents anapproximately 1-1.25pound catch that can be

enjoyed two ways: local-style with blackbean sauce, garlic and a touch of hot oil andshoyu on top, or Chinese-style with a mixof ginger, mushrooms and green onion.

“With the whole fish, the bone gets moreflavor and the fish is more juicy,” saysChing. “We want people to enjoy all thesoftest parts of the fish.”

And you’ve never seen shrimp quite likethe ones featured in the Shrimp Special($9.25, regular; $12.95, jumbo). The regular-sized tempura-battered creations seem outra-geously plump, so customers are beyond sat-isfied when they bite into the gargantuanjumbo versions. Each plate of shrimp (threepieces) comes with four vegetable tempura

as well as house-madetempura sauce.

Like most of the estab-lishment’s meals, shrimpand steamed mullet spe-cials come with misosoup, tsukemono, teaand rice that you canrefill free of charge.Ching also says therestaurant’s MSG-freecuisine and the use offresh oil every day con-tribute to its clean tastes.

It may seem like a fish outof water, but there’s nothingshrimpy about HifumiJapanese Restaurant.

eatthis

Lunch specials a hit withMax’s younger customers

By Alana Folen

It’s always bound to be the fiesta ofall Filipino fiestas at Max’s ofManila. Located on

Dillingham Boulevardand in Waipahu ShoppingPlaza, this favorite estab-lishment brings a taste ofthe Philippines to ourIsland home.

While dishes such asCrispy Pata, LumpiangShanghai, Sisig and PorkAdobo are signatureitems off the menu,Max’s of Manila can’thelp but revel in its newMax’s Lunch Specials.Now served Mondaythrough Friday from 11a.m. to 4 p.m., theselunch specials are perfectfor those on the go. With six specialsto choose from (at $8.95 each, dine-inor takeout), including ChickenAdobo, Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet,Tenderloin Tips, Pork Adobo,Seafood in Coconut Milk andVegetarian Special, Max’s offerscomplete meals that are well worthyour buck.

“We only recently started offeringthese lunch specials, but it’s beendoing very well. A lot of studentsand the younger generations havebeen liking it,” says ElizabethJoven, operations manager of theDillingham branch.

All lunch specials come withsteamed or garlic rice; choice ofside dish such as LumpiangShanghai, Veggie Crunch ortossed salad; and choice of softdrink. For dessert, enjoy a scoop

of tropical ice cream for $1 more, or amini Buko Pandan for an additional$2.50.

“You receive high-quality food for agood price,” Joven adds.

With 127 branches inthe Philippines, twobranches in Dubai, two inCanada and eight branch-es in the U.S., we’relucky to have Max’s tocall our own. Max’s ofManila is slated to opensix more restaurants inthe Philippines and fouradditional internationalbranches.

So, when it’s a home-cooked Filipino mealthat you can’t live with-out, you’ll find it all atMax’s of Manila.

chewonthis

HIFUMI JAPANESERESTAURANT

WHERE Chinese Cultural Plaza100 N. Beretania St. #113

CALL 536.3035

HOURS Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., lunch5-8:30 p.m., dinner

Closed Monday

NOTES Parking inside ChineseCultural PlazaSweet and Sour Fish Fillet ($8.95) | Leah Friel photo

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MAX’S OF MANILA

WHERE801 Dillingham Blvd.

(also located in Waipahu Shopping Plaza)

CALL951.6297

HOURSMonday-Friday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m., Saturday-Sunday

10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

Stumblingupon

at HifumiFresh Local Whole Steamed

Mullet (1-1.25 pounds, $13-$19)Nathalie Walker photo

Page 9: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

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...dining out ...

inside F E A T U R E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . At Camellia Buffet on

McCully Street, youget the best of both

worlds: a great selectionof fresh raw meat for allyou meat-lovers, and thesheer pleasure of cookingit to your liking.

These qualities make Camellia a great alter-native to traditional buffets, in which foodoften sits out for a long time.

Manager Kelly Park notes that the mostpopular dishes are the kalbi during lunch andthe sirloin steak during dinner. And the keikienjoy the orange chicken.

“But recently, people have been asking forshrimp, and they also like our oil sauce(served with salt and pepper at night),” sheadds.

Is quality more important than quantity? Oris it the other way around? At Camellia, whichhas been serving Korean food for almost 30years, it doesn’t really matter because you’resure to be getting the freshest all-you-can-eatcuts of meat and vegetable selections.

The establishment features main dishes suchas kalbi, beef, chicken and pork, 25 differenttypes of side dishes (including kim chee, mac-aroni salad and kim chee cucumber), soups(miso and seaweed), fruits and more.

Items such as shrimp, sashimi, flap-meat sir-loin steak and frozen yogurt are only availableduring dinner.

Not a total meat-lover? That’s OK, becausethe buffet also features a vast array of veggies,including carrots, bell peppers, zucchini,mushrooms and bean sprouts.

And the restaurant takes its customers intoconsideration. Every so often, Camellia Buffetlikes to switch up the more than 50 itemsavailable in the buffet so patrons won’t getbored of the same ol’ thing.

In addition, Camellia makes its own mandoo(dumplings). And the sauce on those spicychicken wings? That’s homemade, too. (Andyes, the kim chee also is made in-house. Afterall, it wouldn’t be a Korean-owned restaurant

1

Story by Nicole Kato

Photos by Nathalie Walker

2

1. Manager Kelly Park

2. Kalbi (part of the buffet)

3. Vegetables (part of the buffet)

4. Seasoned beef and vegetables

(part of the buffet)

5. Shrimp (part of the buffet)

Page 10: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

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...dining out ...

inside F E A T U R E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

without homemade kim chee, right?)If you’re wondering why you can’t get

enough of the marinated meats, that’s proba-bly because the taste of Camellia’s secretsauces has a strong hold of your taste budsand simply won’t let go.

Lunch costs $17.95 for adults and $13 forchildren, ages 4-8, and is served from 10:30a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner costs $25.95 foradults and $15 for children, ages 4-8, andruns from 2:30 to 10 p.m. seven days a wee.That’s right, you can eat all you want everyday of the week.

If you don’t have the time to sit down andgrill your own meat, that’s OK. Camellia hasa takeout menu (with already-cooked foodthat’s ready to eat): kalbi ($11.95), bulgogi($9.95), spicy pork ($9), chicken ($9), com-bination ($11.95), fried mandoo ($9), bibimbap ($10) and bibim kooksoo ($10).

Since Camellia Buffet is often busy, espe-cially around dinnertime, reservations arerecommended. And with so many foodchoices, Camellia is the perfect place tobring the whole family or large group offriends.

Make sure you bring a hearty appetitewhen you visit Camellia so you can sample alittle bit of everything.

930 McCully St., Honolulu

951.0511

Open daily, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

3

5

4

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Osaka Ramen celebrates itsone-year anniversary thismonth with a special offer of

four-piece Salt & Pepper shrimp foronly $2 (with purchase of a regularmeal, from now through Sept. 30).

Located at the Pearl Kai ShoppingCenter in Aiea, owners MichelleHuang and Zhen Wei Lin love to eatJapanese noodles and wanted togive people a place to enjoy tradi-tional ramen.

“The secret to our ramen is thesoup base,” says Huang. “We userecipes from Japan. Our TonkotsuRamen ($7.25) has a homemadepork soup base that is cooked forabout eight hours so you can reallytaste the pork flavor. And our Miso

Ramen ($6.50) is made with ahomemade soup base and misosauce from Japan, so the flavor ismiso and it tastes good.”

Also popular are Salt & PepperShrimp with Charsiu Fried Rice($9.50), Spicy Tan Tan Ramen($7.50) and Chicken Katsu RamenCombo ($8.95), which consists ofmini miso ramen, chicken katsu onthe side, charsiu fried rice and four-piece homemade gyoza filled withpork and mixed vegetables. Foradded flavor, sprinkle some freshlycrushed chili garlic (available ateach table) on your noodles orgyoza sauce.

The menu is categorized byramen, curry, fried noodles, coldsoba and udon, appetizers, combomeals, udon and spicy ramen. Inaddition to great taste, OsakaRamen also is known for its greatprices. The Vegetable Ramen,Wonton Ramen, Shoyu Ramen,Miso Ramen, Gyoza Ramen,Charsiu Ramen and Mabo TofuRamen are all priced at $6.50.Almost all combo meals are $8.95,and all curry combo plates are$9.25.

Also, from 2 to 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Thursday, get four pieces ofgyoza free with the purchase of aregular meal; and from 5 p.m. toclosing there’s a happy hour drinkspecial of $2 beer (Heineken,Budweiser, Kirin, Bud Light, BudLight Lime and Bud LightPlatinum).

Everything on the menu is avail-able for takeout, and there’s plentyof free parking available.

“The flavor of our ramen is thesame as in Japan,” adds Huang. “Somany people like it. If you likeramen, come and try it. It’s good.”

1 Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.25)

2 Chicken Katsu Ramen Combo($8.95)

3 Osaka Ramen owners Zhen Wei Linand Michelle Huang with Miso Ramen($6.50; add four pieces of Salt &Pepper Shrimp for $2)

Leah Friel photos

Traditional ramen that’s oh, so good

OSAKA RAMEN

WHEREPearl Kai Shopping Center98-199 Kamehameha Hwy. #B9,Aiea

CALL488.8836

HOURSSunday through Thursday 10:30a.m. to 10 p.m.Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to10:30 p.m.

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By Jaimie Kim

With its interactive “kaiten”sushi (sushi served on a belt)and bright decor, Genki

Sushi’s friendly atmosphere is an idealsetting for anyone looking to have funand enjoy an unpretentious bite ofsushi.

“We want our customers to come inand have a good time,” says DavidMoon, director of purchasing.

Though the restaurant has venturedto locations on the Mainland andthroughout the world, Genki Sushicontinues to satisfy its local fans.“Because we are in Hawaii, we try tocater to the local taste,” says Moon. “Alot of the things we sell at the momentyou can’t get in Japan or in theMainland stores.”

This includes allowing customers toshare suggestions for future menuitems via customer cards, phone callsto its headquarters or people just want-ing to offer a quick comment to therestaurant manager. New items such asSpicy Won Ton, which features spicytuna atop a won ton chip, were sugges-tions made by customers.

Ten new items have been added tothe menu, including Pipi Kaula Nigiriand what Moon says has become anew favorite, Kalbi Nigiri.

Longtime favorite Spicy Tuna Bowlcontinues to make

its presence known with seven varia-tions, including spicy stuffed mush-rooms, a deep-fried spicy roll and aspicy tempura roll that is piled withspicy tuna.

And with prices ranging from $1.50to $4.80 (with the exception of twospecials that are only $7.50), cus-tomers can look forward to not cring-ing at their bill.

ethnicfaves

GENKI SUSHI

WHEREWard Centre 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu (and various locations)

CALL591.5600

HOURSSunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Some location hours vary; call for details

WEBSITEgenkisushiusa.com

Belting Out Superb Sushi

Above Velma Fleming, Jodee Spencer and Lydia Kwok with a few

customer favorites. Left Spicy Tuna Bowl ($7.50)

File photos

Page 13: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

@tablesideKaka‘ako Kitchen

Since opening in 1995, Kaka‘ako Kitchenhas satisfied the appetites of many ofHawaii’s hungry with its upscale cuisine,

sold to walk-in customers, and its highlydesired catering menu, perfect for weddings,birthday parties and business events. Locatedon the ground level of Ward Center, Kaka‘akoKitchen is open daily. Call 596.7488 for moreinformation.

Left: Cashier Tara Yamashitawith the Frizzled Shrimp($8)Right: Frizzled Shrimp($8)

1 | Lisa Pagaduan, Jaime Nerona

and Tony Archuleta 2 | Marcy

Uyehara and Kimi Takazawa

3 | Joseph and Robert Wood with

Christina Hagen 4 | Nathan Kam

and Hale Takazawa

Lawrence Tabudlo photos

2

tableside

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Page 14: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

Over the past 15 years, SamChoy’s Breakfast Lunch& Crab has become a sta-

ple of local cuisine, providing across range of flavors that seemto sum up Hawaii on a plate.From seafood galore to a fusionof international dishes, the restau-rant always presents enticingIsland fare, and plenty of it.

This month will be no differentas the Nimitz Highway eateryunveils its Hawaiian Crab BakedDinner Buffet ($29.95, adults;$14.95, keiki; not combinablewith other discounts or offers),which will be available Monday,Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 30.

“It’s a blown-out buffet thatsignifies Sam Choy’s — alwaysbountiful!” says head chefAurelio Garcia when describing

the abundant table of tastes. “Thisrestaurant is famous for seafoods,and not only seafood, but steaksand Hawaiian cuisine.”

There’ll be no shortage of surfand turf to represent the establish-ment on the buffet line, with

some clear show stoppers such asSteamed Snow Crab Legs withDrawn Butter and a beautifullytender Huli Carved Beef. It alsowill feature local favorites suchas Sam’s Fried Rice with bacon,char siu, onion, shoyu, rice, eggand green onion, as well as GarlicChicken made with a mouthwa-tering blend of shoyu, liquidsmoke, black pepper, a hint ofbrown sugar and “lots of garlic,”according to Garcia.

The head chef was able to puthis personal touch on the menuwith entrees such as GuavaBarbecued Baby Back Ribs. “Weare now serving baby back ribs(on the regular menu), which is achar siu baby back rib,” Garciasays. “So for the buffet, I came upwith the guava and discovered

that it’s very popular. I think wedo it well.” A savory bite ofCrispy Maui Onion provides theperfect balance of flavors to thesweet and slatherable guava bar-becue sauce.

The buffet also will presentBoneless Shortribs Kalbi withCrispy Onions, Pork LoinRoulade with Pineapple PapayaMarmalade and Fresh Island FishTempura Style.

A slew of sides, plethora ofsalads — including Potato Mac— pasta and beef action stationsas well as desserts will round outthe spread. A limited regularmenu will be available duringweeks when the dinner buffet isserved, allowing the diversearray of Hawaii’s best tastes totake center stage.

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SAM CHOY’SBREAKFASTLUNCH & CRAB

WHERE 580 N. Nimitz Hwy.,Honolulu

CALL 545.7979

HOURSBreakfast and lunch: Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner: Sunday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5-10 p.m

3

1 Huli Carved Beef (partof the buffet).

2 Garlic Chicken (part ofthe buffet)

3 Steamed Snow CrabLegs (part of the buffet)

4 Sam’s Fried Rice (partof the buffet)

Nathalie Walker photos

Page 15: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

At a restaurant that is named afterone of the most universallyrenowned cuts of beef, cus-

tomers naturally will expect excellencefrom Kobe Steak House and Sushi Bar.And they certainly will find it at theWaikiki restaurant, which serves up tep-panyaki treats and savory sushi.

Nestled in between Hilton HawaiianVillage and Ilikai Hotel, the restaurant isthe perfect place to enjoy good food anda lively atmosphere when you’re inWaikiki. In the main dining room, thechefs expertly prepare each meal table-side, teppanyaki-style, as diners watch.

“To me, it’s one of the original con-cepts of seeing your food before it’seven cooked and prepared,” generalmanager and owner Roy Nakamurasays. “You get to see it in its natural,fresh form … It’s one of the oldest con-cepts, but I guess that it has (returned),and it is what people expect now whendining.”

For a taste of teppanyaki, try theChicken and Shrimp ($29.95), whichNakamura says is one of the most popu-lar dishes.

If that doesn’t already have your mouthwatering, the other half of what Kobe has

with Christina O’Connor

Above EmperorCombination($23.95)

Right Sushi chefJason Manibog

Left HamachiSashimi ($13)

Leah Friel photos

K obe Steak House and Sushi Barhas been a popular gatheringplace for the last 40 years. As one

of Waikiki’s mainstays, it is a popular spot for locals andtourists alike.

Roy Nakamura and wife Lynn purchased Kobe about twoyears ago — and they are loving every minute of it.

“It’s a headache, but it’s a really good headache,”Nakamura says, laughing. Nakamura had been a longtimestaffer with the restaurant, where he first started as a bar-tender.

And although the eatery has a long history, the Nakamurashave been putting their own spin on the restaurant, adding orchanging certain features. Recently they hired a new sushichef, Jason Manibog, to add new flavors and flair to the sushibar.

Manibog started working at Kobe about a month ago —and Nakamura says the new chef's presence is somethingthat guests should look forward to.

“Every chef has their own personality and touch withsushi,” Nakamura says. “Jason has got a local style, and agreat flair. He is very creative. I think he will be a good addi-tion to Chef Eiji. He has a fresh approach. His creations arereally nice and a little different.” While Kobe's approach tosushi has typically been more traditional fare, Manibog hasa modern, fusion style.

Nakamura also anticipates that in addition to putting hisown style on each ofKobe’s tasty sushi dish-es, Manibog also maybe creating his owndishes in the comingmonths. Nothing is offi-cially in the works yet,but the owner is alreadydropping hints.

“I am pretty sure hehas some stuff inmind,” Nakamura says.

1841 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

941.4444

Open daily, 5:30 to 10 p.m. (last order)

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TH

ES

IDE

ON

WhereTeppanyakiTreatsSavory Sushi rule

Kobe Steak Houseand Sushi Bar

Page 16: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

to offer — the quality concoc-tions in its sushi bar — certainlywill. Tucked away in the restau-rant’s lounge area, the sushi barprovides a peaceful area to enjoya sushi dinner.

“The lounge is a really inti-mate, quiet place to escape to,”Nakamura says.

One of the most popular sushidishes is the Spider Roll ($13),which features soft-shell crab.Another must-try is the SalmonSkin Roll ($9), which is filledwith grilled-to-perfection salmonskin.

For another delectable delight,try the Hamachi Sashimi ($13)which features seven slices offresh hamachi. “Hamachi is avery delicious fish,” Nakamurasays. “And we serve a reallygood slice.”

But if all of those options aremaking it too difficult to choose,it’s best to go with the EmperorTray ($23.95), which boasts assortedsushi based on the chef’s selection.Nakamura says that maguro, hamachiand salmon typically will be three of thefeatured items, and the rest will vary.

Contact Christina O’Connor at [email protected]

That’sENTERTAINMENT

AT CHAI’S ISLAND BISTRO | ALOHA TOWER MARKETPLACE

BY ALI RESICH

Na Palapalai members Ioane Burns, at left, and Kuana Torres Kahele entertain gueststhis Friday at Chai’s Island Bistro. (Courtesy photo)

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Chai’s Island Bistro has long been known for its fusion of Pacific Rimcuisine and live Hawaiian music in a breezy, yet upscale setting.Since the bistro opened in 1992, customers have fallen in love with

internationally acclaimed chef Chai Chaowasaree’s artful combination ofEastern and Western flavors. Always turning to local markets, he high-lights a diverse range of local ingredients to put an Island spin on conven-tional fine dining.

And nothing blends more harmoniously with an exquisite meal than thesweet sounds of countless local music legends who have graced the stageat Chai’s. On Friday, Sept. 21, Na Palapalai’s traditional melodies will res-onate in the walls of the Aloha Tower Marketplace eatery. The group fea-tures Kuana Torres Kahele, the ever-talented musician who took home sixNa Hoku Hanohano awards earlier this year for his album, Kuanaloa.

Enjoy Na Palapalai’s set from 7 to 9 p.m. while you feast on unforget-table Island fare. The restaurant showcases other musicians throughoutthe week as well, with performances by Robert Cazimero on Wednesdays,Olomana’s Jerry Santos Thursdays, the Brothers Cazimero Fridays(except Sept. 21) and Danny Couch Saturdays.

From top:

Spider Roll ($13)

Salmon Skin Roll ($9)

Emperor Tray ($23.95)

Page 17: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

All you need now is a freshly brewed cupof joe and you’re ready to take on the day!

Larry’s Bakery4369 Lawehana St. #3

422.0059

Ho Ho Chinese CuisineMy cream cheese cravings then led

me to Ho Ho Chinese Cuisine, locatedin the heart of Kapolei, where its all-you-can-eat buffet draws you right in.Sure, visions of chow mein, salt andpepper shrimp, snow crab and beefbroccoli were dancing through my head,and orange chicken, egg rolls and friedrice are usually enough to make mymouth water. But this time, it was therestaurant’s Deep Fried Crab MeatCream Cheese Won Ton that got my

undivided attention. I know, I know.Deep Fried Crab Meat Cream CheeseWon Ton may not be your standardChinese fare, but you know what? I’mall about going against the norm.

“This appetizer consists of a largedeep-fried won ton pi filled with imita-tion crab meat, cream cheese, celery andonions,” explains director of salesArmando Bauzon, noting that thesemorsels of goodness are available aspart of Ho Ho’s dinner buffet or serveda la carte ($3.75 for four pieces, $6.95for eight pieces). “These cream cheesewon tons always go fast in our dinnerbuffet.”

So forget the calories and fulfill yourcream cheese fantasies with these badboys. The creamy filling and crisp,deep-fried won ton pi is a marriage offlavors that will last a lifetime.

Ho Ho Chinese Cuisine590 Farrington Hwy.

692.9880

Fendu BoulangerieI always feel at peace when I enter

beautiful Manoa Valley. The cascadingwaterfalls and double rainbows are a sightto behold. And while there might not be apot of gold at the end of the rainbow, youmay find something just as divine.

Enter Fendu Boulangerie. Located inManoa Marketplace, Fendu boasts aplethora of baked goods, includingbreads, pizzas, pastries and more that aremade fresh every day.

Owner and chef Niel Koep knew aboutmy cream cheese frenzy and prepared aLilikoi Cheesecake ($4.50 per piece) thatis over-the-top onolicious.

“This one of our most popular

desserts,” Koep says. “It’s the opposite ofyour typical New York Cheesecake. It’svery light.”

This work of art is delicately preparedand almost too exquisite to demolish injust a few bites, as it’s comprised of analmond cookie crust paired with a blendof cream cheese and marscapone cheese,passion fruit puree and a hint of vanilla.Lastly, it’s garnished with a passion fruitglaze and a medley of fresh fruits such asstrawberries, kiwis and blueberries.

“Cream cheese bakes well and has anice staple texture to it,” Koep adds.“Lilikoi Cheesecake has been on ourmenu for a long time, and it makes for theperfect after-lunch or dinner dessert.”

Fendu BoulangerieManoa Marketplace

2752 Woodlawn Drive #5119988.4310

ono,youknow

– From page 2

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1

1 Larry’s Bakery’s William Koep

2 Larry’s Bakery’s Cream CheeseEnsaimada ($1.75 each)

3 Iris's OMG ($2 each) at Larry’sBakery

4 Ho Ho Chinese Cuisine’s DeepFried Crab Meat Cream CheeseWon Ton ($3.75 for four pieces,$6.95 for eight pieces)

5 Armando Bauzon, Ho Ho’sdirector of sales, with a plate ofDeep Fried Crab Meat CreamCheese Won Ton

Page 18: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

KITCHEN INSIDER

Who or what inspires you as anowner? I enjoy carrying on the fam-ily business. Fukuya has beenaround since 1939, so it’s veryrewarding to me to serve customersjust like my parents and grandpar-ents did many years ago. Back in theday there were many okazuyasaround, and we’ve seen some closethroughout the years for one reasonor another, so I feel grateful thatwe’ve stood the test of time. It’s alsocool to see the loyal customers whohave been coming back for many,many years. I’ve seen parents bring-ing their children, who then growup, come visit us when they’re backfrom college, then get married andhave families, and I see them bring-ing their kids, too. To see them shar-ing this place from generation togeneration is really special.

What's your most popular dish?We have a few dishes that are reallypopular across the board, whetherit’s people coming in for okazu orcatering. The shrimp tempura andmiso butterfish are always favorites,and so are our chicken dishes likemochiko chicken and fried chicken.The nori chicken is becoming moreand more popular too. People alsoreally like our sushi. I would say

about 90 percent ofour catering ordersinclude our assortedsushi platter. Shoyupork is another pop-ular catering dish.

Is there a dish thatyou create that’snot on your menu,but available uponrequest? When wetake catering orders,we work with peo-ple as much as pos-sible to customizeand accommodatecatering requests.For example, manypeople ask if we cancater short ribs orprime rib, which wecan. Another thingthat is becomingmore popular is thatpeople are asking forvegetarian options,such as a healthy veggie stir fry.

What is the biggest complimentyou've ever received as an owner?We have great customers, reallyloyal. When they say, “We wouldn’tgo anywhere else,” that makes usfeel special. It’s really nice to knowthat people like what we are puttingout. Sometimes, I will have peopletell me that they have plans to haveus cater their milestone birthday,then I find out it’s a few years away!The fact that they are thinking theywant us to be a part of their special

occasion is really nice.

If you could serve food to acelebrity, who would it be andwhy? What dish would you serve?I would have to say PaulMcCartney. He’s one of my favoritemusicians. I think if he were to walkinto my restaurant, I would makehim a plate that would include misobutterfish, shrimp tempura, shisomusubi, cone sushi, chow funn, norichicken and macaroni potato salad. Iknow it’s a big plate, but I wouldwant him to have a little of every-

Fukuya2710 S. King St. | 946.2073Open Wednesdays – Sundays, 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. After-hours catering service available.

Name Arrison Iwahiro Title Owner of Fukuya

Training/education Grew up in the kitchen, learning

everything from grandparents and parents.

Years at restaurant 30-plus

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Have you ever wondered whatgoes on behind the scenesat your favorite restaurant?

Well, much of the credit goes tothe many chefs, owners and man-agers who work diligently day inand day out to make sure Hawaii’sdiners have a memorable diningexperience.

This week, Dining Out got theinside scoop from Fukuya ownerArrison Iwahiro, who provided uswith an exclusive glimpse into hisSouth King Street delicatessen andcatering service.

File photo

FILL

Page 19: Dining Out Pa'i Awards

The South Philly Burger ($12.99)

The Lawnmower Salad ($12.49)

The 5:15 ($19.99)

REVAMPED MENU awaits

DINERS at D&B’S

Whether one enjoys shooting hoops, playing Fruit Ninjaon the Million Dollar Midway, or simply relaxing asthe top college and pro football games play out on

large, high-definition televisions, there inevitably comes atime when food takes top priority at Dave & Buster’s.

This iconic cornerstone of Victoria Ward Center, whichstill serves as Hawaii’s one-stop shop for dining and enter-tainment, launched its improved menu at the beginning of thesummer. While many of the restaurant’s signature steaks, sal-ads and pastas are still on the menu, the foodis now presented with a bit more flair.

“The inspiration for our food is to give ita fun appearance, and some ‘pop’ on thetable, and make it more appealing to theeye,” says kitchen manager Kevin Parkhurst.“Everything is a little bit bigger on theplate.”

The Pretzel Dogs ($9.99) are an extreme-ly popular addition to the menu, as themeaty all-beef franks are wrapped in sweetpretzel dough, baked fresh and served with aspicy habanero dipping sauce. Another newappetizer on the revamped menu is the 5:15($19.99), a hearty pupu platter named for the

time of the afternoon when the first cus-tomer entered the first Dave &Buster’s establishment. The dish includes five BuffaloWings with a choice of Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing;

five Chicken Quesadilla Wedges with salsa;five Pretzel Dogs; five Crispy

Fried Shrimp with spicyhabanero sauce; and a

hearty stack of freshbarbecue potatochips.

The South PhillyBurger ($12.99) definite-

ly answers the question: “Where’sthe beef?” This new item includes a

half-pound burger, which is seared, sea-soned and loaded with thin-sliced steak

imported directly from South Philadelphia, then grilled toperfection. The piled-high creation is topped with peppers,onions, mushrooms and melted white American cheese, andserved on a toasted brioche bun along with over half-poundof seasoned fries.

On the healthier side, the Lawnmower Salad ($12.49) islayered using fresh romaine and green-leaf lettuces, grilledchicken, diced garden vegetables, boiled eggs, bacon bits,bleu cheese crumbles and a choice of dressing. “We’ve gone

to the layers on the Lawnmower Salad, andthat’s actually my favorite because I like toeat a little healthier,” says Parkhurst. “It’s alot; you need to bring your appetite or shareit with a friend.”

For dessert, the Hot Sugared Donut Holes($7.39) steals the show, as diners are treatedto a basket of warm, sugar coated plain andchocolate donut holes with raspberry andchocolate dipping sauces.

“We are a place to come and have fun,watch the games on T.V., eat with the kidsand enjoy yourself,” says Parkhurst, who hasbeen at the restaurant for a little more thanfour years, and has seen the establishmentand its staff continue to grow. “If you haven’tbeen to Dave & Buster’s lately, you need to

come back and try our food and experience the new feel ofour menu items.”

Stop by Dave & Buster’s for the following special eventsand promotions: Taco Tuesdays on the Sunset Lanai everyTuesday at 5 p.m., and featuring $1 tacos and additional foodand drink specials; Happy Hour specials, including half-priced cocktails, $1 off 22-ounce beers and wine by the glass,and available Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., andSunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to close; and specialcomedy presentations including the Gregg Hammer Comedy& Dinner Show ($45, Oct. 12 and Nov. 23) and DaBraddah’s Comedy & Dinner Show ($49.99, Oct. 26 andNov. 30). Also, to book a company holiday party or gatheringat Dave & Busters, call special events manager KendraMurray at 589.5006.

orderoftheday

Hot SugarDonut Holes

($7.39)

Kitchen managerKevin Parkhurst with

The 5:15

DAVE & BUSTER’SWHERE: Victoria Ward Center, 1030 Auahi St., Honolulu, 96814 • CALL: 589.2215HOURS: Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday,11 a.m. to 2 a.m. • WEB: www.DaveAndBusters.com • NOTE: Log on to Dave & Buster’s HawaiiFacebook page for more information on promotions and happenings: http://on.fb.me/DandBHonolulu.

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Story By Kyle Galdeira • Photos by Leah Friel