Vegetarian & Vegan Archives - Honolulu Magazine

In Kaka‘ako, Plant-Based Goes Vogue at 3 Restaurants

Mari Taketa — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:10 +0000

Where Plant-Based Goes Vogue | Where Vegetables Go Indulgent

Vegan steak and eggs from Istanbul. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

In the land of katsu and loco moco, I discover what a hard sell meatless food can be when I offer to treat a friend to a plant-based lunch. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass,” she texts. “I’d rather pay for red meat.” She’s not alone: While much of the country feasts on an explosion of plant-based options from comfort food to fine dining, the growth of Honolulu’s scene has been as laidback as the vibe at a vegan café.

How laidback? Peace Café opened in 2010 and Juicy Brew 10 years ago, both now staples in a shifting scene of Asian vegan restaurants and casual eateries offering crunchy kale bowls, avocado toast, meatless Korean chicken and yes, loco mocos. A modest upscaling began with the arrivals of Tane Vegan Izakaya in Mō‘ili‘ili in 2019 and plant-based prix fixe at AV Restaurant in Kaimukī (closed since a fire in January) and Nature Waikīkī two years later. And that’s about it. So while plant eaters have more options these days, omnivores may not have noticed.

“It is tricky to create a menu that will make everybody happy. But it is the creative process that is the most beautiful part of cooking.”

—Ahu Hettema, chef and co-owner, Istanbul Hawai‘i

Watermelon ‘ahi crudo. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Çılbır at Istanbul in Kaka‘ako. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Istanbul

* * *

Across from Whole Foods Market, dressed in cerulean blues and old-world tapestries, Istanbul thrums. It’s the city’s only Turkish restaurant, and it’s perpetually busy. Meatless dishes like imam bayildi, or tomato-stuffed eggplants, were already available before June, when chef and co-owner Ahu Hettema ramped up the options in a new Botanical Compositions section of the menu—because the volume of customer requests for animal-free substitutes was slowing operations, she says. Now plant-forward dishes drive 40% of Istanbul’s sales, half from the top-selling mezze platter.

“In my restaurant, I feel like plant-based dishes are ordered by younger people or older people,” Hettema says. Among these groups, “there’s two types. One type is people who quit eating meat because they have extraordinary love for animals, or they have health issues and they miss the meat texture, the meat look. Those guests adore our plant-based steak and eggs and our manti. They are so thankful.”

The other type? “They don’t want anything that looks like meat. They want things to look like plants. We created dishes that look like meat, taste like meat, smell like meat, and we also have dishes that are completely made out of plants, like our imam bayildi,” she says. “It is tricky to create a menu that will make everybody happy. But it is the creative process that is the most beautiful part of cooking. Especially with my ADHD, I get bored if things are not challenging.”

On Istanbul’s regular menu, manti dumplings are made with A5 Miyazaki wagyu. The plant-based version uses Impossible Beef, which “doesn’t taste good,” Hettema says. So she and her mother, Nili Yildirim, tested the soy protein mixture with different spices before settling on a blend with allspice, cardamom, and toasted, ground karanfil cloves. Hettema claims even carnivores sometimes order it as a lighter alternative to rich wagyu.

Not every substitution is as involved—like cashew cheese instead of ricotta on the manakeesh flatbreads, for instance. In the Delectable Çılbır, which the menu says was “eaten by Ottoman sultans since the 15th century,” OK Poultry eggs are replaced by soy-protein versions. When I slip my fork in, they release golden yolks onto a garlicky sea of cashew yogurt. Which is pretty mind-bending, actually. What would the sultans think?

1108 Auahi St., (808) 772-4440, istanbulhawaii.com, @istanbulhawaii

“I believe people can put energy into food, and energy level is important to health too.”

—Meiko Fuchie, co-owner, Alo Café

Coconut curry.

Banana toast.

Curry ramen at Alo Café. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Alo Café

* * *

In the Salt complex on the other side of Ward Avenue, Alo Café exudes a beachy calm. A surfboard hangs on a wall, lau hala sun hats are for sale, and sofas invite lounging. The décor isn’t a trope, it’s a whole-life statement: Alo’s owners, Meiko and Ryoichi Fuchie, are surfers and vegans who came to Hawai‘i from Japan to balance their lives and reduce their carbon footprint.

At Alo, the food looks like plants. Açaí bowls, nutty banana toast, spinach wraps with hummus and avocado, tantan ramen—all are made with no animal products, MSG, refined sugars or artificial additives.

“I don’t want to lie to customers or to our heart or soul or to our children,” says Meiko Fuchie, who keeps snapshots of her son and daughter near the sun hats. “We want to show them that we are enjoying our lives doing what we want, and we believe in what we do.”

Alo is actually a micro chain. The Fuchies opened smaller versions in Waikīkī in 2021 and Downtown last fall. The Kaka‘ako café, the only one with a full kitchen, joined Salt’s 18 other eateries, including Arvo Café and Lanikai Juice, in June. In late summer, the couple added dinner hours and wondered if bolstering the menu with meat, fish and egg dishes might draw more customers. “I hope adding meat options will bring people who were not even interested in vegan food,” Meiko Fuchie says. “We want them to come and experience [vegan food] once, and think, oh it’s so good, it doesn’t taste vegan.”

That target audience includes me. Given the choice, I’ll opt for a lamb shank, pipi kaula or sashimi when eating out; I can eat vegetables at home. At Alo, hoping for something richer and heartier than a Buddha bowl, I order the coconut veggie curry. It takes a little while—dishes are made to order because “I believe people can put energy into food,” Fuchie says, “and energy level is important to health too.” Since “Get Relax. Eat” is one of the café’s taglines, I do my best to oblige until the curry arrives—a pretty mosaic of organic rice and lightly pickled red cabbage, garlicky asparagus, grape tomatoes and arugula in a steaming, turmeric-hued sauce. Notes of coconut and ginger segue to a nuanced tang that reminds me of tamarind. It’s lighter than the meaty curries I’m used to. And it is so good.

691 Auahi St., (808) 798-7684, @alocafe_hawaii

“Plant-based is definitely trending. We wanted to bring that to Hawai‘i in an approachable, fun way—unique and creative things where you’d want to try them anyway because it sounds good.”

—Brandon Lam, co-founder, La Tour Café

Planted’s assortment with vegan macarons. Photo: Corina Quach

Planted by La Tour

* * *

My meat-loving friend consents to a plant-based lunch after I send her a photo of Planted’s smash burgers. With its artichoke katsu sandwiches, Chick’n tenders, vegan macarons and kouign amanns, Planted draws a different demographic than Istanbul’s well-heeled patrons and Alo’s yoga and hipster crowd. Planted’s demo, in fact, looks a lot like Brandon and Trung Lam—co-founders of La Tour Café and sons of the couple who launched Ba-Le and La Tour Bakehouse. Planted is La Tour Café’s first offshoot.

“Plant-based is definitely trending. We wanted to bring that to Hawai‘i in an approachable, fun way—unique and creative things where you’d want to try them anyway because it sounds good,” says Brandon Lam, 40, the CEO. Many items come with fresh breads from La Tour; Lam estimates that less than 10% of other ingredients are processed, like Impossible meats. “Everything else we try to do from scratch or an approach that is unique to us, whatever produces good results in the most natural way possible.”

It seems to be working. After a slower trial period in ‘Āina Haina, Planted opened across from Rinka Restaurant to steady traffic in April. Amid a trickle of weekday afternoon customers, my friend stares at the menu, torn between the teri burger and the fried green tomato sandwich. Like many omnivores, she likes the idea of healthier eating but doesn’t want to feel deprived. She devours her teri burger before I can get a taste. It dripped with juicy sauces and the lettuce, tomato and onion were very fresh, she offers by way of apology. Her only complaint is that the patty was thin. It’s a smash burger, I remind her. Then they should make it a double, she says.

My lunch is the Aloha Tamago Tartine, an open-face egg salad sandwich inspired by Japan’s cult-status kombini egg sandos, plus a cup of mushroomy Umami Broth and La Tour’s famous fries. The fries come with a ranch aioli that tastes like real mayonnaise. The egg salad, made with Aloha Tofu, kabocha and a Himalayan salt with an eerily yolk-like flavor, tastes like egg salad. My friend eats half of my food while texting her cousins. She’s inviting them to a plant-based lunch.

987 Queen St., (808) 200-5985, @planted.hi

7 Omnivore Restaurants Where Vegetables Get Extra Love

Mari Taketa — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:01 +0000

Where Plant-Based Goes Vogue | Where Vegetables Go Indulgent

Chilled smoked tomatoes at Nami Kaze. Photo: Martha Cheng

At some places, the only vegetable on the menu is the lettuce on your burger. Other places serve zero animal products, not even honey or bee pollen. Is there a happy medium where carnivores and herbivores can get equal love?

Increasingly, the answer is yes. These seven places showcase a simmering trend of conventional restaurants that are adding more choices for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores who like vegetables (raise your hands, people!). Far beyond salads and portobello sandwiches, these restaurants devote good portions of their menus to well-crafted, plant-forward dishes. None of them treat vegetables as afterthoughts.

Aburiya Ibushi

Two menu sections at this meat-focused izakaya highlight vegetables—one with grilled options, the other with crunchy salads and traditional preparations like chilled okra in ume sauce, and chunky cabbage massaged with salt and sesame oil to soften. On the grilled menu, get the fluffy Yukon gold rounds topped with mentaiko, cheese and butter.

740 Kapahulu Ave., (808) 738-1038, @aburiya_ibushi

Island Vintage Wine Bar and Island Vintage Coffee

Counting fresh cheese and eggs, roughly half the pūpū and other dishes at Island Vintage’s wine bars are plant-forward, and full menu sections at the coffee shops are plant-based, with vegan items clearly marked. Like what? Deep-fried nori chips and crispy eggplants at the wine bars, and kakiage vegetable tempura with spicy tofu poke at the coffee shops.

Multiple locations, islandvintagewinebar.com, @islandvintagewinebar, islandvintagecoffee.com, @islandvintagecoffee

Photo: Courtesy of Kapa Hale

Kapa Hale

“V Is for Vegetable” is one of three main sections on Keaka Lee’s menu, with an equal number of dishes as “Mauka & Makai,” which features local meats and seafood. Vegetable-forward choices change with the seasons, but the Haku Lei Po‘o is a constant—a glorious composition of delicate local greens, vegetables and fruits crowned with mint, Kona coffee crumble and a drizzle of cider vinaigrette.

4614 Kīlauea Ave., (808) 888-2060, kapahale.com, @4614kapahale

Corn beignets at Nami Kaze. Photo: Thomas Obungen

Nami Kaze

Few places indulge plant eaters like Jason Peel’s izakaya at Pier 38. While brunch is more whimsically conventional (as in mentaiko omelets and honey walnut shrimp waffles), the izakaya menu puts locally sourced vegetables first, in sections divided into hot and cold dishes. Cloud-like corn beignets, slow-roasted tomatoes with labneh in za’atar oil, and ‘ulu tots in barbecue marinara and a shower of shaved tomme are musts.

1135 N. Nimitz Highway, (808) 888-6264, namikaze.com, @namikazehawaii

Nature Waikīkī

Nature reflects the seasonally changing menus of Nae Ogawa’s native Japan. A conventional prix fixe of locally sourced meats and seafoods is matched by a vegan version, both swapped out with new creations every three months. This is kaiseki-level vegan eating, locally sourced, with dishes like corn fritters with bechamel and truffle pâté. Those who don’t want the full six courses can opt for a three-course dinner, or order à la carte at the bar.

413 Seaside Ave., (808) 212-9282, naturewaikiki.com, @naturewaikiki

Noods Ramen Bar

The meat-averse are spoiled for choice at Noods, whose robust menu includes roughly a dozen vegan bowls. These range from the usual suspects (tan tan, shio, miso) to black garlic miso, yuzu shio, spicy Thai curry and the coconutty creamy garlic shoyu ramen.

Multiple locations, noodsramenbar808.com, @noodsramenbar808

O’Kims Korean Kitchen

Of the 16 appetizers and entrées at Hyun Kim’s modern Korean eatery, about a third are plant-focused. The truffle mandoo, garbanzo curry and miso eggplant are vegan; Kim’s barley rice bibimbap, with plenty of seasoned mushrooms and veggies in an apple gojuchang, is vegetarian. A trio of new specials each month usually includes a vegan dish.

1028 Nu‘uanu Ave., (808) 537-3787, okimshawaii.com, @okims_honolulu

How Barrio Café Created Savory, Plant-Based Chorifu Tacos in Wahiawā

Jade Chan — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:30:12 +0000

Photo: Deeshen Shah

Walking into the bright colors of Wahiawā’s Barrio Café feels like walking into a warm Mexican hug. On the counter are Jarritos sodas and house-made salsas in vibrant reds and greens; on the walls, hand-painted murals of Selena Gomez and Frida Kahlo. Barrio, meaning neighborhood in Spanish, is where families and friends gather for comfort foods like huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and carne asada burritos.

Now there’s a twist, created specially for a neighbor: the tofu-based Chorifu taco that chef-owner Miriam Olivas spent a year creating.

Chorifu joins Olivas’ taco menu of shredded beef, chicken, carnitas, carne asada, birria, fish and shrimp options. The new vegetarian creation is topped with pico de gallo and queso fresco and served with rice and beans for $15.55. The inspiration, Olivas says, came from Poni and Brandon Askew, who own the nearby Hawaiian Vinegar & Spice Co. and turned to a vegan diet for several years. “I need to make you something you can eat!” Olivas thought and reached out to Aloha Tofu Factory, the third-generation tofu maker in Kalihi.

Photo: Deeshen Shah

Tofu was a different animal for Olivas, who grew up in Los Angeles, Mexico and Hawai‘i. With no experience cooking with tofu or okara (soy pulp, a byproduct of tofu and soy milk production), she experimented with different ratios. Tofu and okara provided protein, fiber and minerals. To these, she added various seasonings and finally settled on a blend of smoky paprika, ancho and guajillo chiles, Mexican oregano and other spices.

Her goals were a depth of flavor and a texture that mimicked that of chorizo. So aside from ingredients, Olivas was also working out the process. Over a year, it came together: She marinates her seasoned tofu-okara mix, freezes it, gives it a second marinade and freezes it again. The freezing, she found, added a chewy denseness with just enough looseness to absorb the seasonings.

Throughout, Olivas tested the developing recipe with friends, neighbors and customers. “Would you serve this to customers?” she asked. “Would you serve this to your kids?” When kids loved it, she knew she had a winner.

Chorifu tacos, right. Photo: Deeshen Shah

Our family often heads across the island to eat at Barrio Café after a morning paddle in town. I usually order the green chile Mexi-loco moco and the Chorifu tacos. Rich and savory, with hints of smoke and earthiness, the Chorifu is pleasantly chewy and slightly crispy around the edges, providing a nice contrast to the soft tortillas. The three tacos on the plate pack 18 grams of protein.

It’s not just for tacos—Chorifu can be swapped out for animal protein in any dish, from burritos and avocado toast to chili. Olivas wants to produce it on a larger scale, including for other food businesses looking to expand their vegan offerings.

“Food is love, love that one plants, love that one nourishes, love that one offers as a cultural bridge to share your culture,” she says. “You have to cook with good energy and intention for good energy to be in the food you serve.”

Open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 672 Kilani Ave., (808) 622-3003, barriocafe808.com, @barriocafe808

Happy Harvest: Where to Pick Produce This Autumn

Andrea Lee — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 10:00:43 +0000

Looking for fall feels? Skip the pumpkin spice latte and head to a local farm to pick produce. Harvesting your own fruits and vegetables can help ensure the freshest flavors and highest nutritional value for home cooking, plus the wholesome outdoor experience supports local agriculture.

Photo: Courtesy of Aloun Farms

Aloun Farms Pumpkin Festival

Last three weekends of October, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The farm holds its annual Pumpkin Festival in October, with attendees picking ‘Ewa sweet corn, string beans and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, from the kind that fit in your palm to porch-size ones. Produce is also available at an on-site farmers market, along with family-friendly entertainment including free hayrides, a petting zoo and E.K. Fernandez rides and games.

$5 per person age 2 and older, 91-1440 Farrington Highway, Kapolei, alounfarms.com, @alounfarmshawaii

Photo: Courtesy of Kuilima Farm

Kuilima Farm’s Fall Celebration

Nov. 9–10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pose in front of fall-themed backdrops, play lawn games, hop on a hayride and visit the petting zoo at Turtle Bay Resort’s farm, which supports the resort restaurants’ seasonal menus. There also will be a “U-pick” experience, with expected harvests of watermelon, corn and calabaza squash, along with other farm-fresh goodies.

Tickets available online or at the door ($12 pre-sale, $20 pre-sale with hayride, $15 at door, $20 at door with hayride, free for ages 4 and under), 57-146 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, kuilimafarm.com, @kuilimafarm

Photo: Credit Little Bird Photography

Keiki and Plow

Every Friday, plus select Saturdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

On Open Farm days, “U-pick baskets” are available for sale (small $10, medium $20, large $40). Pull up root veggies and pluck herbs and edible flowers—anything that fits in the basket. If you’re lucky, you’ll gather a rainbow of eggs from the chicken coop.

Reservations required, $15 for adults, $12 for keiki, 587 Pākalā St., keikiandplow.org, @keikiandplow

SEE ALSO: Foraging Ahead at Keiki and Plow

Photo: Courtesy of Lokoea Farms

Lokoea Farms

Every Friday, 9 to 11 a.m.

Explore orchards lined with more than 600 trees while learning about horticulture. The tour concludes with a picnic, using the fruits you picked paired with coconuts and macadamia nuts you crack open yourself. Along with year-round fruits like bananas and papayas, longan, dragon fruits and figs are in season this fall.

$43 for a farm tour, reservations required, 62-394 Joseph P. Leong Highway, Hale‘iwa, lokoeafarms.wixsite.com, @lokoea.farms

Shioketh Lights Up Pālolo With Fiery Indo-Singaporean Flavors

Thomas Obungen — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:30:52 +0000

You already know ‘ono and you’ve probably heard oishii, but what about shiok? I just added the Malay slang for delightful or tasty, pronounced “shi-ōk,” to my vocabulary this weekend. It just might become part of my daily vernacular if I can eat the beef rendang at Shioketh, a new Indonesian-Singaporean street food pop-up at Hapa Market in Pālolo, on the regular.

Indonesian, Malay and Singaporean cultures converge in an ethnic group known as Peranakan or Nyonya who are descendants of the first waves of Chinese immigrants who settled in areas around the Strait of Malacca. Peranakan cuisine is unique for its hybridization of Chinese techniques with local flavors as a result of the cross-cultural and multi-ethnic marriages common in the region.

Even before work took me to Kuala Lumpur in 2018, I’ve been a fan of Peranakan cuisine’s myriad flavors. Malay and Indonesian friends in college, and later in Los Angeles, would invite me to seek out nasi lemak rice bundles, rendang curries, kaya toasts and laksa noodle soups wherever they made surprise appearances. Although none quite came close to what I had in KL, they kept me satisfied. Enter Shioketh, which soft-launched Saturday with the flavors I’ve been missing in six dishes and drinks. A grand opening is set for Sep. 7, after which they will regularly open on Mondays and Saturdays.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Start with the beef rendang ($18.95), an Indonesian dry curry made with chunks of beef rendered soft after braising for four hours in spices and coconut milk. The liquid is reduced until it caramelizes around the beef, imparting a unique sweetness. The spiced aroma when you open the plate is intoxicating. Served with jasmine rice garnished with crispy onions, sliced cucumber batons and grape tomatoes, it is a comforting taste of the region.

Between the hot, spicy food and the non-air-conditioned space at Hapa Market, you’re going to want a cold drink to sip on as you sweat from every pore. It wouldn’t be a proper Singaporean experience otherwise. The pandan coffee ($5.75) is the way to go. Cold-brew coffee flavored with pandan-infused coconut milk cream supplemented with whole or oat milk and sweetened with gula melaka palm sugar: It’s rich, creamy and everything you want in a pandan drink.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

The ayam penyet ($16.95), twice-cooked smashed chicken, is an entrée worth waiting for. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are boiled in a broth with a paste of garlic, galangal, ginger and shallots. The thighs are deep-fried until the skin is golden-crispy and, before serving, get a proper whack to crack the skin and meat. Shioketh serves the chicken with perfumed jasmine rice and a spicy chile sambal-infused kecap manis, a thick sweet soy sauce, that is both painful and addictive.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

The pandan waffle ($8.95) is the sweet savior amid all the spice. Flavored with the subtly floral vanilla cream-like extract, this waffle also gets a side of gula melaka palm sugar whipped cream and peanut butter or Nutella. Although the texture is softer than I like, the flavors more than make up for it. You can order it with a scoop of ice cream (add $4) if the plain waffle isn’t sweet enough for you.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Side dishes also skew Peranakan like the sambal goreng ($3.95), a vegetarian dish of tofu, tempeh and long beans stir-fried in a paste made with garlic, chiles, shallots, galangal, lemongrass and kecap manis. I’ll be the first to warn you about the spicy kick hidden a few bites in. Blooming eggs ($5.95) are interesting, in a good way. In a hot wok, the omelet blooms into a fluffy, eggy cloud garnished with pork floss, crispy shallots and sweet soy sauce. I’d order this with rice and be happy.

Emily Terukina is the Singaporean expat who brings these fiery recipes to life, while her husband Gavin runs the behind-the-scenes, including the shop’s graphics and web design. Emily arrived in Hawai‘i in 2014 and spent the last decade working in Waikīkī and more recently as a host and kitchen helper at The Pig and the Lady. She left those jobs in February to open Shioketh after missing the food from her native Singapore. My hope is that this leads to something more permanent for food that’s both exciting and shiok for a lot of us in Hawai‘i.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Shioketh pops up at the Hapa Market Grill space in Pālolo on Mondays and Saturdays. There are a few tables for dine-in, though plating is all for takeout. Follow Shioketh on Instagram for schedule updates and events they’re participating in.

Open Monday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1720 Pālolo Ave, shioketh.com, @shioketh

Kiki Is My Favorite Tempura Shop in Hawai‘i

Thomas Obungen — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 18:30:39 +0000

Local tempura lovers never really recovered after the loss of Tempura Kaneko Hannosuke. The Tokyo-based chain with over 130 years of history closed along with most of the eateries in the former Waikīkī Yokocho during the early pandemic days, never to return. Our dreams of balanced and tasty shrimp tendon bowls were shattered.

Hope was rekindled in February 2021 when a similar eatery popped up in Mitsuwa Marketplace. The tendon sauce and batter at Tenten Japanese Tempura, which later rebranded as Azasu Tempura, were as close as you could get to the style Hannosuke was known for. But the pop-up was gone by the end of that summer. Finally, this year, tempura fans can rejoice again. Kiki Authentic Tempura has opened in Kaneko’s former space in Stix Asia Waikīkī food hall.

Of the two tempura specialists now in Waikīkī, Kiki is the better one. There are two reasons why: It offers a better dining experience than Tempura Endo down the street, and it’s also a better value. Kiki’s fryer-to-table model maximizes taste and texture by delivering tempura in small batches instead of all at once. That won’t be the case if you’re ordering a tendon (tempura rice bowl), but for any of the teishoku meal sets, it is.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

If you’re still set on a tendon, I must inform you that Kiki’s special sweetened and reduced tendon sauce is on your table among other condiments. The main reason I (or anyone) would order a tendon over a teishoku set is so that each piece of tempura is doused in tendon sauce. Now that you know you have full control over your tendon sauce, go for the teishoku and enjoy each crispy tempura piece as it comes out.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Kiki’s six teishoku sets and four bowls vary in their tempura offerings. The standard Kiki set ($17 at lunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $25 at dinner) and Kiki tendon ($17 lunch, $22 dinner) are solid and have the most variety. The set includes pork, fish, squid, shrimp and four veggies: kabocha, bell pepper, lotus root and eggplant. The tendon has pork, fish, squid, egg and three veggies: kabocha, bell pepper and lotus root. With any order, you can upgrade to a larger serving of rice for no extra charge.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

Other bowls and sets include anago eel, a mix of pork and chicken, shrimp or just veggies. Tempura a la carte is also an option, and for pieces like the molten yolk tamago ($4), shiitake ($3.20) and scallop ($9), it might be worth it to splurge.

My shrimp tendon ($27) includes four pieces of shrimp, three veggies and an egg. It’s remarkable how similar it is to Hannosuke’s shrimp tendon. The shrimp has a clean flavor and the slightest hint of bite, and the veggies are crisp and fresh. But the egg, which is best mixed into the rice with more tendon sauce, is the best bite of the whole bowl.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

If I were to redo my order, I’d opt for the shrimp set ($27) and add on an egg. That way I could course out my tempura for maximum crispiness while adding tendon sauce to flavor each bite. It’s a best-of-both-worlds scenario. Now for similar sets and bowls at Tempura Endo, you can expect to pay about the same, but Kiki offers a 10% discount for kama‘āina. Tempura Endo also has less variety in its sets and doesn’t have options like pork, squid or eel.

Photo: Thomas Obungen

That’s not to say that everything at Kiki is memorable. I order the tempura sushi roll to share with the table, but to be very frank, it’s not worth busting your gut for and is unexpectedly heavy compared to everything else we try.

Seating is limited in the small eatery, and you might have to queue during peak meal times. If you stick with the tempura, it will be worth the wait.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Waikīkī Shopping Plaza, 2250 Kalākaua Ave, Lower Level, (808) 888-0514, tempurakiki.com, @tempurakikihonolulu

Artist Heather Brown’s Ideal Day on O‘ahu

Natalie Schack — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:06:02 +0000

On O‘ahu, there’s always something happening and cool new hotspots to explore. So even if you’ve lived here all your life, you can discover new places and eats. Seeking an artist’s perspective, we tapped Heather Brown, known for her colorful, surf-inspired paintings, to find out her go-to hangouts and recommendations.

Photo: Courtesy of Heather Brown

You’ve likely seen Brown’s coastal art in hotels and cafes and shops across the island. With an aesthetic that features cheery color palettes, stylized swells and lush, tropical foliage, Brown’s appreciation for island style is apparent. Since moving to Kaua‘i after living on O‘ahu for years, she’s missing her old haunts, making this the perfect opportunity to share her favorite, must-visit spots when she’s in town.

Most days, Brown gets a wake-up call from her dogs and cats at home. With a new puppy and more animals who don’t like to let her sleep in, her household is always busy. Then it’s one-on-one time with her husband over coffee. For a breakfast out on O‘ahu, they love the sandwiches at Blondies Vegan Kitchen, a mother-daughter-run spot. After that, it might be time for a late morning surf, admiring Diamond Head and keeping her eyes peeled for honu.

Plants and lattes. Photo: Brie Thalmann

“I have a weakness for plants. I’m a plant lover!” says Brown. When she wants to grow her plant family, she visits Paiko in Kaka‘ako for the interesting variety of species and cute selection of pots. While there, she has to stop next door at ARVO for a lavender oat latte.

The tempeh katsu plate at Peace Cafe. Photo: James Nakamura

One of her favorite lunch places is Peace Cafe, where she loves the fresh, tasty, and healthy food and the friendly staff. “I’ve been eating there ever since my days in college at UH,” says Brown.

Photo Credit: Laura Dornbush

It wouldn’t be a perfect day for Brown without spending time in nature. A go-to spot is Mānoa Falls, where she loves to smell the jungle and listen to the sound of the streams as she hikes. “Nature is what inspires me and gives me a connection to all the beauty around me.”

Brown loves to cook, especially if it involves lots of fresh, organic fruits and veggies (Whole Foods and Down to Earth are her staples), but if she’s not feeling the kitchen, she looks forward to dinner at Tane Vegan Izakaya. “Every dish is so full of flavor and beautifully presented. I feel like I’m in Japan when I’m eating there.”

Photo: Courtesy of Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel

To finish off a great day, Brown stops by Queen Kapi‘olani Hotel to browse the art at Greenroom Gallery and discover new local artists and creatives. After that, she heads to DECK. on the third floor for sunset drinks. Pau hana cocktails outside with one of the best views of Diamond Head in town? Lucky we live Hawai‘i indeed.

Dash of Sazón Spices Up Hotel Street With Caribbean and Latin Fare

Thomas Obungen — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 18:35:18 +0000

Honolulu’s Chinatown is in the spotlight with diverse new eateries that take us beyond China and Hong Kong. Dash of Sazón, a relatively quiet newcomer, brings to the neighborhood Latin and Caribbean dishes at lunch and regular pop-ups at two bars across the street in the evenings.

Ezzio and Asia Lavarello cook up an exciting mix of family recipes in tribute to their backgrounds: his Peruvian, hers Jamaican and Puerto Rican. As you might have guessed, the results of this marriage are delicious and dare I say hot?

On weekdays at The Walkin, their lunchtime eatery on Hotel Street, the Lavarellos offer a traditional menu with small plates of Peruvian antichuchos grilled beef filet mignon skewers ($16), thick Chancho Fries mounded with Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork pernil ($16), and empanadas (two for $10) to start.

Entrées range from a hearty Lomo Saltado plate ($23) of soy and red wine-marinated filet mignon stir-fried with tomato and onions served over steak fries and garlic rice, to a six-hour braised Jamaican oxtail stew ($23) and grilled jerk chicken ($18), both served with coconut rice and peas.

For lighter fare, there are two plant-based options, including a Trinidadian curry dhal ($15). Everything is large enough to share, so bringing co-workers to try more of the menu is wise.

On Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Dash of Sazón takes over the kitchen at Nextdoor with similar flavors repackaged into late-night bar grinds. Think lomo saltado and jerk chicken pizzas ($16 to $20), Jamaican beef patties ($9) and seasoned chicken wings ($12).

If you’re not in the mood to hit the bar, Doordash and Uber Eats will deliver. Whether you’re switching it up for lunch or just partying it up on Hotel Street, a little Dash of Sazón will go a long way.

Open Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 40 N. Hotel St. (The Walkin); and Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., 43 N. Hotel St. (Nextdoor), @dashofsazon, dashofsazon.com

La Tour Café Has Switched Its Entire ʻĀina Haina Menu to Plant-Based

Annabelle Le Jeune — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 18:00:44 +0000

There’s bold news on the eating scene: La Tour Café in ʻĀina Haina revamped its menu late last year and has gone completely plant-based. Now known as Planted by La Tour Cafe, the restaurant in ʻĀina Haina Shopping Center offers dairy-free, egg-free, meatless versions of menu items from savory banh mi sandwiches to crisp and cloud-like macarons. Its motto, “sprouted from the bottom, now we’re here,” totally reflects the cafe’s practice of sourcing local and fresh as much as possible.

An offshoot of the family-owned, locally operated Ba-Le Sandwich Shop chain, La Tour Café is a small chain of casual modern bistro fare with some French influences. While its other locations have kept their regular menus, it’s fun and gratifying to see new versions of many of their snacks, salads, sandwiches and burgers—and at the same prices or for about a dollar more. Plus, all the dishes are served in eco-friendly packaging. So whether you’re giving up meat for Lent or just want to try out La Tour dishes in plant-based form, Planted is a must try.

Sandwiches and burgers

Photo: Annabelle Le Jeune

Planted uses La Tour Bakehouse baguettes, buns and bread in its sandwiches and burgers, and you can certainly tell. The Caramelized *Prk Banh Mi ($13.49) is stuffed between a perfectly crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-soft-on-the-inside baguette. The pork alternative is soft, juicy and doused in a classic balance of banh mi sweet and savory sauces. Also available are the *Meetball Sub ($13.40) with garlic arrabiata sauce; the Mushroom Dip ($15.20), the cafe’s take on a French dip, featuring ali‘i, button and maitake mushrooms and an umami jus for dipping; and the LTC Planted Teri Burger ($13.49), with a “planted-yaki” marinated Impossible burger.

Snacks

No French-Vietnamese inspired bistro would be complete without pommes frites, better known as French fries. The garlic pommes frites ($6.25), topped with flakes of roasted and fried garlic, have the perfect crunch and are good on their own and even better with a sandwich or burger. The snacks menu also offers bowls of miso-mushroom umami broth, a plant-based version of La Tour’s roasted tomato basil soup, and other options like a grilled cheese sandwich ($5.99) with plant-based cream, American and provolone cheeses; and plant-based chick’n tenders ($10.99).

Green Patch

Photo: Annabelle Le Jeune

Usually when I eat out, I don’t order salads because I feel like they’re often an afterthought and aren’t as exciting as the rest of the menu. That’s not the case with Planted’s falafel salad ($12.99). The carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and leafy greens are vibrant and fresh. The falafel is crunchy on the outside and light on the inside. Mixed with artichokes and olives, the tangy, savory and sweet salad almost doesn’t need anything else, but I wouldn’t skip a drizzle of the lemon tahini dressing. The Green Patch section of the menu also includes a plant-based version of La Tour’s chicken salad ($13.60) with pickled lychee, crispy lotus root and ginger dressing; and a house salad and Caesar salad.

Macarons

Photo: Annabelle Le Jeune

You can’t leave a La Tour without one or two macarons. The chain’s bakers spent a year and a half developing an egg-free, plant-based recipe, according to Planted’s Instagram. All of La Tour’s rainbow-like lineup of macarons are sold here, including popular local fruit flavors like mango, guava and liliko‘i. Plant-based macarons are indicated with a leaf icon and when sampled side by side, reveal nearly no difference in taste or texture. They’re equally as delicious as the egg-based macarons. And P.S. Planted has kouign amanns, and they’re plant-based, too.

820 West Hind Dr., (808) 373-5174, @planted.hi

Find Fancy Fresh Smoothies and Teas on Beretania Street

Maddy Chow — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:45:46 +0000

Photo courtesy of Maddy Chow

Frolic’s new intern, Maddy Chow is a third-year marketing and international business student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She grew up in Seattle, where cooking with her grandparents helped instill a passion for food and where her favorite restaurant is Din Tai Fung. Maddy’s ongoing immersion in O‘ahu’s diverse food and culture (check out her food account @maddychowdown) means she’s always looking for new places to try.

Off busy Beretania Street, you’ll find a hidden gem. Fancy Fresh Food Shop, which moved next door to Dew Drop Inn when ‘Ohana Hale Marketplace closed last year, sells fresh smoothies and fruit teas made not with artificial syrups, but fresh fruits only. I’d never noticed the tiny shop until I recently visited Dew Drop Inn. I can report that Fancy Fresh exceeded my expectations and I would not buy a smoothie from any other place.

Photo: Maddy Chow

The interior transports you to your favorite old-school candy shop with items like crack seed, li hing gummies and dried fruits. There are abundant displays of fresh fruits, which you can buy whole or freshly cut. And the sweet smells of just-blended fruit are so powerful they make my mouth salivate. I approach the counter and ask which drink is the most popular. Owner Jessica Li immediately hands me a sample of a Mango Strawberry Kumquat smoothie she has just made for another customer. It’s so delicious I have to order one for myself.

Photo: Maddy Chow

The most popular choices are the Mango Strawberry Kumquat smoothie, the Power Green smoothie, and the Papaya Mango Milk Smoothie. Their blended beverages come in two sizes: $7 for 24 ounces and $10 for 32 ounces. For the best deal, I suggest you opt for the $10 drink—it comes in a Mason jar and when you bring it back on your next visit, you get $3 off your next purchase. And you will want to go back. Trust me.

Fancy Fresh owner Jessica Li. Photo: Maddy Chow

Besides my smoothie, I also order the Power Green smoothie and the Liliko‘i Mix Fruit Tea. The Power Green is similar to a ginger shot. If you are not a fan of fresh ginger’s aftertaste, this may not be your drink of choice. However, with the combination of kale, papaya, mango, lemon, spinach and mint, this is my favorite. Maybe because it makes me feel energized, but the combination of sweet and spicy soothes my cough and is extremely refreshing as I study outdoors on campus.

The Mango Strawberry Kumquat smoothie has a little tang that perfectly matches its sweetness and like the Power Green, has a perfect smoothie consistency. The Liliko‘i Mix Fruit Tea has notes of every fruit—strawberry, watermelon, blueberry, kumquat, lemon and the list goes on—because it includes almost every fruit at Fancy Fresh. Because the flavors are so strong, Li tells me to mix it with some water when I get home. But even without extra water, it’s just as delicious as their fruit smoothies.

Photo: Maddy Chow

Along with these top sellers, Li offers customizable fresh fruit smoothies or teas of your choice. You pick two fruits and she will incorporate them into your drink. Boba fans, take note: Boba and jellies are also available when in stock! If you are not in the mood for a beverage, the shop also sells shave ice in flavors like mango and lychee, with toppings of fresh fruits, jellies, taro and red beans.

Parking can be a little tricky—there’s a tiny lot next to the shop, otherwise it’s street parking, which is free after 6 p.m., so you have time before the shop closes at 7 p.m. on most days. Parking is easier when Dew Drop Inn is not busy, which would be around dinner time.

Open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., all other days from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 1092 S. Beretania St., (808) 450-9958, @fancyfreshfoodshop