Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
http://hailishawaiianfood.com
;
760 Palani Ave; meals $11-16; 10am-7pm Tue-Thu, 10am-8pm Fri
& Sat, 11am-3pm Sun)
Haili's has been cooking up homegrown Hawaiian fare since the
1950s. Locals shoehorn themselves into cheery booths for heaping dishes of
kalua
pig,
lomilomi
salmon and
laulau
(meat wrapped in
ti
leaves and steamed) served with poi
(mashed taro) or rice, grilled ahi plate lunches, bowls of tripe or pastele stew,
pipi kaula
(Hawaiian beef jerky) and fat tortilla wraps.
Tokkuri Tei
JAPANESE, LOCAL $$$
(
732-6480; 449 Kapahulu Ave; most shared plates $6-25; 11am-2pm Mon-Fri, 5:30pm- mid-
night Mon-Sat, 5-10pm Sun)
Wear your rubbah slippah to this upbeat neighborhood
izakaya
and sushi bar crafting contemporary reinterpretations of Japanese standards - try the Big
Island abalone or
hamachi kama
(yellowtail cheek). Shelves behind the bar store regu-
lars' private bottles of sake and
shōchū
(potato liquor). Make reservations, or be prepared
to wait. Valet parking available.
Uncle Bo's
ASIAN, FUSION $$$
(
735-8311;
www.unclebosrestaurant.com
;
559 Kapahulu Ave; shared plates $8-15, mains $19-27;
5pm-2am)
Boisterous groups of friends devour this classy gastropub's endless list of
pupu
with island flair, from the Thai street-style grilled chicken to
kalua
pig nachos with
wonton chips. For dinner, feast on market-fresh seafood like baked
opah
(moonfish) with
parmesan-
panko
(Japanese bread-crumb) crust. Reservations recommended.
Gyū-kaku
JAPANESE $$$
(
926-2989;
www.gyu-kaku.com
;
307 Lewers St; shared plates $3-24; 11:30am-midnight)
Starving surfers will love this grill-it-yourself Japanese BBQ joint. Settle in for Kobe rib-
eye steak,
kalbi
short ribs, garlic shrimp and enoki mushrooms, served with plentiful
sweet and spicy marinades and dips. Show up for happy-hour specials (before 6:30pm or
after 9:30pm) or lunchtime set-menu deals. Also at 1221 Kapiʻolani Blvd.
Siam Square
THAI $$$
(2nd fl, 408 Lewers St; mains $11-16; 11am-10pm;
) It's Waikiki's most authentic Thai
restaurant, although that's not saying too much. You want it spicy? Work to convince
