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| Some serious stir-fry at Great Khan's Mongolian BBQ, found in the food court at Pearl Ridge Shopping Center, Downtown. |  |
This section is for those unique restuarants that aren't contained within any of the left-side tabs, and are not found on the island in any great number.
The Himalayan Kitchen. 1137 11th Ave. at the Atrium S.C. in Kaimuki. 735-1122. Dinner nightly. Parking in Center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Unusual in the islands for its Nepali cuisine, but most of the items are actually Indian. That being said, you’ll find a genuine clay tandoori oven, and dishes like Indian naan, paratha, chicken tikka, shrimp biryani, and lots of lamb, to name a few things. The handful of Nepali dishes include dal bhat, which is basically a lentil soup with aromatic rice, and momo, or Nepalese meat dumplings. The owners are kind and warm, often coming out to check on guests. The Himalayan Kitchen is located on the top floor of the two-story section of the shopping center, which also houses Hog Island BBQ, along with the former, now-closed Taste of New York Sandwich/Deli house. Outdoor seating is also available in the open-air courtyard outside the restaurant.
The Great Khan's Mongolian BBQ. A Closer Look. 98-1005 at the Pearl Ridge S.C., Downtown. 488-8288. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in Center lot. Prices: $. Map. This fast-food franchise at the Pearl Ridge Food Court, right outside of the theatres, is not only popping-up all over the Mainland, but in the homeland of Mongolia, herself! Definitely an interesting spot, with the whole process beginning with a bowl that is handed to servers (unlike in the Mainland, where it’s self-service), who place various vegetables, meats, and sauces into it. You then give the bowl to the Chef, who operates behind a huge circular griddle that looks like a giant stone. He empties your items on the hot cooker and tosses them with the aid of what looks like a super-long, flattened set of thongs, which are very efficient, indeed! Flavors are heavy and pronounced, but that’s probably what makes it so popular.
| An airy-light deep-fried calamari at the mostly Thai and Chinese spot in Kaimuki, Wild Ginger. |  |
Wild Ginger. A Closer Look. 3441 Waialae Ave. in Kaimuki. 738-1168. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking on street or in lot behind Store, on 9th Ave. Prices: $$. Map. A mix of mostly Thai and Chinese, with shades of other Southeast Asian, Wild Ginger is a curious assortment of flavors. Some of their Chefs Specials are a seafood sambal, with a sauce consisting of ground shrimp and peppers; a spicy Szechuan peppercorn duo of jumbo shrimp and chicken; and a crispy red snapper in house spicy sauce and Thai curry. There’s even a few dishes whose names you might find in a Pacific Rim/Hawaii Regional Cuisine restaurant, such as a garlic wine seafood, grilled crusted salmon, and a spicy mango with meat or seafood. Service is friendly, the atmosphere is casual but reasonably modern and clean, and it’s byob with no corkage fee. If you don’t get confused with the menu selection, you’ll be ok!
| Traditional Fijian lamb curry from Fiji Market and Curry House! |  |
Fiji Market and Curry Shop. A Closer Look. 56-565 Kamehameha Hwy. at the Kahuku Sugar Mill in Kahuku. 293-7120. Lunch and dinner daily except closed Sunday. Parking in Center lot. Prices: $. Map. Fiji Market definitely fills a niche out on the North Shore, where South Pacific Island influences of many different countries are well-represented. Some items in their grocery store are found nowhere else in Hawaii, such as Twisty’s chips and FMF-brand crackers, while their curries are a traditional Fijian version, as opposed to Indian styles. There are lamb, chicken, beef, vegetarian, and shrimp curries with generous amounts of meat, all coming with a tangy tomato chutney and your choice of white rice, brown rice, or fresh-made roti flatbreads for starch. Before their kitchen opens at 11am, you can also enjoy New Zealand-style meat or sausage pies, of which super-friendly owner Nitin Singh owns exclusive rights of distribution here in the islands. House-made popsicles, perfect for a hot North Shore day, are only 50 cents per piece, and come with a natural, sweet but not overly sweet taste. For a traditional taste of Fiji and Polynesia, Fiji Market is the place to be!
