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Upscale Dining
At the top of the ladder in Japan are the Kaiseki dinners, elaborate meals of up to 15 or so small courses, traditionally served at Japanese-style Inn’s. From its humble beginnings as a light vegetarian meal served only to complement the tea ceremony, it eventually grew to become one of the premier dining experiences in Japan. Each dish is seasoned simply as to not take away from the natural flavors and freshness of each featured item, presented beautifully, and garnished in exquisite fashion.
The meals accentuate a great respect for the different seasons, as menu items change to represent foods at their peak of ripeness for any given time. Hot summers may feature cold noodle dishes and unagi (eel) for strength and stamina, cold winters can favor oden (a kind of hot pot), fall highlights items like matsutake mushrooms and chestnuts, and spring heralds the coming of takenoko (bamboo shoots) and cherry blossoms. It is a celebration of each coming season, and very important in Japanese culture.
| Duck with mixed mushrooms at the highly-acclaimed Rokkaku, in the Ala Moana Shopping Center. |  |
Unfortunately, genuine kaiseki dinners are difficult to come by in Hawaii. The best place to experience this type of meal here was at Kyo-Ya in Waikiki, but they have since closed, to the chagrin of many. Miyako, at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, listed in this section, does offer kaiseki-style meals with varying degrees of options. Remember that full-scale kaiseki dinners must be prepared in advance, so you must call beforehand for information. Hiroshi Fukui, of Hiroshi’s at Restaurant Row, mentioned in the Hawaii Regional Cuisine section, has been trained in traditional kaiseki dining and this is evident in his cooking, but offers more of an Asian fusion, Pacific Rim style than anything else. Likewise, Nobu's and Morimoto's carries a distinctly Japanese base, but with an international touch and chic, uber-modern, upscale atmospheres instead of a more traditional tone.
The upscale restaurants listed here may or may not be Kaiseki, but they are considered upscale dining experiences – the freshest of ingredients, fancy atmosphere, higher prices, and great service. One exception, however, is Yuzen, which looks and feels like a normal sushi bar or izakaya - read-on to find out why it is listed here!
Rokkaku. Ala Moana S.C. 946-3355. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$$$. Map. Prices here are a lot more modest than its sister restaurant in Tokyo named Yukimura, where reservations must be taken months in advance, but is still a bit on the high side. Chef Hiroshi Shimada says his dishes are modern versions of traditional Kyoto tea house meals, resulting in clean, highly polished, and well-orchestrated dishes. Even the agedashi tofu, a staple in cheaper izakaya outlets, is indicative of the perfection and skill of the restaurant, with a light, deep-fried batter that melts in your mouth yet is not the least bit mushy despite sitting in an exquisite dashi broth, both of which perfectly complement the velvety smooth texture and delicate flavors of the tofu. You’ll also find all the extravagant cuts of sashimi, along with sushi, ceramic bowls of kamameshi, thick cuts of highly-fatty, very expensive Kobe or wagyuu beef, and many other ritzy items. Lunchtime menus are smaller and a bit less flashy, featuring more standard dishes like shrimp tempura, unagi, and miso butterfish.
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An elegant scallop with mushrooms and deep-fried seaweed from Nobu Waikiki! |
Nobu. A Closer Look. 2233 Helemoa Rd. at the Waikiki Parc Hotel in Waikiki. 921-7272. Dinner nightly. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$$. Map. Nobu is another hip creation by celebrity chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, who was prodded to open up his chain of restaurants by Robert DeNiro, who has also become a part owner in the venture. Once inside, you'll feel all of the swanky chic of a New York or Hollywood hot spot - the furniture, the atmosphere, the dishes, and oh,yes - the prices. Small izakaya-like dishes of new-wave hamachi or salmon, both drizzled with exotic oils and savory shoyu-based flavors, are showfully arrayed on dishes with light touches of green onion to garnish, while sushi choices are usually good but costs can add up quickly as orders are priced per piece, not by the standard two pieces. There are also dishes like a king crab tempura, wagyuu steak, black cod saikyo miso (butterfish), and ahi tataki, or you can go omakase (trust the chef instead of ordering).
| Hamachi and toro tartare is a fun, creative, and delicious way to go at Morimoto's Waikiki! |  |
Morimoto’s. A Closer Look. 1775 Ala Moana Blvd. at the Edition Hotel in Waikiki. 943-5900. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Valet parking at hotel or in paid lots next to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. Prices: $$$$. Map. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has finally arrived in Hawaii! His posh, bright, and very bustling restaurant sports a full sushi bar for a traditional touch but also modern fusion dishes inspired by Chef’s world-wide palate and high-end expertise. Unlike Nobu’s a few streets over, Morimoto’s is not only open for dinner, but also for breakfast and lunch, as well. Omakase set-courses are pricey, but the best way to experience more dishes in one seating. You can also order a wide variety of dishes off the menu, such as an excellent hamachi or toro tartare, lamb carpaccio, foie gras chawanmushi, takoyaki made from Big Island abalone, whole lobster epice, Wagyu beef, and much more. Outside of the main dining room, you can order any menu item from the small bar area as well as a huge outdoor section featuring large couches, spacious seating, charcoal pits, and sunset views overlooking the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.
Miyako. 2863 Kalakaua Ave. in Diamond Head/Waikiki. 921-7077. Dinner nightly except closed on Tuesday. Parking at hotel or on street. Prices: $$$$. Map. This is probably the most traditional, and best representation of Kaiseki dining in Hawaii today, with an elegant, minimalist Japanese atmosphere overlooking beautiful San Souci (Waikiki) Beach and waitresses clothed in Kimono’s. Besides the elaborate, seasonally-adjusted, set meals, there are both traditional and new-wave sushi choices, sashimi, genuine Kobe beef steaks can cost $80 per 8oz. steak, great nabe meals using high-quality meats, and more.
| Suntory is an elegant Japanese restaurant in the heart of Waikiki, at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, third floor. See the Closer Look below for some of their exquisite dishes. |  |
Suntory. A Closer Look. 2233 Kalakaua Ave. #307 at the Royal Hawaiian S.C. in Waikiki. 922-5511. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in Center lot. Prices: $$$$. Map. Suntory serves a wide variety of upscale Japanese meals, including sushi, teishoku, kaiseki, ala carte, and teppanyaki. Of course, the general meaning of teppanyaki in Japan simply means a Chef grilling items in front of customers, but the Americanized meaning of the term is often associated with spots like Tanaka of Tokyo and Benihana, where Chefs create flaming volcanoes and throw knives or salt/pepper shakers up into the air! At Suntory, you’ll get the Japanese version of the term, without the fluff and show. Meals here are exquisite and definitely well-done, and elaborate, multi-course meals can range in prices from $20 to $120, and include a minimum of rice, miso soup, tsukemono, and an entrée dish, but can also arrive with the most haute items available, such as Wagyu beef, whole Maine lobster, sashimi, foie gras, Big Island abalone, and more – all on a single-person set! The atmosphere is old-school elegant, with a mix of Japanese and American influences in their designs. Parking is free with validation in the Center, so don’t be afraid of coming down to Waikiki (speaking to locals, of course!).
Tokyo Tokyo. 5000 Kahala Ave. at the Kahala Resort Hotel. 739-8901. Dinner nightly. Parking in hotel lot. Prices: $$$$. Map. Here, select ingredients flown in from different parts of Japan are highly emphasized, like fish from Tsukiji market, rice from Uonuma, select sake’s, and even salt and organic shoyu from Izu Oshima. They were the first restaurant in Hawaii with official arrangements to regularly carry Japanese wagyu beef, similar to the finer grades of Kobe beef and far superior to USDA Prime or Black Angus. Factor in the skilled, veteran management of Joe DePolis, who came from the highly regarded, but now closed Bistro Restaurant at Century Center, and you know why this establishment fits in well with the reputation of the Kahala Hotel as a magnet for high-profile movie stars and dignitaries from all over the world. Understandably, prices are a bit on the high side. The one thing we don’t care for is the open-air dining room, which is fine if there is a view, but not if you are fronting a valet parking area or even worse, if the weather is not cooperating.
Kaiwa. 226 Lewers St. at the Embassy Suites Hotel at the Waikiki Beach Walk. 924-1555. Lunch and dinner daily, late-night till 12am. Parking at hotel. Prices: $$$$. Map. Kaiwa is the creation of the owners of Kai, now closed, which was one of my favorite new-wave izakaya houses. This new creation is markedly more upscale, with a décor of modern Japanese chic, complete with fiber-optic curtains and an illusory waterfall made by water trickling down uniformly-arranged strings. Besides the elegant dining area, there is a separate zashiki room that offers tatami mat-style seating (the “mats” are actually comfortable cushions that do have a small back rest). The dishes are equally stylish, with beautiful arrangements of sashimi, sushi, wafu steaks, grilled lobster, and even a foie gras hamburger steak, which is actually a hamburger steak with a couple of pieces of foie gras on top. You may choose to sit near the back of the restaurant, in front of the teppan-grill chefs that display their skills.
| With a large, beautiful dining room and great Japanese cuisine, Yoshiya at the Sheraton is surprisingly unknown to most locals. |  |
Yoshiya. A Closer Look. 2255 Kalakaua Ave. at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. 922-8877. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking at Hotel. Prices: $$$$. Map. With a large and beautiful dining room, great service, and classy Japanese cuisine, yet very much casual at the same time, Yoshiya is a force to be reckoned with, despite it being an almost unknown to most locals. And what a shame that is, because they offer a 30 percent Kamaaina (local) discount at lunch and an incredible 50 percent discount at night (only after 8:30pm), and that’s off of everything on the menu! With a wide variety of teishoku sets, a full sushi bar, and also izakaya-like small dishes, there’s surely something for everyone here! The largest of meal sets can run you up to $72, but that’s before the discounts, and include Maine lobster or crab, along with a dizzying array of items, including (are you ready for this?) miso soup, green salad, several small appetizers and tsukemono varieties, grilled eggplant, sashimi, a mini sushi set, grilled fish, shrimp and vegetable tempura, grilled steak, and dessert! Parking is free with validation at the hotel, and there are several other nightspots to check out when visiting the Sheraton, as well!
| A fabulous sashimi platter from Chef Edgar San Juan of Yuzen. |  |
Yuzen. A Closer Look. 1518 Makaloa St. in McCully/Moiliili. 943-0131. Lunch Monday-Saturday, Dinner nightly, late-night till 2am Friday and Saturday. Limited parking fronting store or on street. Prices: $$$. Map. The entrance looks like a hole-in-the-wall and the furnishings, like a normal sushi or izakaya, but make no mistake about it – in the world of fine Japanese cuisine, where gaijin (foreigners) are grilled and tested especially hard, Chef Edgar San Juan is the real deal! Having prospered during a decade-long career in the uppity district of Kamakura, Japan, first as a genuine Kaiseki Chef (an honor and distinction shared only by a select few in the islands) and then as a Sushi Chef. He brought his elite skills with him to a humble little abode right across the street from Walgreen’s, on Makaloa, combining both worlds with dishes like lobster sashimi or onigarayaki, mixed seafood in soy-based nori-wrap, Prime ribeye teppanyaki, nabemono dishes, carpaccio, beef tataki, excellent sushi of both traditional and contemporary styles, and both teishoku and kaiseki sets. The atmosphere is comfortable, service very friendly, prices reasonable, and quality of food and preparation, excellent.
