Garlic Shrimp Plate at Sam’s Kitchen
Japanese television personality Sam Monaghan is also a pretty amazing chef.
His approach is simple, but his flavors leave a lasting impression. His poke is spectacular, his pan-fried fish–ahi, shibi, mahimahi, ono, and a’u–is craveworthy, and his pan-fried chicken is heavenly. However, most people are drawn to his garlic shrimp plate. Imagine a ½ pound of extra jumbo-sized shrimp, deshelled and deveined, coated in his house garlic sauce, and resting over a bed of rice to absorb all the sauce. This dish will make you relish every garlic-soaked bite.
Sam’s Kitchen >> Get a special offer!
Location: 353 Royal Hawaiian Ave.
Hours : 10am – 1am daily
Phone: (808)491-6266
Herb-Marinated Lamb Chops at Be the Boss with Our Sauce
Operating a humble food truck near Market City Shopping Center, David elevates the plate lunch concept by infusing some culinary savvy and a passion for Vietnamese and Southern cuisine. To take flavors to the next level, he crafts his own sauces and seasonings, including a signature Cajun garlic butter sauce and a “Krack” sauce which adds some innovative twists to the traditional Vietnamese nước chấm to derive a sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavoring that keeps patrons addicted.
Offering about a dozen plates that rotate bi-weekly, expect to find delectable dishes as ribeye steak, surf and turf with ribeye and garlic, chicken wings, pork chops with homemade mushroom gravy, jerk chicken, pickled ‘opae (shrimp), chicken spring rolls, and even sandwiches such as crawfish rolls or soft shell crab sandwiches. However, a signature is the Herb-Marinated Lamb Chops which features a proprietary dry rub of sea salt, dried garlic and onions, and other seasonings. The meat is prepared sous vide and torched to give a flavorful crust, accompanied by macaroni salad and rice, or for an upcharge, some garlic bacon fried rice or garlic pancit noodles. The robust flavors are definite show-stoppers, so be sure to plan a leisurely visit to Be the Boss with Our Sauce for fine dining plates in takeaway containers.
Be the Boss with Our Sauce >> Get a special offer!
Locations: 2840 Kapiolani Blvd.
Across from Market City Shopping Center
Hours: 4pm – 11pm (Tue – Wed),
11am – 11pm (Thu),
11am – 2am (Fri),
3pm – 2am (Sat)
*Closed on Sunday and Monday
Phone: (808)940-8778
Korean Tacos at Honolulu Tacos
Honolulu Tacos intertwines Mexican and Korean flavors into their menu. You can go Mexican with the delightful elote, quesadilla, burrito, and street taco with tender carne asada or carnitas, or opt for Korean by ordering plates of marinated kalbi or bulgogi. Better yet, be adventurous and try the Korean Taco, which adds some kimchee and cilantro salsa to carnitas on tortillas for a true blending of cultures before you decide to take that siesta.
Honolulu Tacos
Location: 2239 Waikolu Way.
Hours : 12pm – 8:30pm daily
Phone: (808)913-2255
Seafood Pho at Pho Factory
Fresh and healthy are often used to describe Vietnamese cuisine, and despite being a food counter in a food court, Pho Factory maintains those appealing attributes in its cuisine.
With three locations on the island, one in the Pā‘ina Lānai food court of the Royal Hawaiian Center, another at Pearlridge, and a third location at Windward Mall, Pho Factory prepares its soulful meals a la minute. There are a number of menu items from which to choose: soups, salads, BBQ plates, summer rolls, sandwiches, and of course, pho. However, consider the Seafood Pho with shrimp, calamari, and fish balls atop tender rice noodles wading in a delicately spiced broth. Each sip will comfort you, making you almost forget about the noisy kids screaming in the food court…including those at your table.
Pho Factory >> Get a special offer!
Location: Royal Hawaiian Center Bldg B (Level 2)
*Paina Lanai Food Court
Hours: 10am – 9pm daily
Phone : (808) 922 – 1888
Spam Musubi at Iyasume
No trip to Hawaii would be complete without having some SPAM, particularly stretched across a bed of rice and wrapped in some nori, or laver. SPAM musubi is an institution in Hawaii, and what better place to enjoy it than at Musubi Cafe Iyasume, a rice ball specialty outfit with multiple locations in Waikiki and greater Honolulu.
Besides the more triangular rice balls seasoned with some pickled plum, spicy cod roe, salmon, fried chicken, and tuna with mayo, among a host of other flavors, Iyasume prides itself on a wide variety of SPAM musubi. There are about a dozen different options from which to choose, including bacon & egg with SPAM, avocado bacon SPAM, plum SPAM, takuan radish pickles and SPAM, kimchi and SPAM, green shiso with SPAM, teriyaki SPAM, and plain SPAM. These may be consumed fairly quickly if you are on the go, but the problem is that they are so good that you will likely want to order 3 or 4 per person. And all that rice will trigger what locals call “Kanak Attack” also known as “Hawaiian food paralysis.” But if you are on vacation, just do it at the beach or at the pool.
Musubi Cafe Iyasume >> Get a special offer!
Location: Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St.
Hours: 7am – 9pm daily
Phone : (808) 383 – 3442
There is something to be said about Hawaii’s “local time.” With such a relaxed approach to life, it allows people to enjoy the beautiful scenery, gentle breezes, and a wide variety of foods, including fast foods that you will still want to slow down to enjoy.
