The Sushi Spot

Hello again!
I am a Japanese food lover so I always try my best to visit popular Japanese restaurants in Honolulu. This time I am going to do a review about my favorite sushi place, the Sushi Spot. It is in the same location with my previous post, Pho Time, in Aiea Mall. Once again, this is also a popular place so I recommend to avoid the dinner time, but if you are lucky maybe you can find a spot! I have been to many Sushi restaurants in Hawaii but this place is one of my favorite, not only because of the food but also the environment and the server that makes me feel like I'm in Japan. The customers will be served a hot seaweed soup when you first get in to warmen up their body before ordering the main dish. The sushi they serve here is very fresh and tasty, especially they add cream cheese in it. My favorite dish is Jalapeno roll. In addition, I think the wasabi they serve there is very fresh that give you a new experiment!
Address: 99-209 Moanalua Rd #301, Aiea, HI 96701

Shirokiya Japan Village Walk

Hello everyone,
Today I am going to review about my favorite food court in Honolulu, Shirokiya Japan Village Walk. It is located in the back of Ala Moana Shopping center and only opened about 2 years ago. Shirokiya is a Japanese style food court with mainly Japanese cuisine, customers can find most of Japanese street or restaurant quality food here, and it is the reason why this place is always crowded with tourists, specially Japanese. I have not try every single place here because they are a little pricey, however the food quality is good so it is worth the money. My most favorite thing about this food court is the desert section. My favorite spot was Kulu Kulu bakery, which serves tasty japanese deserts, I always come here when I want something sweet! Recently, it also has a new desert place that provides all you can eat service with $1 for each try! I'm planning on coming back soon!

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

Hello everyone,
I am a fan of steak BBQ, however sometimes I would love to go to a hotpot restaurant and have a tasty dinner with beef soup, and Little Sheep Mongolian is one of my favorite hot pot restaurants in town.
The restaurant is located in the same area as my last post- Ward Village. It is on a second floor and always has a long waiting line, it usually takes around 45 minutes. The restaurant serves authentic Mongolian hot pot with protein such as beef, lamp, pork, chicken, and seafood. They also serve Kobe, the most popular beef in the world. I have never tried it because it is expensive, but I would love to go back and try it sometimes. The soup for the hotpot includes the house's original and spicy soup, which are very flavorful and rich.
 Whenever I come to Little Sheep, I always get the All you can eat deal that includes soup, proteins, and vegetable which is a very good deal. In my opinion, Little Sheep Mongolian is one of the best hot pot spots in town where you can find the best deal with tasty food and good service, especially on chilly days!

Piggy Smalls

Hello everyone, this week I am going to do a review on Piggy Smalls, a Vietnamese-American fusion restaurant that is located on Ward Village Shops. The restaurant has a good atmosphere, affordable unique cuisine as well as friendly staff. Piggy Smalls has their main restaurant located in China Town but I have only been to the one at Ward, and I fell in love with the food over there. The restaurant provides an unique menu serve both lunch and dinner that changes weekly. I have only been there a few times so I am not too familiar with their menu, but I remember that they have the best Crispy pork belly. The Vegetarian Pho is also one of the popular dish that they have on their menu regularly. The other thing I like about the restaurant is the presentation of the food is very aesthetic!

Same as other popular restaurants, Piggy Smalls has a long line and very busy on the weekend, so I would recommend to have a reservation before walk in.

(Pictures sources: Yelp)

Pho Time

Hello everyone,

Spring break is coming and this week I'm going to review about one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant on the island, Pho Time. As a Vietnamese, I would recommend Pho Time to anyone who would like to try authentic Vietnamese food. The restaurant is located in a outlet mall in Aiea area. The staff are friendly, always refill your water, and be there whenever customers need something. The most popular thing on the menu is probably Pho, for good reason, since this restaurant has better Pho than any restaurant I have been to on island. Beside that, their Spicy Beef Soup is my most favorite dish, and I totally agree they are one of the best. The soup is flavorful with a strong beefy flavor that served with noodle and vegetables. I love eating this dish not only because of the flavour, but also because it reminds me of my hometown. One of the other tastiest dish of the restaurant is Chicken Vermicelli.

In addition, they also have a selection of Japanese dishes for people are interested in. I would recommend this place for Vietnamese food lover! Also, the location is very popular and busy so I would recommend to avoid traffic time!

Address: 99-080 Kauhale St, Aiea, HI 96701
Pictures source: Yelp

Sura II BBQ

Hello everyone,

Today I will be writing about Sura Hawaii II, it is a korean BBQ spot in Kapolei, Oahu. I want to start this post by saying Sura Hawaii is the best Korean Bbq on Oahu I have been to so far. The location of 'Sura Hawaii II', the alternate location in Kapolei, is more convenient than the main location in downtown Honolulu. In addition the restaurant itself is newer, larger and less crowded overall. It also includes a small bar which the Honolulu location is lacking. Another great thing is that I only have good things to say about the wonderful staff at Sura Hawaii II! Quick and friendly service each time I go.

The main things I tend to order are brisket, honey chicken, and the jumbo shrimp. Another good option is always the fresh calamari they offer. In conclusion I highly recommend Sura Hawaii, both the original in Honolulu as well as Sura II in Kapolei, but I give the Kapolei location a slightly better recommendation considering the venue. 

(Image source: Yelp)

The Cheesecake Factory

Hello everyone, today I'm going to review about Cheesecake Factory, one of my favorite places to go out to eat. The food is very good and I enjoy most of the menu, but the thing I like best about Cheesecake Factory is the prompt service and friendly staff along with live music. If I was going to recommend any one dish at Cheesecake Factory, it would have to be their shrimp scampi. Order this with their sweet and sour anti-oxidant salad and finish of the meal with a delicious slice of their house cheesecake.

I used to go the one that is located at Waikiki because I enjoy the beach and scenery at night. Recently, I visited the Cheesecake Factory located in Kapolei. Compared to the location in Waikiki, I have to say I now prefer the Kapolei location. The restaurant is newer, larger, usually less crowded with less wait time.

(Pictures source: Yelp)
  

Tenkaippin Ramen

Hello everyone, today I'm going to review about one of my favorite ramen spot in Honolulu, Tenkaippin Ramen. It is a small restaurant located by Kapahula Ave, and is very popular with Japanese tourists as well as local.

Whenever I come to Tenkaippin, I feel very comfortable with the environment and friendly staffs. My favorite ramen is their Black Tonkatsu Ramen, which has a very strong pork and garlic flavor. I also enjoy Spicy Tantan Ramen because of its peanut butter taste, which is unique in ramen. Beside that, I have some Japanese friends enjoy Kotteri Ramen, a authentic dish of the restaurant with flavorful thick chicken broth.

In my opinion, Tenkaippin ramen is one the best ramen restaurant in Honolulu. I would strongly recommend for everyone to give it a try!

(Pictures source: Yelp)

Introduction

Hello, my name is Linh. I'm currently majoring in Finance at University of Hawaii at Manoa. my hobbies are watching movies, cooking, and hiking with friends. Nice to see you all!