Yauatcha - CLOSED

Yauatcha is a high-end Chinese restaurant located in Waikiki. They are known for their roast duck but they also take dim sum to the next level using quality ingredients and creating beautiful presentations. All the steamed items are made after you order it so you're getting it fresh. The service is excellent and our waiter made great recommendations on the food and drinks. Everything tasted delicious and my favorites were the venison puff, prawn & crispy beach curd cheong funn, truffle duck, and duck salad. The outdoor seating is nice especially in the evenings because you'll get a light breeze.

You want to save this place for a special occasion because you'll find yourself spending between $60-$80 per person if you want to leave full. This amount does not include drinks. If you park in the International Market Place parking, the restaurant will give you validation for 1 hour. Depending on how much food and drinks you order, your dining experience may take about 3 hours. You should make reservations a few days in advance because they do get busy. I highly recommend giving this place a try and a small tip; don't order items you'll find at the dim sum restaurants in Chinatown.

For more information about Yauatcha, visit yauatcha.com/waikiki.

International Market Place
2330 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 739-9318

Venison Puff

Shrimp & Chive Dumpling

Morel Crystal Dumpling

Shanghai Siew Long Bao

Roasted Duck Pumpkin Puff

Prawn & Crispy Bean Curd Cheong Funn

Crispy Duck Salad

Chili Squid w/ Oatmeal

Truffle Duck

Tonkatsu Tamafuji

Tonkatsu Tamafuji is known for their deep-fried pork loin. They are a chain in Japan and this is their first Hawaii location. The quality and taste of the food is excellent. The teishoku's are in the $20 range but you get rice, cabbage, miso soup, and tsukemono with it. I recommend the pork tenderloin over the pork loin because the meat is juicer. This will probably be the crispiest tonkatsu you've ever eaten on the island and you'll want to go back for more.    

They are located on the 2nd floor of the Hee Hing Plaza in Kapahulu. You can easily spot this place because they always have people waiting outside on the balcony. They don't take reservations and the wait can sometimes take up to 60 minutes. Do not go in big groups because it holds up the entire restaurant. There is parking in the Hee Hing Plaza for $2 but sometimes it's free because the attendant is not there. The restaurant suggests parking inside FHB's parking lot after hours.

449 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 922-1212

Jyukusei Pork Tenderloin Katsu Teishoku

Jyukusei Pork Loin Cheese Katsu Teishoku

Pork Loin Katsu Don

Sweet Creams

Sweet Creams specializes in rolled ice cream. They are located across Ala Moana Center next to Manichi Ramen. Their ice cream rolls are the best compared to the other ones I've tried. The ice cream is always smooth no matter who makes it. I recommend the berry tasty rainbow and the cookies n' cream. The keiki size gives you 5 rolls and it hits the spot especially if you've already eaten a meal before coming. If you want to go all out, get the large but make sure you eat it quick so the rolls don't melt.

The price range is $6-$8. If you don't like their flavors, there is an option to create your own. The best times to go are between 12:30-1:30pm and 6pm-7pm. If you are going after 7pm, be prepared to wait. They accept cash and credit. There is a shared parking lot with the other businesses but it's a hit or miss depending on how many people are waiting in line.

For more information about Sweet Creams, visit sweetcreamshawaii.com.

1430 Kona St. #102
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 260-4725

Cookies 'n Cream

Frozen Hot Cocoa

Berry Tasty Rainbow

Yacchaba - CLOSED

Yacchaba is an izakaya but they are the first in Hawaii to offer smoked dishes. If you order the smoked items, a small grill is brought to your table. The meats are partially cooked but you finish the cooking yourself. Along with the smoked meats, there are different flavored salts you can sprinkle over after the cooking is done. I enjoyed the different salts but I didn't care for the meats but I liked the other dishes from the kitchen. The food tasted good. The portions were small and the prices are high. I had a table in the corner and service was not good. It took the waiter a long time to give us water and we asked more than once.

I recommend making reservations in advance; they are only open for dinner. The parking lot gets full quickly so if you can get the first seating of the night, you have a better chance of getting a parking space or you'll have to circle around for street parking. They are located right across the Hawaii Convention Center so if you happen to be there for an event, this is a good dining option.

1718 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 945-0108

Fried Yamaimo Potato

Tofu & Avocadao Salad

Fried Sweet Corn

Gyutan Beef Ami Yaki

Fried Ebi Bread

Chicken Karaage

Ankake Dashimaki Tamago

Yaki Musubi