Lady Elaine

Lady Elaine is a Mediterranean restaurant located inside of Manoa Marketplace. My favorites were the bread & butter, herb lamb, and hen of the woods. The bread was from Breadshop but the butter and honey on top made it delicious. The herb lamb had a sauce made with tomatoes making it light and easy for 1 person to finish. The hen of the woods was paired with polenta and topped with a soft egg. This mushroom dish could have been an entree by itself. The small plates are small so I recommend ordering more if you're dining with a group. Their prices are reasonable. For the entrees, I'd suggest ordering a veggie to make it a complete meal since it's just the protein by itself. 

The interior of the restaurant is big with an open kitchen. They have a small bar opposite of the kitchen. I recommend making reservation a few days in advance on Resy. They accept walk ins but you'll most likely get seated at the bar. The noise level in the restaurant was loud because it was a full house and a Friday night. It starts to get quiet after 8pm. The service from their staff was excellent. Our water glasses were always filled and they checked on us to make sure everything was okay throughout the dinner. For parking, there's a lot of parking at Manoa Marketplace but the spots in front of the restaurant were all taken so I parked by Safeway and walked over. 

Manoa Marketplace
2756 Woodlawn Dr 
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 888-3030

Bread & Butter

Bolognese Meatballs

Heirloom Carrots

Herb Lamb

Hen of the Woods

Ricotta Fritters

Coconut Whipped Panna Cotta

 

Paris Hawaii

Paris Hawaii specializes in modern French cuisine. They offer a prix fixe menu for $85 per person with supplements. I selected all the supplements because I was there for a special occasion and I'm glad I did because it turned out to be a really nice 3-hour dinner. You can add on a wine pairing or the non-alcoholic beverage pairing but I did not. The flavors of French food are much lighter than what I'm used to because I eat a lot of Asian food with bold flavors. Nothing felt heavy or rich and I was full halfway through the duck breast (entree). My favorite dishes were the corn soup because it was a cold soup with crunchy Kahuku corn kernels, the washugyu tenderloin because it was so tender, and the smooth and light chocolate mousse with fresh figs.

They are in SALT at Kakaako. There are 2-seatings per night, 5pm and 7:30pm. Please make sure you arrive on time for your reservation because the chef and kitchen staff will serve everyone at the same time. The service from the staff was excellent and I recommend sitting at the counter so you can watch them prepare the food. To dine here, reservations are required and I recommend making the reservation at least 2 weeks in advance on Open Table. For parking, you can park in the SALT at Kakaako structure and get validation or do meter street parking.

SALT at Kakaako
324 Coral St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 752-2312

 

Caviar Dip (supplement) w/ Bread

Radis Au Beurre

Eclair Aux Legumes

Kahuku Corn Soup

Kona Kampachi Carpaccio

Garlic Shrimp

Garlic Lobster (supplement)

Wheat Bread w/ Sea Asparagus Butter

Duck Breast (supplement)

Washugyu Tenderloin (supplement)

Chocolate Mousse w/ Seasonal Fruits

Tonkatsu Atmark

Tonkatsu Atmark is a new tonkatsu restaurant near Ala Moana Center. Their specialties are the pork loin and pork tenderloin katsu but they also have beef, chicken, shrimp, and oyster. I highly recommend the A5 miyazaki-gyu tenderloin katsu because the beef melts in your mouth. The pork tenderloin katsu was very good as well but it was not as tender as the beef. Their prices are high. The beef katsu set was $135 and pork tenderloin katsu set was $33. The set comes with rice, miso soup, cabbage, tsukemono, and 3 side dishes. They give free refills for rice and cabbage. They also have 3 dipping sauces for the katsu but my favorite was the mild sauce. The flavor was light and it complimented the katsu. The other 2 sauces had too much flavor. 

The restaurant is located across Hawaiki Tower between Hangang and Bernini. You should make a reservation in advance because they will turn away people who walk in. The staff are nice and they're really appreciative of the customers. The wait time for food was reasonable and I would come back again for the A5 miyazaki-gyu tenderloin katsu. For parking, there is a small parking lot next to the restaurant which is shared with other businesses and metered parking on Waimanu Street.

1232 Waimanu St Suite 101
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 200-2110

A5 Miyazaki-gyu Tenderloin Katsu (180g)

Dry Aged Pork Tenderloin Katsu (200g)

Sesame Seeds, Tsukemono,
3 side dishes

Dipping sauces

 

Juicy Brew

Juicy Brew is a plant-based restaurant that offers dine in as well as grab and go options. They are open for lunch and dinner at the Kaimuki location. The chefs are creative with the food menu and the presentation for each dish is colorful and pretty. Their flavors are on the lighter side for me since I like a lot of sauce and seasonings in my food but this was an option for eating healthy. I enjoyed the soba salad with tofu poke and the banh mi style tofu burger. Their prices range from $12 - $18 and the portions are reasonable. Since its plant based, I noticed the buns, noodles, and the desserts are more wet/sticky. Overall, the food is not bad. If you're doing a no meat diet or prefer some healthier alternatives, give this restaurant a try. 

They are located on Waialae Ave between 7th and 8th Ave block across from Finance Factors. The inside is small but they have a few tables and counter seating against the window. The staff are friendly and they gave us some good recommendations on the food and desserts. The desserts are in the fridge so save room to try the tres leches cake with blueberry compote. For parking, there is metered street parking in front of the restaurant or you can find free street parking in the residential areas of Palolo or Kaimuki.  

For more information about Juicy Brew, visit juicybrew.menu/home. 

3392 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 797-9177 

Orange-Yuzu Hirata Buns

Soba Salad w/ Tofu Poke

Chow Fun Noodles

Banh Mi Style Lemongrass Tofu Burger

 

Oli's Kitchen

Oli's Kitchen offers local style comfort food for breakfast and lunch daily. They have a loco moco and kalbi plate but their best items are the garlic chicken, salt & pepper chicken and breakfast. They give large portions and the prices are cheap. For breakfast, the bacon waffle with peanut butter maple glaze and the stuffed french toast with peanut butter and banana are a "must try!" My favorite is the garlic chicken because it's sweet and savory with a hint of garlic flavor that's not overpowering. 

They are located at Puck's Alley next to Nijiya Market on University Ave by the bus stop. The staff are friendly they check to make sure you're all good even after you get your food. If the restaurant is half full, the kitchen does take a little longer but because the atmosphere is so chill, just talk story with your friends and enjoy the Hawaiian music over the speakers. I usually come for breakfast around 9am on weekends and do a walk in. If you are coming with 6 or more people, I recommend calling them first to see if they can arrange the tables and chairs to accommodate you. The parking in Puck's Alley is pricey if you go past 1 hour. It will cost you $3.99, pay in the Metropolis app on your phone. If you can leave in under 1 hour, the parking is free. 

For more information about Oli's Kitchen visit oliskitchenhawaii.com.

Puck's Alley
1009 University Ave
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 387-0457

 

Half n Half Chicken Plate
(Salt n Pepper, Garlic)

2 Egg Breakfast w/ 
Portuguese Sausage & Hash

Pancakes (3pc)

Stuffed French Toast w/ 
Peanut Butter Banana (3pc)