Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop

Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop makes hot and fresh crispy malasadas. They operate out of a food truck in Kailua next to Manuheali'i (clothing store). Agnes' malasadas are ring shaped and fried to golden brown with a generous amount of sugar all over it. The malasadas take 15 minutes to cook so pre-ordering by phone will reduce the wait time. I recommend ordering at least 1/2 dozen because you'll eat a few in the parking lot before you drive off to your next location.

I always go before 9AM on a Saturday and I've never had any issues with parking. There are some tables and chairs with umbrellas so you can eat there if you like. It does get hot because of the morning sun. They accept cash and credit card for payment. 

5 Hoolai St,
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 284-4963

Malasadas (half dozen)

 

Flair European Steakhouse

Flair European Steakhouse is in the Shops at Keahou Lane in Kakaako. Their food is French and Italian inspired but I was most excited for their steaks. My favorites were the carpaccio de boeuf and wagyu ribeye. I recommend sharing the steak, pasta, and sides but the appetizers and desserts are portioned for 1 person. The prices are high but it's worth it. All the food tasted amazing and the service was excellent. They have live music playing indoors. If you're on a budget, they have a happy hour from 4 - 6PM at the bar. The dress code is business causal but if you want to dress up, that's fine too.

For parking, you can park in the Keahou Lane garage and they will provide validation. It was busy between on a weeknight from 6pm - 8pm so I'd suggest making a reservation 1 - 2 weeks in advance so you can secure that prime dinner spot. 

For more information about Flair European Steakhouse, visit flairhawaii.com.

502 Keawe St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 462-3312

Carpaccio de Boeuf

Kanpachi Crudo

Pear ala Flair

Pappardelle al Tartufo

Wagyu Ribeye (14 oz) 
w/ Olive Oil & European Salts

Truffle Fries

Creme Caramel

 

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

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)

Black Shamrock Tavern

Black Shamrock Tavern is an Irish pub that serves Jersey style pizza. They have the standard pizzas like cheese, pepperoni, o'Maggie (margherita), and a white pie but what I recommend are their specials. The pizza specials are a fusion of Hawaii ingredients and it changes often. I love their pepperoni because it's only $18 but I've also enjoyed any of the specials that have burrata in it. The pizzas come to the table hot and fresh and you get that really nice cheese pull from that first slice. They have a full bar of beverages but also soda for those who don't drink.

They are in Honolulu Chinatown at the corner of Marin Street and Nuuanu Ave. Their exterior is a red brick building and you'll see a sign hanging out in front. The staff and owner are friendly. Even when it's busy, the owner stops by the table to check and make sure everyone is doing okay. That's not something I get at other locally owned food establishments on Oahu so this is excellent service. Their prices are reasonable and it keeps me coming back for both lunch and pau hana/dinner. For parking, there is metered street parking on Nuuanu Ave or the Marin Tower Municipal Parking since they are 1 block away and they rates are cheap. 

For more information about Black Shamrock Tavern, visit blackshamrocktavern.com. 

902 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 777-3000

Pizza Special

Pepperoni Pizza

Basket o' Fries

Jalapeno Poppers

Baton a Manger

Baton a Manger is a pop up sandwich shop in Honolulu. Their sandwiches are long and narrow and made with a flaky puff pastry. I was lucky enough to have a friend buy a few for me to try and I was very impressed. Each sandwich comes wrapped inside it's own box with a napkin inside. The packaging was definitely fancy! 

I highly recommend the Jambon Beurre which is filled with ham and cheese. The flaky puff pastry makes the sandwich lighter so you might find yourself wanting a 2nd one. The Yuzu Kosho Egg Sando was good but I'm not a fan of spicy food or egg salad. 

To find out where they will appear next, visit @batonamanger on Instagram. 

Yuzu Kosho Egg Sando

Jambon Beurre

Baton Packaging

Izakaya Tenkichi

Izakaya Tenkichi is a Japanese restaurant that offers a variety of appetizers, tempura, and sushi. The kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant so you can watch the chefs prepare and cook your food. The food portions are small and meant for 1 person. Some of my favorites were pumpkin tempura, sweet potato tempura, and maitake mushroom tempura. I enjoyed the hand rolls more than the rolled sushi because it had more protein in them. The prices ranged from $5 - $12 for the individual portions. They have some larger shareable items like an ikura bowl or uni bowl and those are between $25 - $60.  

The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor, you enter from a door on the side of Tori Ton on S. King Street and walk up the stairs. If you sit near a window, you get a view of Old Stadium Park. They have counter seats that surround the kitchen in the middle and booths against the wall which are great for groups. The vibe here is fun with the friendly staff and the dress code is casual; slippers are okay. The noise level gets louder as the night progresses. I recommend making a reservation a few days in advanced because they get busy from 6:30pm onward. For parking, you can park in the lot and pay with the app or do meter street parking on S. King Street or Isenberg Street. The metered parking is free after 6pm.

For more information about Izakaya Tenkichi, visit tenkichihawaii.com.

2334 S King St., 2nd floor
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 367-0012

American Wagyu Beef Nori Rolled Tempura,
Dashi Marinated Avocado Tempura,
Brie Cheese Tempura

Pumpkin Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura

Maitake Mushroom Tempura,
Brie Cheese Tempura

Eel Avocado Maki, Salmon Avocado Maki

Negitoro Avocado Hand Roll

 

Threadfin Bistro

Threadfin Bistro is located in the Kapahulu area inside Kilohana Square. They offer a 3-course set menu priced at $74 per person. For the entrees you can choose from scallops, short ribs, or filet mignon. Their food taste good and the portions are reasonable. My favorites were the amuse bouche, and the corn & wild mushroom risotto that came with the diver scallops. The filet mignon was tender but I wasn't a fan of the sauce. The $74 price point is good and I highly recommend it. The service was excellent and our waiter did a great job timing each course. If you're looking for appetizers or shared plates, they have an ala carte menu with different items. Those prices were also reasonable. 

Their dining room is well lit and spacious but it gets loud as more people come in. They are open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30pm – 8:30pm. It would be good to make a reservation at least 1 week in advance. Their tables are set up for 2 - 4 diners but if you reserve ahead, I'm sure they can accommodate 5 or more. The dress code I recommend is business casual. For parking, they have a private lot in the back of the building. The spaces in the lot are tight. They have a back entrance from the parking lot but the front entrance on Kapahulu Ave looks better and has their signage. 

Kilohana Square
1014 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 692-2562

For more information about Threadfin Bistro, visit threadfinbistro.com. 

Chef's Special Amuse Bouche

Raw Beet, Fuji Apple,
Herb Chevre, Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette

Diver Scallops
corn & wild mushroom risotto, tomato relish

Washugyu Filet Mignon
mushroom onion ragout, peppercorn diane sauce
($15 supplemental)

Chef's Choice Dessert

SingSing Thai Street Food

SingSing Thai Street Food is in Honolulu Chinatown in the former space of Opal Thai. Their dishes are spicy but you can ask for mild on some. Like their name, "street food," the cooking style is mostly grilled. They have a few curries and some fried rices but no noodle dishes. My favorites were chicken cilantro salad because it was refreshing and perfect to eat on a warm evening and the pork neck which had a lot of flavor and the dipping sauce was on the sweet side so it was good balance. For dessert, the black sticky rice pudding was good and the portion was enough to share with 3 people. The dessert reminded me of the Chinese read bean soup with purple rice. Their appetizers and entrees are priced between $14 - $25 and it can be a bit pricey for some but if you compare it the other restaurants nearby, these prices are reasonable.

Their interior space has the same set up as the restaurant before but they painted the walls and added decor to make it feel more casual. The staff were friendly and they gave us great suggestions on what to order since it was our first time. We did an early dinner so we didn't make a reservation and got seated right away. If you're going with more than 4 people, I recommend making a reservation since it got busy from 6:30 pm on. For parking, there is metered street parking in front of the restaurant along Smith Street or the Marin Tower Municipal Parking.

1030 Smith St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 785-6463

Isaan Beef Tongue

Chicken Cilantro Salad

Pork Neck

Beef Short Rib Fried Rice

Black Sticky Rice Pudding

Young Coconut Jelly