Kakaako Revealed
With D.K. Kodama and Friends
DK: Hiroshi is Hiroshi Fukui—he was born in Yokohama and raised in Hawaii. This guy trained in kaiseki and made his reputation at Furusato and L’Uraku. He knows how to blend Japanese, European and local tastes with finesse, and he comes up with creations that are familiar but exciting. He’s totally original—you should see his brie- and pancetta-stuffed tonkatsu.
DK: Hiroshi is Hiroshi Fukui—he was born in Yokohama and raised in Hawaii. This guy trained in kaiseki and made his reputation at Furusato and L’Uraku. He knows how to blend Japanese, European and local tastes with finesse, and he comes up with creations that are familiar but exciting. He’s totally original—you should see his brie- and pancetta-stuffed tonkatsu.
DK: You see the kaiseki influence? Softshell crab with saikyo miso, tangy homemade pickles and haricots verts on a dash of kochujang sauce—Hiroshi’s visual palette lets the eyes taste the zesty, spicy crunch before the mouth does.
DK: Those are jalapeno slivers atop his salmon puttanesca—which gets a multilayer tang from grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, bok choy, ogo, broccolini and nori.
DK: Another visual feast: that’s Big Island baby abalone on the half-shell, paired with lup chong and topped with lime foam, on a psychedelic bed of seaweed salad and homemade takuan. We knew Hiroshi could totally take off and run with his own style, and it’s brought upscale Japanese fusion cooking to Kakaako.
DK: My partner Chuck Furuya, one of two master sommeliers in Hawaii. Expert at pairing wines with Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Which he’s always showing people how to eat.
DK: On the other side of the kitchen is Vino. That’s where Keith Endo shines. Keith is a Hilo boy who came up through Sansei. He recently spent six months at Vino Maui learning how to make pasta from scratch, making fresh mozzarella, just getting inspired in a totally different cuisine.
DK: Keith’s cooking is bold and fun. I can’t stop popping these in my mouth: crispy rock shrimp and baby arugula, whiff of oregano, garlic butter drizzle, jalapeno threads on a bed of marinara. All the colors of Italy on a plate!
DK: Did I mention bold? Colorado lamb with port wine reduction—so tender I’ve seen people pick it up with their fingers and eat it like fried chicken.
DK: Keith’s cooking is contemporary Italian—like grilled baby calamari atop microgreens, arugula and smoky blue cheese polenta, drizzled with a fresh Australian olive oil and lemon pesto, plus a tiny sliver of jalapeno.
DK: That’s me showing Keith how to plate. Not! This appetizer is totally his creation.
Michelle: The yin yang of Kakaako is what is exciting. In this neighborhood you have a world-class art gallery, a beautiful home décor store, mixed in with warehouses and auto repair shops. I love that Kakaako has these hidden treasures. You see rows of warehouses with doorways that look like nothing, but then you walk in and it’s like, “Wow! Where am I?”
One of my favorite hidden treasures is Fine Art Associates at the Artloft. It’s better if you call ahead to make sure someone is on hand to show you around.
Michelle: I’m chatting with local artist Kelly Sueda, one of the co-owners. They think about client’s long term, in a personalized way. They remember every client, every piece they purchased, and where the piece went. In fact, the artists often want to know, to make sure it’s going to a good home with people who are going to love it.
Michelle: This is truly for the art lover and collector with a discerning eye and appreciation for beautiful works. And it’s all very specialized art—you won’t find their pieces in a mall. They are continuously bringing in new artists, giving a shot to people who haven’t shown in Hawaii yet.
Melissa: Ask people who live and work in Kakaako what they love about it, and the most popular answer is that it’s convenient to everything. Kakaako is still very much industrial, yet artsy businesses with upscale clientele pride themselves on being “hidden away.” This mix has given rise to a new phenomenon: highbrow cuisine in lowbrow settings.
Hank’s Haute Dogs is the epitome of this concept. This new hole-in-the-wall haute spot features sausages and toppings from $4.50 to $6; weekend specials like the Kobe beef dog or the duck and foie gras dog are $9.50. Here’s the chicken dog, topped with sweet mango relish and lime mustard.
Melissa: My favorite side is the onion rings, hand-dipped in a special batter and panko, served up with a flavored aioli.
Melissa: Mr. Haute Dog himself: Henry Adaniya, former owner of Chicago’s famed Trio restaurant. (Trio launched Top Chef Season 3 finalist Dale Levitsky, who came and created the Kobe beef dog for his former boss.) No wonder truffled mac and cheese is on the menu!
Melissa: There IS greenery in Kakaako! This is the view from Kulia Grill, the cafeteria at the UH Medical School. It overlooks Kakaako Waterfront Park.
Melissa: Some cafeteria, huh? Lucky medical students—it’s run by the culinary program at Kapiolani Community College. I like Kulia because it’s an unexpected escape from the urban jungle. Daily specials like roast garlic chicken and brown buttered mahi with capers augment regular menu items like North Shore Cattle Co. cheeseburgers, sandwiches and salads.
Melissa: They make their own chips—firm and extra-crunchy, like Maui’s. (A quick tip: If you order a burger, put your lettuce, onion and tomato on foil instead of a plastic soup bowl like I did, or the cashier will scold you. Twice.)
Michelle: Now for a real SoHo experience, I go to Fishcake. They carry a lot of eclectic furniture, and some of their lines are exclusive to Fishcake. So is Kea, showroom manager Betty Lee’s Chihuahua/terrier! Betty says. “I love that we’re so central, but at the same time tucked away, like a secret. People who come in here really want to find us!”
Michelle: Meridiani, an Italian line of furniture, is one of these exclusives—it’s known for being low to the ground, like you will find in many contemporary Italian homes. Each piece is named after a famous person: this (Uma) Thurman Bed, the (Lucy) Liu Relaxer, or (Humphrey) Bogart Chaise. Fun stuff!
Melissa: Kaffee Imperial (aka Café Imperial) has some of the best katsu in town. Since I couldn’t decide, I ordered a combination plate. The katsu is really moist without being greasy, and the homemade sauce is good drizzled on everything.
Melissa: For more upscale plate lunch, Yosh is a great choice. I’d go out of my way to get their spicy garlic chicken, sort of a twist on mochiko chicken dipped in a sweet teriyaki glaze. You’re going to reek—but Hawaii people don’t care.
Melissa: Yosh has three kinds of fish salad. This is the shichimi ahi, which I ordered seared—it also comes rare, medium or cooked through. Fresh, tender ahi is topped with multicolored shichimi pepper over chunky romaine with a delicious miso-mayo house dressing (I save the leftover dressing). Tip: If you go late, bentos are sold at a discount.
Photo by Melissa Chang
