This was published 6 years ago
From poke to fried chicken: Seven dishes you must try in Honolulu
Chef Keith Pajinag, executive chef of RAVISH at Modern Honolulu, brings a wealth of experience from the Pacific North-west, along with his upbringing in Hawaii and Alaska kitchens, to RAVISH where he's at the vanguard of the "foodie renaissance" sweeping across the islands. See ravishhonolulu.com
MINI BENTO ALICIA'S MARKET
This a go-to spot for locals who want island staples like poke. I order their Mini Bento because I love the flavours of the roast pork and sweet tako (Japanese word for octopus) on top of hot rice, mac salad and kim chee. See aliciasmarket.com
FRIED CHICKEN, ZIPPY'S
Zippy's has been a Hawaii favourite for 50 years. It started with a simple concept: a 24-hour diner with good local food with takeout and restaurant seating. The crunch that Zippy's fried chicken has is unbeatable, especially paired with their waffles.
See zippys.com
RAMEN, GOMA TEI
Chefs love to slurp a great bowl of ramen after a long day. Goma Tei is hands down, best ramen in town. They've nailed the perfect noodle texture and rich broth and their tender braised pork is so ono (Hawaiian word for delicious). See gomatei.com
BURGER, LIVESTOCK TAVERN
Chinatown is a new epicentre for culinary excitement in Honolulu with all type of cultural influences. My personal pick is Livestock Tavern's Burger. They use ground hanger steak, homemade brioche bun and heirloom tomato with bacon onion marmalade and homemade fries. See livestocktavern.com
TONKATSU, SANOYA RAMEN
The best Tonkatsu in town. Their breaded pork cutlet is delicately deep-fried and has the perfect balance. They also have an Oyaku udon which is light and rich at the same time with housemade noodles. (1785 S King St, Honolulu.)
BITES AND BEER, CHIBA-KEN
A happy hour favourite. This is the best deal for late night snacking. You can't go wrong with any of the choices after 9.30pm for savoury bites and cold beer.
KOREAN BARBECUE, BUDNAMUJIP
For Korean barbecue, this is my favourite local spot. They have the best quality meats and cook over charcoals at your table. Their beef short rib soup is super comforting.
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