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| Courtesy Threadfin Bistro |
Kiyota sources the freshest, seasonal ingredients and crafts them into a weekly-changing menu of wine-friendly, Hawaii Regional Cuisine dishes with European and Southeast Asian sensibilities. Fans of Kiyota’s food will be pleased to find the return of a few signature dishes, such as the Kona abalone bathed in warm spiced Cognac butter and served with baguette points. The restaurant is currently BYOB as it awaits its liquor license, which is anticipated in the upcoming months.
The flavors reflect Jason Kiyota’s vast wealth of perspectives gained from his culinary education, international travel, and work experience. While working in the kitchen at Sheraton Waikiki, he received his formal foundational education at the Kapiolani Community College’s Culinary School. After graduation, he traveled abroad to study for about half a year at Thailand’s largest agricultural college, Kasetsart University in Bangkok. He spent the remainder of the year circumnavigating the country to gain a better understanding of the various provincial Thai cuisines. After returning to Honolulu, he continued his tenure at Sheraton Waikiki, while also working part-time in the kitchen at Halekulani. He then took yet another pause to take continuing education courses at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California over the course of a year. Making another return to Sheraton Waikiki, he remained there as a full-timer for six years before opening FC Café, a full-service restaurant that shared a space in Kailua with the casual plate lunch outfit The Food Company Café. In December 2019, Kiyota decided to move his restaurant to town, but the pandemic delayed his plans to reopen. Emerging out of the pandemic with a renewed perspective, he opened Threadfin Bistro in December 2022 to cater for a series of parties and events. After months of private cheffing and catering, Kiyota finally decided to inaugurate his dining room experience three nights a week as of September.
In preparation for opening to the public, Kiyota placed considerable thought into the design of his bistro, which borrows representational elements to demonstrate the symbiosis between the earth and the ocean. The interior features a subdued palette balanced by dynamic art and light fixtures. Neutral off-white walls are given texture and color via accent wall and counter tiles that infuse splashes of green and grey. A handmade art installation made of curved wooden slats creates a focal point in the restaurant, adding mystery and a sense of movement. Curved ceiling light fixtures symbolize fish, while bubble lights further the aquatic reference, contributing to the fluidity of motion captured in the interior design. Acacia wood tables and mahogany chairs on dark grey ceramic floor tiles add more grounding earth tones to establish a sense of warmth.
“I want to bring back some of the signature dishes served at FC Café for my regulars, but I also want to create new expressions that draw from my inspirations and experience,” says Jason Kiyota, Owner/Chef of Threadfin Bistro. “The purpose of the ever-changing menu enables diners the opportunity to explore the synergies of my cuisine with different types of wines, while constantly offering new flavors at what I hope to be a neighborhood gathering spot for dinners and parties.”
Threadfin Bistro is located in Kilohana Square at 1016 Kapahulu Avenue. The restaurant is open from Thursday to Saturday, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. with the first seating at 5:30 p.m. and the last seating at 8:00 p.m. Special themed events will take place on occasional Sundays. Parking is conveniently located in the Kilohana Square lot. The dress code is casual, with footwear required.
For more information, visit the website at threadfinbistro.com, or call (808) 692-2562.
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