Lunch at TsuruTonTan a Hit with Our Family

Signature Lunch Special

It can be a challenge to find a reasonably priced restaurant with a large enough menu to accommodate a 10 person family with kids with picky palates. On top of that, we like restaurants with ample parking. 

TsuruTonTan is located in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and opens daily at 11:30am. They offer their happy hour prices until 5:30pm. They also offer monthly specials as well as kama'aina deals. My husband was most impressed with their January $3 draft Sapporo special.

We ordered a variety of dishes and most of us had their in-house daily made fresh udon which was excellent. Service was also great. We all had a great meal and I think this may be our go to in the future!

Takoyaki

Chicken karaage

Curry Udon

Aburi Shime Saba

Spicy Chicken and Cheese

Beef Udon

Taiyaki dessert with ice cream

Parking is validated for one hour at the restaurant, but if you are Kamaʻāina or military, you can receive 3 hours free parking with a purchase of $25 or more. Guests can receive their Kamaʻāina & Military validations from Helumoa Hale Guest Services, from 11 AM through 8 PM, located Building B, Level 1, next to The Royal Grove.

TusurTonTan

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center

2233 Kalakaua Ave Ste B 310 

Honolulu, HI 96815

 

 

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Yohei Sushi Kahala

After celebrating our anniversary at Yohei Sushi Kahala, we quickly decided this would be our go-to spot for special occasions. So when it came time to celebrate a birthday, there was no question about where we wanted to go.

As expected, everything we ordered was excellent. Our table was filled with a salmon roll, salmon nigiri, chicken karaage, tempura, ten don, mini udon, and chirashi—each dish beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious. The standout, as always, was the salmon. Yohei’s salmon sashimi is hands-down the best I’ve had. It’s soaked in beets, which gives it that vibrant color and a subtle hint of beet flavor. I honestly don’t think there’s anywhere else that prepares salmon quite like this.

Because we were celebrating a birthday, the staff surprised my husband with a scoop of peach sorbet topped with a candle. They even took our photo, printed it on the spot, and presented it to us in a lovely card with a handwritten note. Such a thoughtful and personal touch—and exactly the kind of service that makes a celebration feel extra special.

Yes, Yohei Sushi Kahala is on the pricier side, but experiences like this make it completely worth it. Now you can see why we keep coming back here for special occasions!

YOHEI SUSHI KAHALA

4210 WAIALAE AVENUE (KUONO MARKETPLACE)

808-425-4143

 

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Udon Yonpachi

My friend and I had tried to have lunch at Udon Yonpachi last month, but after circling the area and failing to find parking, we gave up and ate elsewhere. When we made plans for our next lunch, we decided to try again—and this time, luck was on our side. I snagged a spot right out front, and my friend found street parking just around the corner.

Inside, the restaurant was only about half full, which we suspect has everything to do with the limited parking situation. We both ordered the set featuring their signature dish: dip-style udon noodles served with a hot, mushroom-filled broth and a choice of pork or chicken, along with a mini salad, kinpira gobo, and mixed rice made with hijiki seaweed.

The star of the meal was definitely the noodles. Long, firm, and wonderfully slippery, they had that unmistakable homemade texture that’s hard to beat. 

Everything was flavorful and thoughtfully prepared, and the service was warm and friendly throughout our visit.

If there’s one downside, it’s the parking. Be sure to read the signs carefully—about half of the stalls are reserved for Territorial Savings Bank customers during the day. Still, if you can manage to find a spot, Udon Yonpachi is absolutely worth the effort.

Open Monday through Saturday

Lunch: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Dinner: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

UDON YONPACHI

1111 MCCULLY STREET

808-949-5959

 

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Visit Hilo: Miyo's Restaurant

I recently had dinner at Miyo's Restaurant in Hilo.

Miso Soup

I once again had the Chicken Katsu Curry Rice.

Chicken Katsu Curry Rice

It was a very generous serving!  The katsu was crispy, yet tender, and the curry was good, although I could've done without the brocolli in the curry.  

Side Green Salad

Broiled Saba and Vegetable Tempura

My friend said that the Tempura is always consistent - perfectly fried and so delicious.

Side Sesame Chicken

The service was great, and I appreciated the huge portions!

Miyo's Restaurant
564 Hinano St
Hilo, HI 96720

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Tonkatsu @Honolulu Now Open!

Dry Aged Pork Loin Katsu Set

Tonkatsu @Honolulu has officially opened this week at 1232 Waimanu Street. Executive
Chef Keita has perfected his tonkatsu recipe and I got to try first hand at a media
tasting. The restaurant features his Dry Aged Pork Loin and Tenderloin Katsu sets
that are served with rice, tonjiru (a pork-vegetable miso soup), shredded cabbage, three
kobachis (side dishes) and tsukemono (pickled vegetable) of the day.

You can also opt for A5 Miyazaki-gyu Tenderloin, Chicken Katsu, and Shrimp Katsu. My
favorites were the pork loin and A5 Miyazaki-gyu and I especially loved their homemade
panko and curry! Tonkatsu @Honolulu uses premium three-way crossbred pork and homemade panko breadcrumbs. 

A5 Miyazaki-gyu Tenderloin

Shrimp Katsu

Chicken Katsu

Pork Tenderloin Katsu

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday through Tuesday.
Reservations can be made on their Yelp page. Self-parking is available in the parking lot
adjacent to the restaurant, with entrance to the lot located along Waimanu Street. The
first hour is free by scanning the QR code inside the restaurant. 

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Yohei Sushi Kahala

 So, my husband surprised me with a reservation at Yohei Sushi Kahala for our anniversary — it’s the sister spot to the original Yohei Sushi in Kalihi, which is honestly my all-time fave sushi place. We brought the boys along for the fun, and it turned out to be such a great night!

We ordered a number of items to share: 7-piece nigiri sushi, ikura and ahi nigiri, salmon roll, seared salmon roll, chicken karaage, assorted tempura, and yes — even French fries for the kids (because, priorities). 

The kids got their own keiki meals, which looked just as good as the adult menu. 

What’s cool is you can get the keiki meals either as a set or just à la carte, so one kid went for the udon and salmon set, and the other got the udon and French fries. Both were happy!

The service was super friendly and felt really genuine — kind of like we were dining in Japan. Everything tasted fresh and delicious, and the vibe was relaxed but still special for our anniversary.

According to my son, "it was very good! Not like your average supermarket sushi or other places. This was very high quality. It wasn't dry, it was freshly made - very very fresh!"

We definitely want to come back for another special occasion. If you’re in Kahala and craving good sushi that’s family-friendly, Yohei Sushi Kahala is definitely worth checking out!

Take out is available. They also have private rooms and a sushi bar strictly reserved for their Omakase experience. For more information, visit their website. 

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YOHEI SUSHI KAHALA

4210 WAIALAE AVENUE (KUONO MARKETPLACE)

808-425-4143

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No7 Poke n' Roll

I was bummed when I passed by Scoop of Paradise a while ago and saw it was shut down, but then I saw @islandbag's story that No 7 Japanese Food Truck moved out of their truck and into the space as No7 Poke n' Roll!

Chicken Karaage

Da Combo included Spicy Garlic Poke and Chicken Karaage

Spicy Miso Poke

Katsu Curry Rice

Fried Chicken Curry Rice

I had the Chicken Karaage from the food truck last time and it was delicious.  This time I had the Fried Chicken Curry Rice (basically the karaage with a tasty curry), and it was also delicious!  

The prices are reasonable, the portions are great, and you get quality, flavorful food.

Congrats to No 7 Poke n' Roll on the new brick-and-mortar!

No 7 Poke n' Roll
66-145 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712, (808) 637-3456

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