So after Cake Culture Cupcakes we decided to stay in the Aina Haina Shopping Center Courtyard and find some place eat. We spotted Komakata Japanese Restaurant and headed that way to give it a try.

The inside was quite spacious. Lots of table seating on this side of the restaurant and the other. We came at the perfect time because there were only a few tables being used but by the time we ordered our food most of the tables were occupied.

After skimming the menu Ray and I decided on the Combination Dinner, $20.50. We got to pick two items from the list of sashimi, katsu, teriyaki chicken or beef, butterfish misoni, ahi teriyaki, tempura and sushi mix. We picked sushi mix and sashimi. The meal also came with rice, miso, soup, tsukemono, tobachi and salad.

Honestly, I don’t really know what tsukemono, tobachi is but I’m guessing it’s one of these. This is what our meal started out with and this is probably why Japanesies are so damn skinny. I don’t know the proper terminology but I call this poke, pickled radish, and pickled cabbage. Everything was good, but I could seriously eat this in under a minute and that’s not sharing. I guess this is where I practice chewing my food, enjoying one another’s company and patience. It was all fresh and yummy.

Soon salad and miso soup followed. Again the salad portion was a disgrace. The picture really makes it look big because it so wasn’t. We got one slice of tomato, one cucumber slice and a layer of mixed greens. The bowl came to us a quarter full. I think they should pick smaller bowls for the salad so it at least doesn’t look so skimpy.

One of the reasons why I love miso soup is because no matter where you order it it comes out piping hot, not warm hot but hot hot. It’s so nice because it instantly warms your tummy. Miso soup is definitely comfort food for the soul.

Here is our sushi mix. As you can see it’s a lot like a rainbow roll, sorta, just not rolled but you know what I mean. It tasted the way it looks, fresh and very satisfying. I love ginger, especially the yellow kind over the pink kind because it makes me feel like it hasn’t been tampered with and that’s the kind it came with.

Our sashimi was an absolute delight. As you can see from the picture it had a vibrant pink to it and was cut in the perfect bite sizes.

If this picture doesn’t want to make you go out and get some sashimi then I have failed you.

The meal also came with a small bowl of rice. Luckily Ray and I don’t eat that much rice because the bowl of rice was really small as well, like smaller than most small bowls of rice. Anyhow, for 20 bucks for all that food I don’t know if it makes it into my, “cheap places to eat” category. I’m gonna have to move on.

View Larger Map

Komakata Japanese Restaurant
820 W Hind Dr # 102
Honolulu, HI 96821

Get Directions(808) 377-5700p

Every time we drive by Bostin’s North End Pizza Ray’s like, “ummm, pizza” and I’m like, “yeah but we should try that sushi place right next door.” So one day we decided to stop and finally check it out.

It’s a really small shop. Besides two other small tables this was it. The old man that took our order was adorable. He just seemed like one of those humble, wise geriatrics that you just want to hug.

The menu was on the wall and fake sushi laid out on display behind a glass counter.

We ordered the California Maki, 8 pieces for $3.99. Yeah, I know, we played the safe route. Actually, if you want to know the truth, Ray picked this one out but I support it. Some say California Rolls isn’t real sushi. I think it’s safe sushi. It’s something that always taste good and the best thing to start someone who has never experienced sushi out on. There are some poor unfortunate souls out there that have never had sushi. I work with one. It’s so sad.

Is it me or does it look like there’s chicken feet in my sushi? I ordered the Spider Maki, 8 pieces for $6.99. My verdict on this one is, no. There was way too much batter around the crab.

I took the batter crab out when I got home and found it to be the size of the sushi itself. Now I know it wasn’t like this throughout the sushi, but this is still pretty ridiculous.

I’m sure some of you are like, “what do you expect from a place like this?” I don’t know. This is what I expect I suppose but you never know, sometimes places surprise the hell out of me and those are the place that I’m in search of.

View Larger Map

Sushiya
3506 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816

Get Directions(808) 735-9494

Udon Ramen is a pretty basic place as far as sushi goes. Actually, I think that any Japanese place that offers .99 cent sushi rolls can be considered very basic. Hey, I’m not hating on it. I know some people are sushi snobs, just like some people are wine snobs, but I’m not. I really appreciate .99 cent sushi rolls. It’s not creative or artsy for sushi, but hey, you can’t deny that fish, rice and sushi paper just taste good together no matter how its put together.

Tamago (egg) and unagi (fresh water eel) rolls. .99 cents each.

Ray splurged and got a california maki (crab meat with avocado and cucumber) $4.95.

Shane got the nirigi. Three piece rolls were $2.50.

I know this wasn’t an amazing dinner but I got full off of $2.00 and that’s amazing.

View Larger Map

Udon Ramen
2310 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815