Pacific Beach Hotel’s Shogun Restaurant to Close Nov. 30

IN THE NEWS: The Shogun Restaurant at Pacific Beach Hotel will close Nov. 30, Pacific Business News reports, while Taormina Sicilian Cuisine, the last new restaurant at the Waikiki Beach Walk project, has opened. honolulu.bizjournals.com … The Advertiser’s Derek Paiva visits The Hanohano Room at the Sheraton Waikiki, 922-4422. honoluluadvertiser.com … The Star Bulletin’s Nadine [...]

‘Gourmet’ Lauds Pioneers Wong, Merriman, Murphy

Gourmet magazine’s October 2007 issue features a guide to “America’s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants.” gourmet.com:
RESTAURANTS WITH FARM CONNECTIONS: 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT; Amherst Chinese Food, Amherst, MA; Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN; Crook’s Corner, Chapel Hill, NC; Eve, Alexandria, VA; La Provence, Lacombe, LA; Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC; Pacific’O and I’o, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii; Tree House [...]

Reviewer Rates Local-Style Deli Kochi

IN THE NEWS: The Advertiser’s Alex Salkever reviews local-style deli Kochi Restaurant & Lounge (1936 S. King St., 941-2835) and notes the opening of Waikiki Beach Walk’s latest eatery, teppan and sushi spot Kaiwa (226 Lewers St., second floor, 924-1555), and also reports that Goran Streng, who was executive chef at the Hawaii Prince Hotel, [...]

Kiawe Grill BBQ & Burgers, Kaiwa Open

IN THE NEWS: Kiawe Grill BBQ & Burgers is opening a new restaurant in Aiea this month — its third Oahu location, Pacific Business News reports. The 6-year-old business, owned by Jason Chong, is expanding to a recently renovated strip mall at 98-080 Kamehameha Highway near Pearlridge Center. … The paper also reports that Kaiwa, [...]

Sam Choy’s Diamond Head Turns 12

IN THE NEWS: Midweek’s Jo McGarry reports that Sam Choy’s Diamond Head restaurant is celebrating 12 years in business this month with a number of special menus for kamaaina, wine dinners and a fund-raising dinner for Ronald McDonald House. The main fund raiser takes place Sept. 26. midweek.com … The Honolulu Advertiser’s Lisa Sekiya reviews [...]

Restaurant Row’s Ocean Club Closes

IN THE NEWS: KHNL.com’s Mari-Ela David reports on the scheduled Sept. 2 closing of 10-year-old Restaurant Row eatery the Ocean Club. Failed negotiations over lease terms forces the club to shut down, the TV station reported. … Executive chef Goran Streng will open his first independent restaurant later this year at the luxury condominium [...]

Dixie Grill May Change to Mexican Menu

IN THE NEWS: The Dixie Grill on Ward Avenue could be switching from barbecue and crab to Mexican fare, Pacific Business News reports. Owner Ed Wary says he’s looking at about 10 new restaurant possibilities for the location, which is closed for renovation. He wouldn’t be more specific, but he did note that such Mexican [...]

Restaurants, Bars Set Record Employment

IN THE NEWS: Employment in Hawaii restaurants and bars hit a record 59,300 in June with nearly 1,800 more jobs than a year ago, Pacific Business News reports. The opening of large new restaurants and bars like Yard House, Senor Frog’s and Ruth’s Chris in Waikiki have created hundreds of new jobs in recent months, [...]

New Senor Frog’s Hops Back Into Business

IN THE NEWS: Senor Frog’s has reopened, nearly five days after the city closed the new Waikiki restaurant because it didn’t have an occupancy permit, Pacific Business News reports. The 520-seat restaurant had opened on July 28, but city officials closed it down Aug. 2 because it lacked the proper permit. The restaurant received [...]

Hard Rock Cafe Moving to 280 Beach Walk

IN THE NEWS: The Star-Bulletin’s Kristin Consillio reports the Hard Rock Cafe is moving to a new $45 million retail complex being built in Waikiki, after nearly 20 years on the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue. The Orlando, Fla.-based restaurant chain plans to open in spring 2009 in the proposed 34,500-square-foot retail complex [...]