Gastronome
Tuna Salad Shiso Rice and Crispy Pork Belly musubis
MUSUKAWAS
Makers & Tasters
1011 Ala Moana Blvd.
Phone number (808) 391-1256
Never have I ever in my life eaten a musubi as decadent as the two I had last week from Musukawas. My god, it was good.
Now, normally, I am not a sucker for intensely trendy musubis — especially when said musubis start at $4.95 and get as pricey as $6.95. I like mine just fine homemade and with a slice of Spam drenched in teriyaki sauce.
But I found myself at Makers & Tasters last Wednesday looking for a quick lunch, and the menu at Musukawas just got my attention. When in Rome, right? Which is how I found myself spending nearly $20 on two musubis (cut in half) and a cup of tea.
Little pangs of regret began to fire off immediately, but I battled them away. There was no turning back.
So it was a pleasant surprise to take a bite of the Crispy Pork Belly musubi and nearly achieve nirvana. OK, that’s a slight exaggeration, but it was quite good. Every bite I took of fatty, tender pork nearly melted in my mouth.
Another shocker? Thoroughly enjoying the Tuna Salad Shiso Rice musubi. This one had much more flavor than the Crispy Pork Belly musubi, simply because of the shiso, which added a little bit of spice and tang. Thin slices of cucumber added texture, and the tuna salad was the right combination of tuna and mayo without being overwhelming or too dry.
I regretted nothing.
I even went on a limb and ordered a drink from Tea on Fleek (the same truck), and found myself enjoying it, even if its name does feed a ridiculous colloquialism. My Lilikoi Sunrise tea was just a hint of fruity, but tasted mostly of tea, which I prefer.
Lilikoi Sunrise tea
NICOLE KATO PHOTOS
So really, my entire experience at Musukawas might be summed up as a pleasant revelation of sorts.
ONE-BITE REVIEWS WITH PAIGE
The greatest thing about Makers & Tasters is that there is something for everyone. Because while I was in the mood for musubis from Musukawas, staff writer Paige Takeya was not. So she ventured off to another truck just across the way and ordered Indian food instead.
Kebab Naan Roll
Without further ado, I bring you the latest One-Bite Review with Paige:
When it comes to Indian food, I’m not ashamed to say that I eat pretty much exclusively at Café Maharani — if you know, you know — but I couldn’t resist the colorful pictures of the Kebab Naan Roll at Indian Grill by Taste Yum.
Call it something akin to an Indian burrito — it’s chicken, cabbage, onions, bell peppers and cilantro rolled up in a naan and topped with yogurt sauce. The spices are tangy, the chicken is moist and the entire thing was deceptively enormous. I couldn’t even eat it as a wrap; it was just too big.
It felt healthy in theory, but that naan was heavier than it looked. For that reason, I wouldn’t say this is really your best lunch option, but I could see this being a great dinner stop.
FOOD TO TRY
My fiancé likes to tell people about Sakura-Ya, and then promptly tells them to keep it a secret so that the masses don’t overrun this little gem. It makes me roll my eyes so much I think they may really get stuck, but he kind of has a point.
Sakura-Ya has become my place. Where I go for lunch if I am visiting my fiancé at work, where I stop to pick up food (it’s right on Beretania Street) and where I hope things never change.
I have sampled many items from Sakura-Ya — its nishime and eggplant dishes are among my favorites. The chirashi is always fresh and packed, and other items like karaage are flavorful and tender. We like to tell people that you can’t go wrong at Sakura-Ya because it is entirely true.
You can dine in for lunch, teishoku style. At night, Sakura-Ya morphs into an omakase-only sushi bar, which I am dying to try.
Just don’t tell my fiancé I told you.
SAKURA-YA
1317 S. Beretania St.(808) 597-8069
