Gastronome

Gyu Tataki JAIMIE KIM PHOTOS

IZAKAYA NONBEI
3108 Olu St.
Honolulu
Phone number (808) 734-5573

I discovered long ago that there are just some things in life that will never reach a group consensus — whether ‘NSYNC is better than the Backstreet Boys (yes, obviously), red wine versus white (red, always), or if Zac Efron is remotely attractive (refer to this week’s ReelTalk review on page 7).

The same goes for izakayas. Everyone has a different place they love. Mine, for about four years now, has been Izakaya Nonbei.

So last week, when I was invited to sample some of their late-night happy hour specials (available from 9 to 11 p.m.), do you think I said no? What ensued was an evening of far too much food that only served as a delicious reminder of why Izakaya Nonbei always has been my favorite.

It starts with the ambiance. Located on a side street off Kapahulu Avenue, it’s a cozy and comfortable space, good for small and large parties (though the parking lot sometimes can be a challenge). Unlike other izakayas, it never feels stuffy or inaccessible inside, with waiters who feel more like calabash relatives.

Then there’s the food. The night I stopped in, general manager Roger Tasaka brought out (no joke) 11 different dishes to sample. This doesn’t include a Grape Chu-Hai that tasted dangerously of Japanese grape candy. (I’ve had the peach before, too, which was just as good.)

From here on out, it would be impossible to talk about everything I ate, though I wish I could. Instead, I’ll share some of my favorites and trust that you’ll stop in yourself sometime soon.

Never have I ever gone to an izakaya and ordered a salad. It always seemed like a waste of stomach real estate when there are a number of items to choose from. And yet, at the end of the night, I felt that the Crab Avocado Salad was one of my top three favorite dishes.

Greens topped with snow crab, an avocado mixture that hinted of wasabi, and bacon almost made it taste like something better suited to a bistro. But a yuzu vinaigrette drizzled over the top added a bright pop of citrus that reminded me where I was.

BEST HOMESTYLE ITEM

There isn’t much to say about Nonbei’s croquette without forcing you to eat one and find out for yourself. But I will say this: It is soft, perfectly crisp and hearty, like biting into a shepherd’s pie. I know I’ll be ordering this one again sometime very, very soon.

A close second were its Mutsu Bay Scallops Kara. Featuring Scallops from Mutsu, Japan — a place known for its scallops, according to Tasaka — they were surprisingly delicate. Each bite-size scallop was slightly crunchy and entirely supple.

MOST INDULGENT

At a certain point during the night, I really thought I would have to stop eating. And then a server brought out a bowl of slow-cooked Kurobuta Kakuni (shoyu pork).

Sure, I told myself, I’ll just have a little bit. All shoyu pork is created equal, right?

Wrong.

This one was richly marinated, and so soft and succulent that I could feel it melt away in my mouth. It was one of the times so few I could count on one hand that I truly appreciated shoyu pork.

(Nonbei’s Gyu Tataki deserves an honorable mention here. Seared meat served on a bed of raw onions and topped with garlic chips and a yuzu sauce — it packs a very powerful bite.)

NEW FAVORITE

Just as I was about to throw in the towel for real, Tasaka brought out one more item: Warabi Mochi.

Oh. My. God.

It was warm, delicate — and for those who haven’t had warabi, it differs in texture from say, chichi dango in that this one is almost a jelly-like texture.

My dinner companion asked our server how they make it. His answer? It’s a secret, and we’ll just have to keep coming back to figure it out.

Thank you, I think I will.