Sekiya's, Shige's, and Shiro's

Talk about a triple-threat! Sekiya's Restaurant & Delicatessen, Shige's Saimin Stand, and Shiro's Saimin Haven are three of O'ahu's classic restaurants. What do all three of these restaurants have in common? Saimin! Not to mention that all three have been around from since before I can remember. In fact, one of my first memories as a child was eating at Sekiya's and looking at their little koi pond. Since I'm starting to reminisce I might as well start with Sekiya's.

Sekiya's Restaurant & Delicatessen

Located along Kaimuki Avenue (across from Kaimuki High school), Sekiya's has been a favorite of mine since my childhood. What most stands out in my mind is their soft drinks. Strange? Not as strange as you may think. Sekiya's is one of the few locations left on O'ahu that I can find green river (lemon lime). Not to mention the way that they crush their ice just makes fruit punches so much more enjoyable. Try it! Trust me.

Aside from their soft drinks Sekiya's is noted famously for their saimin. Sekiya's saimin comes with the usual fare but what makes this saimin so special is their broth. Their broth complements their noodles perfectly and leaves a nice mouth feel when slurped down. Delicious!

Not only is Sekiya's a restaurant but also a delicatessen. After you've had your meal you can take your food to go! Choices include musubi's, fried noodles, bbq meat, shoyu chicken, hot dogs, tempuras and so much more. It's basically a make your own bento style of eating. Sadly these types of classic local delicatessens are starting to die out and not many can be found these days.


Shige's Saimin Stand

On the other end of Wahiawa stands my personal favorite saimin stand, Shige's Saimin Stand. It has become a tradition of my fishing buddies and I to stop off at Shige's on the way to the North Shore for lunch. "There's something in the saimin", is what one of my fishing friends likes to say about Shige's saimin. I believe what my friend is thinking of is something very rare that I like to call perfection. The perfect mix of dashi, the perfect ratio of flour and water forming the perfect noodles, the whole process is almost magical. What could be better than the perfect saimin? How about a home-made cheeseburger to boot! That is what I like to call our "North Shore Classic" a large saimin and a cheese burger deluxe. Classic.


Shiro's Saimin Haven

Our next local classic is located out in Aiea just minutes away from Pearl Ridge. Of course we are talking about the famed Shiro's Saimin Haven! Shiro's is famous for taking their saimin recipe and adding in all kinds of crazy ingredients. Their sit-down menu boasts an amazing amount of saimin combinations that take up two pages! Aside from their saimin choices, Shiro's also serves classic diner fare and some local favorites. Their fried saimin which is also available in their take out operation located outside the restaurant is very popular as it their homemade burgers. Overall, Shiro's has a little of everything for a reasonably low price. What more could you want in these tough economic times?


Reviews:

Sekiya's Restaurant & Delicatessen
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)

Service: 2
Food Quality: 2
Monetary Value: 3.5
Quality vs Quantity: tie
Overall: 2.5

http://www.sekiyasrestaurant.com/index.html
Sunday-Thursday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday-Saturday: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM

2746 Kaimuki Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
808-732-1656


Shige's Saimin Stand
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)

Service: 2.75
Food Quality: 2.75
Monetary Value: 3.25
Quality vs Quantity: quantity
Overall: 2.9

Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Friday-Saturday: 10 AM - 12 AM
Sunday: Closed

70 Kukui Street
Wahiawa, HI 96786
808-621-3621


Shiro's Saimin Haven
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)

Service: 2.75
Food Quality: 2.5
Monetary Value: 3.5
Quality vs Quantity: tie
Overall: 2.9

Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 10 PM
Friday-Saturday: 10 AM - 12 AM
Sunday: Closed

98-021 Kamehameha Highway
Aiea, HI 96701
808-488-8824