At Izakaya 855 Aloha:
“Love, Creativity … and everyone having a great time.”
At newly opened Izakaya 855 Aloha, the signature restaurant of Romer House ,Waikiki, there’s a palpable excitement extending from the kitchen through the dining room. Chefs are passionate about Hawaii’s produce, and servers are keen to share an appreciation of the creativity by offering a singularly high level experience.
“When we open a new restaurant, “ says `Highgate Chef Partner Shotaro “Sho’ Kamio , “What we are interested in is the people…. and the ingredients, “And one of our best ingredients,” he says with a huge smile and a nod to Executive Chef Daniel No, “is the chef.”
Sho, an award-winning veteran of the restaurant industry who is credited with reinventing San
Francisco’s Japanese dining scene with Ozumo and `Yoshi’s, is interested in both produce, and people.
“Personally, “ he says, “I want to meet the people. who live here, who work here… who dine here…
because each city where we open a restaurant is beautiful, and original of course, but basically I am
always thinking that when people come to eat with us, we want them to smile , enjoy the wow factor,
and to be happy.”
Alongside, the freshest ingredients, there’s a diverse culinary lineage, where Chef Sho brings a talent
that was noticed when he was very young, working in kitchens prior to going to culinary school.
“Grocery stores were like Disneyland to me”, he says. “I don’t know why but I was always so excited
about cooking and about ingredients.”He learned as a teenager, that his father had been a chef, who
traded his chef knife at the age of 31 to pursue a career in business and never spoke of his training or
experience.
Sho followed his love of cooking working in kitchen, and, when asked, admits that he does believe
there’s a hereditary element to his passion.
“On my first day in culinary school, “ he recalls, “ The chef came to me after I’d made a French omelet.
He tasted it then asked if I could make another one. And another . Then two at the same time.
Of course I could do it easily,” he says .”And then, the chef turned to me and said “what are you doing
here in school? You don’t need to learn here. Leave and go back to the kitchens, you already know.`”
Today, Sho is keen to impart that passion and knowledge into other young culinary students as he
continues to work on menu development and restaurant operations.
“I was always a chef’s chef,” says Sho.
Despite his distinguished pedigree, the food philosophy is relatively simple …
“Three things are important,” he says. “Food has to be seasonal, simple and a surprise,”
Chef Daniel No agrees. “We are very excited to introduce these ingredients, with a Japanese influence, in
the Izakaya style, to the people in Hawaii,”
Chef No, isn’t a stranger to working with fresh, seasonal ingredients, but even for this widely-traveled
chef (born in Argentina to Korean parents and CIA trained in New York), the freshness of Hawaii’s fish
and produce is particularly inspiring.
“ The mahi-mahi and ahi, when they come into the kitchen, they shine..” enthuses No, “ The flesh, the
eyes…the bloodline…everything is so shiny and so red and unlike anywhere else I’ve worked. In New
York, for example when we would receive fresh mahi -mahi in the kitchen , there was never the
shininess or the blood line.. the fish was ‘fresh’ but already days old. Not like this.” And then, he
changes the topic and spends minutes waxing lyrical about the beauty and the sweetness of the Maui
onion.
From the menu, these thoughts and philosophies are reflected in dishes like Kampachi Ceviche and Bun
`Bun Hiyashi Chaka – a bowl of chilled ramen, with chashu, cucumber, tamago, bamboo, tamari, and
goma vinaigrette.
Sho’s Kakiage , a simple dish of crispy, fried root vegetables corn and shrimp joins other soulful dishes
reminiscent of chef’s Sho’s mother’s cooking – Sendai Motsui Ni, (chef’s meal) is a beautiful ,rustic dish
that plays homage to a childhood in Japan .
With a desire to re-introduce the Izakaya dining concept, where shared, small plates highlight local
ingredients with Japanese technique , the chefs have created a showcase for unique ingredients and for
their own culinary perspectives. And it can be argued that when you create dishes with local ingredients
and unique local flavours at such a high level, there is a true marriage of tradition and a move toward the
future.
Chef Daniel describes the restaurant as a place that shows “love and creativity that everyone can share …
and have a great time. We just want to show these amazing ingredients to our customers.”
Grab a friend , or three, book a table, and get ready for one of the most joyful dining experiences this
summer .
Where
Izakaya 855 Aloha
Romer House Hotel
Waikīkī
Why
Simple, joyful ,dining experience where freshest of ingredients are showcased with Japanese techniques
and a multi cultural influences.
Fun vibe, adults only.
Reservations :
www.izakaya855aloha.com
