Henry Loui's - Enjoy Pupu, Drinks and Ribs in a Cozy Atmosphere in Mapunapuna
© Elizabeth Lewis, Food Lover
August 2004

Henry Loui's, on Paa Street in Mapunapuna, is in a convenient but obscure location which is why it's entirely likely that many people have never noticed it. Two weeks prior to our visit, I saw the sign for Henry Loui's with a prominent arrow pointing to a parking lot beyond the main road. I remembered the name and sign during one of those 'Where can we get a bite to eat nearby?" discussions. We headed back to the spot, followed the arrow leading around and parked before a flickering red sign.

Once seated, we found that you can spend a lot of time looking over the variety of pupu and starters. The choices ranged from Ahi Katsu to Fried Zucchini. The Potato Skins ($6.50) appealed to our tastes at the moment and were super!

Next we tried the Loui Louie Salad ($10.95). The waitress was very gracious and brought it to us in two bowls. It was a yummy combination of sweet bay shrimp, crab meat, avocado and egg slices. The salad made up for the French Dip Sandwich ($10.95) I ordered, which I found to be marbled with more fat than meat. The sandwich side of Macaroni & Potato Salad had an interesting twist though - there was a hint of licorice in the aftertaste.

Our other order was the Half-Rack of Ribs ($13.95) - this is Henry Loui's signature dish and claims to be - 'the best suckin' ribs in town.' Not having had ribs elsewhere on Oahu, I cannot argue with their claim - we certainly enjoyed them and spent some time sucking the sauce from our fingers. Since we already had salad, a ramekin of soup was chosen as an accompaniment to the ribs. The Soup of the Day was Seafood Cioppino served steaming with a rich tomato broth and bits of scallop, shrimp and fish.

At Henry Loui's the varnish on the tables is well-worn, a red carnation is at every table, and there is an air of local familiarity about the place. You can tell just by listening to the din of conversation around you that, for some, this is their living room away from home.

So, go and while away an evening over pupu and drinks at this "tucked away" dining house.

Henry Loui's Restaurant
2850 Paa St in Mapunapuna
Honolulu
833-3728