Nico's at Pier 38 - A Global Tradition Lives on in Iwilei
Gail Jennings
February 2005

Since time immemorial, from Nice to Veracruz and Inchon to Goa, small eateries located on the docks where fisherman unload their fresh catches of seafood have been an important part of culinary culture. It is a confluence of happy circumstances where diners enjoy the freshest possible fish, the proprietor keeps his costs down and the fisherman has a place to sell his fish. Nico's at Pier 38 is a modern-day incarnation of this humble yet tasty tradition right here in Honolulu on the waterfront in Iwilei. (*Detailed directions to find Nico's are below.)

Of course, here in Honolulu the fisherman is often a large company and the fish may have been caught thousands of miles away in the Pacific but the spirit and feeling is still the same at Nico's from the view of the fishing boats right out front to the mix of patrons. Nico's starts early at 6:30am to feed the hungry workers from the auction house next door, continues on through lunch and closes not long after everyone goes home from work at 6pm (2:30pm on Saturdays.) This is a working cafe for a working clientele with hearty portions, excellent prices and speedy service. You order at the counter then wait outside for your number to be called. It is served on disposable ware and you can sit outside under the green awning if you like. Many people order for take-out as evidenced by the separate register and line for customers picking up phone orders.

At breakfast the popular sellers are an elaborate Fried Rice (ham, Portuguese sausage, bacon, kamaboko, egg and green onion) and Loco Moco served with Mushroom Onion Gravy. Chef/proprietor Nico Chaize said, "Our morning customers start work at 11pm so they are ready for a big meal." Other popular choices are the French Toast which is made with Molokai Sweet Bread.

At lunch the Catch of the Day almost always sells out (the Seafood Paella which was offered the day we went was all gone before we got there at 1pm) and the Furikake Ahi with Ginger Garlic Cilantro Dip is a top seller on the lunch menu. Wait a minute you say, "Furikake Ahi with Ginger Garlic Cilantro Dip at a plate lunch place?", and I answer "Yes, indeed." Not only does he offer this rather sophisticated ahi preparation, he also has an Ahi Sandwich with Arugula & Wasabi Aioli. In addition, your choice of side can be a Nalo Green Salad and the Soup of the Day is invariably NOT what you'd expect. The day we ate, it was a divine Tomato Bisque which was so good it almost outshone everything else. If one can judge the talent of a chef by his soups, Nico Chaize is extremely talented. It's rumored that his boullaibaisse brought tears to the eyes of a homesick Frenchman who happened by.

We ordered the above mentioned Furikake Ahi with Ginger Garlic Cilantro Dip, the Ahi Sandwich with Arugula & Wasabi Aioli on a French Roll, the Pier 38 Double Cheeseburger with Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion and Cheddar Cheese and Tomato Bisque Soup which was served in a foam tub the size of a small bucket!

They asked how we wanted the Furikake Ahi cooked and we ordered it rare and it was done just right. We had a side of Nalo Green Salad instead of Mac Salad (now I think maybe we should have tried the mac salad just to see what Chef Nico would do with it...next time) plus it came with a scoop of rice. The dip is what made this really good. In truth it is more garlic than ginger and the cilantro is so subtle it is hardly noticeable. A very tasty rendition of tartar sauce. The dressing on the salad is their house dressing and it was quite sweet, had a noticeable ginger note and was very good.

The Ahi Sandwich was also good with a nice piece of fish but seemed to be lacking an element. We debated whether it should have a creamier spread instead of the wasabi aioli or if it just needed a touch of salt. The arugula and wasabi did have a nice bite but overall the sandwich just missed being really good. The bread was fine and the french fries, though probably frozen, were sprinkled with kosher salt and tasty.

We can recommend the Double Cheeseburger without reservation. My dining partner declared that "This is what 'Cheeseburger Deluxe' means!" as visions of Rap Reiplinger comedy routines ran through our heads. The patties are hand-formed, well-seasoned, juicy and delicious. Garnished with lettuce, tomato, red onion and cheddar cheese, this is one tasty burger. Even the bun was good, but then it should be, having soaked up those yummy burger juices.

To my taste buds the Tomato Bisque was a triumph - rich without being heavy, flavorful without being salty and with a perfect blend of taste and texture. It reminded us of a really good vodka pasta sauce. Chef Nico said that he uses a white wine reduction which may account for some of the delicious flavor. The portion was huge, at least 20 oz., with enough left over for two portions for dinner at home later.

As in all good restaurants there is someone with a passion for good food and excellence involved in the operation. In the case of Nico's at Pier 38, that person is chef/proprietor Nico Chaize. Born in Lyon, France and barely pushing 30, he has worked at a number of excellent restaurants here in Honolulu including Michel's at the Colony Surf and The Bistro at Century Center. Starting in the restaurant business at the age of 15, he has already spent half his life working in restaurants, and it shows. His team is sharp, quick and they interact well with the customers. Our hope is that Nico's does well - it appears that so far, so good - and it becomes one of those rare places you can depend on for excellent food served quickly at a great price.

Nico's at Pier 38
1133 N Nimitz Hwy
Iwilei, Honolulu
540-1377
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30am-6pm, Sat 6:30am-2:30pm. Please note that they do not serve between 9:30-10am M-F or 10:30-11am Sat while changing over to lunch service.

*Directions: From Nimitz Highway, turn makai at the intersection where the New Eagle Cafe in the Nimitz Business Center is located. Follow the road which winds into the industrial area. You will pass large tanks on the right and see a large two-story building, Pacific Ocean Producers, on the left. Nico's is located at the rear of this building. Turn left just in front of the building and Nico's will be at the rear of the building at the Diamond Head/makai corner. Look for the green awnings. If you pass the building, you can turn left into a parking lot there.