Shokudo - An Unlikely Marriage of Comfort Foods
Gail Jennings
October 2005

This is one of those spots that has a lot of things going for it - a lively atmosphere, attractive physical appearance, friendly-without-being-obnoxious service, hearty portions well-suited to the market and an adventurous menu. That is why it's hard to put my finger on the missing ingredient - that elusive thing that makes a restaurant magic rather than above average. One might consider that they aren't trying to be magical; they are just striving for the broadest possible acceptance.

With a stated goal of taking the concept nationwide, one wouldn't expect the food to be superior, and it's not. It could be described as an occasionally rocky marriage of American and Japanese comfort foods with both parties basically committed but keeping their options open. The open options include a smattering of Korean, Chinese and even French influences. Given all that, it's a wonder any of it works, and some of it works quite well.

I loved the physical space, but then I'm a complete pushover for anything that even hints of The Jetson's and is rendered in shades of red and orange. We were seated beneath a "beam me up Scottie" tri-circle ceiling decorative element with a glowing conical lamp encased in a cool lucite-like red box shade on the table. The chairs are comfortable and the cafeteria-like tables appealed to the utilitarian in me. Booths are available but they seemed cramped for the amount of food we normally order. Nice and cozy though for dining couples.

We started with a couple of cocktails one of which was a Saketini ($7) - this version was made with Chambord and a twist of lime. As we sipped our drinks, we perused the menu which spans several categories including a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi offerings, nabe (hot pots) and noodles. Korea was represented by a Bibimbap entree which we noted many people ordered. It was served dol sot style in a very hot cast iron bowl which allowed the rice to crisp. We ordered Deep-fried Tofu ($5.75) and Seared Ahi on Grated Daikon with Ponzu Sauce ($8.75) as starters. I really wanted to try the Chanko-nabe ($19.75) and we decided on the Fried Noodle Omelette ($7.75) as well. Additionally, our server pointed out the Seasonal Menu which will change on November 1. We couldn't resist trying the featured sake, Funaguchi Ichiban Shibori Kikusui (Kikusui is the brand name), and were delighted at its presentation in a wooden sake box filled with shimmering shave ice - a lovely touch which worked brilliantly to keep the sake ice-cold. This sake is fresh and unpasteurized and was one of the best we've tasted recently and we recommend it.

General oddities or innovations, if you prefer, include the liberal use of ketchup and mayonnaise as garnishing sauce on several dishes. The menu planner must have decided that Japanese love mayo and Americans love ketchup and come up with this idea. A nod to American sensibilities are the large portions which make this an ideal spot to gather a group and eat family-style. Japanese sensibilities are not neglected as the overall presentation of dishes is superior and very appealing.

The first dish delivered was the Seared Ahi and it was essentially Shokudo's version of a Japanese standard, tataki. I found the fish to be of slightly below average quality; the large mound of grated daikon on which the ahi rested and the pool of ponzu sauce weren't sufficient to distract me. I couldn't help comparing it to the excellent tataki we enjoyed at Tadashi's in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center. The ahi in that dish was very fresh and that is the point of this type of preparation; showcasing fine fish.

The next dish was much better. Though the tofu was deep fried, it hadn't been breaded so the outer skin wasn't oily and had enough body to provide a nice "give" when you cut into it. The fresh taste and just-firm-enough texture was perfectly complemented by the abundant thick shavings of bonita and chopped scallions on top. This dish was also served in a pool of soy-ponzu which added one more flavor to a very pleasing whole. This dish was also a rendition of a classic Japanese dish with very little variation except for the large quantity of bonita shavings, which I liked.

I insisted on ordering the Chanko-nabe because it's a dish that holds fond memories for me. From the earliest times when I lived in Japan, this was a dish my then mother-in-law made for the family on a regular basis. Chanko-nabe has its roots in Sumo culture and it was once described to me by a Japanese friend as "a miso based soup with everything including the kitchen sink in it!" I was interested to see what Shokudo would do with this dish and I have to say that it was quite successful.

Our very competent server, Leah, brought out the burner and a stainless steel vessel which held the various utensils we would use to cook the nabe. Traditionally, chanko-nabe is prepared with miso and there are no particular rules for ingredients, with each cook adding items according to their own personal preference or availability. At Shokudo the ingredients, which included chunks of tofu, thinly sliced pork, clams, salmon, white fish, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, burdock root and other vegetables, were presented in a large shallow cooking vessel with a quantity of salt broth in the bottom and a bamboo cylinder filled with a minced chicken, ginger and scallion mixture on the side. As the broth heated up, the pot started to boil and Leah scraped sections of the minced chicken into the broth creating savory chicken meatballs.

After the meatballs were started, we were allowed to finish cooking the nabe and serve ourselves. This dish was very good and is more than enough to feed two people - you could easily feed three given the amount we took home. While it didn't have the customary miso base, I liked this adaptation. It had a fresh, clean taste with each ingredient retaining its distinct flavor and texture. The pork they used was of an excellent quality and the chicken meatballs were a nice addition.

The Fried Noodle Omelette is hard to describe. I thought it might be like yakisoba with an egg "crepe" draped over the noodles. However, instead of being sweet, the fried noodles were slightly salty with a good amount of ground pork and onion slices providing the bulk of flavor to the dish. The egg "crepe" was simple and featured the aforementioned ketchup and mayo decoration. If you are familiar with the dish, Omurice (popular both in Japan and Korea), this is similar to that but with noodles instead of rice.

We decided on the Honey Toast ($6.75) for dessert. A warning: the photo of this on the menu is NOT TO SCALE. The actual dessert is huge and we could barely eat a quarter of it. Do not order this unless you are extremely hungry or you're with a large group and plan to share. What we received was two three-inch thick slices of St. Germain white bread which had been toasted and then hollowed out. The exterior crusts remained and held the honeyed bread cubes along with a couple of scoops of very rich and delicious vanilla ice cream. Moderation is advised!

All in all this relatively new restaurant has more pluses than minuses. The weakest point is the unevenness of the dishes - some worked very well, some were okay and there were a few which were marginal. On the positive side the service was uniformly excellent and the atmosphere is quite convivial - a great choice for a large group. We learned from our server that the restaurant accommodates two fairly distinct crowds on any given evening, with families, couples and shoppers making up the pau hana and dinner group. After 9 or 10pm they serve a young crowd, often in groups, who are out for an evening of clubbing and Shokudo provides a great place to stop for food and cool cocktails such as the Grape Calpico ($6) that combines vodka with the Japanese soft drink.

Will they succeed as a national chain in the U.S.? It's hard to say but so far the formula seems to be working here. If they sharpen the menu through continued testing and experimenting (I presume that is what they are doing with their new seasonal menus introduced every two months), they may well find and focus on the best offerings. In the meantime, Shokudo is worth a visit.

Shokudo
1585 Kapiolani Blvd
Ala Moana Pacific Center
Ala Moana, Honolulu
941-3701
Hours: Daily 5pm-2am, last drink and food orders at 1am
Parking: Validated, entrance is at the rear of the building from Kona St