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Barfly
Jason Genegabus
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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
A faded blue banner, at left, and red chochin (paper lantern) identify Kohnotori, a Moiliili izakaya that opened in 2004.
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Authentic izakaya
A hidden gem near the University of Hawaii-Manoa offers yakitori favorites and cocktails in an intimate setting
IT'S NOT often that I come across a bar on this island that I haven't heard of or set foot inside. Now, this doesn't mean I've ordered cocktails in every watering hole from Waimanalo to Waianae. But between my own adventures and regular updates from the Honolulu Liquor Commission, I think I have a pretty good idea of what's available to Oahu's drinking public.
KOHNOTORI
Location: 2626 S. King St.
Hours: 6 p.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays; 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Call: 941-7255
What did you drink?
The Barfly stuck with Kirin draft ($3.65 a glass, or $12.45 per pitcher) during multiple visits to Kohnotori. Bottles of Asahi ($5.45), Budweiser/Bud Light ($2.90) and Heineken ($4) are also available, as are a variety of sake, shochu and wine.
Get things to do?
Other than watching the person behind the grill do their job, there isn't much else going on. Don't expect to find the game on TV or a DJsetting up turntables on the weekends here.
What about the grinds?
Dining here can be an adventure, especially if you're not familiar with Japanese bar food. I didn't know how good beef tongue ($4.20), fried chicken skin ($1.80) or bacon-wrapped quail eggs ($1.80) could taste fresh off the grill! Ramen ($4.80 to $5.80) and oden ($1.40) are also available for those who want something more substantial, while items like kim chee ($2.90) and ahi poke ($4.80) are a nod to Kohnotori's local following.
And the service?
Until I came here with someone who used to live in Japan, I didn't understand why employees seemed a little detached. As it turns out, Japanese-style service isn't meant to smother the customer with attention -- they'll bring you what you want as fast as possible, but you have to take the first step and ask.
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That's why I was surprised to find myself near the University of Hawaii this month, tossing a few back inside a Japanese izakaya that first opened its doors in 2004. Why had it taken so long for me to discover Kohnotori and all the yummy yakitori offered there?
TUCKED AWAY on South King Street just Diamond Head of University Avenue, it's easy to miss this place. Sharing a small building (and even smaller parking lot) with popular Japanese restaurant Imanas Tei, the only way you can tell Kohnotori is even there is the kanji-covered blue banner and red chochin (paper lantern) that hang outside its front door.
With just 10 parking spaces for the entire building, you're better off heading for Puck's Alley or searching along South King Street. Another option is to follow the example of Japanese tourists and take a taxi here.
Following a rousing cheer of "irrashaimase" to welcome newcomers, much fuss is made to determine whether or not they have a reservation. There are only five tables inside Kohnotori, although another dozen seats are available in front of the plexiglass-shielded grill that is the focal point of their food operation.
If you plan on visiting before 9 p.m. (midnight on the weekends), it's a good idea to call a few hours in advance and make reservations. Once you do, the staff is pretty good about making sure a table is ready when you walk through the door.
For smaller parties, or those who enjoy waiting 20 to 30 minutes for a table, skip the phone call and head inside to inquire about sitting at the bar.
This area is normally set aside for walk-in customers and offers better views of the grill and faster service, but you never know just how many seats will be available when you get there.
I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD the fascination with cook-it-yourself joints where you pay for the raw ingredients and do all the work.
That's why I like Kohnotori, which utilizes a single employee behind its traditional charcoal-burning grill to prepare their yakitori. I'm told there are additional employees who work a six-hour shift during the day, preparing hundreds of skewers daily for grilling at night.
Once you're seated, a server will come by to drop off a pupu menu and take drink orders. The stacks of order forms atop each table list nearly all of the same items on the menu; other specials are scrawled on pieces of paper and taped to the walls.
Izakaya food is similar to tapas and other small-plate cuisine that can substitute for a full meal, and they're all designed to go well with alcohol.
More than 80 different items are available at Kohnotori, and most arrive on a wooden skewer. Priced between $1.60 and $2.40 per item, it's all good if you visit with a couple of mild-mannered friends, but be careful if you come here with a large group of people who like to party. Ordering can get out of control, resulting in a much higher bill than expected at the end of the night.
We spent $100 on food and drinks (including tax and tip) for three people on one visit and about $130 for five people a few weeks later. While you could probably enjoy yourself here for $25 or less, be prepared to spend $30 to $40 per person (or more) on drinks and pupu if the crew shows up hungry.
Another tip: Have a few go-to pupu in mind so you can order immediately.
Yakitori items like bacon-wrapped asparagus ($1.80) and tomato ($1.80) are solid bets, as are karaage chicken ($4.60) and pork with onion ($1.60). Kohnotori's fried cheese ($2.20) offers a unique cross between a cheese stick and won ton, and it's always a good idea to put in an order for a few bowls of rice ($1.20) or onigiri ($1.80) to go with food yet to be ordered.
AFTER SETTLING in a bit, the differences between this izakaya and other neighborhood bars begin to show.
True to its heritage, the emphasis here is on relaxing with friends. Food is available, but there is no pressure to do anything more than sit with a drink and talk story. Servers try to remain as unobtrusive as possible, to the point where they will stay away from your table if they notice you're in the middle of a really deep conversation.
While they won't hover and repeatedly ask if you're doing OK, that doesn't mean the employees are slacking off. Instead, they take up defensive positions in opposite corners of the small room and watch for a signal from customers.
It's a little strange at first, since most of us expect bar help to be proactive when it comes to clearing plates and refilling glasses. At Kohnotori, dirty plates would sit until we ordered more food, and we always had to flag someone down for another beer.
But all it took was a wave of the hand or eye contact with a server and the plates were gone, followed a few minutes later by a full pitcher.
Once you acclimate yourself to this style of service and learn to appreciate the skill it takes to achieve such consistent quality from a single charcoal grill, it's easy to understand why this place doesn't need much publicity to keep customers coming back.
Barfly appears every last Friday of the month in HiLife. Reach
Jason Genegabus at
jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.