StarBulletin.com

Famed pork chops coming to Kapahulu


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POSTED: Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Side Street Inn will expand its restaurant and sports bar to a third location, on the street level of the Prudential Locations LLC Diamond Head office, to open in late fall.

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It will be called Side Street Inn on Da Strip, a nod to the string of popular eateries on Kapahulu Avenue.

Chef-owner Colin Nishida will use the opening to launch Side Street Inn Ale, made by Oregon-based Rogue Brewery, another thing he has been working on the last six months.

The menu of pupu-style dishes will be familiar to devotees, but complete meals also will be offered so diners can have “;the best of both worlds,”; said owner Colin Nishida. “;We're going to shoot for under $20 a head”; to keep prices affordable.

The new restaurant will be wide open, not divided like the Hopaka Street flagship. It also will be all on one floor, unlike sibling Fort Street Bar & Grill, which offers takeout plate lunches on the first floor and a bar and lounge upstairs.

The flagship Side Street is casual, the downtown location is a tad upscale and the new restaurant will be a little of both, but still will offer sports on TV and karaoke, Nishida said.

“;We're thrilled. They're going to be a great tenant,”; said Scott Higashi, Prudential's executive vice president of sales.

Had Nishida not guaranteed his signature pork chops and fried rice would be on the menu, the deal might not have been made, Higashi joked.

Side Street on Da Strip will open at 5 p.m. daily as the parking lot is occupied by businessfolk during the day.

Prudential Locations purchased the building in 2006 and had a deal with former isle restaurateur Jean-Marie Josselin to occupy the space, but the restaurant did not materialize and the matter went into litigation.

“;We remarketed the space and as they say, all things happen for a reason,”; Higashi said. “;We couldn't be happier that it's Colin and Side Street.”;

Nishida will hire about 50 people for the new store that some of the existing crew of 65 also will help open, he said.