The Weekly Eater
A WORLD TRAVELER recently lamented the chop suey approach to ethnic cuisines here. You know the story, a Thai restaurant opens with scorching curries, an abundance of lemongrass and aromatic broths that spike the air with eau de anchovy. Ummm. Doesn't everybody love this stuff? BamBoo is firmly
committed to the flavors
of JapanGuess not.
It doesn't take long for mom and pop to take the hint and soon the menu is reduced to a lovely helping of bland. Our food memories are built around these watered- down cuisines, and before you know it, our genes are passed down to children who grow up fearing cilantro, ginger, anise or any food that might bite back.
Few of the mom-and-pop eateries can afford to hold their ground. BamBoo Japanese Kitchen is one that is trying, sticking to a menu of difficult appetizers -- sea cucumber ($3) for one, and I really don't get the appeal of marinated smelt ($5; isn't that porpoise food?) -- while making a few concessions to kama'aina with the offering of tame, beloved, practically indigenous foods like hamburger steak ($8) and pork cutlet ($8.50) plates.
2700 S. King St. / 971-4040 BAMBOO JAPANESE KITCHEN
Food 
Service Ambience Value Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Cost: $20 to $30 for two, without drinks
This makes it possible for those who only like chance 'em some of the time to go ahead and play it safe with that mild miso sautéed pork plate ($8), while trying something new, like the smoked salmon and spaghetti squash ($5.50), a pure acid eye-opener, soaked in vinegar, tempered with a little sugar. Or the deep-fried imitation whale ($3.50). That's right, in preparation for the day whale meat is outlawed in Japan, they've tried to recreate its oily -- and from what I could tell, never having actually eaten part of a whale -- liverlike flavor by deep-frying the ahi bloodline. Suffice to say plain old ginger ahi ($9.75) is the most popular dish on the menu.
Even BamBoo-style tako poke ($6) is a little different. There's no chop suey sesame oil, onions or limu, for instance. It's just soy spiced with radish sprouts with a good helping of tomatoes and cucumbers. And I'd never seen gobo and pork combined in tempura, an occasional special, before. The pork is negligible, but the chewy texture of the gobo was a revelation. I almost didn't care that the batter was spongier than most people prefer, the better to showcase the supple shrimp in the regular tempura ($9).
Then there are the gratins. If you don't mind extra fat, the sweet potato and cheese gratin ($3.50) is the Japanese equivalent to the good ol' American baked potato with everything on top. Even more decadent is the half avocado ($6.50) that is stirred to a creamy puddinglike consistency with soy-wasabi-mayo (of course) sauce and chopped shrimp, then baked in the avocado skin.
Is it any wonder I never bothered to inquire about dessert?
Take a trip to Tokyo
Tokyo Tokyo, Kumi Iseki's newest restaurant, will be the site of a fund-raiser for the Ronald McDonald House, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.Featured at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental restaurant will be a sampling of fresh seafood, robata-style or grilled specialties, sushi and premium sakes. Tickets are $100 per person. For reservations, call 973-5683.
Get juiced
At the opposite end of the spectrum, those looking to get juiced can check out Jamba Juice's "Free Smoothie Morning" Wednesday.From 6 to 9 a.m., all Jamba Juice stores on Oahu and Maui will be giving away free 24-ounce smoothies to customers, while collecting voluntary donations to benefit Kapi'olani Children's Miracle Network.
Money raised will help pay for the purchase of medical equipment, patient services, research and health eduction programs in Hawaii.
On Oahu, Jamba Juice can be found at the Kailua Village Shops, Kahala Mall, Pearlridge Center, 130 Merchant St., Ward Village Shops and 625 Kapahulu Ave.
On Maui, head to Maui Marketplace and Pi'ilani Village.
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
