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The Weekly Eater Nadine Kam |
Addictive smoky flavor
dominates dishes
at Kiawe GrillThis time of year the signs are right for grilling: The summer sun makes it too hot to stay indoors, the kids are out of school, and if you're not on vacation from your job, your mind's taking a break anyway.
Not everyone has the luxury of a back yard, and condo associations make it awfully hard to bust out a hibachi on your lanai. And then there are those days when you don't have time to set up the grill, but crave a taste of smoky charcoal or kiawe flavor ... where you gonna go?
For those in Kalihi or Moiliili, the answer's evident as they pass Kiawe Grill in the New Diner's complex in Kalihi and Old Stadium mall in Moiliili. It's one of those places where what you see is what you get. As soon as you cross the threshold, you're confronted with a wall of grilled meat options. Of course there are burgers and steaks, but owner Jerry Chong is doing his best to keep things interesting, by offering lean, beefy flavored buffalo, the red-meat ostrich, and such premium beef as certified angus and Kobe.
But with the smoky kiawe flavor permeating all, it's difficult to discern the differences between the different forms of beef. Even salmon has that same overriding essence. A lot of salt and coarse ground pepper form a crusty layer on top of the pulehu patties, further obliterating any distinctive qualities of the beef, but adding an addictive appeal.
I'm sure most burger enthusiasts are just happy to see the giant half-pound patties filling the bun, rather than the anemic burgers served up at many fast-food joints. A lot of those who show up in Moiliili look like middle-aged professional guys in their tucked aloha shirts and Dockers. It makes sense. Those younger or less well off are more likely to be picking up fast-food meal deals at $4 to $5, rather than paying a la carte for an angus or Kobe burger running $6.50, french fries $1.95 and small soft drink .95 cents.
Shanna Chun, left, and her sister Shannel show Kiawe Grill's BBQ Special of kalbi, beef and chicken.
The tendency here is to cook the burgers to well-done dryness, so you'd better speak up if you want yours a little juicier.
For those who don't want to dirty their hands, you can also order a pattie on a fluffy bed of rice -- about a cupful of carbs, or what appears to be about four scoops of cooked rice. Along with that, full-size plates come with your choice of four Korean-style vegetables, such as kim chee cabbage or cucumbers, turnips, bean sprouts or seaweed.
Mini plates give you a choice of three veggies, and at the Moiliili store, signs set limits of something like four pieces of tofu or three pieces of boiled potatoes "due to weight" which might cause imbalance in your Styrofoam box. There are no vegetable police patrolling the veggie bar, however, so let your conscience be your guide.
Also on the menu are BBQ chicken ($5.75/$6.55), pork ($5.95/$6.95) and rib-eye ($5.75/$6.75) plates. A better description would be to call them teriyaki plates because "barbecue" refers to the style of slow-cooking over low heat.
There are also combos of sweet kiawe-grilled shrimp and kalbi ($8.95) or shrimp and steak (8 ounces of steak $8.95/10 ounces of steak $9.95).
Salmon is crusted with salt and the regular plate is enough for two meals, though because of the salt, it may be better to order the salmon burger ($4.50) and pull the plain salmon fillet out of the sandwich, though this is also dry.
The best dish I had here was the salt-and-pepper pulehu lamb chops ($6.45/$7.95). In this case, the strong flavor of lamb broke through the smoke and crust, though not all would appreciate that.
Whatever your preference, grab a plate and head for the rooftops tonight for an all-American 4th with a bit of kiawe-wood flava.
For a taste of Brazilian barbecue, Tudo De Bom opened Friday in the McCully Shopping Center with a Churrasco de Rodizio menu of skewered beef, chicken and sausages. Check it out; you know I will.
Regular plates come with four choices of veggies, like the ones featured at the restaurant's Korean-style salad bar.
1311 N. King St. and 2334 S. King St. (Old Stadium Mall) / 841-5577 / 955-5500 Kiawe Grill
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays
Food 
Service Ambience Value Cost: Burgers about $4.50; small plates about $5.75 to $6.45; regular plates about $6.25 to $8.45
See some past restaurant reviews in the Columnists section.
Nadine Kam's restaurant 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
excellent; very good, exceeds expectations; average; below average.
