OODLES OF NOODLES
Five spots to savor a variety of Asian noodles at the Royal Hawaiian Center.
TEXT BY SARAH BURCHARD
IMAGES BY JOHN HOOK For 4,000 years cooks have rolled, stretched, and sliced unleavened dough into long strips and strings as an important part of Asian culture and cuisine. Some are tossed with fiery chiles and fragrant aromatics like ginger and garlic, while others are simmered in mild umami-rich broths. Whether you are conjuring good luck during the Lunar New Year or just in need of a carb fix, the Royal Hawaiian Center is a great place to venture for noodles.
Tsurutontan Udon Noodle Brasserie
TSURUTONTAN UDON NOODLE BRASSERIE
You’re here for udon. Chewy, bouncy, slurpable wheat noodles made fresh daily presented in giant artisan-made ceramic bowls. Choose thin or thick noodles, regular or large portions, hot or cold. Then, pair your noodles with fragrant dashi broth, creamy Japanese-style curry, or a variety of toppings from ikura to uni.
Noi Thai Cuisine
Island Vintage gets it right from coffee to wine and everything edible in between. It’s easy to underestimate a shave ice stand in a state that is famous for it, but don‘t walk past this one. Unlike most shave ice, Island Vintage uses fresh, local fruit. Even the syrups are made with organic ingredients such as liliko‘i, guava, mango, and pineapple. Indulge in a signature combination like the Heavenly Lilikoi: smothered top to bottom with diced fresh strawberries and tart, oozing passionfruit. The creamy frozen yogurt at the center is packed in with feathery-light shave ice, finished with a drizzle of condensed milk, boba pops, and house-made mochi. With so many invigorating textures and flavors it is no surprise this little shack pumps out 400 to 500 shave ice a day.
206 BCE
How do they do it? How do they suspend ramen noodles coated in buttery, chili sauce, flecked with cilantro, scallion and fried shallot, with chunks of spicy Portuguese sausage or shrimp in mid air? You’ll have to order the Anti-Gravity Noodles at this new Pā‘ina Lānai Food Court outpost to find out.
P.F Chang’s
Try the Pad Thai: all of the classic ingredients tossed in a savory peanut sauce sweetened with guava and deepened with oyster sauce. The Signature Lo Mein is also a family favorite, brimming with crunchy snow peas, broccoli, carrot, celery, cabbage, and mung bean sprouts. Or try the Singapore Street Noodles: angel hair rice noodles and shrimp coated in a mild curry sauce and topped with fried shallots.
Tim Ho Wan
TIM HO WAN
This world famous dim sum restaurant is better known for dumplings, but you’ll find noodles here too. The pan fried noodles are available vegetarian or with XO sauce, the fiery condiment loaded with bits of dried seafood. The steamed rice rolls are also a standout, a Cantonese dish comprised of thin sheets of rice noodle, filled with beef, pork or shrimp, rolled, steamed, and served with a shoyu-based sauce.
