FOOD
This one-woman Korean diner captures you from the moment you walk in the door. Whether it’s chef-owner Won Nam shouting at you or the tantalizing aromas coming from the kitchen, Ah-Lang will demand your attention and steal your heart before you can say kimchi. What makes Ah-Lang more captivating is the unadvertised amount of local produce incorporated in Won’s repertoire. It’s no doubt this woman can cook, but one may suspect the fresh ingredients straight from her garden play a role in the nostalgic flavors of her namu (Korean prepared vegetables). Chef Won prides herself on the amount of ingredients that come from her garden, but her real self-respect shines when she speaks of the beauty and health of her well-groomed community garden slot. From the green onions in her seafood pa-jeon (green onion pancake), to her hot peppers that define a 10 on the heat scale, Won incorporates fresh local produce from her garden and from local farmers whenever possible, and it shows. Take a stroll through Ma- noa Community Garden, write down what garden slot you think is most beautiful and report back to Won the next time you’re in (and she’s not busy). There is a good chance you’ll write down the slot number of this “Angry Korean Lady,” who really isn’t so angry. —AC Ah-Lang aka The Angry Korean Lady Imperial Plaza (on the 1st Floor fronting Cooke St.) 725 Kapiolani Boulevard, C-119B Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Monday–Saturday: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm 808.596.0600 angrykoreanlady.com
12th Avenue Grill Chef Kevin Hanney has worked at farm-to-table restaurants since 1978 and as he puts it, he’s been hooked from the beginning—mostly for the flavors. “I never gave up on it,” he says, whether cooking in New York, Santa Cruz or O‘ahu, where’s he’s been since 1992, when “farmto-table” wasn’t the trend it is now. After a trip to Big Island, Hanney discovered a bounty of produce that hadn’t yet made it to O‘ahu because farmers were unwilling to ship without a guaranteed market. He promised to buy and convinced farmers to send him ingredients. These days, while produce is easier to obtain, using local still isn’t the easiest route; sometimes it means breaking down a whole wild boar—which requires butchering skills that are lost on many chefs these days—and knowing what to do with less-common cuts (Hanney ends up making a lot of his own sausage). And when he can get his hands on it, he brings in local rabbit. “It’s plump, juicy and full of flavor without being real gamey,” he says, meat cleaver in hand. —MC 12th Avenue Grill 1145C 12th Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii 96816 Monday–Thursday: 5:30 to 9:00 pm Friday–Sat: 5:30 to 10:00 pm 808.732.9469 12thavegrill.com
Photo: Martha Cheng
Ah-Lang aka The Angry Korean Lady
Beets, cranberries, tomatoes and greens; everything at Hale is organic.
Eat Café Don’t let the industrial and gridlocked Nimitz Highway trick you into thinking there’s no place cozy to eat in the Iwilei district. EAT Café, located in the Gentry Pacific Design Center across from Dole Cannery, is the place you wished you knew about when you found yourself hungry and stuck in this bustling urban pocket of Honolulu. Hop off Nimitz, pick a parking spot (there are plenty) and wander through the quirky design center on your way to this charming café. It's small, out of the way and perfect for that quick meeting, grab-and-go breakfast or lunch. The simple menu offers sandwich and salad specials, burgers and other seasonal dishes featuring regional produce. Pastries are made fresh daily and on Saturdays breakfast is served all day. Several times a month, Chef David Passanisi provides those “in the know” with course after course of what he feels should be featured that evening. These special dinners highlight an assortment of local produce and fresh caught seafood Chef Passanisi hand selects at the markets that day. EAT passionately caters to their clientele both in the restaurant and offsite. For special occasions, EAT offers a private dining room and reasonably priced catering menus specifically created to fit your taste and budget. —AC EAT Café 560 North Nimitz Hwy #102 (within the Gentry Pacific Design Center) Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 Monday–Friday: Breakfast 8:00 to 10:30 am, Lunch 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturday: Breakfast all day 8:00 to 3:00 pm Sunday: Reserved caterings only 808.538.0597 eathonolulu.com GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM
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