There’s a new happy hour in the Kahala neighborhood, and, good news — it’s available during the weekends, too.
Yohei Sushi Kahala opened last January with a luxe omakase and eventually added an a la carte menu. Its happy hour launched in early September, but its hours were modified in November. It’s now available from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays.
The happy hour prices are a stark contrast to the omakase, which ranges from $170 for lunch to $350 for the most luxurious dinner course. The happy hour drink menu features a selection of wines and Japanese sake, which are chosen by Japanese sake sommelier Yoko Suganami. The selection is designed to pair uniquely with the eatery’s appetizers.
Beverages range from Asahi draft beer ($3.99) and house red/white wines ($8) to Japanese sake ($4 for 2 ounces, $11 for 6 ounces). The sake tasting flight (three varieties for $12) is probably the best deal, but you can also get lemon sours and highballs for $6 each.
“I pick the most popular sakes from the regular menu (for the flight), but also unique choices,” Suganami says. “I choose the sake based on customers’ different tastes.”
The food menu features traditional Japanese-style dishes that are separated into $4 and $8 categories. Many of the dishes are on the eatery’s regular menu, but the happy hour version features smaller portions, according to Suganami.
The $4 menu includes dishes like Japanese potato salad, Japanese egg omelet, cold udon noodles, inari sushi and the rice ball of the day. Previous rice ball flavors included ume and bonito.
“Everybody orders the cold udon noodles,” Suganami says. “The salt-fermented squid is also a unique item; it’s a traditional Japanese food. People from Hawaii might not be familiar with it, but it’s really good with sake.”
The $8 menu features dishes like grilled fish of the day, shrimp and vegetable tempura, scallop cream croquette, sashimi of the day, minced meat cutlet and Camembert cheese tempura. The latter — boasting a delectable golden-brown, crispy exterior and gooey, melty interior — is one of the most popular options so far, as are the scallop cream croquettes and sashimi of the day. The grilled fish has mostly been butterfish, while the sashimi could range from ahi and aji to kampachi.
“The scallop cream croquette and Camembert cheese tempura are very original, more izakaya-style dishes,” Suganami says. “Takoyaki is also popular; sometimes it’s sold out.”
CONTACT
Yohei Sushi Kahala
4210 Waialae Ave., Honolulu
808-425-4143
Yoheisushi.com
Instagram: @yoheisushi.kahala
Happy hour 2-5 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
