Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","text":"Puka, I hope you’re not missing that chain too much."}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

LA Rams Maui 061725

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Los Angeles Rams gets schooled by a Lahainaluna Lady Lunas player</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @Rams. They came to Maui last week and were definitely cooked.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Los Angeles Rams gets schooled by a Lahainaluna Lady Lunas player

Puka, I hope you’re not missing that chain too much.  Follow the Los Angeles Rams and the Lahainaluna Lady Lunas on Instagram.  For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter!

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

“Cows eat free on opening day,” states a sign within 

, explains more about the festivities at the new location’s opening day, which is tomorrow, Aug. 28.

“If you’re dressed as a cow, you get a free entrée,” he says. “We’re going to be very loose with our interpretation, so if you have a white T-shirt with some spots, then you get a free entrée. We’re so excited to give back to the community.”

The “cows eat free on opening day” offer is limited to one per person, while supplies last. Breakfast offer options include Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits, egg white grill or 4-count Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis. Lunch and dinner options include the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, spicy chicken sandwich, 8-count grilled nuggets and more. Customizations are not available for this offer, and no purchase is necessary.

(The “why” behind the cows: Cows have been part of Chick-fil-A’s branding since 1995, encouraging guests to “eat more chikin” instead of burgers.)

The new store, which is approximately 5,600 square feet, will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. for drive-thru) Mondays to Saturdays (it’s closed on Sundays). This is the fifth Chick-fil-A location in Hawai

So, what can you expect at this second Kapolei location? (Chick-fil-A’s first Kapolei store opened in 2023, across Ka Makana Ali

The store offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The drive-thru has three lanes, which eventually consolidate to two.

The menu at this location is the same as those at other Chick-fil-A Hawai

i stores. Popular options include the Chick-fil-A sandwich ($6.79 entrée, $12.09 meal); waffle potato fries ($3.59 medium, $3.99 large); and Chick-fil-A nuggets (8-count $6.79, 12-count $9.25).

“I love the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, but with the zesty buffalo sauce drizzled on top, and maybe some extra pickles,” Lovan says. “The waffle fries are always a staple.”

The Spicy Southwest ($11.59) salad is newer to Hawaiʻi menus — it was just added about a month ago — and comprises mixed greens topped with grilled spicy chicken, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, grape tomatoes, peppers, corn and black beans.

Of course, Chick-fil-A is also known for its variety of sauces, including Chick-fil-A, zesty buffalo, Polynesian, barbecue, honey mustard and sweet and spicy Sriracha.

The biz also offers limited-time options like pretzel cheddar club sandwiches and Cherry Berry beverages (available with Sprite, Sunjoy or lemonade). These seasonal items started last week at Chick-fil-A locations.

This Kamokila store also features the first indoor Chick-fil-A playground in Hawai

i. The kids’ play area, complete with interactive displays and a puzzle, is designed for children ages 2 to 10 years old.

“I’m super excited to have keiki running around the playground; I think it’ll be an amazing experience,” Lovan says.

Opening this Chick-fil-A location is like a homecoming for Lovan, who moved back to O'ahu with his family in 2020. Born in Honolulu and raised in ‘Ewa Beach, Lovan — who graduated from Moanalua High School and is a veteran of both the Hawai

i Air National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps — recalls going to a Chick-fil-A for the first time while stationed in Virginia.

“My wife was pregnant while we were in Virginia; that was the first time we tried Chick-fil-A,” he says. “We fell in love with the waffle fries and the milkshakes. As I was getting close to retirement from the Marine Corps after 20 years, it was one of my buddy’s ideas for me to apply to be one of Chick-fil-A’s owner-operators.”

Lovan remembers checking out a webinar and learning more about the Chick-fil-A owner-operator relationship and applied from there.

“I never thought, in a million years, that I would have gotten selected,” he says. “I’m truly thankful and blessed to be able to pour into the community and team members.

“I remember Kapolei used to be a Kmart, the racetrack and Outback Steakhouse,” he adds. “Now, seeing how so much has changed and it has grown so much, it feels so surreal. I

 most excited about the 120 team members that we have here — we’ve got young men and women, as young as 14 years old to seniors in high school. I’m excited to help them grow and get to where they want to be in life.”

The city’s growth is the main reason behind choosing this location, according to Lovan: “To provide to the city of Kapolei.” He’s also excited for this location to participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, which repurposes the restaurant’s surplus food. Chick-fil-A Kamokila will donate its surplus food to local nonprofit organization Aloha Harvest, which helps deliver quality meals to help feed individuals in need.

“We repurpose our excess food so we can feed our hungry neighbors,” Lovan says. “Chick-fil-A recently donated $25,000 to Hawai’i Foodbank; this goes to show Chick-fil-A’s heart and what we’re trying to do at Chick-fil-A Kamokila.”

Open 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (10 p.m. drive-thru) Mondays-Saturdays

Chick fil A Kamokila sign 082625

<title>Chick-fil-A Kamokila is opening tomorrow</title>

Chick-fil-A’s second Kapolei-based store is opening Thursday, Aug. 28. If you’re dressed like a cow, you can get a free entrée. This location is also the first one on Oʻahu to have an indoor kids’ playground.

Chick-fil-A Kamokila is opening tomorrow

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

 The official history of Freemasonry in Hawai‘i begins in 1843, when Joseph-Marie Le Tellier, captain of the French whaler 

, established Lodge Le Progres De L’oceanie, chartered under the auspices of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite under the Supreme Council of France. Lodge members consisted of mariners and business owners from Europe and America.

In 19th century Honolulu, joining the Freemasons meant far more than belonging to a private club. Freemasonry offered fellowship, a structured moral code, and a sense of belonging in a world so far from  home. Members could build networks of trust and cooperation with merchants, professionals and government officials, gaining both social standing and practical advantages. At the same time, the rituals and symbols of the lodge taught ideals of integrity, charity, and fraternity. For newcomers in a distant land like Hawai‘i, Masonic membership provided an instant community of brothers who spoke a common language of loyalty and shared values.

In time, the interest in Freemasonry in Hawai‘i reached the very highest ranks of society, with a few Hawaiian kings becoming members of the fraternity. The first Native Hawaiian raised in the brotherhood was Prince Lot Kapuāiwa, who later became King Kamehameha V. Prince Alexander Liholiho followed his brother into the craft, later becoming King Kamehameha IV. Several other ali‘i were raised as well, including King David Kalākaua, his brother Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku II, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole, and Prince David Kawānanakoa. Other notable Freemasons in Hawaiian government include John Owen Dominis, husband to Queen Lili‘uokalani, Archibald Cleghorn, father of Princess Ka‘iulani, and Governor Wallace R. Farrington.

Only Hawai‘i can claim to have had two monarchs who sat as masters of a Masonic lodge during their reign: King Kamehameha IV and King David Kalākaua.

In Honolulu, a number of prominent landmarks bear cornerstones set in place with full Masonic ritual and ceremony. Among them are the Kekuanaoa Building, better known as the Territorial Building, the stately Ali‘iōlani Hale that houses Hawai‘i’s State Supreme Court, Queen’s Hospital, and even the regal ‘Iolani Palace. For the Freemasons, such ceremonies were a way of imbuing stone and mortar with ideals of stability, morality, and permanence, linking the rising architecture of Honolulu with a tradition that stretched back centuries.

Though many of these buildings still stand as testaments to that legacy, the fraternity’s own gathering places were just as significant. Several spaces in Honolulu were home to Masonic Temples over the years until a cornerstone was laid at the corner of Makiki and Kinau Streets in 1937. Within the halls of Makiki Temple, solemn ceremonies unfolded, and secrets were carefully guarded behind closed doors. After decades of ritual, secrecy, and charged atmosphere, the very weight of those gatherings seemed to seep into the walls of the temple itself.

A few years ago, a chilling story began to circulate about a houseless man who, seeking warmth on a cold night, managed to slip inside the lodge building. Wandering through the building’s dark corridors, he found his way upstairs into a wide, windowless chamber. The air was still and heavy, but warmer than outside, so he lay down on the floor, exhausted and hungry, and drifted into uneasy sleep.

In the middle of the night, neighbors across the street awoke to bloodcurdling screams echoing through the darkness. They described the cries as raw terror, as though someone were fighting for their very life. When police arrived, they found the man pleading desperately for help. For some reason, he couldn’t open the doors to leave, so he tried to escape through a second-story window. There he was, halfway out the window, hanging on for dear life. The officers were forced to summon the lodge’s caretaker to gain entry.

Once upstairs, the police quickly arrested the man for trespassing, but what happened next unsettled even them. As they escorted him downstairs, they passed through the large dining hall. The caretaker flipped on the light, illuminating the walls, and there, lined from corner to corner, were black-and-white portraits of the past Masters of Hawai‘i’s lodges. Each man was dressed in their Masonic regalia, gazing sternly from their frame.

The houseless man froze in his tracks. His eyes widened, his face drained of color, and then he erupted into screams that filled the hall.

“That’s them! Those guys! They were walking in a circle around me, coming closer and closer… like they were gonna do something to me! That’s them, all of them! That’s them!”

Collectively, the officers dismissed his outburst as the ravings of a disturbed man. Yet one officer later admitted, almost reluctantly, that even with the dining room lights blazing, the room was darkly oppressive. He said it felt as if there was still life behind the watchful eyes in the portraits, and that the room held far more than the living men who stood inside it.

Makiki Masonic Temple Large

<title>Watchful eyes at Maikiki Temple</title>

Only Hawai‘i can claim to have had two monarchs who sat as masters of a Masonic lodge during their reign: King Kamehameha IV and King David Kalākaua. Freemasonry offered brotherhood and a moral code — and a sense of mystery, with a strange tale emerging about the Makiki Temple.

Watchful eyes at Maikiki Temple

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

A group of over 100 Hawai‘i hotel workers have won a class-action lawsuit against their employers over improperly paid tips.

In 2016, Reneldo Rodriguez was working at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawai‘i Island serving food during banquet events. While he was working there, the hotel imposed a fee, called a “service charge” or “gratuity” on guests.

Although the hotel informed guests that those charges would not be distributed in full to employees, it did not specify the actual percentage of the money that would go to staff. The disclosures at the time read, in part: “We allocate a portion of the service fee to our employees as tips or wages.”

[{"type":"text","text":"And that, it turns out, is illegal."}]

Rodriguez filed a class-action suit against Mauna Kea Resort, Hawai‘i Prince Hotel Waikīkī and Prince Resorts Hawai‘i in Dec. 2016 on behalf of “over 100 servers, porters, bartenders and other employees,” arguing that their hotels had violated a state law protecting against unfair and deceptive business practices.

The law in question — Hawai‘i Revised Statutes 481B-14 — specifically applies to hotel or restaurant service charges. Under that law, any establishment that applies service charges for food or beverage services must either distribute the service charge directly to its employees as tip income or “clearly disclose” to the purchaser that the charge is being used to cover expenses other than employee wages and tips.

The word “clearly” was the linchpin of the argument by attorney Brandee Faria, representing the plaintiffs. She never disputed the fact that the hotel did inform guests that service charges didn’t entirely go to employees.

But obfuscating how much of those charges did go to workers, she argued, goes against the understood definition of “clearly.” She suggested that providing the specific percentages of where the charges go would fulfill the requirements of the law.

With the hotels having failed to meet legal requirements, Faria argued that the plaintiffs were entitled to 100% of the service charges levied during their employments, with damages to be determined at trial.

While the First Circuit Court agreed with the plaintiffs, the defendants appealed and the Intermediate Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s decision.

[{"type":"text","text":"But the ICA’s reasoning was flawed, Faria claimed."}]

In a follow-up appeal to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court, she argued that the ICA had wrongly focused on her suggestion of providing percentages, when that was only one of any number of potential ways to “clearly disclose” the use of service fees.

“The question … is whether a disclosure that does not provide sufficient or meaningful information to consumers to make a gratuity determination — that is, whether and how much to tip — ‘clearly discloses’ that the service charge is not a gratuity or tip,” read Faria’s Supreme Court filing.

[{"type":"text","text":"On Monday, the Supreme Court issued a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs."}]

 that the law serves a dual purpose: to ensure consumers are well-informed and service workers are adequately compensated. The law exists to “patch” a previous issue where employers used service charges to cover their own administrative costs, while consumers — who believed the service charges had already covered workers’ tips — left no tips for employees.

Eddins cited in his opinion the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of "clearly" ("'free from obscurity or ambiguity,' 'easily understood,' or 'unmistakable'), concluding that the hotels had failed to meet such a standard.

“Does a portion of the service charge mean nearly all of it?” Eddins wrote. “Or almost none of it? Does ‘a portion’ [allocated] to ‘tips or wages’ mean that 

 of the service charge is allocated to tip income? Or does it mean that nearly all of it is? It’s any consumer’s guess.”

Eddins noted that, in early 2017, the hotels updated their disclosures to be more specific. One such example specified that 18.7% out of a 22% service charge is pooled and distributed to relevant staff, with the remaining 3.3% retained by the hotel, which Eddins considered a sufficiently clear disclosure.

The Supreme Court’s decision overturns that of the Appeals Court, and remands the case back to the First Circuit Court for further proceedings.

[{"type":"text","text":"Aloha State Daily reached out to Faria for comment."}]

Prince Waikiki

<title>Hotel workers prevail in service charge lawsuit</title>

Supreme Court rules hotels didn't clearly disclose gratuity fees.

Hotel workers prevail in service charge lawsuit

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"MĀNOA — Life without Micah Alejado was silent. "}]

 on Saturday, a hush fell over the sellout crowd at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex when 

, the team's starting quarterback, went down for several minutes. 

It was the first possession of the third quarter when the redshirt freshman was dragged down with a hip-drop tackle. Prior to that, Alejado showcased his talents with a first half in which he completed 17 of his 24 passes for 116 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. All of a sudden, those who saw Alejado on the ground for a prolonged period of time were dreading the worst, that the two quarters he played were all he'd be able to display in 2025. 

 entered on the next play, his lone pass attempt batted down. Alejado reentered the game a compromised version of himself on the team's next possession, limping and favoring his right ankle the rest of the way. The ‘Ewa Beach native still managed to lead the 'Bows down the field for two field goal drives, including Kansei Matsuzawa's game-winning field goal as time expired. When Alejado celebrated after the game, he was doing so while hopping on his left leg. 

All eyes were on Alejado at the beginning of Tuesday's practice, the team's first on-field session of the week. Alejado was in uniform but was a sideline observer, giving tips and encouragement to his teammates. The Rainbow Warriors will take on the University of Arizona for a game that kicks off at 4:30 p.m. HST on Saturday, departing for Tuscon on Thursday morning. 

Following Tuesday's practice, Hawai‘i head coach 

 said he expects Alejado to be ready to go. 

"Micah is trying to heal that ankle injury, so it's day-to-day right now, but he's expected to go play," Chang said. "I think he felt better (after Saturday). There's a lot of great people in Hawai‘i, by the way, that want to help and have reached out. And so Micah is just, he's been kind of aggressive on his rehab process. 

"And then again, there's a gameplan that has to go in. He's dialed in. He's been here all day Sunday, all day Monday. And so now Tuesday, he's got a process he's got to go through. And so as long as it continually gets better, we're expecting him to go."

Weaver took the bulk of the first-team reps on Tuesday, with the remainder going to UCLA transfer Dermaricus Davis. 

"Luke was brought in for this, for this very thing, in case something happened. He's got to go, and so I'm very confident in Luke," Chang said. "He's a gamer, so I'm excited to watch him play.

"Micah takes a lot of the reps during the week. The more reps that we can give Luke, we just plan on him continuing to get better. We're going to help him. We're going to make sure that he's comfortable and give him the best chance to go out there succeed. We got work ahead of us until we get to Saturday, but I'm pretty confident in Luke."

When Alejado wasn't on the field on Tuesday, he was on a stationary bike, his right ankle in KT tape. Although a handful of Rainbow Warriors were walking around in a boot, he was not one of them.

Regardless of who takes the field behind center on Saturday, the Rainbow Warriors know they must start better than they did against Stanford. Hawai‘i started its first offensive possession on its own 1 yard line after kickoff returner Brandon White called a fair catch on a ball that bounced. Alejado was sacked and fumbled on UH's first offensive play from scrimmage, allowing Stanford to take a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter. 

"We got to start fast," starting left guard Zhen Sotelo, one of the team's two captains alongside 

 said. "We got to come out with great discipline. We had a lot of unforced errors this past game. We had eight penalties. We got to minimize that, and that'll play a big factor in the game. That obviously set us back a lot throughout the game, it killed drives. We had a lot of turnovers. So as an offense, we got to minimize that, and we got to continue to start fast and be disciplined."

Micah Alejado 082625

<title>Hawai‘i football practices without starting quarterback Micah Alejado on Tuesday</title>

While Alejado nurses an ankle injury, backup Luke Weaver took the majority of the first-team reps.

Hawai‘i football practices without starting quarterback Micah Alejado on Tuesday

If you missed the 2025 Okinawan Festival — or didn’t get enough Okinawan food — get ready to FEAST.

 is coming Sept. 1 to 15. For about two weeks, Okinawan-owned (and Okinawan-at-heart) restaurants offer a variety of specials designed to celebrate Okinawan food and culture.

Scroll below for the delicious line-up of this year’s FEASTival specials:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Aloha Amigo"}]

: This FEASTival exclusive is an oxtail birria “ramen” that features Okinawa soba noodles. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Aloha Andagi"}]

: Sept. 20 and 21, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (or sold out)

: Aloha Andagi will be popping up in Marukai Dillingham's covered parking lot. The biz will offer regular andagi, Okinawan sweet potato andagi and Okinawan seasoned rice. Cash only 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Aloha Tofu Factory"}]

: Aloha Tofu Factory is featuring a specialty jimami tofu (Okinawan peanut tofu) with a sweet and savory sauce; limit five per customer. The business will be making 50 jimami tofu per day, so preorders are recommended. The biz will also offer discounts on yushidofu (soft tofu with a custardy texture), and its 75th anniversary ʻOhana soy sauce bottle. 

: Call 808-845-2660 to preorder (specific order, pickup date and time) for pick-up at the Aloha Tofu Factory; follow the biz on Instagram (

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Beer Lab HI"}]

: The Hall by Beer Lab (98-1005 Moanalua Road), Puck’s Alley location (2600 S. King St. Ste. 107, Honolulu)

: Beer Lab HI will making a limited-time Karii (Okinawan sweet potato ale) with a new bingata design on the can. Preorders start at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 28 online. Karii will be available on tap at all Beer Lab HI locations from Aug. 29 until sold out.

Beer Lab’s Pearlridge Center location will serve beni imo crème brulee (roasted Okinawan sweet potato layered with sweet potato custard and topped with a caramelized sugar crust, honeycomb candy and whipped cream) and oxtail soki soba (soki soba in dashi broth topped with oxtail, kamaboko, pickled ginger and green onions).

Beer Lab’s Puck’s Alley location will serve andachicken (fried chicken coated in andagi batter and served with Korean Rexy sauce) and birria taco rice (modern Okinawan dish made with slow-braised beef birria, housemade salsa and shredded cheese on a bed of rice). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chibi Confectionery"}]

: Feast on desserts like Shikuwasa jello cream cheese squares (shikuwasa jello that’s made from scratch atop a layer of cream cheese with a brown sugar shortbread crust, served with fresh whipped cream) and Okinawan sweet potato crunch (Okinawan sweet potato custard atop a buttery macadamia nut crust). The specials will be available to order via the business’s website

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chillest Shave Ice"}]

: Sept. 1-15 (closed Wednesday), 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (1-9 p.m. Tuesday)

: The Kaimukī dessert shop will feature a Shikuwasa (Okinawan citrus) shave ice and caramel Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar) drizzle 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ige’s Halawa"}]

: There will be three pre-order pick-up days specifically for Auntie Kay’s Okinawan sweet potato manju during FEASTival on Sept. 3, 6 and 10. Pre-orders for both manju and FEASTival sale items will close when dishes are sold out. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ilaya Eatery"}]

: Ilaya Eatery is a contemporary Filipino food pop-up that’s at fishcake Hawai

: This FEASTival exclusive features a Filipino twist on goya chanpuru, a popular Okinawan dish. This ampalaya (“bittermelon” in Tagalog) chanpuru is a grilled pork belly tocino with pickled ampalaya, bean curd and a cured egg yolk with vinegared rice and local fermented veggies.

Preorders are accepted until Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. Direct message the business on Instagram or email 

. Include name, phone number and the amount of bowls you want to preorder in your email. Pick-up is from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; only credit card payments accepted. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kapa Hale"}]

: Let Us Shoyu: Fried Rafute is an Okinawan shoyu pork that will be served with pickled ginger scallions. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kin Wah Chop Suey"}]

: When you spend $50 or more on a single order, Kin Wah Chop Suey will add in a free pork and bittermelon dish or crispy gau gee. The restaurant has an Okinawan co-owner; customers must mention FEASTival when placing their orders. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Masa & Joyce"}]

: This popular okazuya will offer Okinawan abura miso (seasoned miso using crispy pork), abura miso musubi, jyu shi me (Okinawan rice soup), andagi, Okinawan soba, pigs feet soup, Hawaiʻi Okinawan style oxtail soup and Okinawan sweet potato mochi. Call to preorder; include order, date and time of pick-up. 

: Call 808-235-6129 or follow the biz on Instagram (

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Shioketh"}]

: Shioketh is a pop-up that features Singaporean street food at Hapa Market & Grill in Palolo. The biz is offering a fusion dish of Kaya toast (a sweet bun filled with caramelized pandan egg coconut jam) and black iced tea, which is topped with a creamy Okinawan black sugar cold foam. Preorder online via the website the Thursday before each pop-up date. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunrise Restaurant"}]

: This Okinawan bento includes goya champuru, Okinawan yakisoba and rafute. The biz will also offer takeout containers of pig feet soup, Okinawan soba, special miso soup, spare rib soup and Nakami soup. Nakami soup is not a regular menu item; 20 orders of each dish will be available every day. Include name, order and date/time of pick-up with your order. 

: Preorders are required and are already being accepted. Call 808-737-4118 or visit 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Teruya’s Andagi"}]

: Sept. 2-13 (andadog), Sept. 9-13 (special Okinawan bento)

: Teruya’s Andagi is serving up two specials. Enjoy andadogs, or hot dogs on a stick that are dipped in andagi batter and fried from Sept. 2 to 13. Call to preorder. Feast on special Okinawan bentos (Spam roll, Okinawan yakisoba, shoyu pork, bittermelon, and sweet potato mochi) from Sept. 9 to 13. Limited quantities available; no preorders accepted for the Okinawan bento. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Yo Mama’s Mochi & Snacks"}]

:  Sept. 1-15; various pick-up dates and times available 

: The biz is offering Okinawan sweet potato mochi, which features a vibrant purple hue. Choose from a nine-piece bento box ($20, minimum of three orders) or a 36-piece party platter ($55). Preorders must be paid in full to be confirmed. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"ZIGU"}]

: ZIGU is offering four Okinawan FEASTival specials: Kurobuta pork belly rafute, Mozuku (seaweed) shooters, Okinawan yakisoba and Okinawan sweet potato crème brulee. Customers can also enjoy assorted Okinawan drinks and cocktails. Four-hour validated parking is available at Hyatt Centric when you dine at Zigu. 

2025 Okinawan FEAS Tival Andagi photo courtesy Reid Shimabukuro

<title>FEAST on this: Okinawan FEASTival is coming Sept. 1 to 15</title>

A variety of Oʻahu businesses are offering specials designed to celebrate Okinawan food and culture. Specials range from andadogs and pork and bittermelon to Okinawan sweet potato manju and pork belly rafute.

FEAST on this: Okinawan FEASTival is coming Sept. 1 to 15

Another football season kicked off in the fall of 2024, Micah Alejado's first at the collegiate level as a true freshman at the University of Hawai‘i. For as long as Alejado could remember, game days were an opportunity for him to shine at quarterback. Yet in Hawai‘i's season opener against Delaware State, senior Brayden Schager got the expected start and led the Rainbow Warriors to victory. Alejado didn't see the field. 

The plan for Hawai‘i's coaching staff in 2024 was to have its seasoned senior in Schager hold on to the reigns. Meanwhile, Alejado could play up to four games and preserve a redshirt season. That meant Alejado would have to do something he hasn't done much of in his football career — he would have to wait his turn. 

During his high school days at Bishop Gorman, a powerhouse in Las Vegas, Alejado was a four-year starter. After fending off a late push from UNLV, Hawai‘i successfully got Alejado to enroll early in the spring of 2024. Being the Rainbow Warriors' quarterback of the future was a hard reality for someone who was used to being the quarterback of the present. But as steps into the role on a full-time basis in 2025, Alejado is grateful for the time he got to sit and learn. 

"When I grow up and get older, I'll look back at that time and think it was probably one of the greatest lessons of my life that I had to learn," Alejado recently told Aloha State Daily. "I was still growing and graduating early and leaving early. It was hard for me, for sure, not being able to finish out high school. But when I look back, I'm gonna value that a lot. It just taught me a lot as a person and helped me grow a lot as a person, spiritually and emotionally. 

"It was tough because I've been in the spotlight, and sitting back last year and having last year go the way it went, it was tough for everybody for sure, but I trusted God's plan. That's just how I go on about my day. So, I'm just thankful for the lessons that I've learned from last year."

Born and raised on O‘ahu, Alejado trained under renowned quarterback coach Vince Passas. A native of ‘Ewa Beach, he also spent time training with fellow southpaw Tua Tagovailoa and his father, Galu, at ‘Ewa Beach Community Park. 

"I've always wanted to be my own QB, but growing up, it was always Tua," Alejado said when asked if there's any players he modeled his game after. "The things he was doing in high school, and just being able to throw with him on the weekends and become close with their family, it just made me see how humble he is as a person, and see how he carried himself, that did inspire me a lot."

Alejado would spend time throwing to his brother, Noah, who also caught touchdown passes from Tagovailoa at the varsity level at Saint Louis. After making a name for himself on the youth circuit, the Alejados made the decision to move to Las Vegas. Instead of becoming the next great Saint Louis quarterback, it was up to Alejado to create his own legacy at Gorman. 

"At first it was hard because I was young and I still wasn't matured yet and didn't know how to think about it and stuff, but I was enjoying it at the same time," Alejado said of making the move to Las Vegas as a middle schooler. "Some days would be hard, just being homesick, and Hawai‘i was all I knew. But then over time, I just got more acclimated to Vegas and fell in love with it. Went through high school, made all my new friends, met a lot of people. So, I love Vegas. It was fun, and that's my home, too."

At Bishop Gorman, Alejado went 39-2 as the starter, passing for 9,233 yards, 125 touchdowns and just four interceptions. In his senior year, the Gaels went 11-0 as Alejado didn't throw a single interception. 

"I already knew he was different," said UH quarterbacks coach Chad Kapanui, who was also Alejado's quarterbacks coach at Gorman. "He carried himself like a real professional, especially at the high school level. He always wanted to watch film. He always had questions. At the same time, when we asked him questions, he already knew, and then he also asked the right questions to us, too.

"I guess you could say he's a hidden secret right now, but I think if you know Hawai‘i football, you know the quarterbacks throughout the years, and he's one of those guys that could build his own legacy here too at the same time. We're excited about him and we're hoping for a big year for him."

Because of his 5-foot-10 frame, Alejado didn't get the Power Four offers other players with his statistics may have garnered. Alejado appeared in four games in 2024, preserving his redshirt. After a knee injury to Schager, Alejado's lone start came in the team's season finale, a 38-30 win over New Mexico on Nov. 30. His numbers looked similar to his box scores at Bishop Gorman, completing 37 of his 57 passes for 469 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The Rainbow Warriors finished 5-7, but Alejado's performance drew intrigue to followers of the program. 

From that day forward, Alejado has been the unofficial face of the program, making appearances at local events and buying meals for teammates with NIL money. Even during spring practices, coaches on the offensive side of the ball made the claim that the team belongs to Alejado. 

On Saturday, as the Rainbow Warriors kick off their 2025 season against Stanford at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Alejado will become the first UH freshman to start a season opener at quarterback since Tyler Graunke in 2005. The game will also be televised nationally on CBS, a chance for country to get a closer look at the player that has piqued the interest of fans across the state. 

"It's not necessarily pressure, because we have everybody on the team having the same mindset and having the same goals and having the same ambitions to go win on Saturday," Alejado said. "It's more so passion that's gonna go into it when Saturdays come, because growing up, this is what I dreamed of. Being able to be a college starting quarterback and go play some games is amazing, and I'm truly blessed. And we're ready to go show out on Saturdays for the state."

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Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: She go

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