Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"I like go Ross!"}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Christeezeh one champ 16x9

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: One champion</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @Christeezeh, giving us a play-by-play of the derby.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: One champion

I like go Ross!  Make sure you follow @Christeezeh 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

[{"type":"text","text":"A new Korean grocery store just opened in Honolulu."}]

 just opened in the former Ross space on 

. The grocery store offers a variety of produce, noodles, seasonings, snacks, drinks and more.

The store is open this week from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., but starting next week, it will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Customers can get 10% off side dishes — including kimchi, cucumber kimchi and seaweed — during soft opening.

[{"type":"text","text":"Validated customer parking (one hour) is available with purchase."}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

You Me Mart sign 022026

<title>New Korean grocery store open in Honolulu</title>

You Me Mart just soft opened on Ke‘eaumoku Street. The business is located in the same space as French-Korean bakery TOUS les JOURS, in the former Ross space.

New Korean grocery store open in Honolulu

Located at Pier 38 — in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawai

, but then closed to fine-tune its menu. It officially opened for dinner service Feb. 18; it’s currently open for dinner only from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

The eatery still focuses on serving the freshest seafood possible, according to manager Dong Dang.

“It’s still supposed to harbor-centric; we’re really going to work toward utilizing as much fish as possible and highlight those ingredients,” he says. “What we envisioned with this concept is a gathering place — someplace you can go and get really good seafood.”

The dinner menu — which will eventually expand to include more dishes — offers small plates meant for sharing, as well as larger entrees. Start with dishes like hamachi crudo ($17), maguro cabbage ($19), poke crackers ($10) and cabbage Caesar ($14).

The hamachi crudo, comprising yellowtail served with sinigang gazpacho and Ho Farms tomato, is light and refreshing. The maguro cabbage is a highlight for restaurant chef de cuisine Daysen Masuda, who came up with the eatery’s new menu.

“Growing up in Hilo, everything is cabbage and ‘ahi (instead of daikon and ‘ahi),” he says. “This is a play on that; it’s topped with ginger scallion, ginger garlic cilantro, green onions and ikura zuke.

“I think the whole menu, in general, is pretty approachable,” he adds. “It’s local flavors that you’re familiar with, but elevated a bit more.”

Of everything we try, the poke crackers ($10) are one of my favorites. Each order includes two rice crackers topped with local big-eye tuna, spicy aioli, avocado and tare.

“That dish alone is nostalgic,” Masuda says. “Growing up, you buy a container of poke and you’re either dipping shrimp chips or rice crackers into it and eating it together. That’s the perfect combination. I wanted to use rice crackers because that texture is so nice and crunchy, and it stays crunchy.” 

The cabbage Caesar is a tasty way to incorporate greens into the meal. It features a miso Caesar dressing — the miso flavor is subtle — along with Parmesan and fried anchovies for texture.

If you want something a little more indulgent, go for the shrimp toast ($10). Each order contains two petite sandos featuring shokupan bread and savory shrimp filling. It’s served with a makrut (kaffir lime) sauce for dipping.

When it comes to entrees, the fried whole moi ($36), furikake king salmon ($38), and ‘ahi steak ($28) come highly recommended. The moi features a Alii mushroom and lup cheong stuffing.

“A lot of the dishes (here) are different from what you would find anywhere else, but the moi, to us, is a standout,” Dang says.

“The moi is definitely something I’m very proud of,” adds Masuda. “In Hilo, when you go to someone’s house or party, there’s always someone who has steamed fish. That’s our play on that.”

Moist and buttery, the Big Glory Bay king salmon is topped with a delectable furikake crunch and served with garlic aioli. Meanwhile, the ‘ahi steak features local big-eye served with confit potato and watercress salad.

Other entrée options include huli huli chicken with lemongrass huli glaze, watercress and kabocha, and braised short rib ($34).

The eatery also features specialty cocktails — including toasted rice old fashioned ($17), gin mint gimlet ($15) and chili water margarita ($16) — and will be expanding its beverage menu in the future.

The restaurant is accepting reservations via 

. Stay tuned — it will be launching lunch service and happy hour in the coming months.

Thirty Eight chef Daysen 021926

<title>New seafood restaurant opens at Pier 38</title>

Located in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawaiʻi at Pier 38, Thirty Eight restaurant just opened to the public for dinner. The menu focuses on fresh seafood; customers can enjoy dishes like hamachi crudo, poke crackers, shrimp toast, and a fried whole moi.

New seafood restaurant opens at Pier 38

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Hawaii History

It was a breezy, blue-skied Thursday morning after a storm when Aloha State Daily visited Kūʻīlioloa Heiau.

The Hawaiian temple dates to the 11th or 12th century, according to a sculpture from the City and County of Honolulu, which manages the site situated on the Kaneʻilio Point near Pōkaʻī Bay in Waiʻanae.

 before it became Kūʻīlioloa, translated to "the long dog form of Kū,” or the God of War as a dog. 

 a navigator from Tahiti, Lonokaeho, constructed it 

as a training center and lighthouse for navigation

. It is the only heiau in the Islands that is bordered on three sides by the ocean.

The Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Moku O Kapuāiwa Chapter,

 helps mālama the land by mowing the grass, restoring rock walls, pulling weeds, planting trees and more, at least twice a month, so that the local community can still use and enjoy it.

“Itʻs not a burial heiau, but a navigation point. Not many people know that,” Rocky Naeʻole, member of the Order, told ASD. “Itʻs part of our kuleana. This is for us to maintain. We donʻt receive income from anybody. Itʻs all volunteer. Weʻre just here to do the work.”

Naeʻole was born in Honolulu and moved to the West Side at age 12. Heʻs fully retired, yet committed to six to eight community organizations, he said.

“Our Order has 10 mokus. Kapuāiwa covers the Waiʻanae Coast to the North Shore to ʻEwa,” he explained, adding that its membership is in the hundreds, while about 30 to 40 individuals remain currently active.

The purpose of the Order are “to preserve and perpetuate the ancient customs of Hawaiʻi” and uplift the Hawaiian people, 

He noted that the group collectively decides what they want to do in the community each year; this project has remained a priority for 12 or more years.

“You can see the stars so clear out here,” he said, noting that University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students, nonprofits, visitors and community members have come out before to stargaze. The Order plans to host a navigation event open to the public on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Naeʻole is looking forward to the community events lined up this year and hopes to work with the county on signage for additional moʻolelo of Kūʻīlioloa Heiau.

Another member of the Order, Abraham Kalani Kaʻio, shared what the ancient site means to him.

“This heiau is a gathering of all of the Pacific Triangle. Every island in the triangle, you can get there from here. This is a tie to all of our brothers and sisters in the triangle, and I try to explain that to every race that comes here. In one way or another, your family [has] been here.”

He presented a map, showcasing the 13 public-access heiaus along the Leeward Coast. Others sit on military-owned land, he added.

Kaʻio, who was born in Germany and raised on Oʻahu, said that when they first started cleaning the heiau years ago, “it was in bad shape.”

“The place was overrun by homeless and nobody took care of it.” Now, he says some have returned to lend a hand on cleanup days, which typically run on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

Not to mention, several organizations have aided in caring for the marine life, consisting of at least three species of birds, as well as Hawaiian monk seals.

His advice to young people is to learn their culture instead of playing games, he said with a laugh. “Your knowledge of culture is knowing who you are.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"A quiet place"}]

, Naeʻole asked if there was anything I needed to let go of.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"I replied with a nod."}]

He said to face the ocean and close my eyes, then began to pray in ōlelo Hawaiʻi.

I breathed in and out twice as instructed. The wind grazed my cheek and tossed my hair.

“You can see the ocean from three sides and take it all in, feel how quiet it is,” he said. “If I’m stressed out — which I don’t try to stress myself out, sometimes you can’t help it — this is where I come.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Heiau 01

<title>Group’s kuleana to maintain Kūʻīlioloa Heiau in Waiʻanae</title>

The Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Moku O Kapuāiwa Chapter, helps steward the ancient site near Pokaʻi Bay still used today for community events that perpetuate Hawaiian culture.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: One champion

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Gotta catch ‘em all — at Ala Moana Center: voices from Pokémon GO’s “Wild Area: Global” event

Starbucks holiday launch draws crowds for limited-edition cups

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Dreams do come true

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Going big

Most read

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: One champion

Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Gotta catch ‘em all — at Ala Moana Center: voices from Pokémon GO’s “Wild Area: Global” event

Starbucks holiday launch draws crowds for limited-edition cups

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Dreams do come true

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Going big

Most read