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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Cuong Do at Hawaiian Memorial Park. "Of all my years on the island I've never seen such a perfect double rainbow."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

26 1 9 Cuong Do 16x9

<title>Hawai‘i Skies: Double rainbow</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Cuong Do at Hawaiian Memorial Park.

Hawai‘i Skies: Double rainbow

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Cuong Do at Hawaiian Memorial Park. &quot;Of all my years on the island I&#039;ve never seen such a perfect double rainbow.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Yamachika Tom IMG 1913 Large

Tom Yamachika

Viewpoints

Government & Politics

Nonprofit Reason Foundation recently published 

 of the fifty states’ performance against financial metrics designed to assess a state’s financial viability. The foundation selected eight metrics and gave a red flag to indicate failing performance on that metric. The eight metrics were four long-term indicators and four short-term:

Twenty-three states studied (using 2023 financial data, the latest available for data comparison) took home no red flags at all. The worst performer, New Jersey, was awarded six red flags out of the eight possible. Connecticut came in second, with four.  California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania were each given three. Vermont, Washington, New York, and Delaware got two.

The foundation had this to say about Hawaiʻi: “Hawaiʻi faces long-term challenges and carries $27.5 billion in total liabilities, or $18,909 per capita. Although assets exceed liabilities overall, restrictions on the use of cash leave Hawaiʻi’s unrestricted net position negative at -$7.4 billion. Its cash assets amount to only 7.5% of total assets, although it holds sufficient cash to service current liabilities. Hawaiʻi also boasted a healthy annual operating surplus of $2,566 per capita in FY23.”

The part about a huge amount of liabilities per capita should surprise no one. Lots of ink has been spilled over the years about Hawaiʻi’s defined benefit retirement plan, and the EUTF that had promised healthcare for life to qualifying state retirees. No one today offers that kind of health coverage, and there are very few employers who maintain defined benefit plans. They cost a lot of money even in good times, and cost even more in times of economic hardship.

Hawaiʻi does have assets, but much of the cash is hidden in a honeycomb of special, revolving, and other non-general funds. If pressing, resource-intensive needs arise (think hurricanes, fires, or the Trump Administration rescinding federal money that our government was relying on), it is difficult or impossible to meet those needs by moving the money we have.

And, speaking of assets, according to the 

 (page 30), most of ours are in land, buildings, and infrastructure, not cash. It’s difficult to respond to pressing needs with existing land and buildings. These would need to be sold to generate cash, which is a slow and inefficient process especially when we have the cash available but sitting in a well-hidden special fund account somewhere.

So, lawmakers? What can we do about this? Are you ready, willing, and able to tackle this problem, or pieces of it, for the benefit of us all?

Compagnons 0d M5sa4zf Z8 unsplash

<title>Community Voices: Financial Red Flags</title>

Hawaiʻi does have assets, but much of the cash is hidden in a honeycomb of special, revolving, and other non-general funds, writes Tom Yamachika of Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi, in reaction to new data by Reason Foundation. According to the nonprofit, the state carries $27.5 billion in total liabilities, or $18,909 per capita, although assets exceed liabilities overall.

Community Voices: Financial Red Flags

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

 originated as a plant-based food truck in March 2023. At the time, the business was located in Pai

ea, according to co-founder Victoria Romero.

“We recently changed the business concept,” Romero explains. “Over time, Ahonui evolved; my husband and I learned so much through those first years — about running a small business, our community, and also about ourselves and what we truly wanted Ahonui to become.”

The couple decided to take everything they learned and turn the concept into something that felt “more like them,” according to Romero.

“We wanted to create a place centered around quality matcha, specialty coffee and real fruit ice cream — drinks and flavors that are fun and creative,” she says.

Romero explains the business’s name stems from the Hawaiian word for patience and perseverance.

“We chose it because those are values that have always meant a lot to us, but over the years, the name has become even more meaningful,” she says. “Owning a small business teaches you quickly that things don’t always happen the way you expect them to. You have to learn, adapt, make mistakes, start again, and keep going.

“In many ways, ‘Ahonui’ became a reminder for us — to have patience with the process, and the perseverance to keep moving forward,” she adds. “I think that meaning goes beyond the business. It’s something we try to carry into life, too.”

Ahonui moved to Kahului in July 2023. The trailer is located in Kahului at Plate Lunch Marketplace, right across from Costco gas station, according to Romero. Its new concept — real fruit ice cream and specialty drinks — is about four months old.

The business’s ice cream is made by blending frozen fruits with locally sourced ice cream, according to Romero.

“Our vanilla bean base comes from Roselani, a longtime Maui favorite, while our non-dairy option is Coconut Glen's premium coconut ice cream from Hana,” she says. “Customers can keep it simple or choose one of our signature swirls, finished with housemade sauces and toppings.”

The business’s signature swirls ($11) are pre-set menu items that feature popular combos. Choose from strawberry lava (strawberry swirl, strawberry sauce and waffle cone bits); Hana banana (banana ice cream, praline pecans and dulce de leche drizzle); and raspberry blackout (raspberry ice cream, house chocolate drizzle and brownie bits).

“These (signature swirls) are the flavors we thought would be fun and really tasty, but you can always make your own ice cream (combo),” Romero says. “Most people want fruity options, like the strawberry lava; the Hana banana is the most popular.”

For the create-your-own-sundae option, choose a size ($7 keiki, $9.50 Nui); a cup or waffle cone (additional $1); base (vanilla or non-dairy coconut); and fruit. Extra toppings like cacao nibs, chocolate pearls, and peanut butter are available for an additional charge.

No matter what customers choose, Romero says the business’s ice cream is always made to order.

Drinks range from classic coffees — including nitro cold brew, Americano and cappuccino — to signature lattes ($7-$10). Customer favorites include the tiramisu cloud ($8-$9) — espresso or matcha with housemade mascarpone cold foam — strawberry matcha ($9-$10) and cinnabun ($8-$9), which features espresso or matcha with vanilla and brown sugar cinnamon cold foam.

Romero notes that the cold foams are “simple” and made with ingredients like heavy cream, maple and agave.

“I really care about the ingredients we use,” she says. “Our chocolate sauce is not storebought; we make it with dark chocolate chips from a really good company. We took the time to make things in-house.

“Matcha has become a big part of what we do,” she adds. “We source it from different regions of Japan — including Kyoto, Yame, and Kagoshima — and pair it with housemade flavors and cold foams. We care a lot about the little details — the quality of the matcha, the ingredients we use, and the flavors we create — but also how someone feels when they come to our truck.”

Ahonui also offers a variety of smoothies, ranging from pina colada ($12) — comprising pineapple chunks, coconut cream, pineapple juice, agave and coconut milk — to chunky monkey ($12). The latter features banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein and milk.

“It’s a simple and delicious banana, peanut butter and chocolate smoothie,” Romero says. “My husband and I are constantly working on the menu, testing recipes, coming up with new ideas, listening to our customers, and trying to make Ahonui better.”

She notes that one of their goals is to make every customer feel happy, welcomed and special when they visit Ahonui — whether they’re trying their ice cream for the first time, or coming for their daily matcha fix.

“We’re incredibly grateful for how the Maui community has embraced this new chapter of Ahonui,” she says. “Making such a big change can be challenging and scary, but seeing people come back, bring their friends and families, and get excited about what we’re creating has reassured us that we’re on the right path."

Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Mondays, closed Tuesdays

Ahonui owner 100626

<title>Ahonui specializes in real fruit ice cream</title>

The pink food truck, located in Kahului, blends frozen fruit with locally sourced ice cream to create its desserts. Signature swirls include Hana banana — real fruit banana ice cream with dulce de leche sauce and praline pecans — and raspberry blackout. The biz also offers coffee and matcha lattes with housemade sauces.

Ahonui specializes in real fruit ice cream

, is not, in fact, a specialty pickle shop. The business, located next door to the husband-and-wife team’s ice cream shop, 

, just celebrated its grand opening on Saturday.

“‘Little Pickle’ is actually a nickname for our 7-year-old son,” Kyle explains. “We call our five-year-old son ‘cornichon,’ so he’s the mini version of little pickle.”

While the biz does sell pickles — “We love pickles, and we serve local pickles from Ho Farms,” 

— its primary specialty is gourmet hot dogs.

[{"type":"text","text":"These aren’t your typical Costco food court hot dogs, Kyle notes."}]

“They’re all-beef, pasture-raised hot dogs with no hormones and no antibiotics,” he says. “Nowadays, a lot of people are health conscious and don’t want to put ultra-processed meats in their body. This (what we’re serving) is a super high-quality hot dog; we hunted down the perfect bun, as well.

“It took us months,” Kyle adds. “It’s so hard to find buns that don’t have preservatives. We found a local baker who could do them, and they were perfect. It was a journey to get there.”

The journey began before the couple got the space next to their ice cream shop. While they do love hot dogs, Kyle and Josephine say they were trying to come up with a savory concept that was both affordable and family friendly.

“We love food, but we love community more than food,” Kyle says. “We wanted to do something amazing next door to our ice cream shop, to keep building community and invite more people in. This spot opened up — it was supposed to be a bakery, but the couple that was doing it had to pull out for personal reasons — and it became available. It was open for a while; we decided to go for it.”

He says that if they didn’t settle on hot dogs, the space could have been a pizza, hamburger, dumplings or sandwich shop.

“We want to make places and experiences for the neighborhood,” Josephine says. “We always consider ourselves a family party that the whole neighborhood is invited to. I guess that can be manifested and expressed in many ways.

“It’s expensive to eat out in Kailua — you can’t really grab and go for anything less than $30 — and we were like, ‘What can we do?’” she adds. “There aren’t a lot of hot dogs on the Island. We really challenged ourselves to find a relatively healthy hot dog with no nitrates.”

The couple officially got the space last December, but say the build out and sourcing for their products took longer than expected.

Little Pickle’s opening menu features six specialty hot dogs ($12 each); flavors will rotate every month or two, according to Kyle. Customers can choose from Chicago, Seattle, nori, chili cheese, tropickle and L.A. Dirty dogs.

“They’re all kind of different and unique; they all have sweet and savory flavors,” Kyle says. “Jo is from L.A., so for her, the L.A. Dirty Dog is kind of like a homecoming. The chili cheese dog is my favorite — just savory and delicious; you put cheese and onions on top of that, I won’t say ‘no.’”

The business’s Chicago dog features an all-beef, premium hot dog with yellow mustard, sweet relish, chopped white onions, tomato wedges, pickled sport peppers, poppy seeds, celery salt and a dill pickle spear. Meanwhile, the Seattle dog features a schmear of whipped cream cheese, housemade yellow onion jam, a sliced jalapeno and Sriracha zig zag.

“We didn’t even know what a Seattle dog was, initially,” Kyle says. “Somebody came in and was like, ‘You should do a Seattle dog.’ We looked it up; apparently, it’s a whole thing to put cream cheese and jalapenos. The nori dog is for people who love kewpie mayo; it has Japanese flavors.”

For customers who want something unique, Kyle recommends the tropickle dog, which comes with lilikoʻi mustard and pineapple-mango salsa. Josephine says the biz will eventually offer a vegan and vegetarian option.

He says the flavors will keep rotating — with the exception of the Chicago dog and chili cheese dog, which will likely stay on the menu — to give customers new options to try. He says they also want to do chef partnerships and collaborate with different chefs to create a specialty hog dog.

“We’ll create something really special (with them),” he says. “We’re also going to have fun and maybe do meatball sandwiches, oysters on the half shell and fun things that we rotate in to keep it exciting.”

Besides its gourmet hot dogs, Little Pickle also offers side dishes — ranging from kale yuzu salad ($9) to chili cheese fritos ($8) — and drinks.

“We make our own agua frescas ($5),” Josephine says. “We do a liliko

i iced tea and yuzu lemonade. We do a pickled Coke ($6), which features salty, dill pickle brine. Since we have the ice cream shop next door, we’ll have root beer floats (with Please Come Again’s vanilla ice cream) as well.”

While the business will start by opening from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays, Josephine says the shop’s goal is to eventually open from 8 a.m.

“We’ll start serving breakfast sandwiches,” she says. “Then, as soon as we can, we’ll open more days. We’ll probably always be closed on Mondays.”

“We just wanted to have fun (with this new concept); accessibility, quality and affordability are important to us,” Kyle adds. “We just want to give people a high-quality option that doesn’t break the bank; something they can pick up on the way home from the beach.”

Open 12 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Parking available in the surrounding municipal lots 

Little Pickle owners 100226

<title>Little Pickle is a new specialty hot dog shop in Kailua</title>

Located next to Please Come Again Ice Cream, Little Pickle celebrated its grand opening this past Saturday. The biz specializes in all-beef, pasture-raised hot dogs made with no hormones, nitrates or antibiotics. Choose from a rotating selection of flavors, ranging from the Chicago dog and chili cheese dog to the Japanese-inspired nori dog.

Little Pickle is a new specialty hot dog shop in Kailua

IMG 1445

Rick Hamada

Columnists

[{"type":"text","text":"\"Lucky You Live Hawai‘i\"."}]

It's a phrase locals have invoked for so very long and rings true with so many.

[{"type":"text","text":"Here's a more specific assessment derived from an AI overview:"}]

"'Lucky You Live Hawai‘i' is a popular phrase expressing deep gratitude and local pride for the unique lifestyle, natural beauty, and culture of the islands. It embodies a 'seize the day' mentality, focusing on enjoying moments like surfing, hiking, and family time over material wealth. The phrase reminds residents to appreciate their blessings despite challenges."

I've maintained in over 35 years in media that "Lucky You Live Hawai‘i" is an effective psychological tool in justifying or rationalizing the challenges we face at home every day. I lost my job due to cutbacks, taxes are so high, I cannot make the rent, took me two hours to get home, my car got broken into: Eh, dat's ok cuz "Lucky You Live Hawai‘i." It may be a temporary salve for the moment but it shouldn't be the standard of acceptance.

While we at it, the other distractive phrase is, "The ‘Ohana Style of Living".

For generations it has been difficult to own your own home. This difficulty for so many has become an impossibility. In order to assuage that profound sense of loss, the concept of generations living under one roof is advanced as a more beneficial and even preferable alternative to individuals owning their own home.

The implication is that your disagreement would be construed as you not having the respect for family being together and it's more important that you get what you want instead of what's best for tutus and aunties. When this concept is perpetuated amongst generations, then this becomes the definition of success. No. This becomes a redefinition of the American dream — to own your home.

When determining quality of life there are two camps that really don't converge for most local folk.

[{"type":"text","text":"There is the material and the spiritual."}]

The material is the hard costs of living; housing, utilities, food, transportation, healthcare, clothing and more.

The spiritual is how we feel; pride, peace, fulfillment, being one with nature and more.

As I stated earlier life is full of rationalizations designed to make us feel better when most are struggling with every day life.

[{"type":"text","text":"Now is the time to state the one phrase that some say matters most."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"\"The Price of Paradise\"."}]

This is the troika of brand marketing in making it acceptable that your inability to live the life of your own choosing is not only probable but there is a certain nobility in simply surviving rather than thriving.

[{"type":"text","text":"Let's take a look at the spiritual and emotional side of life."}]

I turn to state rankings to give us an idea of how we compare to others in other states. 

I gleaned information from various sources including local and national news sites, foundations and think tanks.

Hawai‘i is ranked as the happiest state in the U.S

 finds WalletHub, followed by Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Connecticut. 

These rankings are based on emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community quality, with Hawai‘i leading in life satisfaction, low depression rates, and high productivity.

Hawaii is ranked #2 as the Healthiest State

 and according to a June 25, 2025 report we are No. 1 in health care.

I submit Hawai‘i's mandate for companies to provide mandatory health insurance for those who work more than 20 hours per week is a factor. However, the percentage of hard cost for this mandate has a great impact on the providing businesses and rarely do you hear what the financials are for said businesses.

[{"type":"text","text":"Well, here you go:"}]

Providing health insurance in Hawai‘i involves high hard costs, averaging roughly $6,300 annually for single coverage and exceeding $20,400 for family coverage per employee. Small businesses (1 to 10 employees) may pay $350 to $1,500+ monthly per employee, with costs heavily influenced by the 

. (Department of Labor and Industrial Relations)

Of course this is a great benefit for the employee but it's a substantial liability especially for small businesses and is contributory to our overall burdensome cost of living.

Hawai‘i is ranked No. 5 Most Independent State.

[{"type":"text","text":"Even the report seems conflicted."}]

According to a June 2025 WalletHub report, Hawai‘i was ranked as the 

 in the U.S. due to low reliance on outside support, high self-reliance in consumer finances, and low international trade dependency. However, this ranking contrasts with Hawai‘i's extreme geographical dependence on imports. Other reports, such as from the Fraser Institute, have historically ranked Hawai‘i low in economic freedom. 

Hawai‘i ranks 8th in the U.S. for student quality of life according to a 2025 

driven by high scores in social atmosphere, natural surroundings, and community, despite ranking lower (44th) in overall state rankings due to high economic pressures and cost of living. Key factors include high numbers of young adults, nightlife, and outdoor access. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Parents, is this the reality for your children?"}]

Notice that the most beneficial experiences for our students are in social atmosphere, natural surroundings and community. Least beneficial are cost of living and economic pressures. Still, we are in the Top 10 in the nation for student quality of life. That's the important entry since that reinforces the spiritual and emotional side.

[{"type":"text","text":"A brief look at the material side of life."}]

The following is self-explanatory, so I am only going to list category and rank. Hawai‘i is ranked:

 (cost of living being 20.32% higher than a living wage).

[{"type":"text","text":"2nd in people not wanting outsiders."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"I had to include the last one listed and here's more:"}]

Hawai‘i is often ranked among the least welcoming states for newcomers, frequently appearing high on lists of places that do not want outsiders moving there. Locals often feel overwhelmed by high tourist volumes, increasing costs, and the displacement of native residents, with one LinkedIn report ranking it No. 2 for this sentiment.

We began with "Lucky You Live Hawai‘i", "‘Ohana Style of Living" and "The Price of Paradise" and how I believe these phrases have become justifications for why so many will not live the lives they desire. 

And I do understand the idyllic pursuit of happiness is going to differ with individuals, but I maintain elements of the American Dream still exists even if culturally and politically we try to lower expectations to where survival is the goal and the standard. Hence, the animus against those who do work, earn, and sacrifice to elevate themselves, their families and create jobs and opportunities for others.

The 11th Commandment should be, "Thou shalt not punish those who excel and succeed".

[{"type":"text","text":"I'm not holding my breath."}]

I also believe we derive an enviable amount of positivity and fulfillment because of what our Islands and her people provide. We claim that we're unique because of the Aloha Spirit. I do understand, embrace and appreciate. But we are not alone. There are communities around this country where people love and care for one another in best and worst times. Instead of laying exclusive claim to this sentiment we may want to refocus on not just saying it but in living it.

One of the most important qualities I shared with my children growing up was achieving balance. Unfortunately we are lacking just that in our material and spiritual sides of life in Hawai‘i.

[{"type":"text","text":"I hope we'll find that balance together."}]

Lanikai Beach

<title>Hamada: "Lucky You Live Hawai‘i," we say — as celebration, or as cope?</title>

ASD columnist Rick Hamada discusses three phrases we tell ourselves to get by in the Islands.

Hamada: "Lucky You Live Hawai‘i," we say — as celebration, or as cope?

 — located in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawai

i at Pier 38 — executive chef Justin Inagaki likens it to a neighborhood bistro.

“I want you to think it’s comfort food, but a little more elevated,” Inagaki says. “You’re not afraid of it; it doesn’t look intimidating, like you need to wear a suit to eat it. Most of this menu is built on the concept of sustainability within our Fresh Island Fish family.”

Thirty Eight Restaurant & Bar is currently open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (lunch only) from Monday to Friday, as the eatery is still in its soft opening. It features a harbor-centric menu to showcase fresh seafood, according to restaurateur and consultant Dong Dang.

“We’re trying to serve fresh seafood at a reasonable price,” he says. “When you go to the supermarket, seafood is always a premium priced item. We’re trying to make it more available, especially to the locals.” 

Ordering is meant to be quick and simple — customers can go to the register, or order using a QR code at their table. 

“With any restaurant, your two big expenses are labor and food,” Dang says. “We wanted to use high-quality seafood, so it was on us to operate efficiently to be able to extend the value to the customer.”

All dishes on the menu are $20 or less, and pricing was an intentional decision, according to Inagaki.

“We try to keep it affordable and approachable,” he says. “We know that our local people are suffering, not just in the high cost of living, but in this economy. That’s one of our main concepts: not just providing great food and good portions, but having something that won’t break their wallet. We want to make sure they can come back again, not just one time.”

Inagaki says he’s been in the industry for more than 15 years. He’s previously worked at restaurants like Roy’s, Alan Wong’s, Hy’s Steak House and, most recently, 916 Grill St. + ShabuZen in Waipio.

“I’m a fine dining chef actually, by trade,” Inagaki says. “I’ve led Hy’s Steak House from 2015 to 2020. I launched La Vie and Quiora with the G. Lion Group. My wheelhouse is not necessarily to be fine dining, but whatever the concept might be, we try to be as true to the concept as possible. I like to add a little fun to it, and make sure it just doesn’t look good, but it also tastes good. I also to want to be different — we don’t just want to be like everybody else.”

Start with soups, salads and appetizers like lobster bisque ($10), New England clam chowder ($8), ‘ahi tataki ($16) and chef’s fresh poke bowl ($17). The bisque is garnished with a yuzu crème fraiche, while the clam chowder includes ‘Ewa sweet corn, bacon and chopped clams.

The irresistible ‘ahi tataki features sashimi-grade seared local ahi with Maui onions, cherry tomatoes and ponzu-soy vinaigrette. The chef’s choice features a rotating selection of poke.

“It’s our spicy ‘ahi today; it’s a half pound (in the bowl),” Inagaki says. “Eventually it will change. We’re able to flex our sister company’s product. I’m all about textures, colors and execution — it has to be more of a quicker turn time, given that we’re only open for four hours (for now).”

When it comes to more unique dishes, Inagaki mentions the fish & chips ($17), which is made with beer and vodka-battered ‘ahi belly instead of a white fish, like cod. It’s served with house finadene and housemade tartar sauces.

“This one (ʻahi belly) is more fatty; it’ll stay more moist when you’re eating it,” he explains. “It’s meant to travel, so it won’t dry out. I use a cake flour and rice flour ratio, our Beer Lab beer IPA, and baking powder. The reason why I went with cake flour is because cake flour tends to be lighter than your average wheat. The rice flour tends to give more of that crunch. This is a lighter version, like a tempura.

“The finadene is actually a Chamorro sauce,” he adds. “In traditional fish and chips, you would have malt vinegar. You don’t see finadene too much on menus. It’s a take on soy vinegar; it’s like a dipping sauce.”

The lobster mac and cheese ($20) features a gourmet twist on comfort food. It features a cheesy lobster cream sauce and a buttery herb crumb crust.

“We fold our lobster bisque into it to give it more of a lobster flavor,” Inagaki says. “When you hear ‘lobster mac,’ you want to make sure you taste it. You don’t want to see lobster on a plate; you want to taste that lobster flavor throughout.”

The hamburger steak ($17) — comprising two beef patties, onions and mushroom brown gravy with white rice and tossed greens — is sure to be a local favorite. Customers craving heartier dishes can opt for the Thirty Eight burger ($18) — two beef patties topped with Thirty Eight sauce, onions, mushrooms and cheese in a taro bun — and the ‘ahi burger ($17), which features a local ‘ahi patty with spicy aioli.

“The spicy ‘ahi is torched and we have a lilikoʻi slaw on the bottom,” Inagaki says. “Every plate lunch has a toss salad instead of mac salad.”

Customers can choose from packaged desserts to-go, including chocolate flourless torte ($10), New York cheesecake ($10) and brown butter cake ($12). The goal is to eventually made desserts in-house as well, according to Inagaki.

The restaurant, which has its liquor license, currently serves beers and wines, and will eventually have cocktails.

“It’s a nice space — a nice place to unwind, relax, and have a couple drinks,” says restaurateur Khang Dang. “It’s a communal gathering spot, though not necessarily a full-service restaurant.”

While the restaurant is only open for lunch during its soft opening, customers can eventually look forward to extended hours and additional menu items.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the progression of our staff,” Inagaki says. “It’s all about culture — seeing the team grow, see them being happy and being inspired.

“For me, it’s about making people smile,” he adds. “Especially in Hawaiʻi, food is something where it’s a gathering, it brings people around, you have people talking story, it’s communal. Hearing them laugh in the dining room gives me pleasure every day.”

38 Restaurant chef 122225

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

Thirty Eight Restaurant & Bar — located in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawaiʻi — is now open for lunch during weekdays. The new neighborhood harbor bistro strives to offer seafood — showcasing high-quality options from its sister company, Fresh Island Fish — and local plates at affordable prices.

Hawai‘i Skies: Double rainbow

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Hawai‘i Skies: Double rainbow

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