Opening another location for FEAST was not on chef/owner Jon Matsubara’s mind. He recalls preparing to open Hawaiian Style Seafood Company — which opened in Waikīkī last year — when the opportunity came up at Midtown Eats, the food hall at The Park on Keʻeaumoku.
“The landlord invited us to come in; we weren’t really looking (for another location) but they said, ‘We want you here,’” he says.
FEAST's location at Midtown Eats features a different menu from the one at its original Mānoa eatery. You can still find its signature lobster roll ($32) — comprising buttery lobster chunks in umami sauce, served with fries on the side — along with several exclusive dishes.
The business’s Hawaiian salt crusted prime rib ($30), fresh catch of the day ($22), fresh ‘ahi poke bowl ($20) and Aloha loco moco ($17) are all exclusive to FEAST’s Midtown Eats location.
The prime rib comes with horseradish sauce, rice and potato mac salad. Meanwhile, the fresh catch of the day ($22) — during our visit, it was ‘ahi — features a ginger scallion topping with local vegetables and rice.
“We’re going to feature fresh fish, different types of fresh fish over here,” Matsubara says. “We have a poke bowl, too; that’s something we haven’t really run in Mānoa.”
Besides its signature lobster roll, the business’s Aloha loco moco ($17) — comprising a wagyu hamburger steak topped with mushroom gravy and a farm egg over rice — has been one of its bestsellers.
“We figured we’d offer things that are approachable and something we could do on volume,” Matsubara says. “We wanted to put out a menu that would have something for everyone — fish, burgers, prime rib — and then we go from there.
“This is a very central place for a lot of people,” he adds. “We’re getting a lot of people that wanted to try us, but never got to go to Mānoa.”
Other menu items include hamburger steak plates ($16), garlic chicken plates ($16) and the FEAST burger ($17); the latter features a signature wagyu burger served with fries.
FEAST’s location within Midtown Eats is currently open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays.
“This spot reminds me of the farmers market,” Matsubara says. “All these people that are here, they’re not coming here for FEAST, they’re coming here to eat. It’s like a buffet — they check everything out and come back and choose whatever they want. We’re lucky we’re here, and it’s been really busy so far.”
CONTACT
FEAST by Jon Matsubara
Midtown Eats
The Park on Keʻeaumoku
1515 Liona St., Honolulu
feastrestauranthawaii.com
Instagram: @feast_alamoana
Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
