ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili. "A recent full moon rising over Mō‘ili‘ili, near Isenberg and Kapi‘olani."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili. &quot;A recent full moon rising over Mō‘ili‘ili, near Isenberg and Kapi‘olani.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 just opened in Kalihi, in the former space of Guieb Cafe’s Kalihi location.

The business has been open in Mānoa for about 17 years, according to chef Sergio Arellano. The biz has another location within the 

While business owner/chef Sergio Arellano says he wasn’t necessarily looking for another location, he thought the opportunity to open in Kalihi would be beneficial for customers.

“I’m excited to bring our delicious food to this side of town,” he says. “Plenty of people always say, ‘It’s hard to drive out to Mānoa,’ so I figured, maybe Kalihi will be more central for a lot more people. That’s what really pushed me to come to Kalihi.”

He says the Kalihi store came together in about one and a half months; the Kalihi location celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 1.

The menu is the same at all three locations, according to Arellano, who says his restaurant features family recipes and describes his cuisine as “Mexico City-style.” The restaurant offers a variety of tacos, burritos and sopes, along with house specialties like its famous flautas ($16.95) and enchiladas ($16.95-$17.95).

“The flautas are our signature dish; it’s a traditional dish from where my family’s from, Mexico City,” Arellano says. “It’s a popular dish in Mexico City; the flautas are our homemade flour tortillas. We stuff them with your choice of meat and we fry it to a golden brown, then top it off with our fresh-made avocado salsa, sour cream, queso fresco, cilantro and onions. We serve it with rice and beans.”

Sopes ($16.95), meanwhile, feature masa (corn) cakes with a choice of meat. They’re topped with beans, sour cream, queso fresco, cilantro and onions.

“Sopes is a very traditional Mexican dish,” Arellano says. “We fry these — they’re very delicate — to a golden brown. We top it off with homemade beans; sopes come with any meat you want. Customers can mix it up as well, and get one steak, one chicken and one chorizo.

“These are all family recipes,” he adds. “There are some I created myself, but for the most part, it’s my grandma’s, mom’s and dad’s recipes.”

Arellano says the eatery’s garlic shrimp plate ($18.95) — available in traditional garlic, garlic cilantro-lime or chipotle garlic — and chimichanga ($16.95-$17.95) are customer favorites. The latter features a 12-inch deep-fried flour tortilla stuffed with beans and rice, along with a choice of chicken or steak, pork carnitas, al pastor or sauteed veggies. It’s topped with sour cream, and served with guacamole or pico de gallo.

The business’s Mexico City-style tacos ($5.50-$6.50 each) and burritos ($16.95-$17.95) include a choice of protein, ranging from chorizo, pork carnitas and grilled chicken to grilled steak, al pastor and sauteed veggies. Tacos are usually served on grilled, 6-inch corn tortillas, and are topped with cilantro and onions. Burritos are stuffed with guacamole and pico de gallo, and come with beans and rice.

“Pork carnitas and steak are popular, but al pastor or carnitas would probably be our top two (proteins),” Arellano says.

Customers can also choose from housemade salsas, available in mild, medium, hot and super hot levels.

On the weekends from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Serg’s Mexican Kitchen serves Mexican breakfast. The breakfast menu includes dishes like huevos rancheros ($13.95), breakfast burritos ($13.95-$16.95), omelets ($11.95-$13.95), menudo, or traditional Mexican tripe soup ($13.95) and machaca, or scrambled eggs with shredded beef ($13.95).

“Anything you try on the menu, you will not be disappointed,” Arellano says.

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

Sergs Mexican Kitchen Sergio 102926

<title>Serg’s Mexican Kitchen just opened in Kalihi</title>

The business, which has been open in Mānoa for about 17 years, just opened its third location in Kalihi. The biz celebrated its grand opening yesterday; the menu is the same at all three locations, according to chef Sergio Arellano, who says the eatery’s enchiladas, birria tacos and chimichangas are especially popular.

Serg’s Mexican Kitchen just opened in Kalihi

The whole concept behind Danjah (pronounced dayn-jah) Dog started with one thing — its sauce.

“Our Danjah sauce has been part of our family story for years,” says business owner Turk Cazimero.

He explains that two of his kids grew up in Hawaiʻi’s surf and beach sports world.

“Kekoa was a professional surfer, and Keanu became a pro bodyboarder,” he says. “When they were young, we spent countless weekends at amateur contests. I always packed lunch, not just for my boys, but for all the kids running around the beach.”

At first, Cazimero would bring hot dogs with the usual toppings — ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo and onions — but he eventually got tiring of bringing all the fixings.

“I started making one big batch of sauce instead,” he says. “It was easier, and the kids absolutely loved it. Over time, I kept tweaking it, adding a little spice here and there, and that’s how Danjah sauce was born.

“Ever since then, everyone who’s tried it has told me, ‘You should bottle this,’” he adds. “I’ve had offers over the years, but I always kept it (the sauce) for family, friends, and the events we cooked for.”

Over the years, Cazimero kept adding different peppers and spices to his Danjah sauce, making it a little hotter and bolder.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Pretty soon, everyone was calling it ‘dangerous,’” he says."}]

The real push to turn his gourmet hot dogs with Danjah sauce into a business came from Cazimero’s wife, Shauna.

“She believed in the sauce, the concept, and the joy it brought people,” he says. “She’s the one who encouraged me to finally start Danjah Dog. The food truck isn’t just a business; it’s a family story, a beach story, and a whole lot of aloha in every bite.”

 soft opened during Oct. 8 and 9, and the business celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 10. Cazimero describes the food truck’s menu as “simple, local, and full of flavor — the kind of food we grew up eating here in Hawai

“I’ve always made hot dogs for the kids at the beach, for family gatherings and for events — and people loved them,” he says. “The business name just came naturally — Danjah Dog is simple, fun and honors the sauce that started it all.”

Danjah Dog’s menu features Danjah dogs, breakfast sandos, hammah burgers and Dole soft serve. Da original all-beef dog ($9) is currently the top seller, according to Cazimero, who notes that all hot dogs are served on Artesano Bakery sausage rolls with shredded cheddar cheese and Danjah sauce.

“The length of the dog extends beyond the pillowy soft Artesano Bakery sausage rolls,” he says. “Da beer brat ($12) is another favorite; we braise it in onions and beer, and people love it.”

Da big hot Podagee sausage ($15) often sells out and has been “a surprise hit,” according to Cazimero. He says it’s called “da big hot Podagee” because the dish is spicy.

“It’s a 10-ounce, 10-inch hot podagee sausage on a 10-inch bun, and that one flies out the window,” he says. “What really sets us apart is the Danjah sauce is made of up to 33 ingredients, and it comes in three different heat levels you can choose from — Danjah, which is spicy but just right; Mo Danjah, and Majah Danjah.

The biz also offers Da Shaun dog ($9), an Impossible veg sausage option to substitute with any of the hot dog options.

Cazimero says the business’s hammah burgahs ($9-$18) are equally popular. All burgers are served on potato buns.

“We keep our burgers simple — locally sourced ground beef and just a couple ingredients,” he says. “There’s no salt, no pepper — just quality meat and a great recipe.”

The business’s bestseller is its original hammah ($9), a single patty burger with Danjah sauce and “O-M-triple G” sauce. Double ($12) and triple ($15) patty burgers are also available.

“You can also hammah-style it, which adds iceberg lettuce and/or tomato,” Cazimero says, noting that an Impossible veg burger patty is also available as a substitute for the meat options.

Almost every day, Danjah Dog features a burger special. Specials always sell out, according to Cazimero. Da Swiss hammah ($18) — two locally sourced all-beef patties topped with two slices of Swiss cheese, bacon, onions, mushrooms, garlic butter, homemade steak sauce and horseradish mayo — is featured on Tuesdays. Meanwhile, Fridays feature da kalua pig hammah ($18), which includes kalua pig pulled pork in housemade pineapple barbecue sauce and slaw.

Speaking of kalua pork — the biz also features Hawaiian bentos ($15), which include a scoop of rice, two mini lau laus, kalua pig and da chili peppa shoyu, according to Cazimero.

“We’re known for our award-winning lau lau, which took first place at Taste of Honolulu in 1995,” Cazimero says. “Those sell extremely well; you can’t go wrong with lau lau, kalua pig, rice and chili pepper shoyu. We have them available daily, warm and ready to eat. We also have them frozen for quick dinners; just microwave for four minutes.”

For dessert, the food truck offers Dole soft serve ($6), available in Dole pineapple, vanilla soft serve or a Dole pineapple/vanilla swirl. Customers can opt for a cup or cone with toppings (additional 50 cents) like li hing mui powder, rainbow sprinkles or chocolate sprinkles.

Danjah Dog is currently open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. The biz features breakfast sandos from 8 to 10 a.m., with options like bacon and egg ($8) and Podagee sausage and egg ($8). All breakfast sandwiches are served on toasted brioche buns with cage-free eggs, American cheese, mayo and O-M-Triple-G sauce, according to Cazimero.

“Most days, we have people lining up before 8 a.m. and still walking up (to our truck) after 2 p.m., so by popular demand, we’re looking at possibly extending our hours,” he says. “Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. are the busiest hours at Lowe’s.”

Cazimero says he’s grateful for all the support Danjah Dog has received, and putting out a quality product is essential to him.

“We take a lot of pride in our product; everything we make, we make fresh that day,” he says. “We love seeing people happy — seeing them walk away with full bellies and big smiles.

“I want to thank the Lord for opening this window and giving us this opportunity,” he adds. “All glory goes to God. I also want to thank my wife, Shauna, for encouraging me and believing in this vision. Without her, none of this would have come to life.” 

Open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays

Danjah Dog owner 102126

<title>Danjah Dog serves up hot dogs, hamburgers with unique sauces</title>

The business name comes from its signature Danjah sauce, made with different peppers and spices. Danjah Dog’s menu features “the kind of food we grew up eating in Hawaiʻi,” according to owner Turk Cazimero, who says Danjah sauce has been part of his family’s story for years. Customers can find the Danjah Dog truck in the parking lot of Lowe’s Home Improvement in the Iwilei neighborhood.

Danjah Dog serves up hot dogs, hamburgers with unique sauces

[{"type":"text","text":"Kam Bowl is now open in Pearl City."}]

The restaurant opened in Times Square Shopping Center, in the former space of IHOP. The eatery 

 and re-opened in July under new ownership and under a new name, Aliʻi Diner.

At the new Pearl City restaurant, customers can expect the same signature dishes Kam Bowl was known for according to co-owner Ryder Yoshida, who says the menu is currently limited to the most popular dishes.

“It’s smaller and more simple,” Yoshida says. “We’re concentrating on getting the stuff people like before adding more things.”

Kam Bowl Pearl City did some renovations to the restaurant’s interior, such as adding new booths for seating.

“The kitchen was pretty much empty; we had to re-do the whole kitchen,” he says. “The hard part about it is the restaurant is big and the kitchen area to prepare food is small, compared to the Kalihi location.”

The menu features dishes like the eatery’s famous oxtail soup ($24.95), hamburger steak ($18.95), loco moco ($18.95) and Japanese breakfast ($18.95). The latter includes miso soup, toss salad, two eggs and a choice of mahi or salmon.

The restaurant now uses wagyu beef to make its hamburger patties, according to Yoshida.

“This is the first time we’re using wagyu beef,” he says. “We’re trying to keep prices reasonable.”

Dishes like hotcakes and sweet bread French toast are available from 7 to 11 a.m. Many plate lunch-style entrees come with white rice and a choice of toss or mac salad.

On the eatery’s opening day — Aug. 1 — regular customers from Kam Bowl’s Kalihi location were eagerly eating breakfast. Yoshida encourages diners to check out the new space.

“I was sitting in here before we opened, and people would ask, ‘Are you guys open yet?’” he says. “I kept on saying, ‘Pretty soon, pretty soon.’ Just come and try our food.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Kam Bowl Pearl City is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m."}]

98-1264 Kaahumanu St. Ste. B03, Pearl City

Kam Bowl Pearl City owner 080126

<title>Kam Bowl is open in Pearl City</title>

The eatery is now open in Times Square Shopping Center, in the former space of IHOP. Customers can look forward to signature dishes like oxtail soup, loco moco, hamburger steak and more.

Kam Bowl is open in Pearl City

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Several new retailers and restaurants have recently opened at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu and more are set to open soon, the center announced Thursday. Here’s what you should know.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What's New:"}]

, a Montreal-born fashion brand, can be found on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing

, a fast-casual brand serving up Hawaiian-style plate lunches, has opened in the Makai Market Food Court on Street Level 1.

, know for its handcrafted xiao long bao, is open on Mall Level 2 of the ‘Ewa Wing.

(ICYMI: Read more about Supreme Dumplings from ASD's Food and Dining reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta 

The Cookie Corner, a local brand offering freshly baked cookies, bars, brownies and other treats, has expanded at Ala Moana Center with a second location on Mall Level 2 of the Diamond Head Wing.

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

, a luxury wellness and recovery destination created by the team behind Body Balance Hawai‘i, is set to open on Street Level 1 of the Diamond Head Wing in August. The new studio will offer infrared and traditional saunas with red light therapy, cold plunges, private Pilates and personal training, body treatments and other wellness services.

, offering a selection of toys, plushies, collectables, stationery, beauty products, home goods, fragrances, electronics, snacks and accessories, is set to open on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing in August.

, an ear piercing and jewelry brand, is also set to open on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing in August.

 will make its debut in the Islands on July 1.

, which is renovating and expanding its permanent location at Street Level 1 near Center Court, can temporarily be found on Street Level 1 of the Diamond Head Wing (makai). The refreshed space is expected to reopen this summer.

Luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana has relocated to a newly designed boutique on Mall Level 2 of the Diamond Head Wing.

Gap will unveil its newly renovated store, found on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing, on July 3.

UA Hawai‘i, formerly known as Ua Body, has relocated to a new space on Level 3, Center Court.

Ala Moana Center opened in 1959 and is the world's largest open-air shopping center with more than 2.4 million square feet of retail space. It offers more than 350 stores and restaurants, including more than 160 dining options.

Ala Moana Center 052526

<title>What's new at Ala Moana Center</title>

The shopping center has welcomed a number of new tenants with more coming soon.

What's new at Ala Moana Center

Several new retailers and restaurants have recently opened at Ala Moana Center in Honolulu and more are set to open soon, the center announced Tuesday. Here’s what you should know.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Coming Soon:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Relocations and renovations:"}]

Ala Moana Center opened in 1959 and is the world's largest open-air shopping center with more than 2.4 million square feet of retail space. It offers more than 350 stores and restaurants, including 160 dining options.

(ICYMI: Last month it was announced that longtime anchor tenant Neiman Marcus 

Always aline 041426

Five new tenants have recently opened at Ala Moana Center and three more are set to open soon, the center announced Monday. Here’s what you should know.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What’s new:"}]

 can be found Street Level 1 of the ‘Ewa Wing, offering Mexican-style cabana chillers, mango twisters and fresh fruit cups.

, a Native Hawaiian and ‘ohana-driven apparel brand, can be found on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing.

(ICYMI: Aloha State Daily caught up with its owners at the Made in Hawai‘i Festival in August. Read 

Kawaii Kingdom, which offers an array of collectibles that include plush toys, character figurines, stationery, blind boxes, hair accessories, bag charm, key chains and more, can be found on Mall Level 2 of the Mauka Wing.

, a Hawai‘i-based jewelry brand, is located on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing.

 has opened its second location at Ala Moana Center in the Makai Market Food Court on Street Level 1. Read more about the new location from ASD’s food and dining reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta 

, a clothing brand where every piece is cut and sewn in Hawai‘i, is set to open in February 2026 on Level 3 of the ‘Ewa Wing.

Eyeland Hawai‘i, which offers a selection of eyewear, prescription lenses, professional adjustment and repair services, will open this month on Street Level 1 of the Diamond Head Wing.

, a brand founded in Shenzhen, China, that offers a modern take on traditional tea culture, will open its first Hawai‘i store in February 2026 on Mall Level 2 of the Mauka Wing.

Ala Moana Center opened in 1959 and is the world's largest open-air shopping center with more than 2.4 million square feet of retail space. It offers more than 350 stores and restaurants and 160 dining options.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Hawai'i Skies

Hawaiʻi Skies: Colorful moonbow

Hawaiʻi Skies: 'It was worth the wait'

Hawaiʻi Skies: Crashing waves

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sunset wisps

Most read

Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Hawai'i Skies

Hawaiʻi Skies: Colorful moonbow

Hawaiʻi Skies: 'It was worth the wait'

Hawaiʻi Skies: Crashing waves

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sunset wisps

Most read