Side Street Inn, which closed its Kapahulu eatery in April, just opened its new location in Waikīkī.
The restaurant is located at 280 Beach Walk, in the former space of Westman Cafe and Bills Waikīkī. Follow the restaurant signs, and head upstairs for restaurant seating.
The new location features the same menu with all of Side Street Inn’s signature dishes, which are designed to share, family-style, according to general manager Korie Sasano.
“Our fried rice, pork chops, garlic chicken and kalbi are the most popular,” Sasano says. “I think some things that are more ‘hidden’ — that maybe people don’t know about — is the yakisoba and roast pork poke; they’re really good. A lot of people don’t really know about those two (dishes), but when you try it, you’re going to be hooked.”
The roast pork poke ($28) — comprising crispy roast pork tossed in the eatery’s citrus shoyu vinaigrette sauce with sweet onions, green onions and Chinese parsley — and farmer’s salad (half $19, full $28) are highly-recommended appetizers. The colorful salad features spring mixed greens with grape tomatoes, avocado, Maui onions, capers and bay shrimp with red wine vinaigrette dressing and Okinawan potato curls.
“The farmer’s salad is one of our most popular salads,” Sasano says. “People really love the dressing.”
Customers can choose from sizzling boneless kalbi (market price) or bone-in kalbi (market price). Both dishes feature charbroiled Korean-style short ribs, served with kimchi. Meanwhile, Side Street’s signature garlic chicken ($31) features a marinated fried chicken dipped in a sweet shoyu garlic sauce.
The “Works” fried rice ($41.50) can easily feed a group, as it comprises Side Street Inn’s signature fried rice (bacon, Portuguese sausage, char siu, green onions, peas and carrots) with kimchi and lup cheong. It’s often ordered alongside Side Street’s famous pan-fried pork chops ($36).
For groups who want a little of everything, Sasano says Chef Colin’s Classics menu ($195 for four to five guests, $370 for eight to 10) is still available. It includes edamame with Alae salt, farmer’s salad, Side Street’s signature fried rice, garlic chicken, pan-fried pork chops and sizzling boneless kalbi.
“The menu is pretty much the same; I think they’re thinking of doing specials,” she says. “There’s talk of doing happy hour like we did at Kapahulu, too; people loved the small plates. They got to try more (options).”
Side Street’s signature peanut butter crunch ($19) — served warm with a crispy peanut butter layer, chocolate drizzle and Roselani’s vanilla ice cream — is still the eatery’s most popular dessert, Sasano notes. Other options include Mom’s sweet bread pudding ($17); brownie, brownie, brownie ($17); lilikoʻi crème brulee ($15) and chocolate haupia ($15).
“Everything is homemade; I think that’s what makes it (our desserts) extra good,” she says. “I heard a lot of our staff really love the bread pudding.”
The restaurant is currently waiting on its liquor license and is BYOB in the meantime. Customers are welcome to bring in beer and wine; there’s a $10 corkage fee per person, according to Sasano.
“The corkage fee is for anyone who participates in drinking,” she confirms. “We also offer a 10% kamaʻāina discount (with a valid ID) for dine-in, along with two-hour validated parking at the Bank of Hawaiʻi building (across the street). I know parking is always hard in Waikīkī.”
Customers can call to make reservations; Sasano says the business was able to keep the same phone number from when it was at Kapahulu.
“We always just remind people, if they don’t know we moved, that we’re at a new location,” she says. “We’re just nervous and excited to see how it’s going to be for us — how different the foot traffic is going to be, now that we’re in Waikīkī. We’re still excited to have our regulars come back because we miss them. We hope they don’t mind the ‘trek to Waikīkī,’ as people sometimes say.”
CONTACT
Side Street Inn
280 Beach Walk, Honolulu
808-739-3939
sidestreetinn.com
Instagram: @sidestreetinn
Open 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
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