Checking out Kaimuki Grill
By Melissa
About a month ago, Catherine Toth blogged about a new place called Kaimuki Grill, which took the place of Momotarou (across Victoria Inn). It looked so good, I had to try it.
I went with the effervescent Christa Wittmier (@supercw) and asked her to bring a couple friends. Daniel Gray had just opened his Chinatown club, SoHo, on a Friday night, and was taking a break from the scene; this seemed like a good way to help him chillax. Next to Christa is Anne Au, who owns Rockshop--retailing fun fashions on First Fridays.
Christa and Anne sport Rockshop shades with the CB Sliders, mini cheeseburgers that are oh-so-moist.
One of our favorite items was the fried rice, which features morsels of lup chong. We racked our brains, but couldn't think of any restaurants that serve lup chong fried rice. Can you?
Our absolute favorite--as was Cat's--was the garlic steak. Garlic chips and served with garlic sauce, yum!
But wait! There's more! No, really, there's more. We ate a LOT, and believe it or not, had no alcohol while there. If you want to see what else we ate, go to my Metromix.com gallery. Leave comments!
Kaimuki Grill
1108 12th Ave.
808-732-2292
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Friday; 2 p.m.-midnight Saturday. (Kitchen closes about 9:30 p.m.)
Urban Mix Plate
June 19th, 2009 at 12:25 am
yum! looks great! i've been wanting to go there... i'll add it to my list of places you've reviewed that i haven't been to yet! i'm not in kaimuki too often but might make a special trip.
looks like you had a great time in kapalua! boy, you're living the life! busy but good!! so much good food... i'm jealous! gotta enjoy when you can!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Boy, that garlic steak looks ono-licious ~ want one with fried rice... Makes me drool! Kaimuki sure has a lot of places to eat within a few blocks. This Grill looks great!
June 19th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Oooooooooooooo Garlic Steak with Lup Chong Fried Rice *drool*
June 19th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Hi Melissa
Me and IKHEA was just talkin bout trying that place, now fo sua
As for lup chong fried rice Side St. has one
NKHEA....gatta go dea
June 19th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Lup chong fried rice is also being served at Asahi Grill on Ward Ave.
June 19th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Hi Melissa-
Will DEF have to try that place out... if you AND Cat say it's good... it must have something going for it...
NEO
June 19th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Wow Melissa,
The food looks so good they had to post your blog entry twice! NKHEA is right that Side Street has the lup cheong fried rice. I need to go check it out on Metromix to see more.
Have a great weekend fellow foodies!
June 19th, 2009 at 11:13 am
You guys, I could be happy with just the fried rice and garlic steak. we were too full to try the shoyu hot dogs....next time. At the end as we were packing up the leftovers, Christa was like, "HEY! Can we get some more food?! Just kidding!" It was a LOT of food.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Melissa; jus got back from having lunch at Kaimuki Grill, the food waz really gooooood and the prices hard to beat yeah
plus the Heine's only $3.75 
NKHEA....forgot to ask if you have wine
June 19th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Oh yes! They only serve wine, and beer in bottles (not on tap). Yay!!!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Melissa - hah! that's right.....this was the place i was saying that used to be a small bar called After Five.....before Momotaru.
mmm.....yours/Metromix and Cat's fuud pix of this place tells it all! *thumbs up* whoa! that's a big dish of fried rice there! and that garlic steak sure looks like a winnah!
auright......hangin with supercw!
NKHEA - $3.75?! that's pau hana prices?.....or all da time?
tonight? 
heh
sooo......when we going "sample"?
June 19th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
opso; tink das the regular all da time prices
good yeah 
no can tonight get dinna wit da IL's 
but maybe tomorrow can 
will call if we go.....who else like go if we go 
NKHEA....and opso goin start practicing already
June 19th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I'll go next time you guys go!
June 19th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
NKHEA - pffft.....like we need practice.
shoots....gimme a call if you folks going. my social calendar is still open for tomorrow nite.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
LOL I don't think I can go that soon! Plus I don't drink on Saturdays because I run on Sundays. Maybe next week!
June 19th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
opso; shoot will do
eh the moa practice the betta 
ask Melissa das why she makin excuse fo not goin tomorrow she gatta practice runnin 
NKHEA....goin check wit IKHEA
June 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Melissa - eh.....no need drink........just EAT!
and since you're gonna run......you'll be needing them carbs right?
nah.....next week is fine. tue? wed? thu?
June 19th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Steak looks real good, I can feel the heartburn kicking in already.
June 19th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Hmmmm. Shucks. I thought this might be a restaurant that I could publicize on my restaurant blog. I gotta try it anyway.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Brilliant article as usual and wonderful photos. Interesting that they use Chinese tableware.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
tried to check it out. the place was really small and had more empty chairs than people but the woman said all the tables were reserved. don't bother.
June 20th, 2009 at 1:06 am
hmmm let me check on the day, looks like i am booked every night next week but the following week may be better!
June 20th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Ohhhh the fuud looks soooo guuuud!
June 21st, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Y'know I was just out that way this past Friday evening... every 3rd Friday we host a dance @ Kaimuki Rec, and I noticed that the restaurant is in the same parking lot we parked in... had HS kids w/ us so couldn't go, but Hawaii Council for Humanities is also there, so maybe I'll go before the next meeting we have...
Thanks for this post Melissa!
NEO
June 21st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Hot Damn Girl!
You making me all hungry lidat. After ATM, these food blogs are killing me. Africa was unreal too. I actually want to go there now. I guess get more than lions and elephants there.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hello Melissa!
The food was ono at Kaimuki Grill on Saturday. We miss you!
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Just dropping by........
June 24th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I wish I made it that night the gang went there. About the fried rice, is it more on the sweet or salty side? I love fried rice but don't care for the sweeter-flavored ones... Thanks!
June 26th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Sorry I missed you guys!! Wanted to shout out to Braddah Lance for stopping by and commenting...ha ha
July 1st, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Lup chong fried rice...8fatfat8 of course.