Wada is a prize find for Pau Hana Patrol — if you can get a seat, that is. This impeccable restaurant tends toward clean, careful presentation in a Japanese style yet offers enticing happy hour specials that will allow you to enjoy a cross section of offerings without breaking your budget.
THE EXPERIENCE
Pau hana at Wada is a refined experience, with fresh and delicate dishes. The servers are well informed and helpful, and there is no sign of impatience with visitors who need an explanation of ingredients or request suggestions.
The restaurant itself gives a Zen impression, with simple lines, wood tones and beige walls, and minimal embellishments. The ceramic dishes upon which food is served come to the table in varying styles, displaying a serene wabi sabi.
WADA
611 Kapahulu Ave.
737-0125, www.restaurantwada.com
Happy hour:
4-6 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. daily
>> Agedashi tofu, $4
>> Nigiri sushi, $2.75-$5.75 per piece (regularly $3.75-$8.25)
>> Sake, $3.50
>> Kirin draft, $3.50 |
Conveniently, the restaurant has two happy hour periods, from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 9 to 11 p.m. On our visit, arriving at 5 p.m., the restaurant was already filling up, including parties of Japanese visitors. Thankfully, the restaurant does take reservations during happy hour, so if you have a plan, you can save a seat.
THE FOOD
Wada’s sushi is very good, and the presentation is a pleasure.
Because the plates can be so fine, your best bet is to go for the better items — or at least end with them. I savored a single piece of toro (blue fin) tuna, at $5.75 (regularly $8.25). After that my final plate, a hand roll of spicy ahi, was a letdown. The disappointment was compounded by the sauce, a less-than-mildly spicy, oily mayonnaise mix that was simply dolloped onto the cubes of ahi in the roll.
Another happy hour special, a fusion dish of eggplant with tomato sauce and cheese ($4), was tasty but didn’t blend, to my palate, with the raw fish plates.
Aside from that misstep, I very much enjoyed the nigiri sushi, including mackerel and saltwater eel ($3.75 per piece during happy hour, regularly $4.25/$6) and unagi and yellowtail tuna, aka hamachi ($2.75, regularly $3.75).
The agedashi tofu served here is delicately flavored, warm and delicious, and helped to round out the meal.
We ordered exclusively from the happy hour menu, sampling sushi and side dishes, with sake for two, and our bill came to a reasonable $60.
THE DRINK
A generous pour of cold sake was only $3.50 during happy hour, as is a glass of Kirin draft beer, shochu, red or white wine. Nothing to complain about here!
THE VERDICT
Wada is a gem, with great offerings both within and without its happy hours. It is more formal and contemplative than an izakaya (and also more expensive), so it may not be your choice for a rowdy celebration, but with a few close friends, and the patience to seek out a free table, the restaurant is truly rewarding.
