A lot of the best new restaurants this year happen to be Japanese-owned or themed, which is a little problematic because readers have told me they like variety.

While I happen to think a sushi bar, yakitori restaurant and ramen shop are totally different entities, a lot of diners tuck them under the same broad “Japanese-food” category and want to read about other cuisines.

In the past, that wasn’t much of a problem. I could count on an Italian restaurant opening one week, Chinese the next, then Korean, Thai, American, Vietnamese, Mexican, down the line. That isn’t happening anymore.

Increased competition and rising costs of rent and raw ingredients make market entry difficult for budding restaurateurs, clearing the way for those with experience and financial backing.

So with another three Japanese restaurants waiting in the wings, I had to search farther afield for something different, and that’s how I ended up at a Chinese mom-and-pop in Waipahu.

Garden Island Cafe actually started in Manoa, but the rising cost of rent drove Allen and Yanna Li west. The couple purchased the small cafe and its mix of Cantonese and local specialties from its previous owner in 2010. The restaurant had been known for such dishes as salt-and- pepper pork chops, fried chicken wings, Korean chicken and garlic shrimp, and the couple did their best to stay true to all the recipes, to the point that some longtime fans now make the long drive to Waipahu to feed their cravings.

In Waipahu, Yanna Li said, they found a much larger community, “but people didn’t know us and there’s a lot of competition.”

So they introduced a $5 plate-lunch special available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, and a $7 all-day special. Both specials run for a week, changing every Monday.

“For $5 people will try it once, but when they like it they come back with their friends and family,” she said.

Portions are generous, so on weekends you’ll find large families commandeering most of the seats for large, shareable meals. Given the homey setting, some customers set up game boards as if in their own dining rooms, or start pitching in to help when the Lis are overwhelmed.

Although the menu is primarily Cantonese, the cafe is not like a traditional Chinese restaurant where customers order multiple entrees and rice separately. The plate-lunch format means each entree comes with rice and macaroni salad, served in plastic-foam containers.

I could do with fewer carbs, but otherwise, the quality of the food is equal to that of Chinatown restaurants. True to the cafe’s reputation, some of the best dishes include the juicy, lightly crisped fried chicken wings ($7.50 mini/$9.25 regular); salt-pepper pork chops ($9.75); and heaping portions of mochiko chicken cut into manageable bite-size pieces ($6.95/$8.95).

I also enjoyed spicy eggplant stir-fried with ground pork ($9.25), Singapore-style curried noodles ($9.50) more moist than most, and spicy shrimp ($10.25) drenched in a buttery sauce that reminded me of Buffalo wings, without as much heat.

I usually don’t order beef broccoli ($9.25) because it’s one of the most boring dishes you will find at a Chinese restaurant and the beef is usually stiff and chewy. But when dining with other people there are moments you have to put personal preference aside, and in this case I was glad. The cafe’s version is tender and juicy.

The menu features images that can make ordering easier. Visuals of fried shrimp ($7.95/$10.25) and chicken katsu ($6.95/$8.95) didn’t appeal to me, but they may be the picture of deliciousness to others. I also wasn’t a fan of plain-tasting wor wonton min ($8.25), nor eating it from a take-out bowl — it’s not the best way to enjoy any soup.

We’re still ahead of the holiday season, so now is the time to sample dishes that might make it to your next potluck in Garden Island’s party pans, offered at a 20 percent discount through Dec. 31.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.