
by Will McGough
Last updated: 12:50 AM ET, Thu December 20, 2018
Looking for something new? Here's a rundown of new restaurants and watering holes on Oahu:
Paradise Ciders
In 2015, Shaun Peck and Kasey Sulheim started Paradise Ciders and, for years, wholesaled their creations to bars and restaurants around Hawaii. This fall, they opened their very first public tap room in the warehouse district of Kahili.
A visit to Paradise will introduce you to the "rainbow" of possibility that comes with cider. There are 12 homemade flavors on tap, most of which are made from local produce, including things like lilikoi, dragon fruit, lychee, guava, pineapple, mango, and starfruit.
Turns out, describing the collection of flavors as a rainbow is not hyperbole. Paradise only sells its cider by the taster-four four-ounce pours-and when the glasses sit next to one another, the colors are as appealing as the taste.
Beer Lab Hawaii: Two New Locations
Central Oahu got its first craft brewery when Beer Lab Hawaii opened its second location in Waipio earlier this fall (the original location is on University Ave in Honolulu).
Known for its experimental style, the move gives the brewery more space to brew, which will result in more selection across the board. The new location carries a warehouse feel, tucked into a business park off the highway. It's quickly become a local favorite, and it's great for visitors, too, conveniently just north of the H1/H2 junction for those on their way to the North Shore.
Beer Lab also recently opened a third location, a kiosk at the Pearlridge Mall.
Alicia's Market "Poke Express"
Unfortunately, Alicia's Market suffered a large fire this summer and continues to be closed indefinitely. But, much to the delight of its many fans, it has opened a small shop just down the street where it will sell its poke during renovations. Called "Poke Express," it's in the same building as the original location, just a few doors down. It's now open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Be sure to try their staple, the kalua pork and poke combo bowl.
Hamakua Caf
Visitors from the northeast will surely be interested in trying the Hawaiian take on a lobster roll. The Hamakua Caf food truck uses fresh Kona lobster-that is, local lobster-to make an island version of the lobster roll that includes red leaf lettuce, egg salad, and Maui onion dressing on a hot dog bun. Permanently parked in a lot at 5 Hoolai St. in Kailua, it also offers lobster bisque and poke bowls.
Goen Dining + Bar
Roy Yamaguchi, the proprietor of the infamous "Roy's Hawaii" chain of restaurants, has started a new endeavor in Kailua. As one might expect from Yamaguchi, the cuisine is Pan-Asian and features local meats and fish grilled over local wood, along with a full sushi bar and cocktails. You can still expect small portions, but the vibe is much more relaxed than Yamaguchi's previous endeavors, putting a new casual spin on his historic legacy.
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