I originally wrote about Nami Kaze in February of this year. They had recently opened and were only doing an okazuya style take-out. I enjoyed my take-out experience, but was very curious when I started hearing about their new brunch and dinner service that started recently. My friend and I were looking for a place to celebrate our birthdays and decided to check out dinner at Nami Kaze.
Reservations at Nami Kaze
I highly recommend making reservations on Open Table. I made our reservations 4 days in advance, and there were only counter or bar seats available. Depending on the set up, I enjoy counter seating, as it gives you a view into the action of the kitchen. That was the case for our dinner. They had a full house, but our seats were still very comfortable and the ambiance was really nice. It was modern, clean and not too loud.
Dinner Menu at Nami Kaze
The dinner menu is a pescatarian’s dream, and will be popular with seafood lovers. It also features lots of locally grown produce. The menu is separated into “farm focused” dishes that are served hot or cold, “seafood focused” dishes that are served hot or cold, “sushi bar” items which include 3 different rolls, a chef’s choice sashimi plate, and side dishes (primarily rice, bread, and fries).
My friend and I ordered 5 dishes to share and each got a roasted musubi each. We ordered 3 items from the “farm focused hot” section of the menu: 1) green beans which were charred and had a spicy chili garlic sauce 2) the eggplant which was roasted and served with tzatziki and local honey and 3) the corn beignet with Japanese curry salt and Kewpie mayo.
All of these items were extremely flavorful, but I think my favorite was the corn beignets. I think it was the combination of sweetness from the corn and the saltiness of the curry salt that I enjoyed.
We also ordered 1 item from the “Seafood Focused Cold” and 1 from the “Seafood Focused Hot.” These were my top picks from the dinner and would recommend you order these, if you try Nami Kaze.
We got the Ahi Tartare which is made with larb spices, herbs, local lettuce and fish sauce gel. It’s served with a large “cracker” that you break into pieces and top with the tartare. The cracker is like a huge shrimp chip without the shrimp taste.
We also got the Black Cod which is served in red wine nitsuke with Kizame wasabi, and pickled onion. I’m a fan of nitsuke and this sauce was delicious!
Service at Nami Kaze
We had excellent service for our visit. We were greeted and seated promptly, and our server really took the time to explain the menu and make suggestions. He even brought by a scoop of sherbert at the end, since we were celebrating our birthdays.
Parking
There is a ton of parking near the restaurant. The restaurant is located next door to Nico’s Pier 38. It is in the old Uncle’s Fish Market location, which has since moved to Pearl Ridge. There are quite a few stalls on the backside of the restaurant, facing the water.
Nami Kaze Information
- Nami Kaze
- www.namikaze.com
- open Wed-Fri 10am-2pm and 5pm-9pm, Sat & Sun 9am-2pm and 5pm-9pm
- 1135 N. Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817
- Take out is still available with a slightly different menu. Check it out on Toast Tab.
For more restaurants on O’ahu, check out the O’ahu Restaurant Guide!
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