Saku

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Kai Sushi seemed like a no-brainer when it opened in Kailua in 2005 — decent sushi and izakaya dishes, along with local favorites, in a budget-chic room. But it never really seemed to take off — the owners handed the restaurant to parents, the name changed, and then in April 2008, the cozy space became the first Honolulu location of a Nagoya chain called Saku.

Manager Natsumi Ikeda says people still think it’s Sushi Kai with a new name, but the place is all new. Gone are the soothing neutral greens, replaced by a bold red-and-black Japanese look, with glowing red lanterns in the window, and the menu is more traditionally Japanese.

Ikeda says she and the staff want Saku to be an affordable, go-to neighborhood restaurant. “That’s what Saku means,” Ikeda said.
Saku is Japanese for blossom, and the idea is that conversation, friendship, and good feelings bloom at Saku. One thing is for sure — the price and setting are right for Saku to take root and thrive during this time when we’re all hunting and gathering cheap eats.

Owner Rieko Nishimura (her father is behind the 30-restaurant Nagoya chain) imported the family restaurant concept, which includes Saku’s “famous” chicken wings (five for $5). I’ve never understood the obsession with these bony morsels, whether given buffalo or mochiko treatment. But Saku’s “tebakara” chicken really is worth a try. Lightly glazed with a sweet soy “secret sauce” the wings actually squirt you with chicken juice they are so moist.

Another little gem not seen much on other local izakaya menus are potato mochi balls ($4). They’re like Asian gnocchi, or mini savory malasadas, sitting in a pool of, yes, sweet soy sauce. The light delicateness of the mochi balls could use a more subtle bath, but it’s still a must-order dish.

Otherwise, the menu is standard, with the familiar lineup of well-prepared tempura, yakitori, some grilled fish, katsu, etc.

You can take a seat at the small sushi bar, where the nigiri and maki sushi are a little sloppily made, with the grains haphazardly shaped, but the fish is of top quality for the price — and when you’re dining on the quick and cheap, that’s more than should be expected. The assortment of rolls are a nod to local tastes (and no doubt to keep Kai clientele happy), as “we don’t have caterpillar roll in Japan,” says Ikeda.

You can also order beer, shochu and sake not available at other Japanese restaurants.

After working late, instead of settling for the same old burger (or that $15 frozen pizza from the supermarket) — try a fresh-cooked complete tonkatsu dinner for just $16. If you’re a Windward-sider, Ikeda wants you to drop by. Chances are your first time won’t be your last.

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