Maki's Sushi Café

FYI...The name of this post was corrected from Bishop Street Café to Maki's Sushi Café.  Since the name on the front plate glass window shows Bishop Street Café, I naturally assumed that was the name of the shop.  Apparently, the shop changed names, and ownership, but for some strange reason the signage was not changed.  My apologies for the confusion.

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A while back a few friends had mentioned this little shop downstairs from where they worked.  They were kind of surprised to discover that Maki's Sushi Café, formerly known as Bishop Street Café, served an interesting combination of foods -- panini, salads, pastas, udons and sobas, and donburi.

The menu items seemed to have little to do with one another, but the fact that there was a line to enter this shop, made it more intruiguing.  So based upon their recommendations/curiosity, I decided to pay Maki's Sushi Café a visit.

The long narrow space is evenly divided between counter and walkway -- there is no seating inside the shop.  If it's any consolation, you can have a seat outdoors.  The menu board is conveniently located at the front entrance, so that as you step up to the counter, you can review what's on the menu and place your order.

The serving area is layed out cafeteria-style with pre-cooked food served from warming trays by the cheerful and helpful staff.  Today, I decided to order the chicken katsu curry don (US$5.99).

A nice sized piece of chicken katsu was served atop a bowl of chicken curry and rice.  The curry had pieces of onions, carrots, potatoes, and chicken in it.  The curry was mildly spicy and just a little sweet, which is typical of traditional Japanese-style curry in my opinion.  It was all served with a bowl of miso soup and some tsukemono (pickled vegetables) on the side.

The chicken was moist, well fried and not at all greasy.  The curry was delicious and filling.  It was almost as if I had cooked this at home.  What I was most surprised about, though, was the curry sauce.  Normally, when eating at Japanese curry restaurants like CoCo Ichibanya Curry House, or even at places like Mr. Frypan, the curry sauce is served plain, with no added ingredients.  Here, you have the added bonus of both chicken and vegetables included in the sauce.  How's that?

Here's a better look at the chicken katsu curry don.

Maki's Sushi Café is destined to become a frequent lunch spot for me, not only for the value that it offers, but also for the service and quality of the food.  My only suggestion, please change the signage on the glass window out front.

Maki's Sushi Café
Dillingham Transportation Building
725 Bishop Street, Ground Floor
Telephone:  808.537.6951

Comments

[MrsT]

Yum......... mi!!!!

[Moira]

Nice shots, Reid...can't wait for the review!

My sister just sent me an article from The Advertiser about KC Drive Inn closing for good (what the?), with this note attached:

No way we cannot get da kine no more: ono ono extra 'tick wit peanut buttah SHAKE (not da malt, now, DA SHAKE!). and da kine waffle dog; ono for hang overs, after too long at Victoria Station happy hour, with only crackers and da kine crock of cheese, 'li dat -- and Mike McEvoy (old BF) too cheap to buy da grinds ....... Auwe!!

Thought you'd get a chuckle over us whining about it from so far away...;-)

[Reid]

Hi MrsT,

I take it that you like katsu curry raisu! Me too! =P

Hi Moira,

The review is now up...so sorry for the delay. Yes, it's true about KC Drive Inn. After more than 70 years in business it's finally gone. I guess it was just a matter of time. I didn't have a chance to visit KC once more before it closed. =( I would have definitely had the ono ono shake and the waffle hot dog with chili.

BTW...Your sister is hilarious! A true local at heart. Is she there in the UK as well?

[Moira]

Hey Reid...quit apologizing already! ;-) Nobody minds waiting for your reviews, especially when you upload such tantalizing photos in the interim! Katsu sounds sooooo good...another completely unfair review for you to post when we cannot go, too.

Cannot believe The Wisteria is gone, as well...we're not going to recognize anyplace if we ever make it back! =(

No, my funny sister is in Scottsdale, Arizona now. She lived in Kaimuki for about 25 years, but moved after her husband died and she couldn't afford to raise her two girls there alone anymore. The price of paradise, you know...

[babe_kl]

are all the places serve such huge portion? no wonder u could down so many variety of food when u were in spore :p hehehe...

[stacey]

looks oishiii... my gosh i usually just go to curry house @ mccully. this looks better!!!

[MrsT]

Yummy .. yummy..!! need i say more.. heheh!!

[Darkling]

Please speak for yourself, Moira. I find Reid's commentaries far more interesting and mouth-watering than the photos themselves, so it bothers me to have to wait to hear what he has to say, and what I'm actually looking at. This is just my particular opinion, of course. =)

[Reid]

Hi Moira,

Yes, Wisteria is gone too. In fact, a week before it closed, I tried to go there for dinner every night. There was no parking to be found for blocks and the dining room was packed. My favorite thing to eat there was the pork tofu...mmmmmm!

BTW...don't I know about the price of paradise. But I know it's just as expensive where you are!

Hi babe_kl,

Yes, unfortunately, the portion sizes here are quite large. I almost always feel like I'm over eating. Perhaps we need to adopt a system like the one they have in Singapore...you know where you can get a dish in either S$3, S$4, or S$5 portions?

Hi Stacey,

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

This is actually a better value for the money, but I still like the smoothness and slight spiciness of the curry sauce at CoCo Ichibanya. This curry was just a little too sweet for me.

Hi MrsT,

Any way you can get chicken katsu curry in Nova Scotia? BTW...it was delicious!

Hi Darkling,

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Now that things have settled down a bit at work, I can go back to my normal upload photos and post routine. There shouldn't be much of a delay going forward. Besides, I like to mix things up a bit. Keeps it interesting around here.