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It is extremely rare for a new restaurant to serve the signature dishes of its predecessor, especially when the previous business delivered a completely different menu.
But Local Boy Sushi, established in 2014 in Kaneohe, does.
Local Boy Sushi
46-026 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe
>> Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sundays
>> Phone: 398-9366
>> Online: localboysushi.com
About the business: Brothers Erik, Isaac and Joe Pantastico decided to honor Lee’s Drive-In and its longtime customers by continuing to serve its favored burgers and fries. That’s alongside their own smoked meat, sushi, poke bowls, tempura, gyoza and other dishes. Prices range from $2 for a basic hand roll to $45 for a sushi platter.
“We still do the basic cheeseburger and hamburgers, and the deluxe (versions) with grilled onions, lettuce and tomato,” said Erik.
What to order: “The mainstay has always been the Local Boy Special,” Erik said. “You get three choices, and you can mix and match any variety.”
Selections include a popular fish salad modeled after tuna salad that features salmon smoked in-house, served with tomato, onion and corn “to add sweetness.” Then there’s spicy ahi (the brothers’ version is not overly hot), unagi, kalua pork, smoked meat, kal bi and more.
The basic Local Boy Special ($8) is served with brown rice and includes a small drink. Add-ons for an additional $1 include shrimp tempura or two pieces of gyoza.
Rapidly gaining popularity is a recently launched Lava Roll that combines shrimp tempura, avocado and spicy ahi poke, drizzled with sweet chili sauce and garnished with sesame seeds and green onion. A bowl version is available as well.
The brothers continue to create new menu items, taking their time with research, development and testing.
“There are a few other bowl options we’re launching,” said Erik, including a soon-to-come spicy tako poke made with tako smoked in-house.
Grab and go: Local Boy Sushi is solely takeout, with a walk-up window and no seating area. It is located in the same strip mall as Pah Ke’s Chinese Restaurant, with a parking lot spanning the storefronts.
Around peak meal times, which can start as early as 11 a.m. for lunch, it’s best to place an order by phone for pickup, said Erik. The lunch rush can continue as late as 2 p.m.
“If you have a bigger order, say four or five bowls, I highly recommend calling it in. That way, you’re not waiting around,” he said.
Call ahead also for platters and other special orders.
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