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The recent local explosion in restaurants is far from over, with newcomers including Tim Ho Wan, GEN Korean BBQ House and Osteria Apetito soon to open under WDI International’s Hawaii office.
With such a presence in Hawaii, WDI is looking to build consumer awareness of its brand. WDI stands for World Dining Inspirations, and its stated mission is to deliver authentic food, stylish ambience and heartfelt hospitality.
Osteria Apetito, an original concept for Hawaii, will open in the former Keoni by Keo’s spot in the Ohana Waikiki East by Outrigger in late spring, said Shigeru Kikuchi, WDI district manager for Hawaii. Osteria — Italian for a simple or inexpensive restaurant — will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
GEN Korean BBQ House, to open in early 2017 in the former Tsukiji Fish Market space at Ala Moana Center, is a joint venture with the GEN chain. “It’s going to be the first store outside the U.S. mainland,” said Kikuchi.
“Hopefully this restaurant is going to be one of the major spots at Ala Moana. … I’m glad we got the spot near CPK and Bubba Gump’s. That space is one of the biggest dining areas in the mall,” he said. It will have seating for 300 guests at lunch and dinner.
Hawaii prices aren’t yet set, “but some restaurants in California charge $19.99” for all-you-can-eat meals, he said.
The Hong Kong-based Tim Ho Wan chain is projected to branch out to the Royal Hawaiian Center in the spring, with 3,000 square feet and 100 seats.
First opened in 2009 in Kowloon, Hong Kong, Tim Ho Wan was awarded a Michelin star in 2010 and became known as the world’s most inexpensive Michelin-starred restaurant.
The chain has more than 20 locations around the world, many of them run by franchisees or joint-venture partners, WDI among them. WDI will open a Tim Ho Wan location in New York, with the Waikiki restaurant being its second location.
“This is a dim sum concept, so we can probably make two or three here once we get success,” Kikuchi said. The company is looking at the west side and perhaps Kahala, even as it opens outlets in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles — and “we have the Asian market, too,” he said.
Coming before any of these is TR Fire Grill, which opens Nov. 18.
The “TR” comes from Tony Roma’s, but the new concept is about Southern comfort food, such as chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp and grits.
Assistant General Manager Kelly Nguyen said in July that TR Fire Grill, in the former Chili’s Waikiki space, would be part destination restaurant, part neighborhood hangout. It also will stage a daily breakfast buffet for Hilton Garden Inn guests and the public, with brunch on weekends.
WDI also is the common thread running through four busy Oahu restaurants. The two Tony Roma’s franchise locations, the Wolfgang’s Steakhouse that WDI operates under a management contract, and its signature Taormina concept “are among the busiest and most successful restaurants on its roster,” said Mona Wood-Sword, who handles marketing and public relations for the company.
The company was established in Japan in 1972 and eight years later opened Tony Roma’s in Waikiki. It now has some 200 restaurants in 10 countries. It has offices in Hawaii, Guam and New York, with its main U.S. office in Los Angeles.
“Although WDI is well known in Japan, there is little to no brand awareness here in Hawaii,” Wood-Sword said.
The restaurants they own or manage have good reputations as well as strong sales, she said, “so from a marketing standpoint I feel aligning them under the WDI umbrella strengthens both WDI and the brands.”
Given all the impending openings, “I’d love for people to start making the connection,” Wood-Sword said.
Online
Tony Roma’s
tonyromas.com
Taormina Sicilian Cuisine
taorminarestaurant.com
TR Fire Grill
trfiregrill.com
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
www.wolfgangssteakhouse.net
GEN Korean BBQ House
genkoreanbbq.com
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