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Our article Dec. 7 about the early days of Pearlridge Center’s food court drew a number of email responses from readers who worked at the International Kitchen, the center’s first proper food court.
Their recollections corrected some information we had gathered about the venue — the International Kitchen originated in the current food-court space, not between the Uptown escalators as we stated — and rounded out details.
“International Kitchens (IK for short) also had a hamburger counter, a Mexican counter, a German counter and a bar. American counter served hot dogs, chili, fried chicken, various salads, pies and ice cream,” wrote Bryant Miyake, who began working there as a University of Hawaii student and stayed on until it closed in the early 1980s.
Mary Sensui, who worked at the IK hot dog counter, explained just what was going on with all that food service between the escalators. “If memory serves me correctly, the restaurant … was called the Center Court Restaurant,” she said. “The restaurant and the food court opened around the same time.”
Miyake also remembers the disco that opened at night in the International Kitchen space.
“The disco didn’t last too long,” he recalled. “We found food missing, damages to the area and other things. … I used to open the restaurant for breakfast, and most of the time we were late in opening with all of the problems left from the night before.”
For all that, he says, “I still have fond memories of the place. I met my wife there.”
Do you have memories, fond or otherwise, about the early era of food at Pearlridge Center? We see the makings for a follow-up and would love to hear from you.
Email Joleen Oshiro at joshiro@staradvertiser.com or write her at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
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