The Ala Moana Shopping Center has become so big that it’s almost like a village unto itself. Villages usually have many places to eat; and so we have Lanai at Ala Moana, the mall’s food court dining center.
Located on the second floor of the Diamond Head Wing, across from Macy’s in the former Shirokiya department store, Lanai first opened in late 2017, and reached full occupancy in October.
It’s a good place to fulfill your pau hana cravings if you happen to be in the mall and want to cool your heels for a bit.
THE EXPERIENCE
The Makai Market food court at Ala Moana has become somewhat of a zoo. It’s almost always crowded and noisy, albeit clean and well-maintained.
The Lanai, on the other hand, was not crowded during our visit, early on a workday afternoon. That made it a relaxing prospect.
The decor is varied, ranging from small bar-height circular tables for perhaps three people to small rectangular tables that can seat larger groups. Total seating for the large hall is 450.
LANAI AT ALA MOANA
Ala Moana Center, second floor, Diamond Head Wing
alamoanacenter.com/en/dining/the-lanai.html
Happy Hour (at Agave & Vine): 3 to 6 p.m. daily
>> Beer: Kirin Ichiban, Golden Road Kinky Blonde Ale, $3
>> Well drinks, $3
>> House wine, $4
>> Mai Tai, $5
The space is fronted by windows on two sides, so there is some natural light, but the view itself is not much to speak of — the parking lot and the corridor beside Macy’s.
There is also some outside seating available in the open corridor between Lanai and Macy’s, including a section adjacent to Agave & Vine, the food court’s bar.
THE FOOD
There are about dozen eateries at this food court, ranging from locally based establishments to overseas chains. Nothing is too fancy, but overall, there seems to be a sensibility towards fresh, healthful food, such as the menu at Ahi & Vegetable, which boasts tuna selected daily from the Honolulu fish auction.
Other local establishments offering fresh items include HiTEA Cafe, which features stir-fry right out of the pan along with juices, smoothies and Boba teas, and Mahaloha Burger, which offers burgers made with free-range beef from Hawaii island.
Asian cuisine also has a healthy presence at Lanai, with dining options including authentic Japanese noodles from Sobaya, bento and bowl choices from Musubi Cafe Iyasume and hot grilled items from Teppanyaki Farmer, where you can watch your food getting prepared and cooked.
Everything looked pretty delicious, if familiar, until I wandered over to Seoul Mix 2.0.
As the name implies, this place puts a twist on Korean favorites, and I spotted something that I hadn’t seen on a menu before, the Super Cheesy Tonkatsu. With mozzarella stuffed into deep fried, crispy pork, and served in a bowl of rice, this dish had a vaguely cordon-bleu sensibility to it.
The Super Cheesy Tonkatsu had a little bit of everything — textured variety, from crunch to munch to melted gooey-ness, with a spicy sauce that was rounded out by the rich cheesy flavor. For $10.95, you get five side dishes and japchae (glass noodles) with it, so it’s a fine deal for a meal. It also comes in a mini size with rice and japchae for $8.80.
For dessert I went to Brug, a bakery based in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, which offers a range of pastries under $5.
I enjoyed a cute little strawberry buttercream pastry called Neko Pan, $2.95, which means cat in Japanese.
Being a chocolate lover, I also couldn’t resist the Chocolate Walnut Muffin, $3.14. Both pastries were delightful.
THE DRINK
Agave & Vine offers variety of happy hour bargains on alcoholic refreshments.
For beer drinkers, there’s Kirin Ichiban and Golden Road Kinky Blonde Ale at $3. That’s half off the regular price of $6.
House red and white wines are $4 during happy hour, regularly $7.
Well drinks are just $3 during happy hour, regularly $5.50.
A special happy hour mai tai is offered at $5; it was classically good.
It’s not a happy hour offering, but the Bad Decisions ($10) is a good choice. The soothing blend of Grand Leyenda Blanco Tequila, Grapefruit, lime sour and agave nectar is served in a martini glass with rim coated in tajin salt. It was very tasty, with the grapefruit adding a tasty tang.
THE VERDICT
Whether you’re in the mood for a full meal or just a snack, you’ll find something to please your palate at Lanai, and happy hour drink specials seal the deal.
