Fresh Catch

Ask Royal Hawaiian Center chefs which fish best represents Hawaiian culture and cuisine, and they'll all tell you, ‘ahi. Indeed, the yellowfin and bigeye tuna (both refer to ‘ahi in Hawai‘i) have long been fished in our local waters, dating back to 1899 when the first wooden sampan was brought to Hawai‘i.

At Doraku Sushi Waikīkī, ‘ahi is represented in various preparations, from the classic poke and sashimi to pan-seared and hand rolls. During a recent re-grand opening after months of renovations, owner Kevin Aoki says they’ve elevated their ingredients to include new deluxe sushi platters.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener

“This was a natural progression for us,” Aoki said. “Along with our new renovations, we also wanted to introduce new menu items.”

Among them are the Doraku Sapphire sushi platter, consisting of ‘ahi, salmon, yellowtail, ono and catch-ofthe-day sashimi; Red and White Dragon Rolls; and the Chef’s Special Poke. Restaurant Suntory offers its own iteration of poke. Here, cubes of diced big eye tuna are combined with onions, avocado and seaweed then marinated in a spicy soy sauce. Because it possesses a higher fat content than yellowfin, bigeye tuna is prized among sashimi connoisseurs. Try the slices of prized chutoro, the fatty bellyside of the fish, which offers a buttery texture with a sweet moderate flavor.

At the sushi bar, tradition trumps the contemporary, and presentation is straightforward and classic. Chefs pride themselves on staying true to the essence of Japanese cuisine, which demands flavors be subtle and fresh.

Restaurant Suntory

“We only use fresh, quality ingredients,” says general manager Nobuyuki Aoyama. “That’s what makes us different from other teppanyaki restaurants.”

Poke is turned into a satisfying meal at Island Vintage Coffee, where bowls of white or brown rice are topped with a choice of spicy ‘ahi, shoyu ‘ahi, or a combination of both.

Doraku Sushi Waikīkī

“The poke was the best I’ve ever had,” says La Jolla, Calif., resident Kathy Lynne. “The combination of textures and colors was perfect.”

While better known for its dryaged USDA Prime steaks, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener does offer grilled yellowfin tuna on its menu. “We serve it as an entrée and use the same fish for our tuna tartare, which is super popular,” says general manager Bill Nickerson. “The entrée portion is a 12-to 16-ounce fillet, and it’s just pure tuna coming at you. We just cook it on the grill and serve it with wasabi and shoyu. It’s such a great tasting fish that you really don’t need to do too much to it.”

Island Vintage Coffee

For an Italian rendition of tuna tartare, the tartara di tonno at Il Lupino Trattoria and Wine Bar is complemented with a zesty gingerinfused vinaigrette, and served with arugula and garlic crostini. Also reminiscent of the Old World, an entrée of seared ‘ahi is accompanied by orzo pasta, seasonal vegetables and asparagus. During lunch, a poke bowl consists of chunks of ‘ahi, avocado, cucumber, watermelon radish, ginger soy dressing and red pepper aioli, all served atop a mound of rice.

On a good day, almost 60,000 pounds of fish will be sold at the United Fishing Agency, with big eye and yellowfin the first to go on the block. . Some of that fish will be destined for Royal Hawaiian Center establishments, including Noi Thai Cuisine, where ‘ahi is the primary protein in the Yum Salad that blends cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and spring onions.

P.F. Chang‘s Waikīkī

P.F. Chang’s Waikīkī expanded its menu a few years ago with the introduction of sushi. “The specialty rolls are Asian-inspired and Hawai‘iinfused,” says Hawai‘i-based chef Grant Kawasaki, who developed the sushi menu for P.F. Chang’s Waikīkī.

“I chose many local ingredients including fresh ‘ahi, local produce, spices and sauces to create one-ofa-kind sushi rolls that blend Hawaiian and Asian culinary experiences to create sushi masterpieces,” says Kawasaki. The Waikīkī, for example, is a play on the traditional rainbow roll, which consists of spicy ‘ahi, cucumber, kaiware sprouts and enoki mushrooms. The Shaka is made with ‘ahi poke and lomi salmon; and the fresh ‘ahi salad is prepared with mixed organic field greens, cabbage slaw, tarty radish, kaiware sprouts and green onions.

“Our direct supplier purchases our ‘ahi on our behalf at the Fish Auction,” says P.F. Chang Waikīkī’s business director Chad Mueller. “So our ‘ahi is always guaranteed to be fresh.”