GREAT EATS HAWAII: AGU RAMEN

Sunday, November 30, 2014

AGU RAMEN

AGU RAMEN

HONOLULU, HAWAII

AGU RAMEN

925 ISENBERG STREET

HONOLULU, HI 96826

808-492-1637

HOURS: Daily 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

www.aguramen.com

We were still looking for another neighborhood gem when we visted Agu Ramen in Moilili. The restaurant is in the location of the old Da Kitchen and across from Old Stadium Park. We arrived to find the place packed around lunch time and had to wait outside for a few minutes. The polite staff came out and said they could seat us at the main double bar that runs the length of the dining room sitting maybe six people on each side. We took the seats and were greeted enthusiastically in Japanese as we took our seats. The all male wait staff was on our table quickly offering drinks and menus. We looked over the menu and had no idea what to order. The waiter came back with water and asked if we were ready to order or had any questions. I asked what he would recommend and he mentioned the Gyoza, Karaage and a few other sides. We ordered the Gyoza and Karagge Chicken as appetizers to share. I asked about the "spicy" Ramen and he directed me to the Spicy Kotteri and said that it got hot at level 3 where they use Thai Chili's. My girls ordered the Original Kotteri and I went for the Level 3 Kotteri. A few minutes passed and our appetizers arrived. The Gyoza ($5.75) was a bargain and delicious. All three of us thought that it was the best dish of the meal. Gyoza was fresh and filled with pork and a hint of ginger. Delicious. Could have eaten them all by myself. The Karaage Chicken ($10.75) was good but really lacked flavor. It was served with a vinegar based sauce that helped but the chicken really needed some spice. Seems like it as just fried. The Original Kotteri Ramen ($12.75) was really oily and bland according to my wife. Both her and my daughter took scoops of my spicy broth and added it to their Ramen to try to kick up the flavor. My Spicy Kotteri Level 3 ($13.25) cleared my sinuses and made my nose run. Really was the perfect level of heat for me. The first few bites were hot but after I got into the noodles and ate more the heat was fine. My favorite part of the Ramen was the boiled egg that had absorbed the flavor of the broth. The broth however was super oily and greasy. Difficult to enjoy or finish something with this much oil. Our impression of Agu was good. Liked the vibe and feel of the place and the service was excellent.