I come to Hawaii every summer with my family. It has been a few years since we came to Waikiki, a busy city in the middle of Honolulu, Oahu. While my family and I love spending a calm, relaxing week of laying in the sun and doing nothing in Maui, we start to crave the city life. That's why we have been coming to Waikiki for years, where we get to shop and eat amazing food in the evenings, while still being able to bask in the sun during the day. One of our favorite spots in Waikiki is Gyoza No Ohsho, a ramen joint serving Japanese comfort food. Hawaii is just a short, 5 hour flight from Japan. Waikiki is filled with Japanese tourists, and thus, delicious and authentic Japanese restaurants, convenience stores, and shops.
Yes, Hot Ramen in the Middle Of July is a Must
Gyoza No Ohsho is a teeny tiny ramen restaurant hidden in the King's Village Shops located on Kaiulani Ave in Waikiki. It is both a local and tourist fav, if your eye catches it. They're famous for their gyoza, of course, and their garlic ramen. Gyoza is a common Japanese dish consisting if wonton wrappers filled with pork and cabbage. It is served on a cast-iron plate, piping hot. The sizzle is music to my ears, but you have to be patient before you take a bite because you definitely do not want to burn your tongue. Crispy on the outside and stuffed with juicy pork on the inside, it is a perfect combo when dipped in Gyoza No Ohsho's homemade soy sauce and vinegar.
Although my family comes to Waikiki in the summers where it is incredibly humid and hot, we still need our ramen fix. Gyoza No Ohsho's best ramen dish is the garlic ramen. The ramen noodles are served in a tonkotsu broth, with bean sprouts, bamboo, scallions, and super soft, thinly sliced char-siu pork on top. Tonkotsu is a Japanese broth made from pork marrow, so it makes the ramen noodles super flavorful. The ramen is sprinkled with a generous amount of garlic chips, perfect for any garlic-lover like me.
Another important staple at Gyoza No Ohsho is their char-siu pork fried rice. A hefty serving of mouth-watering golden fried rice with tiny pieces of pork thrown in (the same pork that's in the ramen), along with egg and scallions is brought to your table. It has to be one of the best fried rice dishes I have ever eaten, and it completes the gyoza and ramen meal, even on the hottest Hawaii days.
Gyoza No Ohsho is one of Waikiki's best Japanese comfort food restaurants, for tourists, locals, and of course, Japanese food lovers. Their homemade dishes make you feel welcomed in the busy streets of Waikiki, and it is obvious why my family and I keep coming back.