Building Industry Magazine - July 2011 - (Page 96)

Top Eats: Sweet Home Honolulu BY JASON SOEDA It’s that time again! Top Eats is back to show you what happens when the proverbial lunch whistle blows. This is a snapshot of eateries in Honolulu that workers flock to when they need to satisfy their ravenous appetites. Mrs. Yoshiko Takahashi, a waitress for Palace Saimin for more than 40 years, serves wun tun min and barbecue sticks to customers (from left) Jodi Webb of GreenPath Technologies and Richelle Thomason, Candace Akasaki and Dana Akasaki of Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing. A Female Perspective We’re putting a new spin on this year’s Top Eats report. This time, we’ve collected comments from the female segment of the construction industry. Admittedly, we haven’t included a lot of comments from female builders in recent Top Eats stories, so we feel it’s high time we recognize one simple truth: women work up monster appetites just like their male counterparts. So let’s find out where and what they grind. Our sources for this report are high-ranking officers from top building companies on Oahu. Each of them has a penchant for small mom-and-pop eateries offering delicious food and friendly service for the best price in town. Jodi Webb is the business development officer at GreenPath Technologies and she usually prepares a healthy meal at home before she goes to work. But don’t let that fool you. Webb is privy to the whereabouts of a great many hole-in-the-walls and hidden gem eateries. When she needs to set up a lunch meeting near a work site or just feels like treating herself, she always knows exactly where to go. Her favorite foods run the gamut from traditional Filipino cuisine to the standard Hawaiian plate lunch, but there is one common denominator — she has a strong sentimental connection to each of her favorite spots. One of her all-time favorite eateries is Sanoya Rahmen located at 1785 South King St. “I love Sanoya’s because their miso ramen is my favorite of anywhere I have eaten around the world — sorry, even Japan!” says Webb. “When I graduated from college my parents said they would take me and my friends anywhere to eat… guess where I chose? Sanoya’s! When I get married that’s where I will have my wedding reception. You can order anything at Sanoya’s and it’s $7.50 or below.” Webb also enjoys the oxtail soup from Kapiolani Coffee Shop at Kapalama City Square and its 96 | BUILDING INDUSTRY | JULY 2011 sister restaurant Asahi Grill on Ward Avenue. “I love Kapiolani Coffee Shop because my dad always took me there as a little girl when it was actually on Kapiolani Boulevard,” she says. “I’ve been eating oxtail soup with my dad and grandmother for as long as I remember and the broth is my comfort food when I’m sick.” Dana Akasaki, chief corporate marketing director of Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii Inc. (CRW), is Webb’s industry colleague. She tells us her favorite restaurant is, hands down, Ethel’s Grill at 232 Kalihi St. Akasaki says her favorite item at Ethel’s is the tataki sashimi plate. “It is, by far, the best steal of a deal; $8.75 for great, fresh sashimi with their signature garlic shoyu sauce and bean sprouts,” she says. “The whole meal includes a salad with a fabulous cilantro dressing, miso soup, bowl of rice and drink of choice. Ethel’s Grill is definitely my all-time favorite and the best place

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - July 2011

Contents
HAWAII’S TOP 25 CONTRACTORS
INSIDE THE AIA
TOP EATS
Aqua Starts Work on Schofield Pipes
Target Teams up With dck
BIA Honors Renaissance Winners
Hawaii Prince Gets Makeover
COE Honors Firms in Mothballing Project
Renovations Begin at Kuhio Park Terrace
Best Practices
Datebook
Contracts Awarded
Low Bids
Spotlight on Success: Franciscan Vistas Ewa
Company Showcase: Walker-Moody Construction Co., Ltd
Concept to Completion: Kukui Gardens
News Makers
New Products

Building Industry Magazine - July 2011