HOKU was opened on the 3rd of December 2016, when new restaurant concept was launched in Kamppi shopping center 5th floor. Area is called Kortteli (Block), which includes 11 restaurants with different cuisines, HOKU being one of them.
Restaurant HOKU is a Hawaiian restaurant started by Ryan Shibuya. It is located by the windows opening to Narinkkatori offering great view if you get window table. So ask for it, but enough early. Some of the tables are on the other side behind glass walls after Beijing8 restaurant.
For starters ordered EDAMAME Lightly boiled and seasoned soybeans with a sesame-soy chili dressing and SOFT SHELL CRAB Deep fried and served on mixed salad with a creamy sriracha vinaigrette
Edamame, which is common in Hawaii, was a very simple dish, and a bit lacking imagination. As tasty as the sauce is, at the end they are just soy beans. Suitable for snack to be shared but maybe not for starter.
Crab was delicious and actuallu quite big for starter. Crispy shells with tasty salad made this crab starter maybe the best of all dishes eaten.
From several main courses ordered STEAMED SEABASS WITH BLACKBEANS Seabass steamed in cabbage leaf, salty black beans, shimeji mushrooms, ginger pesto and TOFU TERIYAKI Pan seared with teriyaki sauce. Served with rice, green or potato salad, pickles.
Seabass was wrapped in cabbage leaves, 3 pieces, which make portion generous. Sauce or soup was quite salty but rice lightened it. Fish itself was perfectly cooked, soft and tasty.
The tofu was silken, and pair well with teriyaki sauce. In menu dish is with salmon but can be replaced with tofu. In the plate there are 3 different flavors, sweet with the red cabbage, sour with the pickles and chilli with cabbage. The green salad is simple, usually served with a mayo dressing, but as it was served as vegan, the dressing was a vinagrette.
Wines are affordable when it comes to restaurant prices. If you get bottle of decent wine under 40€ in Finland, then you are on right track. Had South-African The Innocent Syrah 2015 from wineyard Lammershoek. The palate was soft and round upfront mouth feel. Quite light for Syrah but paired well with Hawaiian style food.
Restaurant has it’s own beer as you can see from the picture below. One of the Hawaiian islands, Kona, can be seen on the sign behind bar desk.
Restaurant Hoku will be success for sure. Excellent location in Kamppi shopping center by the windows with great view help it also.
But of course food is most important part and it was tasty. Especially not too strong Hawaiian flavors should melt Finnish mouths.
Service was professional being not too formal.
Saw many customers trying to step in without table reservation. On Saturday evening restaurant was fully booked.
REVIEW: FOOD 4-/5 – SERVICE 4-/5 – OVERALL GRADE 4/5
