Izakaya Torae Torae – McCully, HI

I used to come Izakaya Torae Torae more often, nothing wrong with them I promise! I guess I’ve been trying other places or just not going out all together. Got another special birthday treat here and boy was it a treat. The experience didn’t start great. We had reservations and were seated first in the restaurant and then we were basically talked to last. They spent all their time seating everyone at their tables and bar…and then took their orders right away? I was getting pretty peeved if I can be honest. I get that restaurants are short staffed but we heard one couple who had a reservation 30 minutes after ours get seated and then HELPED before us. I was actually timing my departure because it was almost 15 minutes at that point and I just couldn’t believe my eyes and ears at everyone else getting service but us. Well, finally she comes to greet us and I am sure I gave out bad vibes. But she turned out to be okay and actually, I think she was the only waitress for the restaurant so I did feel bad for her. And boy oh boy…did prices go up. But that’s the trend everywhere.

Ankimo (Monkfish Liver) | $11.65
served in citrus soy sauce, momiji, oroshi and green onions over cucumber wakame

One of my go-to dishes in Japanese restaurants. I know liver throws a lot of folks off board but I really enjoy this, it’s not a strong liver taste. What do I compare this to? It’s almost like crab miso – it’s hard to explain. I find this dish to be light and refreshing!

Jidori Chicken Karaage | $11.00
free range Jidori chicken battered and deep fried

Good, nothing special. It’s fried chicken, you can’t really go wrong!

Pork Belly Kakuni | $16.85
blackline pork simmered in soy based sauce served with daikon and slow cooked organic egg

This dish took the longest to come out. It was one of the first orders we put in and came out like at the end of the meal. Wouldn’t a dish like this already have been simmering? I guess I don’t know how restaurants work but I doubt pork belly kakuni is fired up at the time of order. Anyway, I listed this as the item because they gave us the wrong order. We actually ordered the pork belly kakuni donburi – they apologized and brought out a bowl of rice. I mean we made out in this deal because we got more meat in the end and paid the cheaper price. Funniest interaction was the waiter asking if we wanted to just keep this dish because if he had to remake the donburi, it would take a long time. WHAT? Would you not just put these pork pieces onto a bowl of rice? Baffled!

Spicy Tuna Tartare | $10.75
wonton bowl with avocado mix. topped with spicy tuna, raw quail egg, green onions, kabayaki sauce, and nori chips

It tastes like it sounds, it’s delicious. I don’t drink but sometimes I wish I was a beer drinker to get the same satisfaction as other beer drinks who eat fried food with their beer. Delish!

King Salmon Sashimi (6 pcs) | $24.00
O-toro Sashimi (6 pcs) | $64.95 (!)

Star of the show is the last picture to end the post. The o-toro….the price!!! Torae Torae still serves the best o-toro on the island, hands down. But this price…I just can’t. It was such a nice birthday treat…unfortunately the o-toro this time was also not as good quality as in the past. But the price hike! Yeah, I think I’ll have to hike it on out of here.

Ending the post with the gifts I received from the same friend who treated me to dinner. Aren’t these presents wrapped so pretty? It is always so heartbreaking to have to tear into these presents because he is a perfectionist at wrapping. No one can beat it!

8 responses to “Izakaya Torae Torae – McCully, HI

  1. vickinags

    I’ve been wanting to go never got around to it. What’s even more maddening is I had a $100 gift certificate that I got just before COVID so didn’t get an opportunity to use it. Those paper certificates are only good for 2 years and it is now going on 4 years so….Oh well.
    I guess I could call and see if they would still honor it.

  2. kat

    wow! pricey…and I would think they would just put the pork onto the rice too , but in Japan they will make the dish again from scratch…

  3. jalna

    Wow, awesome treat!

  4. Vicki Nagahiro

    My cuz who works in food industry says there is a law that once a dish is served, it cannot be taken back and re-served….like if you wanted your steak a little more cooked, they have to bring you a new one and and not supposed to take it back to throw it back on the grill.(at least in Hawaii)
    which is why you usually get free food unless they’re stink and take the plate back and take it off the bill.

    • Jenny

      That’s a great rule and I hope they all follow the rule lol. I wonder if they have to take back food if they just eat ‘em themself. Haha!

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