FUUD: Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Kapalama
By Cat
It's hard to believe it's already been a year — today! — that Kapiolani Coffee Shop opened at Kapalama City Square.
That means it's been a year since we've dined at its Kam Bowl location, which no longer exists. (The structure of the bowling alley is gone; Walgreen's is set to open this year.)
That was a sad day, to see the bowling alley our family had frequented for years, the coffee shop that served the best oxtail soup in the state, get demolished.
The good news: Kapiolani Coffee Shop lives on — and at several locations!
Outside the Kapalama location, near Young's Fish Market and Sugoi — two other eateries worth checking out.
Inside Kapiolani Coffee Shop on a weeknight. It usually fills up around dinnertime.
Regulars will be happy to know this location still boasts customers favorites such as beef stew, saimin, pig's feet soup and, of course, the oxtail soup.
The menu on the wall — makes my mouth salivate just looking at it.
One of the waitresses models what the restaurant is known for: oxtail soup.
Hands down, this is the best oxtail soup around. The clear, beefy broth — with cilantro, star anise, peanuts and green onions — is packed with flavor. The oxtail meat is tender. And when paired with shoyu and ginger, it's an unbeatable combination.
The glorious oxtail soup ($11.75 for large, $9.45 for small). And it's worth the price.
But the coffee shop serves more than just oxtail soup.
The beef stew is meaty and hearty. Perfect comfort food.
One of the guys I surf with craves the lup cheong fried rice ($6.50).
He said the sweet lup cheong compliments the saltiness of the fried rice. So much so he eats this — or wants to — once a week.
The chopped steak is a popular dish. It comes with generous amounts of celery, carrots and onions. And the meat was thinly sliced, peppery and delicious. The shoyu-based sauce was perfect on rice!
Look at those colorful veggies! And I don't even like veggies!
I've always liked the saimin, with chunks of Spam, egg and fishcake. And the dashi isn't too salty.
So if you're in the neighborhood — or you're in the mood for some really good comfort food — head to Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Kapalama. Trust me, you'll be back again!
Kapiolani Coffee Shop Kapalama, Kapalama City Square, 1286 Kalani St., #107. Phone: 845-3687.
The Daily Dish
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:35 am
Thank you Cat!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 am
(early) Fuud Pix Friday. Yup, been there soon after they opened. The fuud is good. Took a mainland guest for the oxtail soup, which she very much enjoyed. And that lup cheong fried rice looks so ono! Thanks Cat!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 am
BTW, anyone going to see the fireworks at Ala Moana this Friday? Time for the annual trek to mingle in the crowds....
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 am
Now that is some good looking grub... Been awhile since I have seen posts like this that make this cousin has seen in awhile.
Cat, I hope you are all settled into your new pad and free of jellyfish stings.
Happy 4th all
The Chicago Cuz
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 am
*sigh* ..those fuud pictures..and I'm an ocean away...I hate you Cat!!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 am
I would agree that their oxtail soup is the best, which is debatable to some and I haven't tried too many other places but why stray when you are happy. Oxtail soup is happy fuud. I only go there for the oxtail soup but someone else told me their fried rice is real good and your pix of it looks it.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:46 am
CAT,
Aaaiiiyyyaaahhh! FUUD Pixs! Tenks! Have been there and the O Tail is as advertised. But the price is too much for weekly fare! It is hard to imagine the okole part of the beef costing so much!? With elevated cholestorol can only afford to eat O Tail once or twice a year. Now I have to eat more oatmeal than O Tail. Life is hard!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:58 am
Thanks for the FUUD pics, I was starving since the last fuud post.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:21 am
Looks yummy! Never heard of that place until now.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Your food pics makes me want to pick up some food today - thank goodness there is another location in Waimalu.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 am
hmmmm . . . i've never tried ox tail soup, i can't get past the ox tail part! so i won't knock it until i try it!!
anyway, hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of july ~ i'll be workin saturday, so i won't have a 3 day weekend
boo!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 am
mmmm....me so hungwy. fuud looks onolicious.
man....the price of oxtail soup is akin to gas prices nowdays.
i must admit....KCS's oxtail soup is winnahs but my ATF was Wisteria's. they used to give choke and had a real hearty broth. but alas.....another old time eatery that is now just a memory. *sigh*
tanx for da fuud pix and have a fun and safe 4th of July weekend everyone.
bummers 2x kako mochi.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am
Whoa brah so expensive the oxtails at the store even. Cannot afford the $9-12 bowls at the restaurant anymore. The best for the price is at California Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Only $1 with the meal coupon and $6 without. It's da BOMB!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:51 am
I was a regular ox tailer at the Kam Bowl site. Then when I ate at the new place, I was disappointed with the ox tail there...the taste and quantity have deteriorated. But I discovered an alternative just two shops away: UTAGI. This place has better ox tail, both in taste and value. You gotta try it if you're an ox tailer.
BTW: Kapiolani's fried rice was mediocre. They only put a lot of shoyu instead of other ingredients to give it flavor.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 am
Agree with Localyokel! Rush to the Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Kapalama City Square after the Kam Bowl site closes, but what it was a big disappointment. Thought that it might be just that day, so I decided to give the oxtail soup another try. The second visit wasn't any better so haven't gone back to it. Will have to try Utagi...
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:00 am
No can beat the Oxtail Soup at Board of Water Supply Cafeteria. Full with mustard cabbage, squash, shiitake mushrooms, etc. Dat's how I like mine. Plenty of other stuffs and not only meat. And the price is winnahs! Way less than $10.00! Their hamburger steak is winnahs too! HOMEMADE!!!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 am
wrong blog, brah. hang a left and 2 blogs up.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Wow! Pig feet soup, my favorite. I used to eat the bugga 3 times a week unitl I had a heart attack. Now it's mush, mush and more mush. Never had pig feet soup for 3 or 4 years now.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:40 am
My only complaints about Kapiolani coffee shop: too crowded, too expensive, and sometimes dirty and sticky booths (Waimalu)...But where else you gonna go?
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:54 am
I wouldn't get the oxtail. Try the fish or chicken.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:15 am
Luckily I get my fix at work, fo free (I work in one hotel)
The Korean restaurant next door is winnahs. I no go Yummy's anymore.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
No soup for you:
The fuud is better here.....a picture is worth a thousand words.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
for $10, you can buy a whole tray of oxtail and make your own. better, more satisfying that way.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Man I grew up in Kam Bowl. I used to get my hair cut there. They also had slot car racing under the alleys.
I used to like the oxtail soup and always went there when a friend came from the mainland. It was always the first thing he wanted to eat. I gave up eating oxtail soup years ago. I felt sorry for all those oxes running around without tails.
Good thing I got to this blog late in the day because I was in that area lunch time. If I saw the pics earlier I might have broke down and went there to eat the oxtail. Poor ox.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Sniff!! No more fuud. Bland crap only forevamo - except I can eat all the ice cream I want as long as it isn't made out of high fructose corn syrup.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:12 am
the two best kept secrets at kapiolani coffee shop are
the sweet sour spareribs and the okinawan pig feet soup!!!!
July 6th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Bruddah, I had the chili bowl ova dea and let me tell u, broke da mouth! Also the pork chop with side bowl of gravy to dip your pork in. Winna's Only in Hawaii can we eat li dis.
July 7th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
The tan tan ramen at Kapalama is good! The only better I know of on Oahu is at Gomaichi.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I LOVE THAT FRIED RICE & SCRAMBLED EGGS @ Kapiolani Coffee Shop
July 30th, 2008 at 11:50 am
the urban children's clothing wholesale vendors
Are there any wholesale clothing store that dropship?
August 9th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
[...] Links: • The Great Ox Election - Star Bulletin • Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Kapalama - Honolulu Advertiser blog • Kapiolani Coffee Shop at Kam Bowl - Ono Kine Grindz • Kapiolani [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I think this is the excellent collection of dresses. I like it.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I was stationed at Whiteman AFB, MO in the 1960s. My wife would go to the butcher in the nearby town of KnobNoster where she would buy oxtail for $.10/lb. The butcher finally asked her what she was doing with the stuff since he was already giving us big bones (free) for our German shepherd. She told him how to make it, but I doubt he even tried to cook up a batch. It pains me to have to pay over $10 a bowl, but that keeps me from joining JoeKalihi (comment #18) at the mush bar. I only have 3 stents so far. How many days more in the nursing home will I have to endure for every bowl of oxtail I give up? Aloha.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I wanted to research this subject and write a paper. Your post what a thousand words would not. Nice job.
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