Where to Eat in Honolulu: My experience at Strip Steak
One of the best things about traveling to Oahu is the endless options of restaurants you will find, from traditional Hawaiian food trucks to vegan vietnamese bistros and fine dining! So whenever planning your trip, I recommend taking some time to research places before hand and make sure to learn if the restaurant encourages you to make a reservation, waiting in long lines can ruin anyone’s perfect vacation.
So with that said I wanted to share one of the nicest dining experiences I’ve had in a long time and of course, it was during my most recent amazing trip to Hawaii! One of the best surprises this time was going to the new International Market Place, an amazing open-air market that was first opened in Honolulu, in 1957. It went under renovation and opened its doors in August 2016 with a world-class shopping and dining experience, one of them being the Strip Steak by chef Michael Mina, who has opened more than 20 destination restaurants and hired top executive chefs and teams to keep up with the group’s high standards. After my visit I understand what all the buzz is about, the service and the food were outstanding and I had to share with you on the blog as well.
The experience begins when you enter the International Market Place itself, the architecture is beyond beautiful, there is water flowing, their iconic banyan tree, plants, torch-lightning and flowers placed beautifully and 75 retailers to choose from. Plus seating areas, live music, more than 700 parking stalls and complimentary wi-fi, it is one of the best shopping experiences I’ve had in a while. Going two levels up you will find Strip Steak, one of if not the nicest restaurant you will find in Oahu. And I could let these perfect interior pictures taken by photographer Mariko Reed speak for themselves but I will add some personal thoughts and pictures of my own to share more details of our evening as well.
One of the things I love the most is when I go to a restaurant and I don’t need to explain what a vegan dish is. And need I say that I love it even more when the server says “not to worry because the chef will make sure to prepare something vegan I will truly enjoy”, even if it’s not on the menu? And of course, this was the case at Strip Steak. Our server was extremely attentive and sweet and she was right, everything we had was delicious and the whole experience was pleasant. My mom came with me and as you know, she is not vegan, so the “meaty” part of this post is all on her! Ah! I can’t forget to mention their amazing bar, one of the most beautiful and complete bars I’ve seen on the island! I had a virgin lilikoi cocktail that I still dream about!
What we ordered:
I know we are two small ladies but we tried a little bit of everything and our server was kind enough to write everything down so I wouldn’t forget when writing this post later for you guys!
So whenever you’re there, I’m sure anything you order won’t disappoint and your server will guide you but just in case I have everything written and photographed here and will also mark the vegan dishes just in case you’re with part of the green team like me!
Our dinner:
8 oz filet mignon, diver scallops, shiitake chimichurri*, black truffle butter, brussels sprouts*, bok choy, mushrooms*, citrus-steamed local fish, soba noodle (with vegetable meddley)*, ahi crudo, rainbow roll (vegan)*, blistered shishito peppers*, instant bacon, rosted beets salad *, Guava Shave Ice, Devil’s food cake, Fruit platter with strawberry guava sorbet and lilikoi banana apple sorbet*, french fries*.
The ambiance:
The restaurant’s decor invites you in, it doesn’t matter if you’re sitting outdoors or by the bar, the place has this cozy, chic and yet modern atmosphere that will impress you, but the service is at the same time so friendly and spot on that will make you feel like a regular customer. Also, they don’t rush you to finish and get the check (don’t you hate when they do that?!) even though I was one of the last customers to leave that night. The whole experience was so nice that made me want to stay there longer, even after our meal was long gone. And I recommend you do that too, the bar at Strip Steak is so impressive that it’s not hard to just hang out a little longer and enjoy the great cocktails and atmosphere of the place.
Our table was reserved outside, close enough to the fire which reminded me that it can get chilly in Oahu during the winter! But still, it remains as my favorite vacation spot in the US, especially when I want to escape the terrible New York winter! I’ve been to several fine dining restaurants where something wouldn’t click with me and would make me feel uncomfortable in some aspect, but at Strip Steak, I was extremely satisfied with everything.
And I couldn’t forget to photograph our desserts, if you know anything about me is that I have a sweet tooth so no meal is complete without a good dessert. And as a vegan I always struggle to find good options at “regular” restaurants so this fruit platter was nothing like the ordinary: the great fruit selection came with two generous scoops of guava and lilikoi (passion fruit) banana apple sorbet. The best and nothing like the “boring” fruit platters I’m used to getting. My mom had the Dole Whip Float (her favorite), the Devil’s Food Cake and the Guava Shave Ice. They all got her seal of approval!
Make sure to stop by Strip Steak at the International Market Place in Oahu located at the address: 2330 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 330, Honolulu, HI. Tel: 808-800-3094. To make a reservation and more info check their official website HERE!
Thank you Strip Steak for having us and for the lovely evening! I can’t wait to come back to Hawaii and stop by again! For more travel and NYC tips, make sure to follow me on instagram (@marthasachser AND @blognyandabout)! See you next time!
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