Kyo-Ya Restaurant   

2057 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
808-947-3911

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Not much changes at Kyo-ya and with reason: the cuisine is classic and well-prepared. Chef Shizuo Tsubata has been in the kitchen 30 of the restaurant's 32 years and has taught many of Honolulu's other Japanese chefs their craft. He is content to remain a classic. Kyo-ya has two dining rooms downstairs, which are relatively austere in the Japanese fashion. In the Takeniwa room, you can find anything from tempura to nabemono, all quite good. We're particularly fond of the wafu steak. In the Michinako room, you will find noodles, soba, udon and the like, all imported from Japan. There is no sushi bar, but sushi is available la carte. To really gauge Tsubata's skills, you need to book one of the restaurant's nine private tatami rooms, upstairs. The smallest seats four and the largest 70. Here Tsubata prepares kaiseke dinners, multiple exquisite small courses from the freshest seasonal ingredients. There will no doubt be sashimi, often flecked with gold foil, wafu steak, plus something broiled, something skewered, something simmered, something cold, a meal of unending tastes and contrasts. Here wine is not really an option. There are several saks from which to choose-but the Japanese patrons all seem to drink beer.