Say aloha and truly dig into food at Honolulu's Side Street Inn

Oakland Tribune, Dec 27, 2006 by Laurel Miller

IT WAS hard for me to decipher my notes from my visit to Honolulu's Side Street Inn. I think this is less a reflection of the several Side Mui's (the house cocktail of vodka, Kahlua, sweet and sour mix, and li hing mui -- tart, dried Japanese plums -- powder) I consumed than the fact that I was too busy stuffing my face to write legibly.

Chef-owner Colin Nishida's restaurant and bar, which opened in 1992 in a dodgy back alley near the Ala Moana Mall, has attracted national attention for its simple and wonderful renditions of local food made of ingredients largely sourced from on-island family farms. And while Side Street is still located in the alley, there is now valet parking to accommodate the crowds who come to indulge in Honolulu-born Nishida's inspired, down home cuisine.

Inside, the atmosphere is a decidedly old school urban drinking lounge: dim lighting, scruffy carpet, Formica tabletops, the inevitable game on all 15 TVs, dedicated drinkers at the bar. The noisy dining room is filled with families and groups sitting in booths, attacking gargantuan plates heaped with kalbi (barbecued Korean short ribs), juicy panfried pork chops, "Sizzling 24-ounce Big Ass Steaks," marinated vegetables, and truly amazing char siu fried rice.

This is Hawaiian homestyle cuisine that is a reflection of the state's multi-ethnic heritage and love of all things meat and carbohydrate-based. As we settled into our booth, Nishida made the rounds, greeting friends, delivering orders to tables, checking in on the kitchen and pausing to down a shot with a couple of chef friends who had stopped by, post-shift.

Side Street has achieved legendary status as an after-hours hangout for Honolulu's most acclaimed chefs, including Alan Wong, D.K. Kodama and George Mavrothalassitis, and master sommelier Chuck Furuya. They come not for attention, but to unwind in an unpretentious atmosphere complimented by unfussy comfort food.

Nishida, a shy, self-proclaimed workaholic and perfectionist prepares everything fresh from scratch and is in the kitchen seven days a week, cooking, overseeing, and sourcing the freshest ingredients he can find. Much of his produce comes from local family farms, including asparagus from Wailua, greens from Nalo Farms in Waimanalo, and pork from the outer islands because, explains Nishida, "if it's raised on the Mainland, it's not fresh by the time shipments arrive here. With local pork, the meat is still warm from slaughter when we receive it. Our seafood comes to us direct from the Honolulu fish auction. What's special about our food is the quality and freshness and consistency."

When it comes to eating at Side Street, all pretense goes out the window. It's all about digging in and getting your hands (and face, shirt, and a lot of napkins) dirty. It's the fried pork chop bones for which Side Street has won acclaim. As tasty as the pork is, it's the salty, crusty, caramelized bones, which are served separated from the meat, that epitomize the Side Street experience.

Laughs Nishida, "When we opened, we only had two knives here for customers. People asked how they were supposed to cut stuff. I said, 'Pick'um up and bite'um!'" Don't forget the Wet Naps.

-Side Street Inn, 1225 Hopaka St., Honolulu, (808) 591-0253.

- A number of Bay Area restaurants specialize in Hawaiian plate lunch and other food dishes. For listings, go to http:// pw1.netcom.com/halkop/food.html.

Panfried Pork Chops

Recipe courtesy of Colin Nishida and Saveur magazine

1 cup flour

1/2cup cornstarch

1 to 2 cups cottonseed oil

4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork loin chops (21/2to 3 pounds total)

4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops (21/2to 3 pounds total)

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2head cabbage, cored and finely sliced

1 cup ketchup

Put flour and cornstarch into a wide, shallow dish and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Heat 1 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-hgh heat until it registers 375 degrees on a deep fry thermometer. Season pork chops generously with garlic salt and pepper.

Working in batches, dredge chops in flour mixture, gently shake off excess, and fry, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side.

Transfer chops to a sheet pan fitted with a rack. If oil becomes too dark, discard it, wipe out skillet with paper towels, and continue with clean oil.

Transfer chops to a cutting board and cut meat away from bones (don't discard bones). Slice meat into 1-inch-thick pieces. Divide shredded cabbage between four plates and top with meat and bones. Serve with ketchup on the side.

Serves 4.

Nutrition could not be accurately calculated.

Laurel Miller is a freelance writer, cooking teacher and owner of The Sustainable Kitchen. Contact her at http:// www.sustainablekitchen.com.