Okinawa Hai!

CONTRIBUTED BY MELISSA RUIZ NAZARIO   La Tejadita Ichiban sounds like a Mexican-Japanese fusion restaurant, but it’s actually a cute takeout pizza joint close to Kadena on 329 just off of 85 (toward Yellow Box). Although their menu is limited and the prices are about average to mid-range, the pizza is yummy enough to splurge [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES I’ll never forget the first time I drank bubble tea, also known as Boba, or pearl tea. It was a warm day in Hawaii and a friend offered it to me. I didn’t notice the black tapioca balls. If I did, I might have been a little cautious. I did notice [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY CYNTHIA WALKER As my son and I walked through the door of Milkhall Iramina Cafe, the aroma of bread baking stirred memories of comfort and warmth. It immediately took me back to the days of my mother baking bread. The aroma of garlic was a bonus for my son. He loves garlic! We [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES When we moved away from the Camp McTureous area, I immediately knew I would be missing out on the Okinawan homestyle cooking of the wonderful neighborhood restaurants down the street. But when we stopped by the area one day, I was surprised to see a new one—or maybe it was an [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY MELISSA RUISZ NAZARIO Throughout college, ramen meant a brick of hard, cardboard-like noodles and a silver packet of powder “seasoning.” Thanks to living in Okinawa, I’ve since discovered “real,” authentic ramen, with freshly made noodles,tasty broth, veggies (that haven’t been dehydrated) and meat. From there, it was pretty easy to graduate to the [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES Wafu-Tei is a Japanese restaurant chain found all over Okinawa.  Sometimes, they are located inside San-A stores and sometimes, they are located near San-A buildings. They offer a huge variety of delicious Japanese food at reasonable prices. With some meals, you can order a set which comes with a type of [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY DAPHNE SHAFER-REPASS You will have many opportunities to eat when you visit the island triad of Ikei, Henza, and Hamahiga, but may I suggest Island Table for your next go, as it is easy to find and difficult to leave! Located adjacent to the sea and fish market on Henza Island, just past [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER If you are searching for a truly amazing hamburger on island, look no farther than Ishigakijima Kitchen Bin. I just went there for the first time today for lunch, and I have to say their avocado burger is the best I have had on Okinawa. Not only is the meat cooked [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY REIKO MOTOBU   I think most of us that have been in Okinawa for a while know about a few Peruvian restaurants like the famous TitiCaca. Well, a few days ago while scrolling down my facebook newsfeed, I noticed a picture of a new Peruvian restaurant that my friend had posted. Since I’m from Ecuador and love [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY CARLA SHANK American Kitchen is a recently opened fast food place for one-stop delicious meals. Ordering take-out here is easy – I called ahead and by the time I got there it was ready! Piping hot and oh, so tasty! From the menu you can select several kinds of pizza, including fresh sausage, [...]

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