For the past 30 years, Ono Family Restaurant has been a fixture in the Kauai community, serving patrons local-style dishes. Owner Kenny Ishii has been in the food-trade industry all his life. During his high school years, Ishii worked at
For the past 30 years, Ono Family Restaurant has been a fixture in the Kauai community, serving patrons local-style dishes.
Owner Kenny Ishii has been in the food-trade industry all his life. During his high school years, Ishii worked at the Yum Yum Tree in Kahala Mall.
“I used to deliver pies,” Ishii said. “I used to go to Rubens by the mall and help the baker butter down all the fresh baked hamburger buns.”
Before Ishii owned Ono Family Restaurant, he managed a restaurant in Los Angeles. After managing for a number years, Ishii decided to scout restaurants to purchase, but he had his doubts. He stood outside of one of those restaurants and thought, “What am I doing?” But as soon as he walked inside, his brain focused on every detail of the restaurant.
“My mind turned on, like a computer,” Ishii said. “I scanned everything in sight and I knew then that this was the business for me.”
Working with the community is very important to Ishii. He works with a number of local distributors, from farmers, fishermen and ranchers.
“We work with Kauai Fresh Farms,” Ishii said. “Our salad is all organic. Once in awhile, I’ll buy beefsteak tomatoes. Our beef is all fresh ground beef from Kauai. That’s from Jerry Sanchez. We buy from them regularly — sometimes twice a week.”
Ishii admits that he pays a little bit more for Kauai produce, but says he wants to support the community by purchasing locally-sourced goods.
“You got to help support the island,” Ishii said. “You need to support your community. Our business is only as healthy as the community we’re in.”
The awesome thing about Ono Family Restaurant is how it incorporates its regular customers’ ideas into its menu.
“Our restaurant preaches aloha to everybody,” Ishii said. “We have it in our food, too. Like Jerry Sanchez. We have a special that’s in his name because of something he has ordered. We have other stuff from other people.”
Ishii and his wonderful crew prepared five items for TGIFR!DAY — Tropical Pancakes, Strawberry Sweet Bread French Toast, Portuguese Loco Moco, Ahi Benedict and Da Boss.
The Tropical Pancakes consist of macadamia nuts, shredded coconuts and banana, topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar. It comes with hot, homemade coconut syrup and maple syrup.
With the Strawberry Sweet Bread French Toast, you have your choice of Portuguese sweet bread, wheat or sourdough. It’s topped with strawberries, powdered sugar and whipped cream.
“We have our regular loco moco,” Ishii said, “but we just created the Portuguese Loco Moco.”
The Portuguese Loco Moco consists of fried rice, Portuguese shredded pork and two over easy eggs. It comes with toast and a sunrise papaya.
The Ahi Benedict is a grilled ahi placed on an English muffin. It comes with cheddar or pepper Jack cheese, tomatoes and hollandaise sauce.
The last dish, Da Boss, can be served scrambled or as an omelet.
“That was my breakfast every day,” Ishii said. “Other people saw it and asked, ‘What is he eating?’ So the workers decided to put it on the menu.”
When you order it scrambled, Da Boss has avocado, mushrooms, cheddar or Jack cheese, plus your choice of meat. It comes with your choice of wheat, sourdough, English muffin, or corn or flour tortilla.
Ishii is a very down-to-earth guy and has a lot of wonderful stories to share. Next time you’re in Kapaa, you should bring your family to Ono Family Restaurant and see him.
Ono Family Restaurant, located at 4-1292 Kuhio Highway in Kapaa, is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If the doors are open before 7 a.m., the only item that’s served is coffee. For more information call 822-1710.
