Lucky Belly

One of Umami's old favorite Chinatown places, Mini Garden, has given way a new eatery that seems destined to become one of his new favorite Chinatown places.  Lucky Belly first opened as a late night take out window in June of this year, but has since opened as full restaurant and bar.  And, as usual for all things food in this town, it was quickly mobbed.  Want to go for lunch?  Get there at 11?  Dinner?  Be prepared to wait an hour on a First Friday night.  Maybe more.

[Hint:  If it's too crowded, skip it, skip Little Village (which is also likely to be crowded) and go to Ken Fong down the street and have the Arp Tui Min - stewed duck noodle.  That's some serious comfort food too!]

Umami and Elle were, well, lucky, last Friday.  The Hawaii Theatre crowd had just left (for the Shaolin Warriors!) so there were two seats at the bar.  Elle ordered the Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl ($14), recommended by Mookie:

Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl

Mookie described the broth as "sort of a goma-miso" and Umami gets the miso part of the equation.  The sesame seed part was a little harder for him to pick up.  Regardless, the broth is elegant miso soup comfort food.  The ramen is perfectly done (i.e., what Umama would call "firm" and what in another language might be called al dente).  Shrimp very lightly tempura battered and, according to Elle, "sweet."  Kim chee and chili oil and shichimi give some heat.  Oh, and an egg.

Umami opted for the Belly Bowl ($14), because . . . well, why not?  No sense fooling around.  The Belly Bowl is like the Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl, but with pork belly, thick slice bacon, and arabiki sausage instead of the shrimp and kim chee.  

Belly Bowl

The best part is that the bacon (which has a nice, required, layer of fat) soaks up the soup.  It's so rich and full of bacon goodness that Umami took really small bites just to savor it as long as possible.  So good!

There are other menu items (featuring bacon!) that Umami and Elle will return to try.  Though maybe wait for the crowd to thin a bit when the next-big-thing opens up.

Lucky Belly

50 N Hotel St
Honolulu, HI 96817