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Kaimuki Street Art Guide, Honolulu

Paul
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Kaimuki Street Art Guide, Honolulu

HONOLULU | The Hawaiian capital has a vibrant street art scene. Local artists and international artists are always painting new murals. Murals that are personal to them, that tell a story, and are uniquely linked to their experience and impressions of Hawaii.

There are several neighbourhoods in which to find street art in Honolulu. The most well known is Kaka’ako, however you should also make an effort to visit Kaimuki. This residential neighbourhood is home to several historic buildings, a few restaurants, bars, and cafes that are well worth checking out, and several murals to see.

It’s all centred along Waialae Avenue, making exploring and discovering Kaimuki’s street art murals a breeze.

In this Kaimuki street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite spots in which you can find Kaimuki’s best street art. I’ve also included the neighbouring neighbourhood of Kapahulu, which Waialae Avenue continues through. They’re listed alphabetically, and will help you discover the best street art that the area has to offer.

Kaimuki High School

Something that’s very noticeable while walking the streets of Honolulu, is the amount of street art that graces the walls of the city’s schools. So many times, I’d pass a striking mural, and soon realise that it was one of several on the walls of what we’re school buildings.

One of the driving forces behind this is Mele Murals. They’re a community organisation that affords a platform to teach young people to become storytellers, painters, and community leaders. Through the creation of large-scale outdoor murals, Hawaiian lyrics (mele), mo’olelo ‘aina (stories of place), cultural, and historical heritage are explored and shared.

Some of the best examples of the street art that’s been created through this platform, can be found at Kaimuki High School.

Kapahulu Avenue

Kapahulu Avenue is a haven for those looking for a good eat close to Waikiki, but away from the tourist traps. Along with great food (try Ono Seafood, Rainbow Drive-In, and Leonard’s Bakery), there are a whole lot of brilliant murals to discover. The street art along the avenue is a mixture of pieces commissioned by, and created for, local businesses, and other pieces dealing with a variety of topics.

Kapiolani Boulevard

Walking east along Waialae Avenue, the road bends under the Lunalilo Freeway and becomes Kapiolani Boulevard. It’s a busy street that will eventually take you past the northern tip of Waikiki, and popular shopping mall, the Ala Moana Centre. The boulevard is nothing special per-se, however there are several murals dotted amongst the diverse residential architecture.

Waialae Avenue

The main street that cuts through Kaimuki is Waialae Avenue. The first thing you’ll notice is that all of the electrical boxes and traffic signal boxes that dot the sidewalk are painted. This stems from an initiative that began in 2018, as a way to deter those who were tagging the boxes. About half of the artworks have been painted by people who live, work, or go to school in the neighbourhood.

Many of the murals street art pieces in Kaimuki have been painted by locals, in fact. From the smaller pieces to the larger scale murals, you’ll more often than not find artworks that speak to the area, its history, and the people who live there. In this way, it’s an important part of the community, and a great way to encourage visitors to want to learn more about the area.

Visit Kaimuki for street art, and stay for food and a drink (check out Mud Hen Water, The Curb Kaimuku, and BREW’d Craft Pub).

Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:

Happy discoveries on your walk through Kaimuki using my Kaimuki street art guide. What are your favourites places for street art in Kaimuki? Have you found any other pieces outside of these street art hotspots that you love?

Kaka’ako Street Art Guide, Honolulu

Paul
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0
Kaka’ako Street Art Guide, Honolulu

HONOLULU | The Hawaiian capital has a vibrant street art scene. Local artists and international artists are always painting new murals. Murals that are personal to them, that tell a story, and are uniquely linked to their experience and impressions of Hawaii.

One of the best neighbourhoods for street art in Honolulu is Kaka’ako. Located between Waikiki and Downtown Honolulu, Kaka’ako was primarily an industrial neighbourhood of warehouses and workshop. Today, it’s one of the trendiest parts of Honolulu, with a vibrant food, drink, and arts scene.

Street art is a big part of what makes Kaka’ako special. There’s street art on seemly every corner, and one can easily spend and entire day mural hunting. A big driver of the neighbourhood’s street art scene is driven by POW! WOW! Hawaii. Founded in 2010 by artists Jasper Wong and Kamea Hadar, POW! WOW! sees artists from across the globe converge on Honolulu in February each year to paint the streets of Kaka’ako. It’s a festival complete with workshops, lectures, exhibitions, demos, block parties and artists Q&A sessions.

Beyond POW! WOW!, there’s community projects and collaborations with non-profit organisations like 808 Urban, private commissions, and commissions funded by the City and County of Honolulu. There’s also the Kamehameha Schools’ Kaiāulu ‘O Kaka’ako Master Plan, which involves, amongst other things, the area’s school kids learning about Hawaiian art and creating murals.

In this Kaka’ako street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite spots in which you can find Kaka’ako’s best street art. They’re listed alphabetically, and range from the popular and well known, to the more obscure. There’s good stuff all over the neighbourhood, and the scene is constantly evolving. Be sure to not just explore the main streets, but side streets, parking lots, and more.

Ahuahi Street

Running parallel to the main thoroughfare that is Ala Moana Boulevard, Ahuahi Street is a less hectic street that takes you almost all the way from the Ala Moana Centre into downtown. It’s a great anchor for your street walk, with lots of large scale murals to be found on the sides of the street’s taller buildings.

Cooke Street

Cooke Street runs from the North of Kaka’ako, down to the waterfront. It’s in the heart of the most industrial part of the neighbourhood, so make sure you walk around the smaller side streets to find some of the area’s more hidden murals.

Koula Street

More than home to a large concertation of car dealerships, Koula Street (and adjacent Ohe Street) is where you’ll find several great Kaka’ako murals.

Mother Waldron Neighbourhood Park

While walking along Cooke Street you’ll come across Mother Waldron Neighbourhood Park. It’s a popular park with lots of space, a children’s playground, and basketball courts. Grab a refreshing Taiwanese iced snack of bubble tea from Milky Way Hawaii Ice, while you walk through the park and admire the murals that grace the buildings of, and around, the park.

Queen Street

This long street spans the entirety of Kaka’ako and is where you’ll find a lot of great murals. As with the other main streets I’ve mentioned on here, be sure to check out the smaller streets that run off Queen Street for some of the more hidden murals. If you’re into craft beer, Queen Street is a great anchor for a bit of a brewery crawl too. Hana Koa Brewing Co., Aloha Beer Company, and Waikiki Brewing Company are all on or just off Queen Street.

SALT at Our Kaka‘ako

Named after the pa’akai (‘Ōlelo Hawaii for “salt”) ponds that once dotted the low-lying wetlands of the area, SALT at Our Kaka’ako features 85,000 square-feet of curated retail, restaurant and mixed-use space. It’s not only a great area to stop for a bite and a drink while doing your street art walk (check out Highway Inn and Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room), but home itself to several fantastic murals.

Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:

Happy discoveries on your walk through Kaka’ako using my Kaka’ako street art guide. What are your favourites places for street art in Kaka’ako? Have you found any other pieces outside of these street art hotspots that you love?

CBD Bakery, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
CBD Bakery, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | CBD Bakery is an unassuming family-run bakery that’s been operating for over 30 years in Melbourne’s CBD. I recently visited for What’s On Melbourne to find out more. There’s a lot of great bakeries in the CBD, but CBD Bakery is only one of two CBD bakeries (as far as I can ascertain, Flywheel Bakery being the other), where everything is made and baked on site, from scratch.

After 14 years running the show, former owner Bernie Fox handed the reigns over to baker and friend Tony Foster, who had been helping Bernie keep things running during Melbourne’s lockdowns. Tony’s taken an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach to things, which is great as the angle being taken is unique in the CBD.

That angle, is a classic, Australian country style bakery in the heart of town. CBD Bakery isn’t the place to come to if you’re looking for crazy flavours and things that are ‘on trend’. Rather, it’s about all of those nostalgic classics done right, baked fresh each day, using top notch ingredients.

Pies and sausage rolls are a favourite, with an assortment of fillings to choose from, and wonderfully flaky, buttery pastry. The cinnamon and iced doughnuts, which will transport you back to your childhood, are one of the best examples of a classic done right.

There’s the full array of slices – think vanilla slices, chocolate hedgehogs, and caramel slices. There’s also things like Neenish tarts, lamingtons, and honey joys. There’s sandwiches and wraps, and catering available. Perfect for city office functions. Coffee is quality too, and there’s a full range of alternative milks available.

The coffee offering is a good one for the wider bakery really. Classic, but tweaked here and there when required to ensure everything is quality and not ‘tired’. If you’re a local looking for a bit of nostalgia, or a visitor from overseas looking for a bakery that’s uniquely Australian, CBD Bakery is well worth a visit.

CBD Bakery

480 Bourke Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9670 2640
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:30am to 3:00pm

Porkfat, Haymarket

Paul
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0
Porkfat, Haymarket

SYDNEY | Porkfat is a restaurant that, while it’s only been open for a few months, has already garnered a reputation as one of the most exciting Thai restaurants in Sydney. Not bad for a place which opened with rather little hype, but rather anticipation amongst those in the know.

Porkfat is the culmination of a dream of having their own restaurant that owner-chefs Narin “Jack” Kulasai and Tanya Boon have had for many years. With experience working at Nahm in Bankkok, Longchim in Sydney, and Thai heritage, it’s not surprising that the duo have created something special with Porkfat.

Narin hails from Saraburi (Central Thailand), and uses pork fat instead of cooking oil to cook homestyle and street food inspired eats that aim to recreate the tastes one gets when walking into their grandmother’s kitchen at home in Thailand. The menu is tight – 10 dishes, plus a few rotating specials, and one dessert. The small menu doesn’t make ordering any easier, as it’s all enticing.

One of the must order items is the grilled pork jowl. Rich, springy, succulent grilled pork jowl is marinated in two-year-old fish sauce and secured with fresh mint leaves, roasted rice, tamarind, and lime. It’s wonderful. The deep fried golden pomfret with crispy garlic, coriander, nam jim, and mango salad, is another delight. My dining companion called the delicious southern-style Phuket tiger prawn curry “one of the best curries I’ve ever eaten”.

The quality of the ingredients shines in every dish. Ingredients are sourced daily from local farmers and seafood markets. Dishes are fresh and vibrant, simple yet complex. Food is served on hand-painted ceramics from Wiang Galon – an ancient Thai city known for its artistic and religious history.

To drink, it’s Thai milk tea and a few sodas, wines, and beers. The alcohol selection is limited, but quality, and you’re free to BYO for a small corkage fee.

One meal at Porkfat, and it’s easy to see why people are talking about the restaurant the way that they are. It’s a restaurant that’s contemporary, with beautifully presented, technique driven food. It’s also a small, homely spot, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and food cooked from the heart. The best of both worlds, and a place I’ll be returning to the next time I’m in town.

Porkfat

33 Ultimo Road
Haymarket
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone: (04) 7856 5691
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Sun: 11:00am to 3:30pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Mapo Grill, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Mapo Grill, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Mapo Grill is a Korean BBQ restaurant in what’s fast becoming Melbourne CBD’s Koreatown. I recently visited for What’s On Melbourne to check it out.

Open past midnight every day of the week, Mapo Grill is a great option for a late night feed, and those looking for a fun place for group dining. There’s all of the Korean BBQ favourites, including a large assortment of meats, seafood and vegetables. Meat is of the highest quality, sourced from local farms and halal.

Be sure to try the marinated beef ribs and the Wagyu rib finger M7. Sets are a great way to go, giving you an assortment of meats and sides for a fixed price.

Popular sides include things like yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), cheesy grilled corn, kimchi jeon (pancake), and fried chicken. Also try the stews and noodle dishes. The kimchi stew is particularly delicious, as are the buckwheat noodles served in cold beef broth with boiled egg, sliced beef, cucumber, radish and Korean pear.

To drink, Mapo Grill offers Korean sodas and alcoholic drinks like soju, makkoli, and maehwasu. There’s also Korean and Aussie beers, local wines, the option to BYO for a small corkage fee.

Mapo Grill

21 Healeys Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0434 951 959
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sun – Thu: 6:00pm to 1:00am
Fri – Sat: 6:00pm to 2:00am

Transformer, Fitzroy

Paul
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0
Transformer, Fitzroy

MELBOURNE | Transformer opened in 2014, and there wasn’t quite anything like it in Melbourne at the time. Laki Papadopoulos and Mark Price, who were best known for their longstanding casual vegetarian diner, Vegie Bar, converted the former electrical transformer factory behind that venue into something more grown up. I was recently invited to check it out, the first time I’d been back in a while.

At Transformer, diners are treated to a sophisticated menu of vegan (about half the menu) and vegetarian dishes, presented in a way that feels as fresh today as it did when the restaurant opened. The focus is on making the most of seasonal, local produce, sourced from small suppliers. You won’t find any “fake meat” on the menu here – there’s simply no need for it. It’s the kind of menu that meat eaters can work their way through without really noticing that there’s no meat.

An a la carte menu is available most of the time, except for Friday and Saturday nights, when Transformer’s “feed me” or “feed me more” menu is what you’ll need to go for. It’s food that’s fresh, creative, and delicious. Standouts include the zucchini flower with pine nut risotto, currants, basil, piquillo peppers, and agrodolce; roast cauliflower with ras-el-hanout, white onion, puree, blood orange, hazelnuts, and rose harissa; and the grilled cos with capers, shallots, tarragon ‘mayonnaise’, and Pyengana cheddar.

The optional dessert – a hazelnut brownie with red wine roasted pear, whipped Gianduja ganache, and vanilla ‘cream’, is another winner.

To drink, Transformer offers cocktails made using small batch, local spirits, local craft brews and wines, and a selection of mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks. Try the ‘Me Lychee’. It’s a blend of vodka, lychee liqueur, blood orange liqueur, lemon, makrut lime, and Wonderfoam. The latter is a plant-based egg white replacement made from the bark of the Quillaja saponaria tree.

Transformer

9 Rose Street
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9419 2022
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Wed – Fri: 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Sat – Sun: 1:00pm to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10:30pm

One Plus Piece, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
One Plus Piece, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | One Plus Piece (Melbourne Central) is a recently opened burger joint in Melbourne Central, from the team behind Balwyn cafe, One Plus Piece Cafe. I recently visited for What’s On Melbourne.

Like its sister venue, the new spot is a homage to the popular Japanese anime and manga, One Piece. Where the CBD location differs is in its focus. Unlike the larger menu of the cafe, this spot is all about Asian-fusion burgers, fries, and shakes.

The Gear 5 burger is one of the most popular ones on the menu. It’s a big burger featuring two 120g wagyu beef patties, grilled onions, mushrooms, two slices of bacon, two slices of American cheese, peanut butter, cheese sauce, and mayo. Also popular are the sushi burgers, which replace bread buns with sushi rice “buns” and crispy nori. The fried chicken one is a highlight.

For sides, One Plus Piece offers things like fries, onion rings, nori chips, and fried chicken. Check out the salted duck egg fried chicken wings, and the loaded fries. The latter are topped with Sriracha and maple bacon jam, cheese, jalapenos, aioli, and tomato sauce.

To drink, its sodas with flavours like butterfly pea lemonade, matcha apple, and salted pink grapefruit. There’s also shakes – traditional flavours and ones topped with things like boba pearls and mochi. The black sesame shake with mochi is well worth a try.

One Plus Piece (Melbourne Central)

Melbourne Central
300 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0411 368 250
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 9:00am to 9:00pm

A.P Town (A.P Bakery), Newtown

Paul
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0
A.P Town (A.P Bakery), Newtown

SYDNEY | A.P Bakery‘s Newtown location, A.P Town, is the first stand-alone location of the popular Sydney bakery. Housed in a small brick building just off King Street, the venue has been a hit since it opened, which will come as no surprise to anyone who’s enjoyed A.P Bakery’s baked delights before.

The menu is simple – pared back from that at Paramount House given that there’s no seating beyond two stools here. An assortment of bread, pastries, and pies baked daily by head baker and co-owner Dougal Muffet. There’s also a soup of the day. To drink it’s coffee by Rueben Hills, Teacraft teas, StrangeLove sodas, and West End juices and smoothies.

You can’t go wrong with anything here. Popular items include the Gruyere, Asiago and Cheddar toastie with onion, tomato, and mustard, on fermented potato bread; twice-baked macadamia, honey, and thyme buttermilk croissants; and the LPs Quality Meats smoked beef brisket pie.

A.P Town (A.P Bakery)

1A Bucknell Street
Newtown
New South Wales 2042
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Wed – Sun: 8:00am to 2:30pm

Myrtle Wine Bar, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Myrtle Wine Bar, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Housed in the former laneway blacksmith workshop that was most recently home to Spanish restaurant Portello Rosso, you’ll find Myrtle Wine Bar. I popped in for What’s On Melbourne a few weeks ago to check it out.

Owners Kirsty McAteer and Chris Smith, who is also the head chef, have made the most of the building’s bones. It’s a rustic, softly lit space with exposed brick, timber tables and furniture, and homely touches. The open kitchen and bar look across the venue, and there’s more seating upstairs for large groups and functions.

The focus at Myrtle is on locally-sourced ingredients, native produce, and Australian wines. The seasonal modern-Australian menu features classic and nostalgic dishes with a twist, designed to showcase the quality of the produce, and pair well with wine.

Dishes include things like confit beetroot with macadamia cream, roast macadamias, and mache; “chip shop potato cakes” with Yarra Valley salmon roe, cultured cream, and chives; and O’connor’s hanger steak with, wild garlic maître d butter, and hand cut wattle seed spiced fries.

The wine list champions small, independent Australian winemakers. It’s an interesting, diverse list, featuring classic styles, and experimental, funky drops. There’s rotating local beers on tap, along with spirits and cocktails follow the same philosophy as the food. Try the Native Negroni, a blend of Kangaroo Island Spirits’ Wild Gin, Regal Rogue’s Bold Red vermouth, and Autonomy Distillers’ Native Australian Amaro and Davo Plum Aperitivo.

Myrtle Wine Bar

15 Warburton Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9602 2273
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Tue – Thu: 3:00pm to 11:30pm
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:30pm

Mandina Kitchen, Carlton

Paul
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0
Mandina Kitchen, Carlton

MELBOURNE | I recently had the pleasure of trying Yemeni food for the first time at a restaurant that’s been on my list for a while, Mandina Kitchen. The restaurant was opened by Mohammed Alhamed and his wife Aisha in April last year, with the aim of showcasing Aisha’s traditional home-style Yemeni cooking with expats looking for a taste of home, and Melburnians keen to try something new.

Yemeni food shares elements with wider Middle Eastern cuisine, and also has Indian and Ottoman influences. Browsing the menu and sampling the food as it arrives on the table evoked memories enjoying meals in Iran, Morocco, Kenya, and Turkey. Unique dishes and regional variations, however, new that Yemeni cuisine has evolved to be its own thing.

The signature dish at Mandina Kitchen, and arguably Yemen’s signature dish, is mandi. Originating in the Hadhramaut region of the country, the consists of smoky slow- cooked meat (goat, chicken or lamb at Mandina), atop a bed of fluffy, fragrant spiced basmati rice. A similar dish, haneeth, features a differently spiced and slow cooked meat atop the rice. Ordering both, one goat and one lamb, is a great option.

Beyond the must order meat and rice duo, there’s a whole lot of stews, sides, dips, and breads to enjoy. The kibdah, lamb liver fried with onion and capsicum, is great. Also try the foul gulaba. It’s a tasty stew/paste like dish with mashed broad beans, sauteed onion, tomato, and olive oil.

Come hungry with a big group, and order lots. The homely space, like the food itself, is designed to bring people together.

Mandina Kitchen

143 Lygon Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: (03) 7046 5599
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Wed – Thu: 3:00pm to 12:00am
Fri: 3:00pm to 1:00am
Sat: 9:00pm to 1:00am
Sun – Mon: 9:00pm to 12:00am

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