FUUD: Sanoya Rahmen in Mo'ili'ili
July 10th, 2009 by CatThere aren't many places open at 2 a.m. — which, incidentally, is often when I want to eat ramen.
Thankfully, there's Sanoya Rahmen in Mo'ili'ili.
Outside the ramen shop on South King Street.
Open until 3 a.m. this popular late-night spot serves up the basics: ramen, curry and gyoza. Sure, the prices are reasonable and the food's good. But it's the late hours that make this a hot spot, especially on weekends for the tired-of-Zippy's crowd.
It's a common complaint among my night-crawling friends: Where can you get a decent meal after midnight?
Sanoya, for sure.
Here's what we ate:
Gyoza is a standard at any ramen place.
These Japanese potstickers, filled with pork and veggies, weren't the best. But they did the job.
One of my friends ordered the oxtail ramen, a popular menu item.
Though it's not as good as the kind of traditional oxtail soup you'd find at Kapi'olani Coffee Shop, for example, this version boasts decent-sized oxtails in Sanoya's signature broth.
One of the most popular dishes here — and at most local ramen shops — is its chicken katsu curry.
The breaded chicken cutlet was nicely fried and topped with a thick, Japanese-style curry with veggies that take the traditional katsu plate to another level.
I ordered the mini combo meal featuring shoyu ramen, shown here, and beef curry.
Personally, I like the simplicity of the broth. And the ramen noodles were done just right. No complaints.
The beef curry and rice was exactly how my mom makes it — which is a good thing. But it was just too much food and I wound up taking the leftovers home.
Though the food won't blow your mind, the late-night hours are enough to lure you here.
And trust me, at 2 a.m., this will be the best ramen you'll ever eat.
Sanoya Rahmen, 1785 South King St. Hours: 11 a.m.-3 a.m. daily. Phone: 947-6065.
Tags: curry, eat, food, fuud, gyoza, hawaii, katsu curry, Moiliili, oxtail, oxtail ramen, ramen, restaurant, Sanoya Rahmen, toth
July 10th, 2009 at 1:54 am
That sure will make the bar crowd real happy and satisfied.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:00 am
I'd definately walk a mile or stay up late for katsu! That rice looks nice and fresh. Sometimes places late at night or before closing has hard,stale kine rice.A place with nice fresh rice is tops in my book. Great pictures,even at 2am. No fuzziness at all....in the pictures i mean.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:22 am
Is it Friday already? Fuud pix! Sanoya is my favorite. I go there often. Udon set....yum! They have good chicken katsu.
Cat, you didn't mention they have awesome kim chee for a family style, quick meal.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I never knew it was open that late. I'm gonna pencil it in for my insomnia backup list. You're right, a Zippy's is a Zippy's is a Zippy's.
July 10th, 2009 at 6:15 am
Good morning Cat!
Fuud pics Friday!
Sanoya's is guud, I like the chicken katsu curry, it's guud and plenty. I never tried the oxtail ramen so the next time I will.
Now I'm getting hungry.
July 10th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I haven't been there in years. That use to be the late night snack stop on the way home when I was younger.
July 10th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Sanoya's is okay. The service is really slow since they usually only have one person working. During regular hours, a really good ramen place is the one in McCully Shopping Center on the 2nd floor all the way to the left (Ala Moana side).
July 10th, 2009 at 7:36 am
the best thing i like about sanoya's is that you can get your rhamen with butter, i mean i don't know who the genius is that thought of that, but i would like to thank them for making this great dish even better, with butter!!
July 10th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Haven't gone to Sanoya in ages. I like the udon there.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Did I ever mentioned that the best ramen I ever had was in Tokyo outside of Tsukiji Fish Market auction. There was this hole in the wall with about 6 stools at the counter. I ate the Tempura ramen, 2 sprimp tempura and the best dashi and ramen ever. My wife was shopping at the time so while I was waiting I got hungry and walked around looking for a place to eat. She missed out.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:06 am
I hate to tell you this, but Sanoya's is filthy. I saw them grab kim chee from a table after the customers had left and put it back into the main bucket on the counter. From what I remember, the food was good, but I don't care how good a place is if it isn't sanitary.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Yum, thinking ramen on the streets in Fukuoka, Japan many, many years ago. Doesn't seem like it can be that long ago, but it was. Ha, had to have been becuase the Yen rate was 360 to one US dollar.
Thanks Cat for pics which made me remember.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Food is good but what shuns me away everytime is the HORRIFIC SERVICE. So slow, not friendly at all.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:17 am
cat you killing me just killing me
July 10th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I agree with 808poet. I won't ever go there after learning that the chef got fired from ezogiku for doing his laundry in the kitchen sink.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Yup, I've seen the recycling of kimchee myself. Pilau!!! I also once witnessed one of the workers carrying a bowl of ramen with her thumbs in the soup! Maybe that's why the food is so tasty!
For some really excellent and untainted late night ramen go to Taiyo. Trust me, at 2am, it's the BEST ramen you can find in town.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:16 am
I perfer the ramen at Tenkaippin in Kapahulu. We meet the owners Scott and wife Mayumi filming their show, Ultimate Japan, this past March in Gion, Japan. We maybe included in the show as they were talking with us while filming. We also ate at a Tenkaippin in Kyoto, Japan in March too.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:06 am
i thought sanoya was okay... not sure what i ate the few times i went there. but, 808poet just grossed me out - yuck, that's disgusting!! for late night eats, i think fook yuen at mccully shopping center is open late, as are sorabol on keeaumoku and taiyo ramen on piikoi! yum! thanks for the fuud pics, cat!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Never heard of Sanoya before but the chicken katsu curry looked good!!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:55 am
wow! definitely must try! I'm getting sick of Zippy's
how much does the average item cost?
July 10th, 2009 at 11:20 am
wow lau lau
July 10th, 2009 at 11:24 am
The best katsu curry w/rice I ever ate was at a train station in Tokyo. I can't recall what train station it was though.
July 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
i love this place, despite 808poet's comment
kinda knew that already anyway. my friends and i have a nickname for this place based on one of those experiences xD but i digress.
i remember being part of a gyoza gathering that a friend of mine hosted there. we ordered a record 270 pieces of gyoza. it was an awesome night xD
though we were 30 short of our 300 goal
July 10th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
@snow - Taiyo Ramen on Piikoi for the win! Their service is fast, food comes in HUGE portions, prices are reasonable, open late, and the kim chee is one of the best on the island. It's usually crowded but people eat and go, so the wait time isn't too long. I have Taiyo's stamp card - for a certain dollar amount you spend, you get a stamp. Fill up the card and get a free bowl of ramen on your next visit. Awesome stuff!
July 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Ahhhh, many a drunken college nights have been spent there. Filthy or not, the food is great when you can't find your keys at two in the morning. And after all these years, aunty still remembers us and our usual orders.
Taiyo is great too. It was even better when they were across from KFC. A place where you were hungry enough that you could walk straight through the kitchen.
July 10th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I used to love those mini combo specials but I haven't been there for awhile. I think the last ramen place I've been to was Goma Ichi on Keeaumoku and they have very limited hours compared to Sanoya's. haha Cat, it seems like you're often ordering too much food and then taking home the leftovers. The question is, do you actually eat the leftovers later or do they end up getting thrown out days later?
July 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Gotta admit, the best ramen I've had was @ Gomatei in Ward Centre... usually crowded, but the food was delicious! Beef Curry and small shoyu ramen... delicious...
NEO
July 10th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Sanoya's is ok. They are open late, Ramen and other foods is GOOD, but...service is soo slow..its kinda ghetto...and the place smells.. Better to do take out from here.
for excellent Ramen I prefer Yakoteiya's Kakuni (pork) Ramen. mmm so delicious! Gomatei or Taiyo (R-Dizzle: i agree that Taiyo's has the best kimchee! )!
For late night eats I go to panda cuisine across walmart for dim sum and yanagi's sushi for epic sushi and late night specials. Heck even walmart's L&L is open until 1am!
There is also Eggs and things (mmm potatoes & pancakes), Mac 24's (giant pancakes), & Kenny's Express which has new later hours for ppl sobering up from clubbing.
July 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I don't think you can compare Sanoya to any other ramen place out there. It is what it is. Open late, cheap, and perfect when you're drunk. Sober? Not so much...
July 11th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Sorry, but have to agree with the comment about the lack of sanitation and cleanliness at Sanoya. Have heard more than a few comments about this from people I know. Also heard a terrible story about rodents at Ala Moana SC and one particular eating place. Be careful out there.
One a more pleasant note, I like Yotteko-Ya in the McCully SC. Never had a bad meal there. They offer both Japan style or local style versions of their ramen.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
gomatei is good...but not open @ 2am. gotta love the late night ramen run. perfect drinking food!
July 12th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Our family loves ramen and all decided, forget the rest, Taiyo is head, shoulders and 4 pieces of gyoza above the rest. Kim chee can't be beat, clean, fast, and friendly service. I thought Sanoya's was pretty good actually, but the cleanliness of the place leaves something to be desired.