Love at First Fresh Fish (Can you say that ten times?). When Monarch Seafoods owner Tommy Mukaigawa started Monarch Seafoods in 1991, probably not even he, himself, could envision the type of business that it would one day become. Long before writing this article, I realized that there weren't too many (well, any for that matter, aside from a daily newspaper's story about Monarch Seafoods back in 1999) formal reviews about a place I really enjoyed eating at. People ask me "What is Monarch Seafoods?" Well, they laugh because I tell them: Envision eating in a high-end seafood restaurant ... but out of clamshell Styrofoam plates. That's what you'll get when you indulge yourself at Monarch Seafoods. Not only is their presentation spectacular, but so is what is underneath and inside of it all. Great tasting food, with a flair, and the BEST banana cream pie I've ever had!

As long as he can remember, Tommy's life and passion was fishing. Then, as a college student, Tommy fished commercially part-time and clearly recalls a time when he was asked by his college teacher what his goals were for the future. "I want to have a fish market and run my boat commercially," said Tommy. He remembers the entire class laughing at his response. Well, laughter made for the best successful medicine for this business owner, as almost two decades later, Monarch Seafoods is not only operational, but hugely successful in its own right. Tommy made it clear from the start, that his love was fishing, and he couldn't see himself behind a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week.

"I couldn't imagine a better job than being on the water in one of the most beautiful places in the world," said Tommy, as he reminisced about his decision to follow his dreams and open shop. In the early days, Monarch Seafoods operated solely as a wholesaler of fish - supplying restaurants, caterers, and hotels with fresh catch on a daily basis. "My background in fishing proved to be invaluable in starting the business since there was a void in the quality of fish being distributed. Luckily, I fished and crewed with the some of the top commercial boats on Oahu, basically learning from the best fishermen," remembers Tommy. "Through this connection I then learned about processing and grading of Tuna and Pelagics from some of the best in Hawaii," said Tommy.

In the beginning, it wasn't rare for Tommy and his ONE employee (his fishing partner back then) to work 12-18 hour days. The changes of supply and fishing have been drastic. "Back then it wasn't uncommon to have 100,000 lbs of fish a day - which rarely happens, but twice a year now. Although longline fish is top quality, these long trips (could be at sea for up to a month), meant that you needed to choose the freshest fish you could for the bid price and care for what you did get seriously," said Tommy.

Now, the type of fishing Tommy and his crew specialize in is "day caught," which means that they fish for one to two days at a time. At the fish auction, they are referred to as "local fishermen." "What surprised me most was that I was the only Fish Wholesaler that was actually a 'Local Fisherman,'" commented Tommy. So I wondered, what exactly, are other wholesalers putting out there? Answered Tommy, "Some distributors were selling fish imported from island nations in the South Pacific. They brought the fish in for incredibly cheap prices and sold it as 'local fish.'"

I felt like I was getting a lesson on FISH 101, and sadly, never knew any of this. A big fish eater, I was intrigued to learn more. Tommy went on to tell me that most people don't know that this is how the "Saku" or Frozen Poke Fish (treated fish) got started. Said Tommy regarding the process, "The fish went bad so quickly that the importers needed to find a way to keep the quality. That's how the smokeless carbon monoxide treatment got started."

As a person who has a diet with a majority of fish, I was a little shocked when I heard the process and how common it is! Then thought realistically, on how important it is to catch, serve, and eat the freshest fish available. Said Tommy, "When you think about it, wild fish is the last food source that's not farm raised. pure and natural from the Earth without hormones, steroids, or chemicals. I'd like to be a part of that while it's still available. With the way fish is harvested, fresh may soon enough be a thing of the past."

So according to Tommy, despite Hawaii being the major hub for fish in the Pacific rim, and having tons of fish brought in daily with more "longline vessels than any other state in the United States, most markets and restaurants still don't use fresh island fish." He went on to say that the biggest fish distributors in the state are getting of their fish from Micronesia but selling it as "local fish." My question: Did Tommy eat it? "I don't ever eat it, but mostly everyone else does, even if they don't know it," was Tommy's response.

So how does that affect the fish sold at Monarch Seafoods? "My philosophy is to
always 'buy local, use local'," said Tommy. Proudly stated, "We only use local fish. We are the only market I know of that uses fresh local fish for Poke," said Tommy. So enough about fish and lets talk shop.

It wasn't until the move to the location that Monarch Seafoods is currently at, that they started to sell to the public (and not just as wholesaler). From day one, it was clearly a family-business. "Monarch Seafoods has always been a family business. My mother and father helped me at the shop. I babysat my three children there, since I built the upstairs to accommodate my family. My father, who passed away in 2004, helped me make the Pies and Salad Dressing. He loved Banana Cream Pie and we experimented a lot till he felt it was just right, he was incredibly picky and had a good taste for food. My Mom is still there helping with everything from cooking to making poke. She's the rock in the company keeping things going while bringing the family aspect to work," said Tommy.

So knowing the history behind the doors, its now time to learn about the wonderful food that Monarch Seafoods has grown to become famous for:


When you walk into Monarch Seafoods, you see a small, very unintimidating fish shop.  What you walk out with though ... is so much more.

So now that you're probably on your way out the door to sample some of this wonderful food, before you go, know that owner Tommy Mukaigawa has "reel big" (pun intended) plans for the future of Monarch Seafoods." My immediate goal is to open another Monarch Seafoods, where I can bring my boat direct to the shop and unload fish straight to customers. This way I can provide the best possible product at the best price. I'd like for people to sustain our island lifestyle by eating local products and thinking 'healthy.' I'm excited about the future and possibilities seem endless," said Tommy. You know what, gang? After tasting their food? So am I!

Monarch Seafoods, Inc.
515 Kalihi Street (On the corner of Colburn and Kalihi)
808-841-7877 Fax 808-847-3930
M-Fri 9-5
Sat 8-3
Closed Sundays
Lunch served daily from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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