In the food and beverage industry, being in the right place at the right time is easier said than done. Soup to nuts, the F&B industry in general is one of the toughest businesses out there. To survive, or to even get something started, takes a network of business associates, deep pockets, aggressiveness, creativity, intuition, common sense, a whole lot of luck and a bunch of big and small legalities, intricacies and details in between.
In a few of our recent columns we've had the luxury of covering some of the F&B industries current success stories in town. Outside of those few successes, however, we've observed a slew of restaurants suffering in the paradox of the "restaurant renaissance" happening in the Waikiki, downtown, Ala Moana and Ward areas. Remember Jackie's Kitchen? They were one of the first restaurants to open during this era.
So what does it take to build a successful establishment? How many variables make Hawaii's restaurant industry's success different from the rest of the country? These are the million dollar questions that anyone who has ever fancied opening up a restaurant would love to know.
Ironically, comparing benefits to the liabilities, owning a business in this volatile industry is still potentially profitable. This answers the other age-old question of is "it worth it?" Yes you can become rich being involved in F&B. The level of wealth is subject to discussion as Forbes and CNN analysts claim that fortunes amassed by independent restaurateurs and even large franchise proprietors were ranked at the bottom half of the top income earners of any industry. That’s an interesting fact. So we will assume if you really want to make your money doing food and beverage, you must love food. Right?
Profitability is relative. The gray area of profit is enormous as it is with its counterpart of debt. One thing is for sure, certain parts of F&B can be better than others if manipulated correctly, i.e. breakfast versus lunch, dinner versus late night, or the importance of liquor versus food. The importance of how you market what you sell is almost more important than what you sell. Believe it or not, again. This is the paradox of the industry we spoke about in past columns that we have written. With more consumers now coming out after work to eat and drink, it 's up to ownership and management to figure out the next best "clever way" of getting their competitor's customers into their own doors.
Enter the liquor "rep." These skilled and usually commission-based service and marketing "troops" deploy into the industry and supercharging their clients with tons of marketing material, free product, inventory accountability, shortage special deliveries and even their own personal customer base network. Mental note: liquor reps = very important. Some business owners that rely more on food sales over drinks sales who, for example, run breakfast and lunch specific eateries have been known to quietly lament: "if only our food "reps" were as turbo-charged, or as innovative as their liquor counterparts…"
Especially in the dinner and late night business, one will nearly never find food without the omni-present alcoholic drink. This is why we refer to each interchangeably, or separate, but usually still associated with each other. Liquor is a must. Despite some legal and financial liabilities, liquor helps to promote/market tons of new business that might be difficult to be generated by food concepts alone. Drinks usually cover a huge amount of sales and profitability with beer, wine and spirits leading the list of consumer's top selections. Cumulatively, liquor is unsurpassed in margins and is definitely a part of the success formula.
As the battle for profits and dominance in town rages on, lets shift gears and look at what we, the consumer, must make - A decision. What do we really want? Do we really know what we want? Some might begin to believe that we are being convinced where to go and what to do. This is acceptable as long as we still have freedom of choice, right? Most people may be reluctant to admitting not knowing what they really want, but when we experience something good, we know we liked it. Subconsciously maybe it becomes a fun yet repetitive cycle with every new establishment we patronize.
In F&B, sometimes less is more. Simple concepts can work very well. But sometimes it can get boring. In a fight, it's a lot more entertaining to watch a fighter use a special punch combination, versus just a jab.
Anyway, instead of guessing or judging what the industry has recently offered and why, maybe it's more important to know who is doing something fun that works right now? Do they employ a concept that is unique and inviting? Do they have great food and great drinks day and night? Is there an oasis away from the pre-programmed areas we seem to return to repeatedly as lemmings?
Typically there are three types of people: those who accept and patronize the industry, those who ridicule and boycott the industry and those that run the industry. For the good of the economy and our fellow colleagues, the chef crew supports the industry fully.
This brings us to what we recently discovered and what we hope everyone else eventually notices, is that there is a new breath of fresh air on the eastside of Oahu. We got wind that a few industry pros have opened up a place called Therapy Sports Grill in the Koko Marina Center located between to Assaggio's and Bubbies. We were ready to see the best the eastside has to offer.
We like the eastside; we feel it's one of the better-looking areas on the island. The area has a subtle beauty and nobility that boasts both local and tourist attractions. Is there anything that the eastside was missing? Step into Therapy and you will see what has been long awaited. Even people from town agree, there's nothing like getting your daily dose of Therapy!
Our Mood (Bored, Thirsty & Hungry): Not Rated
We were in town for most of the day and the chef crew hates traffic. We didn't feel like going into Waikiki for dinner to some boring over-fluffed restaurant or to stay in town, so we decided to jump on the freeway and head east bound. The drive was a lot nicer going in that direction, and our mood started to lift. However, our hunger and thirst continued to increase. Upon arriving at the Koko Marina Center, we observed a new buzz that seemed to be centralized around Therapy alone. We eagerly anticipated what was soon to come and what we experienced was nothing short of amazing!
Overall Experience: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Talk about great, Therapy is a place that has virtually everything you can't find in town. We have been back almost everyday since. Hence our excellent overall rating for this treasure in Hawaii Kai. A huge and well-trained staff back up the humble yet genius star of Therapy, executive chef Randall Revilla. Together with the ownership and veteran management team, Therapy opened softly to a huge "word of mouth" crowd early November. From the moment we sat down, until we collectively decided to "hele" at last call, we enjoyed every remembered and forgotten minute. We now know what kind of therapy, Therapy, has to offer. We enjoyed great food, great drinks, great service and everything else that we needed.
Value: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
It's almost safe to say that the food at Therapy probably has the best portions on the eastside. The menu offers items that can even satisfy people on budgets. Daily specials like the fresh fish catch of the day or the newly added $3 sushi hand rolls make eating at Therapy worth it. Therapy's happy hour starts at 2 pm to 6 pm and boasts daily selections of $3 domestic beers and $3 premium drinks. A great assortment of priced-right ice-cold draft beers are available as well including Steinlager, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Keoki's, Pilsner Urquell and New Castle.
Price Point: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Therapy has items on their menu that will satisfy the simple palate to the everyday gourmet. Pupus, plates, sushi, poke, salads and burgers all offer things to eat at $10 or under. Most people see the large menu selections at Therapy and are eager to put together a few items for a sharing couple. The chef crew chose a staggering 7 dishes but paid just under $25 per person for our feast. It might be difficult to find deals like that in town. Depending on what you order, you can consistently manage an affordable bill with great variety at Therapy.
Service: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
We mentioned earlier that Therapy has a big staff, so when we observed that the service area was split into just four sections, it made sense that there was never a problem with getting great service. It seemed like everyone helped each other out here. What we saw was excellent open communication between bartenders, chefs, wait staff and management. In the F&B industry, proactive and positive communication is a priceless commodity. Our beers were never empty and our food plates were promptly bussed without us even knowing. Step into Therapy and enjoy their presentable, highly attractive and always smiling front of the house team.
Ambience: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
With so many great things at Therapy, ambience is another big reason to hang out for a while. Our big dining table was situated facing the beautiful Maunalua Bay which was easily viewed through the facilities almost 100% out-looking wall window. The view seemed to make everything we ate and drank taste better. Tons of plasma TV's stud the walls and play a multiplicity of never-ending sports programs from Therapy's satellite feed. Aside from that, digital karaoke, dartboards, pool tables and tabletop gaming is available to keep you entertained. There's never a dull moment at Therapy.
Comfort: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
The weather has been a bit muggy recently and we needed to feel refreshed. Therapy has that "new car" smell that everyone loves with a great central air-cooling system that keeps everyone cool. Another thing that made us feel right at home was that every table was built to fit lots of food with lots of elbowroom to spare. We noticed that a lot of the clientele were families, which is a good indicator the dining environment is clean and suitable for anyone. Large accommodating bathrooms keep you content while staying longer watching sports programs in its entirety. Since Therapy is open from 11:00 am to 2:00 am daily, it allows the working person to feel welcome to sit down and grab a quick bite, or to unwind for a while after a long day.
Capacity: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Meeting friends, family or both? Bring everyone down! Therapy has a deceptively large floor space with a total capacity of 167. Open 7 days a week, Therapy can negotiate parties with advanced noticed. With so many things to keep you entertained, the facility is designed to allow anyone to move freely from the bar area to the pool tables in the back.
Parking: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
The Koko Marina Center has lots of free parking available. Even on busy nights, the parking lot always seems to rotate smoothly. In our experience, we've never had a problem with finding parking that is comfortably close. The Koko Marina Center also has HPD patrols running routine stops through the shopping center. A private security agency also polices the parking area courtesy of the property management. It's a plus to feel secure while enjoying a visit to Therapy from start to finish.
Menu: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
Not often do you see a menu like this anywhere. At Therapy, they have a unique system that pushes out both hot food and sushi from one foodservice area. This hybrid system is complex yet effective and offers diners specialty items that are not found anywhere else on the island. This again is a credit to the insight of the ownership and to executive chef Randall Revilla. Upon speaking with chef Randall, we learned that it takes a highly organized facility and chef team to coordinate such a detailed food service. One thing for sure is that the food quality is supreme. They use only high-grade Koshihikari Tamaki Gold sushi rice and are proud to boast its namesake on their menu. Other popular creations one the menu are; dynamite chicken ($10), furikake chicken ($10), beef tenderloin sashimi ($16), misoyaki butterfish ($12), charsiu butterfish ($12), spicy tuna burger ($8), Chinese chicken salad ($8.25), spinach salad ($8.50), fried mac and cheese ($5.75), chop steak ($12), kim chee fried rice ($9), crispy calamari ($10) and cold tofu ($6). Sushi specialties are; the big hanapa'a roll ($16), Mr. Yones roll ($16), eastsaidaz roll ($16), Maunalua bay roll ($14), ahi poke salad ($14), Therapy's monster chirashi bowl ($35), sashimi combination platter ($30), oysters on a ½ shell ($14), 19th hole roll ($12), blow hole roll ($14), hamachi kama ($15), ahi tataki salad ($16), hanauma bay roll ($14), surf and turf roll ($15), baked ahi dynamite roll ($12) and their signature super Therapy roll ($15). If you're thinking it might take several visits to get to know the extensive Therapy menu, you're right. But we mean that in a good way!
Culinary Execution: Excellent- 5 Stars *****
How do you classify genius? We were thinking that executive chef Randall Revilla has an enormous I.Q. Somehow he is able to run two separate systems within one kitchen seven days a week. It's a testament to his work ethic and open communication with the ownership. From seafood to edamame, chef Randall proves the challenging theory that sushi and hot food can be effectively produced side by side. With any complex system, there are moments when chef Randall is swarmed with food orders by the overwhelming popularity of Therapy. We now know that with the facilities at full throttle, everyone can be satisfied with the quality, portions, plating and timing. A good point that chef Randall brought up is that everything is handmade to order as far as sushi. This focus on quality makes it worth waiting a few extra minutes as if you were sitting in front of a sushi counter. We agree, you can't rush quality. Also everything available as hot food is homemade and it's fired to order. Ever single menu item, sauce and garnish are painstakingly prepped daily for optimal freshness and flavor. We ordered everything our server recommended, a total of 7 items at once. We timed our first dish served (ahi poke salad), which was prepared in less then 5 minutes on a busy late afternoon. Impressive. Every dish that came out after that was expeditiously turned over and looked fantastic.
We took a look in back to see how everything was set up. For the square footage of the kitchen versus the service area, it was nothing short of amazing.
Stats and Information (411): Not Rated.
Name- Therapy Sports Grill
Location- 7192 Kalanianaole Highway D-105 Honolulu, Hawaii 96825
Telephone number- (808) 394-8200
Payment options- Cash and credit card
Hours- 11:00 am to 2:00 am (Lunch to Late-night) 7 days a week. Happy hour 2pm-6pm.
Reservations- N/A Walk-in's only. (For special parties call)
Type of restaurant- Contemporary local food & Sushi
Attire- Casual/Beachwear (shirts and footwear required)
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Chef Norlan's Recipe Pick:
New Wave Paniolo Rib-Eye Steaks w/ Parmesan crust.
15 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups fresh, finely grated Parmesan
3 thick rib-eye steaks (about 1½ to 1¾ inches thick)
Alae/Hawaiian salt and fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling
In a pan over medium heat, pan roast the garlic in olive oil. Allow garlic to brown for about 5 minutes. Drain excess oil. Let garlic cool before coarsely mashing with a knife. Add thyme to garlic paste and mash. While still chunky, mix in the Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Preheat a grill, or stovetop grill pan, to high.
Preheat a large pan to sear the steaks.
Massage the salt and pepper into the steaks to cover well. Drizzle steaks on both sides with olive oil. Sear steaks with even browning, about 4 minutes each side.
Remove steaks from searing pan and place on a cookie sheet. Cover the steaks generously with garlic & mustard coating. Top generously with Parmesan cheese evenly. Place steaks in oven for about 7 minutes or use a kitchen thermometer to check desired doneness.
Once the steaks are done, let all steaks rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing.
Plate up family style for the holidays with any kind of your favorite sautéed veggies and rice or mashed potatoes underneath the sliced steaks on a large serving platter. Or serve the steaks low-carb with a simple watercress, Maui onion and tomato salad. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Enjoy!
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Chef Norlan's Holiday Extravaganza Sushi Specials:
For Graduations, Weddings, Birthdays, Company Functions & Special Events!
ALL YOU CAN EAT LIVE ACTION SUSHI BAR FOR 2 HOURS!!!
Standard Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$8 / person *(minimum 100 pax)
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad
Deluxe Standard Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$12 / person BEST PRICE POINT, BEST SELECTION!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Mayo
Full Standard Sushi Bar *****
$15 / person THE ORIGINAL & BEST SELLER! *****
Maguro, Hamachi, Salmon, Ebi, Lobster Salad, Tuna Salad, Spicy Tuna, California
Ultra Deluxe Hand Roll Sushi Bar
$18 / person MOST POPULAR CHOICE FOR HAND ROLLS ONLY!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad, Hari Zuke, Smoked Salmon, Tako Poke, Unagi, Kinoko Mushroom
Supreme Hand Roll Sushi Bar (Summer Special Only)
$25 / person *(minimum 100 pax) BEST VALUE! WOW!
Spicy Tuna, Crab, Tuna Salad, Veggie, Lobster Salad, Ikura, Tobikko, Natto, Ume. Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad, Hari Zuke, Smoked Salmon, Tako Poke, Unagi, Kinoko Mushroom,
Kalbi, Abalone Salad, Corn Mayo, Soft Shell Crab, Shrimp Tenpura, Spicy Shrimp Poke
Full Deluxe Sushi Bar
$25 / person BEST VALUE FOR FULL SUSHI BAR SELECTIONS!
Full Standard + Unagi, Tako Poke, Ikura, Tobikko, Tamago, Ahi Poke, Scallop Salad
Full Ultra Deluxe Sushi Bar
$40 / person MOST POPULAR UPGRADE IN FULL SUSHI BAR SELECTION!
Full Deluxe + Chu Toro in place of Maguro, Moi, Shrimp Tempura, Soft Shell Crab, Natto, Ume, Abalone Salad
* All items on the menu may be substituted due to season, weather and availability.
Global Foods Inc. / Sushi Supreme
Live Sushi Bar Catering Menu
Contact: Executive Chef / Corporate Partner Norlan Horita (808) 620–5863
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Chef Shannon's coupon corner:
Have your gourmet salad and sushi too! Let's Eat! and the Chefs Crew offers its readers a healthy combo to eat well and keep looking good this summer. Thanks for reading and we hope to continue to bring you informative and entertaining columns along with delectable culinary specials!
-Aloha the Chef Crew!
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