If you desire for some traditional Asian cuisine, Eastern Food Center’s expansive menu has everything you want, just as its name implies. Located on North King Street in Honolulu, Hawaii this casual dine-in and take-out restaurant has been serving locals a unique taste of Asian food for over a decade.
Although Eastern Food Center specializes in take-out, there is a humble dining room with a seating capacity of 30 in this 1,700 foot establishment.
The establishment isn’t extravagant. However, it always stands out from the many other restaurants in this high traffic area because of the considerate service, clean and comfortable dining environment, and of course its unique and authentic offerings. Its excellence in these areas is what entices thousands of patrons to come back again and again.
Mouth-watering Cuisine
Eastern Food Center truly serves up authentic Asian cuisine without compromise. Their menu is organized in a manner that allows customers to easily find their favorite dishes among the diverse offerings. Menu categories include noodles, chow funn, Cantonese BBQ meats, party sets, Japanese, Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian dishes. Despite the usual poultry, pork, and beef dishes, you will also find some exceptionally creative dishes that will surely exceed your expectations. What’s more, Eastern Food Center offers Cake Noodles, a local favorite for its crispy, golden skin and crunchy bite. Those interested can find it at Eastern Food Center every day starting at 6:30am.
With a multitude of delicious selections to choose one, it can be difficult to decide what to order. Simply ask the knowledgeable staffs for suggestions and they will help recommend dishes based on your preferences. If you want to try some dishes that aren’t on the menu, just ask the staffs at Eastern Food Center and they will be happy to prepare your customized order as long as the kitchen has the ingredients needed to do so.
Laksa (Singaporean Spicy Noodle Dish), Shrimp Won Ton Noodle (Cantonese Style Shrimp Dumpling Noodle Soup), Nasi Goreng Rice Plate (Indonesian Style fried rice) and Cantonese Barbeque (Roast Pork, Char Siu Sweet Pork, Roast Duck, and Roast Chicken) are some of the most delectable offerings at the restaurant. But, if you are looking for something extra special, you’ll want to try the Jook-Sing Mein. The restaurant is among a select group of establishments that sells traditional Bamboo-pressed Noodles. This kind of noodle, which is also known as “Jook-Sing Mein,” is a rare commodity nowadays considering its unique preparation method. Chef Amy’s family used to make bamboo noodles, however today they purchase handmade noodles from a traditional noodle supplier. According to tradition, the making of bamboo-pressed noodles requires the chef to sit and ride on bamboo poles to beat the noodle dough into a flat layer before being sliced into strips. Unlike other restaurants which serve machine made noodles, Eastern Food Center’s patrons can still enjoy the bouncy yet firm texture unique to handmade noodles. It’s indeed appetizing. Customers can have their Jook-sing noodle served with the restaurant’s endearing Gold Fish Won Tons which are stuffed with minced pork and prawn.
Not only attracting local residents, the expert cooking here also attracts a lot of tourists. Laksa Lemak, Hainanese Chicken Rice Plate and Chow Kway Teo are some of the leading dishes in Eastern Food Center’s “Asia Creations.” These creations have won applause from many Malaysian/Singaporean visitors for their authentic taste and delicate aroma. If you are tired of Chinese cuisine, you might want to try one of these delicious Southeast Asian dishes.
Chef Amy doesn't believe that steaming food is the only healthy way of cooking. Her philosophy is to create a harmonious combination of ingredients then prepare the meal in a healthy manner. Referring to the health-conscious cooking concept adopted at Eastern Food Center, Amy points out that the quality and freshness of the ingredients are the backbone of her establishment. Seven trustworthy suppliers regularly deliver poultry, pork, beef, vegetables, and more directly to the kitchen. The remainder of the ingredients used is purchased from the local market, effectively guaranteeing the quantity and quality. Amy recommends Seaweed Soup, Spinach Noodle, and Jai (vegetarian) Cake Noodle. All of these are uniquely additionally offered to satisfy customers’ specific needs.
Community Service
Chef Amy contributes the restaurant’s success mostly to customer word of mouth. She is grateful for her customer's loyal support to their restaurant and staffs over the years. Many of the customer's are long term regulars and had to be won over by Chef Amy; she really pulled out the stops in an effort to create a warm family type feeling inside Eastern Food Center. Her successful and the family-style service had extended to other staffs as well.
When Janet and Stephen Chan took over Eastern Food Center in 1991, it was the only Chinese restaurant in the area. “Twenty years ago there wasn't much Asian cuisine in Honolulu. I saw an opportunity then, as I do now. Others see it as well—competition has really gotten fierce during the past couple of years,” Janet explains. She recalls that business was slow after 911 in 2001. However, Janet and Stephen didn’t give up; they insisted one should be positive no matter what, be patient, and above all be willing to work hard. “I have confidence in our food and have made many improvements in our service and cleanliness.”
Eastern Food Center
Location: 118 N King St. Honolulu, HI 96817
Cuisine: Hong Kong Style Chinese Cuisine, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian Food
Offers: Take-out, Dine-in
Signature Dishes: Roasted Poultries, Soup Noodles, Stir Fry Noodles, Crispy Noodles, Rice Noodles, Rice Plates
Phone: 808-536-4121
Owner: Janet and Stephen Chan
Chef: Amy Soon
