Restaurant Epic - Happy Hour

Restaurant Epic opened its doors to customers in February 2007. After being opened for less than two months, owners David Chang and Kenneth and Jennifer Chan (of Little Village Noodle House) closed their doors due to poor reviews and a dire need for re-organization. Since then, Epic has made changes for the better and the rave reviews just keep pouring in. As I walked past the restaurant on the way to work each day, I noticed a banner that read, "Happy Hour" and I could not resist trying it! I told my boyfriend all about it and he treated me to some drinks and pupus one day after work.


The first thing that I ordered was their signature Mojito and it was delicious!! :) It was by far, the best Mojito I've had with just the right amount of mint and lime!

There were about ten different items on the happy hour menu and let me tell you, it was a tough decision! Everything sounded really yummy and for the price it was really tempting to order one of each! We narrowed it down to three choices a poketini, kalua pig spring rolls, and a sushi.



The poketini was a spicy ahi poke on top of a layer of avocado served in a martini glass. It was an elegant presentation and an interesting spin on the classic ahi poke that you get in the grocery store. I enjoyed the combination of the ahi with the spicy sauce and the avocado balanced out the flavors nicely. On the down side, there were occasional bites of ahi that didn't taste very fresh, leaving a "fishy" taste in my mouth.



The most interesting thing on the menu was the Kalua Pig Spring Rolls. This variation of the classic spring rolls used smoky kalua pork in place of ground pork. Each spring roll was fried to leave a crispy outer shell that was flaky, and not too greasy. The spring rolls were topped with a mango chutney. I have to admit, I thought the chutney was strange at first, and when I tasted it alone, I did not like it. After eating it together with the kalua pig spring rolls, I quickly changed my mind. The spices and the sweetness of the chutney really complimented the crispy, smokey spring rolls. I thought this dish was very creative!



There were a number of interesting sushis to choose from, including one with steak. The one that we chose had a crab, scallop, shrimp mixture with avocado and cucumber topped off with some tobiko. The roll was small enough that I could (elegantly) fit one whole piece in my mouth, which allowed me to appreciate all the flavors and textures at once. Although I usually don't care for sushi with heavy mayonnaise fillings, this one was delicious!

This restaurant offered "Epic"urean worthy food for a bargain price! :) Perfect for my budget...
I'm not sure if the restaurant still offers their happy hour because I haven't seen the banner recently. Nevertheless, their food and drinks are well-worth the regular price! I had a chance to look at their full menu and everything sounded so delicious, I was tempted to stay for dinner too!! I'll surely be visiting Epic again soon!

Restaurant Epic
1131 Nuuanu Avenue
Honolulu, HI