"Ai Pono Cafe’s owner, chef Gene Villiatora, is nearly as recognizable for his vibrantly dyed buzz cut as he is for his Hawaiian street food. Here, he branches out from Ai Pono’s roots in Orange County to the Durango Casino, with dishes that have earned something of a cult following. There’s crackhead chicken — fried boneless thighs tossed in sauce and topped with coconut garlic miso glaze, da “roots” plate of Korean short ribs with ahi katsu shoyu ahi poke, and garlic butter mahi mahi." - Janna Karel
