Chris A.
Yelp
Still pretty decent Aloha eats! 3 1/2 stars!
Been a while since we been to Aloha Specialties for a meal, but we were downtown that weekend and just had that craving for some local food! Was early enough to make it for a late lunch!
Line is still pretty long wait to order food, but das OK...we wait! The prices have changed quite a bit thanks to inflation, but the majority of the menu after the remodel a few years back have stuck! We went pretty basic this time around:
-Combo Bowl (chicken & beef), add Mixed Vegetables
-Shoyu Chicken (daily special)
Put in order, then paid, took a number, then took a seat! Gotta admit, I often miss those smells from the kitchen of local Hawaiian food cooking! Oh those mixed plate memories!
Our order came out in not too much time at all, probably around 20 minutes. Nice & hot! Wifey's Combo Bowl is one to count on - still pretty consistent after all that time! Layer of white rice on the bottom, decent serving of chicken & beef, then a layer of mixed veggies that included onions, celery & bean sprouts. All topped off with a generous douse of their house teriyaki sauce! And do I like their teriyaki sauce! The Shoyu Chicken came on a plate with a fat serving of rice (just enough extra LOL), and a healthy scoop of their mac salad.
Combo Bowl was nicely cooked, chicken & beef tenderized enough, veggies cooked with just a bit of bite left for texture, and that sweet teriyaki sauce on top just pulls it all together! Dish was a bit too sweet for wifey's liking, she would rather have the teriyaki sauce on the side for dipping. Other than that it was good!
The Shoyu Chicken I had was to-the-bone tender, seemed to be simmered for a long time...the way it should be! I liked the sauce as well - a bit salty, a tad sweet, a hint of tart. Good to sop up the rice with! I do like their basic mac salad as well - just mayo, grated onion & salt. This way I get to add my taste to it make it a flavor bomb LOL! Shoyu, pepper & Tabasco, baby! BOOM! Ready to eat!
Overall a decent meal, just wish the prices were a shade more reasonable. But that's par for the course, price increases on food costs & labor means all those get passed down to the end consumer. We'd still eat at Aloha Specialties in a pinch though if we're in Downtown Las Vegas!