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    Minatoku Kitchen

    4.4 (89 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Closed 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    MINATOKU KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Meh
    Robert S.

    So the woman working here was extremely nice but limited English. I asked for a curry recommendation and she pointed to a sign on the counter and I said ok. Well, turns out it was a combo of fried shrimp, salmon, pork and chicken karaage style with a big dollop of a mayo based sauce. I'm sure some people think its delicious but it wasn't my cup of tea. Just wasn't in the mood for deep fried food and not a big fan of the white sauce. Plus, no curry that I hoped for. Anyway, I suspect I would have liked a different menu item just got the wrong thing.

    Chicken Nanban bento lunch $14.50
    Maria H.

    Chicken nan ban? From Minatoku? Yes, please! Tasty tender thighs crispy and perfectly fried every time. And the potato salad is the yummiest ever.

    Posted menu 6/27/25
    Jo Y.

    The pandemic made many rethink their priorities in life, including Yoshimi Koizumi from Japan. He opened Minatoku Kitchen in McCully on 8/11/2023, wanting to prepare and serve food with sincerity, kindness and compassion according to Japanese customs and applying these values to the local community. "Minatoku" is a Japanese word that means "everybody can get benefits." The pandemic forced people to stay indoors, with the only thing that provided pleasure was food. It was Koizumi's belief that no matter what the difficulties in life are, when you eat delicious food, you forget about your troubles. Hence, his plans were for his restaurant to bring joy via food. Thus, Minatoku Kitchen was born on this premise. Koizumi brought in a chef from Japan who had 20 years of restaurant experience in Japanese, Chinese, and Italian cuisine. It was important that the preparation and presentation of foods interpret the kindness and attentiveness of Japanese culture, and that the local community would enjoy the taste of Japan. In addition, Koizumi wanted to give back to the community by creating job opportunities lost by the pandemic and to offer his diners value to menu offerings. The restaurant started in offering lunch bento boxes that included pork chops, teri chicken & pork, karaage, curry, taco rice, stewed hamburger steak, chicken nanban, gyudon, ebi chan, tofu steak, miso salmon, pork ginger, tonkatsu. Many of these bentos also had sides of edamame, handmade mashed potatoes & pickles, and high-grade rice from Japan. With its lunch bento boxes being successful, Minatoku Kitchen then started Happy Hour held from Fri to Sun from 3p to 5p, and includes: edamame, fries, tofu, konbu, kimchi, eggplant, salad, fried chicken, tonkatsu, yakisoba. The next phase was offering a dinner menu that includes the Happy Hour menu and entrees of chicken nanban, battered pork belly, grilled chicken, miso sablefish, tuna steak. With my initial visit, I had the following: * Tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was very flavorful and prepared with thin layers of pork belly, with a crunchy panko batter. It came with a green salad, potato salad, garlic edamame, pickles, and rice sprinkled with a few black sesame seeds. The high-grade premium rice is from Japan called Kubota rice, is freshly milled in HI. The rice was amazing - bright white, all whole kernels, and so sweet! * Ten-Musu. Freshly made, so the shrimp tempura was crispy and combined with the premium rice, it was very flavorful! * Konbu musubi. Tasty musubi with lots of konbu just below the nori that is wrapped around the sweet premium rice. * Niku-Maki musubi. Thin pork belly wrapped around premium rice and shaped like a log, which is a unique and tasty musubi not found elsewhere. We enjoyed the tonkatsu bento and the musubis! Everything was delicious, and you can tell a special effort was made in the use of the ingredients and its presentation. It appears Koizumi wanted to progressively introduce different variety of foods via different phases, i.e., lunch, happy hour, dinner phases. But I was a little confused, as menu offerings can be ordered throughout the day. Plus, there are signs of new items being introduced that are already part of the regular menu. And a few mis-spellings in the menu due to English as a 2nd language. But no matter, the intent of Koizumi to introduce foods to the local community that reflect kindness and attentiveness of Japanese culture and for locals to enjoy the tastes of Japan. The front staff employee who took our order pleasantly explained their menu items when we told them that this was the first time for us. She explained that the menu is inspired by Japanese home cook with a focus on quality, and the Honu Koshishikari rice that they use is a high-end brand from Japan which has a pleasant aroma, good sweetness, and perfect texture. She gave us suggestions as to what was popular. Hours of operation are Mon 10a to 3p, Wed/Thurs 10a to 3p and 5p to 12m, Fri/Sat 10a to 12m, and Tues closed. Located across the street from CVS Longs and in the former Hide Chan Restaurant spot, the small eatery has a few tables for dine-in. I would imagine they would be quite busy with the college kids with the University of HI located nearby. Credit card only; no cash used. The restaurant has 4 free assigned parking spaces located in front of the restaurant. There is a large sign on the building showing where these 4 spaces are. I think a couple of these spaces would require that you jump the curb. Other than these spaces, there is metered street parking. We look forward to more delicious tastes of Minatoku Kitchen with its existing menu and ongoing new menu offerings, as I have a growing appreciation of authentic Japanese cuisine! Wishing Koizumi much success with this business venture!

    I love nikumaki bacon wrapped rice!!! Where ever I see it.. I buy it!
    Donna O.

    Minatoku Kitchen took over the former spot of Hide Chan. They have some grab to go musubi and plates you can order. At night they have happy hour and is open for dinner. There's some tables inside for dine in. I tried some plates and musubi and they were all good. Keema curry was something different to try but my favorites now is the pork belly wrapped musubi (NikuMaki)!! I always love those bacon wrapped musubi. Some makes it different. Most time they run out and person who makes it may have gone home since I come out late in the afternoon. The plus side of going late so I won't have a problem with parking. Now you can park in the small drive way. There's a picture posted on the window of how you suppose to park and fit 4 cars. I've been lucky that most time it's just my car! I love is the ton-katsu plate. It's deep fried Mille feuilled pork belly! There was about 5 good size pieces along with their Japanese rice, green salad, potato salad and garlic edamame and pickles. There's not too many Japanese restaurant in the area which serve tonkatsu. Sad to see Sakura Terrace and Minato restaurant closed! I must say if you haven't tried here , you should at least try the NikuMaki . Best to call early to reserve it , not like me. Usually it sold out but on my last visit I was surprised they had four left and I grabbed all four!! Try the ton-katsu if you like layered ton-katsu ! I didn't know it was layered until I saw a photo on Yelp! So crunchy and tender! Love their Japanese tonkatsu sauce. Support small local business so they can stay in business!

    Lorie C.

    We visited Minatoku Kitchen for their Happy Valentine's Day Happy Hour Special. Despite some challenges with parking and limited table space, the cuisine was exceptional and the happy hour specials were a bargain.

    Michelle D.

    Been wanting to try this place for a while -- I always drive by but finally got the chance to stop in. Honestly, the prices are super reasonable and the food is total comfort food. Since it was my first time, I wanted to try everything. My partner and I were starving when we sat down and definitely ordered way too much! It's a solid late-night spot, especially after work. Flavors are definitely there, and the vibe/ambience is nice and chill. Parking is kind of on a grass area, I think? Probably best to give them a quick call if it's busy to figure out where to park.

    Across the street
    Toma C.

    As much as I want to give this pace the 5 stars it was a disappointing yesterday. The chicken karaage was yummy but not like I remembered it yummy yum Yum. The Japanese curry portion was so small and not the kind of curry I like it had very little gravy more like a paste. I am not use to that. Although this place is very authentic. The miso salmon was cooked very well done and not the way I like. That doesn't mean I would come back but not any time soon.

    Irene M.

    Itadakimasu... Taking mom out for dinner to give us some relaxing moments I thought that Minatoku Kitchen would be the place as she craves for something specific and luckily we arrived just in time for their happy hour which is from 3pm to 5pm with lots of fun food items to choose from. Getting here though is rough as we wanted to arrive early enough before the rush though with that parking is the real issue as there basically none especially during rush hours where you're not allowed to use the metered parkings during that time and not knowing that you're able to park right along the restaurant as there was a "no parking" sign versus Minatoku only was quite frustrating as I later saw that you're able to park right in the driveway while the other car took two parking spots. Since it's all food that we both love and enjoy it was difficult to choose but it was the "Yakiniku-nasu" which is grilled eggplant which is then chilled and served with shoyu and garnished with ginger and shaved katsuo and the other "Pork Shabu Salad" a cute and vibrant salad with lots of veggies topped with pork shabu which is thin cuts of pork that's poached served with Japanese vinaigrette with grated radish and ginger was just so light and flavorful. Our entrees was Stewed Hamburger Steak for her and Teriyaki Chicken for me and bento style I love how it came with so many sides...green salad, potato salad, garlic edamame and tsukemono along with a huge scoop of rice which was cooked to perfection was so delicious as a not much of a rice person myself couldn't stop eating it says something. Teriyaki chicken was definitely different as it was coated in flour and fried and tossed in teriyaki sauce which wasn't too sweet not like the local flavors we all know but more a Japanese style which actually was very nice and refreshing. I wouldn't say it's classic but the type of cuisine that I'd find in Japan and how nice to find it right here in McCully at such affordable prices was nice along with lemon water and chopsticks that came with cute covers as my message translate to "relax and take it easy" the zen moment was found here and we left full and happy. Gochisousama deshita!

    Front counter .  Menu board .  No cash accepted.
    Jo K.

    Japanese style bento fresh made, reasonable pricing , and tasty. As a walk in to an empty spot, wait time from order was 10-15 minutes. Just remember they don't take cash there. I'm not sure if that will change over time but as of now, be prepared to have some type of debit or credit card payment available .

    Homemade gyoza with dipping sauces. Soooo tasty, especially when piping hot!
    Angela T.

    I love Minatoku's plate lunches and onigiri and had been meaning to try their new dinner service (Minatoku no Bansan). We finally got around to it when they advertised a weekend takoyaki special. Yum! Unfortunately, they were sold out of takoyaki by the time we got there, but our server suggested the off-menu gyoza, which was delicious! In fact, everything we tried was very tasty and satisfying: grilled eggplant, vinegared saba, chicken karaage (with three dipping sauces -- my favorite was the lemon salt), and fried butter-an bread. Even the side of pickled veggies that came with the rice was delicious with refreshing yuzu zest. The drinks were generous with the alcohol and very reasonably priced. The tiny parking lot was full when we got there, but we lucked out with street parking. Staff were very friendly and attentive, and I liked the J-pop music videos playing on one wall. We'll be back when they do their takoyaki special again over the summer, but probably much sooner!

    John T.

    The pork cutlet was cooked perfectly. Super crispy batter but tender and moist on the inside. Although maybe not the as important but the rice was also so perfectly cooked. Just wished the cutlet was served with some kind of dipping sauce or there was shoyu sauce on the tables. Friendly staff and clean interior. Would definitely eat here again.

    Keeman curry
    Jeremiah U.

    Minatoku Kitchen is serving their customers japanese style foods, and each dish is prepped to perfection. The chicken karaage was very moist and tender, Keeman curry has aeromatic flavors, and their chicken Nam ban is moist and flavorful. Service is good, and the interior is clean and organized. Payment Cash or credit Parking Street parking Restrooms On the side

    Niku Maki
    Dollar E.

    Had the katsu curry. Tender katsu. The curry was a mix between local golden kine and Japan kine. For the price, the portion was smaller than expected but for folks like me who should be careful about their servings, it was just right. Little on the salty side for some. Also had this marinated pork butt (bacon) inari style niku maki sushi. That was mean!

    Karaage bento

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    2 months ago

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    Yoshimi K.

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    7 days ago

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    6 months ago

    good food, good prices & great service. Adding to our dining rotation! we'll be back for sure!

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

    The food was amazingly good. The service was great. Highly recommend this place to anyone.

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    5 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Their bentos are quite tasty and reasonably priced. Our order was ready for pick up on the requested date & time.

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    Minatoku Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Minatoku Kitchen

    Totoya

    Totoya

    4.6(304 reviews)
    1.8 miKaimuki

    Amazing amazing amazing! Service was amazing and everything ran so smoothly. The ambiance is calm,…read morecozy, and intimate as you're sitting at the chef's bar. The food -- amazing. The soup pairing just makes sense and this is such a comforting meal for me since I LOVE sushi and miss Japan.

    The five star rating is two fold. First is that the food was absolutely delicious. The food…read morequality and portions were perfect. The fish was fresh and flavorful. And how do I know that it's fresh? Because as we were at the restaurant, deliveries were being delivered nonstop. My kids devoured the salmon bowl with the salmon roe. My 8 year old's bowl was wiped clean. My 7 year old had only 2 slices of salmon and a few ikuras left. The 5 year old polished off her few pieces of salmon and roe along with her miso soup. And momma's Fukuju? Absolutely demolished. I should have ordered it with extra ikura because the quality and flavor that it provided to the bowl was something that I've never had before. I am usually not a fan of ikura, finding it too salty, but the ikura at Totoya was perfectly balanced. Second, the service was great. I had to give it to the lovely staff who were able to keep it all together when a party of 5 adults and 7 kids (aged between 5 to 11) rolled in, and of course the kids all chose to not sit with their respective parents. The food came fast and kept the peace of very hungry children. The place itself is a small little restaurant with just bar seating, no more than 16 seats, so definitely cozy. My friend sitting all the way on the other side of the bar said she could hear my conversation perfectly well, even though all the kids were loudly chatting. We will definitely be back the next time we make it out to Honolulu. Thanks to the restaurant again for providing such a memorable meal. It was all I could think about on the flight home because it was that good.

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    Totoya
    Totoya - Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

    Nagomi (smaller version of the Miyabi)

    Totoya - Nishiki Kaisen Bowl

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    Nishiki Kaisen Bowl

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - kurobuta tonkatsu

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro

    4.3(4.2k reviews)
    1.0 miWaikiki
    $$$
    Free parking
    19 years in business

    I'm not sure what happened to my original review when I tried this spot 2 years ago but this update…read morewas well deserved! During both visits, the employees were so accommodating. Even with a decent amount of seating, there is minimal space so they ask that you leave your strollers outside. When we called the first time saying our daughter was asleep they arranged everything in order to fit the stroller inside. The second visit, I had an even bigger stroller because it was a double stroller for my daughter and son. When I said my son was asleep they again, quickly tried to arrange space for the stroller until we realized he woke up. I truly appreciate them being so welcoming because I've come across many establishments that are not especially towards kids. As for the food, the first time the tonkatsu was a miss for me. I was comparing it to a popular spot on the island that books out months in advance that I tried just before my first visit here and it just seemed a lot more oily and not as tender. We were actually going to eat at the other business again but with two kids and walking non stop on our trip already, I was so happy we had an option closer to us. Both times, we were coming from Hilton Hawaiian Village. They have the cutest car bento boxes for the kids, and they let you choose the car color. My daughter loved the mini umbrella that came with her plate. My son was days before turning 1 year old so a lot of things ended up on the floor and even then, they were so kind about it. The best thing though for my husband and I AND my son, was the loco moco which we were told was limited and a new item for dinner since it was primarily only served as a lunch option? The flavor of the gravy alone was sooo good and rich. My son ended up eating my whole portion of rice and gravy with no crumbs left behind or on the floor lol. The other katsu items we ordered were nice and lightly coated and were not heavily oily at all. The only thing that I felt lacked was their curry especially in comparison to their gravy. I would definitely recommend coming here and I can't wait to come back. That was one of our favorite new dishes this trip and we come every year!

    Such a great tonkatsu experience as if I was in Kyoto on a quick trip. The restaurant flavors felt…read morevery traditional and genuinely Japanese in the best way. I got the pork loin with shrimp combo (the mixed portion instead of the large), and everything was perfectly crispy, flavorful, and satisfying without feeling too heavy. One of my favorite parts was grinding the sesame seeds myself in the little ceramic bowl with the wooden grinder, then mixing in the tonkatsu sauce. It made the whole meal feel interactive and intentional, and the sauce was SO good on the pork loin. I also ended up getting a refill of the cabbage because the sesame dressing they served with it was honestly addictive. I went around 8 PM to avoid the dinner rush and was pleasantly surprised I got a table pretty easily. Taking my time with the smaller mixed portion made the whole experience feel relaxed and enjoyable instead of rushed. Overall, really delicious food, great atmosphere, and one of my favorite meals I've had in Waikiki so far. Pictured are the before and after of my dish. Probably a better "go with friends place" than a date.

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    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu

    Tonkatsu, katsu-don, gyukatsu

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Special Katsu-don set

    Special Katsu-don set

    Ginza Bairin Tonkatsu & Yoshoku Bistro - Katasu-don

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    Katasu-don

    Izakaya Mitch's - Uzaku (unagi, cucumber, vinegar)

    Izakaya Mitch's

    4.8(42 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    If there's one thing about me, it's that I love an izakaya. Open late and small plates so you can…read moretry a few different things, my favorite! I've been to Mitch's a few times and when I saw that they opened up an Izakaya next door, I knew I had to try it and made a reservation on Yelp. Izakaya Mitch's specializes more in cooked dishes while the other side is more about the fresh / raw fish. But that didn't stop us from ordering the assorted sashimi. All the fish were from Japan and yes you can taste the difference. The fatty tuna was obviously my favorite but even the regular tuna and the hamachi was so buttery, it just melts in your mouth. Plus, it comes with real wasabi. Not horseradish, real wasabi. For the cooked dishes we got the hokkaido crab tempura with a side of matcha salt. One of the best tempuras I've ever had. The kamameshi, a rice dish with their fish of the day. We got the half order and it's kinda like a bibimbap where they mix the rice for you at your table. I saw that people were raving about this on Yelp and put in our order right when we got in because it takes 25-ish minutes to prepare. On special, they had a karei karaage. Karei is a flat fish and I've never had a fish karaage before, it was perfectly fried and dipped in the ponzu sauce it was so good. Ambiance is a no-frills kinda spot but very clean and feels homey and the service is amazing! Attentive and super personable.

    So happy there is an izakaya that we don't have to drive to downtown or Waikiki. Izakaya Mitch's is…read moreclose to the airport in the industrial area. I made reservations, so we were seated right away. Luckily, it wasnʻt crowded when we sat, so our waitress was able to answer all our questions about different dishes we were interested in ordering. Our party of 3 got to try different things from the specials and regular menu. The tai karaage was so tender and seasoned really well, the kamameshi is such a comfort dish, and the burrata with chilled tomato was really refreshing. One thing we all liked was that even though there were a lot of people in the restaurant (most came in after we ordered), we still were able to speak to one another without talking loud. The staff mentioned that they will be getting a sushi chef, so I guess we need to try this place again,

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    Izakaya Mitch's - Hours of operation

    Hours of operation

    Izakaya Mitch's
    Izakaya Mitch's

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    Izakaya Tenkichi - Beef tempura

    Izakaya Tenkichi

    4.6(241 reviews)
    0.2 miMo'ili'ili
    $$

    We went in the with no reservations but they were able to sit us down for a bit to grab some drinks…read moreand a few appetizers. This place took me back to Japan! The employees were awesome and attentive and had good recommendations. I got a calpico grapefruit soda with alcohol. It was delicious, but pretty sweet. Definitely worth a try if you like sweet drinks. My favorite was the calpico shikuwasa soda with Soju! It was so delicious. It was sour and sweet in the perfect way. Tasted like a creamy sour lemonade. I would come back just for this drink! I also really enjoyed their rolls and sushi. I got a few rolls and hand roll and they were all delicious and fresh. I cannot wait to return again!

    The atmosphere was very fun and laid back! It's a great place to get drinks with family and friends…read moreand pick on izakaya and sushi dishes. Fun tip: If you purchase a bottle of sake, you get to randomly draw a prize! Prizes range from a free scallop sashimi to a "hug" from a staff member lol the staff members were all super friendly, but were a bit busy and rushed. The food was good. The dish they're known for, the ikura bowl, was the best standout dish to order. The other items were good but were a bit pricey for the quality and the portion. Overall, a spot I would return to again to try other dishes. My family had a good time there. Tips: the staircase getting up to the restaurant is steep, watch you step and be careful if drinking alcohol lol parking lot is paid and can fill up fast during prime dinner time. Street parking is hit or miss. Reservations are highly recommended.

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    Izakaya Tenkichi - Storefront

    Storefront

    Izakaya Tenkichi - Seared Mackerel Negi Sesame Oil ($14.50) - really good

    Seared Mackerel Negi Sesame Oil ($14.50) - really good

    Izakaya Tenkichi - Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

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    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

    I-NABA - Uni, ikura and hotate don with zaru soba

    I-NABA

    4.4(797 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    TL;DR This might be…read moremy favorite Japanese restaurant in town. Undisputed soba champion. ----- I'm surprised I haven't written a review for i-naba yet. This place has been a staple for my family ever since we moved back to O'ahu a few years ago. Bottom line? The soba noodles here are utterly fantastic. They are, in my humble opinion, the best on the island, and some of the best soba noodles I've ever had. I don't think anywhere else in Honolulu comes close. You come here to eat soba. Period. In addition to the soba being phenomenal, the other offerings at i-naba are also similarly great. Their tempura in particular is outstanding. I typically order the Jumbo Shrimp Tempura Bowl & Soba or the Dx Tempura Bowl & Soba. Plus an upgrade to a large size soba! The tempura is sooo good. It's crispy, light, and airy. The jumbo shrimp is especially succulent and tender. And the ingredients are always perfectly seasoned with the sweet and savory house sauce. Yummmy! If you're looking for the best soba and awesome tempura, this is your spot!!!

    Everytime I asked my Japanese clients which Japanese restaurant they enjoyed most in Honolulu,…read moreInaba consistently came up. And now I know why. I finally had lunch here a couple weeks ago and damn was my tempura and soba set broke da mout. The soba is housemade with a chewy consistency that I love. I had it cold with the dipping sauce and wow wow wow. So good. My friends suggested I get the shrimp and vegetable tempura as well which amazingly stayed crispy the whole time I savored each bite. Probably 30 minutes. Light crisp batter on perfectly cooked shrimp and veggies. Damn it was good. The service was great as well and I cannot wait to go back. Nice warm atmosphere and there's a free parking lot. It gets busy during lunch and dinner, so get there early or make a reservation. Enjoy!

    Photos
    I-NABA
    I-NABA - Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice

    Tempura Zaru soba with edamame rice

    I-NABA - Hana soba

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    Hana soba

    Minatoku Kitchen - japanese - Updated May 2026

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