Nico's at Pier 38 is favorite breakfast and lunch spot for my family. Actually, not just my family because judging from the lines that stream out of this place during open hours, you�d think they were giving away free plate lunches or something! The first million times I can to Nico�s I always had the furikake ahi plate ($8.15). They take a huge, fresh piece of ahi just caught that morning, coat it in a lavish smatter of furikake and pan sear until the outside is just cooked and the innards are raw as sashimi. It comes with a ginger garlic cilantro sauce that pairs perfectly with the fish, and is just as delicious poured over plain white rice, hehe. A side of local nalo greens and a dressing creamy with a hint of ginger ties it all together. It�s filling but light, leaving you feeling very clean and quite happy.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Double Cheeseburger ($5.95). They trick you when they say �double�, but it�s such a good burger it�s hard to get mad at them.

And what makes it good? The �double� is actually two thin patties (which equals to one thick patty) bound together by a melting layer of cheddar cheese. It�s truly marvelous, and almost too juicy with the burger drippings soaking into the bun.

The fries were just passable, but I honestly think McDonald�s fares better in this field. You can also choose to get nalo greens instead of fries, which is probably what I�d do next time. It�d made for a semi-healthier meal!

The Beef Stew ($6.50) encompasses all understanding of the word �abundance.� The plate lunch was honestly overflowing the deep, dark stew. Like, I�ve never seen that much beef stew in my entire life! It�s quite hearty with hunky chunks of potatoes and more softly stewed beef than you could ever consuming in a single sitting. It�s a little too sweet for my taste, but then again, most local beef stew hovers on the sweeter side. Underneath that massive mound is a bed of rice, soaking in all the sweet flavors. On the right are the same nalo greens that appeared with the furikake ahi and to the left is chow mein. Haha, so you get your salad, rice, and noodles, not to mention beef, all in one plate. The chow mein is done local style with thicker noodles, and while I prefer the Chinese version, this is a pretty good rendition, not the least bit greasy with lots of charsiu and bean sprouts.

I like trying new dishes at Nico�s but it�s terribly difficult to venture away from the furikake ahi, because it is SO GOOD. And so fresh too! They �restaurant� is located right on pier 38, so your ahi comes straight from the fish auction that morning. Now how neato is that?!

Unless I�m having the Furikake Ahi, I always drown into a pleasant food coma after leaving Nico�s. So it�s a good thing that I�m not usually the one driving :)

Nico's Pier 38
1133 N. Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 540-1377