My resolution to refrain from eating deep fried foods while recovering from a sore throat lasted for about half a day. I was sitting in the passager seat as Mom drove along Keeaumoku after a morning home inspection (she's a realtor). "What's for lunch mom?" "Anything you want my dear." Chee. I love my mom. And Imari's it was.
Imari's is a tiny take out bento place in the Sam Sung Plaza near Ala Moana. It's owned by two very sweet Japanese ladies who take orders and cook the food. The comfortably clutted interior has the feel of your grandmother's home. Japanese magazines are piled on the woodent tables. The walls are filled with pictures of local celebrities and business cards for random services. I had the Nori Bento Delux ($5.95). Included in the bento was three pirces of karaage fried chicken, a vegetable croquette and grilled salmon along with brown rice, okazu and pickles. The vegetable croquette reminded me of a refined version of deep fried potato salad. It was lighted fried and left no greasy residue. The salmon was equally delicious, having been barely seasoned with salt and grilled till tender and flaky.

What makes Imari's bentos superior to the ones you get from Shirokiya or other okazuyas is the attention to detail. Everything from the way they arrange their rice (it's a layer of sesame seasoned rice topped with a sheet of nori then another layer of rice finished with furikaki) to the nearly perfect delivery of the product (notice the perfect diamond arrangement of the rubber bands) demonstrates clear dedication to the bento making process. They even fold your napkin around the chopsticks and little pack of shoyu and karaage chicken sauce in that uniquely "Japanese" way. They also sell an assorment of premade bentos for those in a rush to grab and go. The only downside to Imari's is the long wait. It's no lie when they say everything is made to order - it took a good 30 minutes to get my bento! Here's a closer shot of one of the premade bentos. This one includes grilled saba, curry croquette, a piece of shrimp shumai, vegetable tempura and rice with okazu and pickles.

How can I describe Imari's? It's like a little bento heaven. Just one tiny shop devoted to the art of making wonderful delicious bentos, keeping in the Japanese tradition of attention to detail, quality and asthetic appeal. And all at the price of $5.95 (I even feel bad placing a monetary value on all the effort and deciation that goes into creating these bentos!) Where else could you find such a fantastic deal?


Imari
661 Keeaumoku St. #102
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
808 941-8866