Da Spot: Intense International Flavor Cooked with Passion in Honolulu, Hawaii

By Mark Wiens 8 Comments
Da Spot Restaurant, Honolulu, Hawaii
Da Spot Restaurant, Honolulu, Hawaii

While some restaurants specialize in Japanese, Chinese or Indian food, Da Spot specializes in DELICIOUS.

That’s it.

Da Spot is a little restaurant in Honolulu, Hawaii, that serves nothing but home-style cooked comfort dishes with an awesome ethnic mix of international dishes that are all cooked with massive flavor.

Their emphasis is a mixture of predominantly Malaysian, Indian, Thai, Hawaiian, and Egyptian food (all the best cuisines in the entire world) methods cooked into a tantalizing smorgasbord of extreme flavors and diverse spice blends.

The curries are not all authentic (like you’d get them in that country), but each and every recipe has been modified to a Hawaii island taste… and I know you’re absolutely going to love it!

Everything I’ve ever tried at Da Spot has been REMARKABLE.

Egyptian owner along with his Japanese wife make an awesome duo in creating spectacular cuisine that will literally make your mouth water as soon as you walk into their dining establishment.

Hawaiian Plate Lunches with Massive Flavor!
Hawaiian Plate Lunches with Massive Flavor!

Da Spot is organized like any Hawaiian plate lunch restaurant: You get a few scoops of rice, the main dish and a choice of sides.

For rice you have a choice of plain white rice or more flavorful yellow saffron rice – I’d recommend the saffron rice!

Though dishes at Da Spot change and rotate daily, there are a couple standards like Egyptian curry that normally remain on the menu each day.

Lamb Shank Plate at Da Spot
Lamb Shank Plate at Da Spot

Another standard are the lamb shanks. I can’t say I’ve had a lamb shank as delicious as at Da Spot.

Da Spot, Honolulu, Hawaii
Tender loving chunk of lamb!

First of all the meat was extremely flaky and tender, I could just slide each bite off with a fork (no knife necessary). It must have been slowly simmered for hours upon hours to get the texture and the intensely rich sauce that melted in my mouth.

Every bite was heaven.

Da Spot
Roasted Eggplant Salad

Adjacent to my lamb shank was a flavorful scoop of their yellow rice and a portion of roasted eggplant salad. The eggplant was roasted, skinned, and mashed up with a perfect blend of spices and lime juice. I almost couldn’t believe how good it was!

Da Spot Egyptian Curry
Da Spot Egyptian Curry

The next foam container was filled to the brim with yellow rice and Egyptian curry.

The spice blend included in the curry was layered with complex delightful flavor. The accent of cumin and coriander coated the chicken and tomatoes flawlessly.

Ful Beans
Ful Beans

As a side I ordered ful beans, a dish that was one of my favorite things to eat when I traveled though Egypt.

It was just as good as I remember – tasty beans mixed with just a few seasonings and created into a truly Egyptian street food favorite.

Da Spot
Stuffed Grape Leaves at Da Spot, Honolulu, Hawaii

For an extra side order, I got a helping of stuffed grape leaves. Now I’ve been to some restaurants where the stuffed grape leaves aren’t what I’d call a highlight – little withered up things that are kind of chewy and flavorless. The stuffed grape leaves at Da Spot were giant egg roll like things that were filled with tomatoey rice and served with a brilliant sour cream dill dip. They were easily the best stuffed grape leaves I’ve ever had!

Along with a truly outstanding selection of main dishes and sides, Da Spot in Honolulu also makes killer smoothies and desserts. I’d highly recommend the mango smoothie and their flaky baklava.

Da Spot, Honolulu, Hawaii
The best sorbet I've ever had…!

To round out my meal, I got a few helpings of homemade sorbet. This stuff was amazing!

Each flavor was so well distinguished and the texture was smooth without any sort of flaky ice. The sorbet was pure, not overly sweet, but vibrantly fruity. The lilikoi and haupia were my favorites.

By the way, the portion sizes at Da Spot in Honolulu are HUGE! They are extremely generous with dishing out comfort food that will satisfy you to the MAX.

Honolulu is one of my favorite cities in the world for cuisine and Da Spot is one of the reasons this city is such a culinary force.

Da Spot, Honolulu, Hawaii
Da Spot, Honolulu, Hawaii

Da Spot is one of the tastiest places to eat, and it would be nothing short of a shame to miss it when you’re in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Here are the details. Make sure you mark this down and eat at Da Spot in Honolulu. You’ll LOVE it.

Address: 2469 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826 (across the street from Longs)
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00 am to 9:30 pm


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8 comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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  • Arti

    12 years ago

    Never been to Hawaii, this seems like a great place to dine. I will surely like to try out its Veg menu!
    Have a nice day Mark:)

    • Mark Wiens

      12 years ago

      Thanks Arti! They had plenty of vegetarian options!

  • Crystal

    12 years ago

    These photos makes me really hungry and I think I have to prepare to visit that place too with my husband… I am sure he will love this restaurant in Hawaii..

  • 2Summers

    12 years ago

    What a unique place! How can they make so many different kinds of food so well?

    Thanks for showing us so many different and interesting perspectives on Hawaii.

    • Mark Wiens

      12 years ago

      No problem, I agree, I’m still trying to figure out how they make so many things so well, but they really do!

  • Caanan @ No Vacation Required

    12 years ago

    I am loving all of these great restaurant recommendations for Hawaii. Makes me even more excited to return.