Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch & Crab no longer
Mar 31, 2013, 7:29 pm
#1
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Mar 31, 2013, 8:18 pm
#2
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We ate here a few weeks ago before it shut down. The restaurant had gone downhill. Service was awfully slow--3 hours for us to finish our meal. Kitchen was making mistakes left and right. All tables around us are visibly upset. Definitely not the right way to close down the restaurant.
Mar 31, 2013, 10:00 pm
#3
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Drove past it many times... was always intrigued but never stopped in. And its closing a week early for me 
Apr 1, 2013, 12:21 am
#4
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We ate here a few weeks ago before it shut down. The restaurant had gone downhill. Service was awfully slow--3 hours for us to finish our meal. Kitchen was making mistakes left and right. All tables around us are visibly upset. Definitely not the right way to close down the restaurant.
I had a luncheon there a couple of weeks ago and we were treated very well (luckily).
I had heard the same thing about the service going downhill.......that sucks because all the times I had been there before, I had excellent food and service.....
Apr 2, 2013, 8:27 pm
#6
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Have eaten there several times for lunch. LOVED the seared ahi poke and fried rice plate.
Apr 2, 2013, 11:34 pm
#7
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Apr 6, 2013, 4:51 pm
#8
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So sad. I stopped in at least once every time I went home.
My favorite was either the island fish of the day and eggs or the ahi poke omelet with fried rice.
I need to find a new breakfast or brunch spot now...
My favorite was either the island fish of the day and eggs or the ahi poke omelet with fried rice.
I need to find a new breakfast or brunch spot now...
Last edited by lensman; Apr 6, 2013 at 4:53 pm Reason: added my favorite dish
Apr 10, 2013, 2:12 pm
#10
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Have not been to the Nimitz location but if you have access to Hickam AFB, the old Sea Breeze at Hickam Harbor is now branded as a Sam Choys. We went there several times in Dec. Great views of the reef runway and you might see a F22 on short final. Oh, dinner only.
Jim
Jim
Apr 10, 2013, 10:32 pm
#11
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His restaurant near Kona (Sam Choy's Kai Lanai) is not getting great reviews: http://www.konaweb.com/restaurant/index.cgi I wonder how long it will last. What's the problem with HI restaurant closures?
1. Poor training of employees?
2. Inability to find good employees?
3. Tight wad owners?
1. Poor training of employees?
2. Inability to find good employees?
3. Tight wad owners?
Apr 13, 2013, 12:58 pm
#12
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I loved Sam Choy's Diamond Head Restaurant... with the TV studio set where he recorded segments of his cooking show. That restaurant is long gone.
Unfortunately, the last time I ate at Breakfast, Lunch, and Crab for breakfast, my breakfast companion's dish came out with rancid tofu (which only resulted in a tepid apology), and my "island fish and eggs" plate came out with the island fish as... salmon!!!
The restaurant market in Honolulu is very competitive. There's an even greater emphasis now on providing high quality and high value; I think the food trucks have really elevated the expectations and restaurant game.
Unfortunately, the last time I ate at Breakfast, Lunch, and Crab for breakfast, my breakfast companion's dish came out with rancid tofu (which only resulted in a tepid apology), and my "island fish and eggs" plate came out with the island fish as... salmon!!!
The restaurant market in Honolulu is very competitive. There's an even greater emphasis now on providing high quality and high value; I think the food trucks have really elevated the expectations and restaurant game.
Apr 13, 2013, 4:44 pm
#13
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I was a fan of Sam and his restaurants, but unlike Roy Yamaguchi, I don't think Sam spent enough time maintaining quality and preserving his "brand" Sam had a lot of initial cache with his original place outside of Kona (I loved it) and I was happy with BLC when it first opened, but I, like others, saw it decline over the years. That seems to be a trend with Sam's restaurants. The current Kona restaurant is run by his sister, I believe. I don't think Sam is much into the day-to-day operations these days.
Apr 13, 2013, 6:39 pm
#14
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I once sat behind Mr. Choy on a NW DC-10 MSP-HNL flight. Very nice guy. He was in 1-J IIRC and I was in 2-J. Did not eat the onboard meal and brought his own food. I think it was a salad. (But I do not know if he used his own store dressing).
Apr 13, 2013, 7:50 pm
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I was a fan of Sam and his restaurants, but unlike Roy Yamaguchi, I don't think Sam spent enough time maintaining quality and preserving his "brand" Sam had a lot of initial cache with his original place outside of Kona (I loved it) and I was happy with BLC when it first opened, but I, like others, saw it decline over the years. That seems to be a trend with Sam's restaurants. The current Kona restaurant is run by his sister, I believe. I don't think Sam is much into the day-to-day operations these days.