If you’ve ever had the pleasure of venturing to the Hawaiian paradise, you’ve surely heard locals speak of Helena’s. The Honolulu-based restaurant has remained a stalwart in the food scene since 1946, preserving not only its own place, but a space for Hawaiian cuisine in a developing era of food. Unlike trendy restaurants striving to find an identity, Helena’s deeply steeped in its own tradition: the walls hang pictures of a young Helen Chock; sweet, fragrant marinade smells waft into the seating at the front. Having inherited the space from his grandmother, owner Craig Katsuyoshi explains that menu strives to convey a feeling of comfort — best exemplified by his grandmother’s recipe for Pipi Kaula: dried beef short ribs. The latest HYPEBEAST Eats finds Katsuyoshi walking us through the “secret” of making the perfect short ribs and preserving this gem of a spot.
