Kaisen Sushi and Hawaiian Style Grill - Aloha Friday in Oceanside

**** Kaisen has closed

Update: I've been told that new Owners have taken over Kaisen, and that the "Local-Style" food is gone. It is now more of a Japanese "Bento" Restaurant - Bumma'

Thanks for the update Clark

I'd been hearing about "Kaisen's" over the "coconut wireless" here in San Diego for several years. I'd also been told that Kaisen's had an "Aloha Friday" special that featured Lau Lau and Chicken Long Rice. So with my back feeling better, and having today off, I decided to take the 30 mile trip North to Oceanside, and got to the little strip mall off of Oceanside Blvd where Kaisen's is located.

I arrived a bit early and the restaurant wasn't open yet, so I had time to peruse the menu:

With lot's of "local kine" specials. But the sign that caught my eye was this:

It was Friday, and it looked like I was in luck! It was no-brainer really. As the waitress brought me the menu, I just pointed to the sign and said - "I'll take dat", funny how the pidgen starts coming out when I'm in places like these.

While I waited for my food I had a chance to look around. Kaisen's occupies a pretty large space, crowned by a sushi bar in the middle of the back area, and lot's tables and booths, and even a small stage. The spacing in this cavernous area is excellent with lot's of "elbow room".

After a few minutes my lunch arrived.

The plate came with a medium sized lau lau, a little bowl of lomi salmon, a bowl of chicken long rice, a slice of sweet potato, macaroni salad, and I decided to forgo rice and had bowl of poi. To bad there was no chili pepper water, oh well, can't win 'em all. Those of you who know me, would probably get a really good laugh out of the poi; it's not among my favorite things, but somehow, time makes the heart (and stomach) grow fonder, and since I haven't had poi in at least 9 or 10 years, I thought what the heck.

Now to the nitty-gritty, the macaroni salad was very bland and plain, needed some zing. The sweet potato was really good, sweet and starchy, and not over-cooked, making it very enjoyable. As for the lau lau, the luau leaf tasted good (and it was luau leaf!), but was under cooked, and somewhat more solid than I'm used to. The pork was kinda dry, but the taste was ok, I think I even spied a little bit of salted fish as well. Overall, not bad, it at least tasted like lau lau, not like what some of those frozen "things" taste like, and was very aromatic. The chicken long rice had pieces of really cooked celery, onions, and tomato (a new one for me!). And a rather large piece of chicken. There was a nice essence of chicken and ginger, with good balance. With a shot of shoyu this was probably the best thing on the plate. The lomi salmon was too mild, and not salty  enough. And the poi was really runny and not "sour" enough for me, actually rather bland as a whole. So what's my solution? It's the typical, "local" solution; I mixed my lomi salmon in the poi, and scarfed the darn thing up in a second! I also got the onions (no Hawaiian salt! Auwe!) and dipped them into this mixture! Delici-yoso!

Kaisen's is a bit far for me, and the food really doesn't warrant a 30 mile drive. But I saw some of the other dishes (the chicken katsu and kalua pork looked good) and they caught my interest, so I may make another trip in the near future; I'll drop in for sure if I'm the neighborhood. I've also heard the sushi is pretty good and the service is very friendly. Kaisen's features Hawaiian Music on Saturdays and Wednesdays as well.

Kaisen Sushi and Hawaiian Grill
1906 Oceanside Blvd Ste H
Oceanside, CA 92054

(760) 757-1484

Comments

[James]

Hey Kirk! Nice review!
Wow.. a full on hawaiian plate in san diego! Those picture look really good. Poi kind of watery like you said. But at least you get one maui onion. :D Was it a maui onion?

[Kirk]

Howszit James - Thanks for stopping by. Yes, this is a real rarity here in San Diego, "real" Hawaiian food, no moa' da opihi, 'ama crab, and all the good stuff you get on the Big Island, but this is about as good as it'll get I'm afraid. Da' onion wasn't very sweet so I'm thinking maybe Walla Walla, vidalia? Ha! I'll go grab my Loco Moco now..... :)

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

Too bad about the Hawaiian plate. Maybe I'll send you some lau lau from Young's. What would you say to that? BTW...want me to send some chili pepper water?

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - You know I hope I don't make it sound really bad, because it wasn't. It's just by my standards it wasn't really that "good". Don't go thru too much trouble, okay? Just keep up the great reviews and pictures! Young's lau lau is pretty damn good BTW!

[Jo]

What the heck is lau lau? Is it smoked or some other way preserved?

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - Lau Lau is pork(and usually a chunk of pork fat) and salt fish wrapped in Luau leaves (Taro leaves, have to be cooked a long time - think collard greens), wrapped in Ti leaves, and steamed for anywhere from 4-6 hours or more. It has a somewhat rich and distinct taste and aroma. Lomi Lomi Salmon is traditionally salt salmon (though fresh was used here), tomatoes, onions and green onions, salted and finely chopped. In the old days because it was salt salmon, when you mixed with the tomatoes you used a rubbing action - thus the "lomi". Chicken Long Rice, is originally a Chinese Dish basically chicken stock, chicken, ginger, with usually celery and carrots, onions, bean thread, and green onions. All good stuff!

[Jo]

I've had lomi salmon and the chicken long rice. It's all luau food right? The lau lau sounds really yummers!

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - Yep, when done right, Lau Lau is awesome!

[Jack]

I love the "coconut wireless"! I guess you are now part of my "network" here in San Diego now. My dog trainer, who happens to be Hawaiian, told me about this place as well. Too far for me, but maybe this fall when a decent south swell hits O-side, I'll travel and check it out. I tend not to order lau lau as I hate to be disappointed with a bad dish...because when it's done right..mmmmm-delici-yoso!

[Kirk]

Hey Jack - The lau lau isn't really that bad - mediocre really! And yes, when done right it's wonderful thing!

[Clark]

Update: As of Christmastime, new owners have taken over Kaisen, and it's no longer what it used to be. The new owners are Japanese, and they have done away with Kaisen's Hawaiian dishes in favor of the usual Bento boxes, Volcano rolls, etc. The new food is good - but the island-style menu and atmosphere are gone, as is the Ono-Licious bakery next door. Sad :(

[Kirk]

Hi Clark - Thanks for the update! Too bad, I thought the "local-style" vibe was really great! i'll update my posts ASAP. Thanks Again!

[Mark Aquino]

Hey Gang,

I just started playing Hawaiian music up at Kaisen's on Saturday nights. (6:30 to 9:30)

I play solo there and down at Yokozuna's in Chula Vista every other friday.

I also have a duo called "Kilohana". We do weddings parties, bar/bat mitzvah's, whatevers...

Anyway, the food may not be the same at Kaisen's but the vibe is there in the music.

Live music also on Wed. and Fridays by other musicians.
Me Ke Aloha
Mark

[Kirk]

Hi Mark - Thanks for info.