New in Pearl City - Rokaru Shabu Shabu

I'm not a big fan of shabu shabu, so when I saw that a new shabu shabu restaurant was opening up in Pearl City, I wasn't in a huge rush to try it.

But, I found out through social media that the owner is a former employee of a company I used to work at - someone my husband knows from work at the same company, so I was eager to support this new restaurant.

Sukiyaki Broth

USDA Ribeye Set

Edamame Gyoza

Island Fish "Ochazuke"

Arabiki Taro Dogs

Rokaru Candied Bacon

Chicken Karaage

Strawberry Sherbet

At Rokaru, all shabu shabu sets come with veggies, ramen, tofu, mochi, rice, and sherbet from Really Ono.  They offer local meats, but they are not always available, as was the case when we dined there. My husband wanted the local ribeye, but they were all out, so he settled for the USDA ribeye, and opted for the Sukiyaki Broth.  

The broth was on the sweet side, but quite tasty, and there was plenty of food to share in the entire set.

The Island Fish "Ochazuke" - crispy fried fish, rice, and an herb lemon broth, was good.  I thought the broth would be a lot more lemony and fragrant, but there was just a subtle hint of lemon.  The dish was supposed to have been served with a side of a tsukemono trio, but they forgot to bring it out (and we didn't realize it until after we got home).

We ordered a variety of Pupus, and my fave was the Chicken Karaage.  It was super flavorful, with tender meat, and crispy skin.

The Arabiki Taro Dogs were a hit with my kids, as they were reminiscent of corn dogs, but so much better.

The Candied Bacon was both sweet and spicy.  I'm glad I gave it a try, but now I know I prefer my bacon to be salty, not sweet.

Service was excellent, and if you're a fan of shabu shabu, give this place a try!

Rokaru Shabu Shabu

1140 Kuala St
Ste 104

Pearl City, HI  96782
(808) 455-3000