Ichiban Restaurant

I came to this restaurant for dinner today. I placed my order at 5:40, but the food didn’t arrive until 6:30. The beef was very salty, and the miso soup had almost no flavor. The other dishes were okay. The service itself was good, but the waiting time was really too long. I was the first customer, and by the time the food arrived, I had completely lost my appetite. I hope this can be improved. Thank you.

ATMOSPHERE: Despite other eateries in this mall that are well known to be dirty and nasty, this place is a lot cleaner. A renovation was completed a few years ago which removed the elevated section of seats in the middle of the restaurant. There's a small sushi bar and counter seating towards the back, with the rest being flexible table seating that can accommodate parties of all sizes. MENU: It's a mix of local, American, and Japanese apps & entrees, breakfast items, sandwiches, udon, saimin, sushi, steaks, stir fry, hot pots, don bowls. FOOD: Nabeyaki Udon Not listed on the menu but is still available to order. Loaded with chicken chunks, poached egg, bamboo, gobo, won bok, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, and a big piece of shrimp tempura on top. The noodles were perfectly chewy. The broth was a bit too sweet for me, but a slow swish of shoyu made it all better. Saimin This is a very bare bones version compared to what you can find elsewhere. The broth was good and savory with no sweetness, the noodles were a bit overcooked. It was topped with green onions, won bok, fish cake, Spam, and oddly dehydrated onions which were coated in onion powder. I'm sure it enhanced the broth flavor but was very pungent on the pallet. The portion size was on the small side. Pass. RESERVATIONS: They're not really needed as turnover is quick and there are lots of seats. SERVICE: Everyone was friendly and professional and food service was fast. OVERALL: Extensive menu, very good nabeyaki udon, forgettable saimin, steep prices.

8/2023 We were staying across the street at Maui Seaside Hotel to support Maui relief efforts. This was a very convenient and pleasant option. Food and selection were great, quick, and supported with friendly service. It was bust but didn't take too long to get to our table of nine. Not going into details about the plethora of items we ordered but suffice to say everything was onolicious! Again, the friendly service ( may have been the manager) helped top off the evening. I would definitely want to go back! 😉🤙✌️