Palace Saimin

Phone: (808) 841-9983

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/808traditions 

Menu: http://places.singleplatform.com/palace-saimin/menu 

Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm

History

“Palace Saimin, which is tucked away in an industrial part of Kalihi near a sports bar and post office, is seeing more visitors, too, thanks in part to social media. It’s one of the oldest saimin shops in the state, opened by Kame Ige in 1946. The hole-in-the-wall was passed to Setsuko Arakaki, a trusted waitress, in 1975, and her family continues to run it today. The noodles are made by Sun Noodle, but the broth—a secret shrimp dashi flavored with beef and pork that hasn’t changed since the place first opened—is still made in-house.

“What makes saimin unique is the strong sense of nostalgia [people] associate with this dish,” says Susan Nakagawa, Arakaki’s daughter who manages the shop. “It stirs up memories, tastes, smells and emotions of simpler times. We aren’t trying to improve our menu or our flavors. The value lies in the consistency and familiarity of the aroma and taste that brings them back to a familiar place.”

Source: https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/how-hawaii-style-saimin-making-comeback