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Halia by Side Street Inn opened last month at Wai Kai and its name holds a special meaning. Halia in Hawaiian means remembrance and honor of a loved one. Halia by Side Street Inn pays homage to Colin Nishida, who opened the original Side Street Inn on Hopaka Street in 1992. Before his death in 2018, Cheryl DeAngelo and Lisa Meyer, who now co-own the popular restaurant chain, came on board to help their friend and former boss, and they wanted to carry on his legacy at Halia by Side Street Inn.

When we arrived, I immediately felt a sense of ohana and aloha. The staff was welcoming and every table — from a girl’s night out to a birthday celebration to a group of tourists — looked like they were having the best time. I watched people bump into friends at other tables and embrace one another with the biggest smiles — but that’s just Hawaii for you.

There was also seating outside on the lanai and at the bar, where friends gathered to watch the latest game while enjoying beers. Everyone was having a good time and it made our experience that more enjoyable.

To start, we ordered a couple of Halia’s signature cocktails ($14). While the dishes are the same as the original Side Street Inn location (it’s still working on bringing over more dishes), the cocktails were all brand new. We got the Orange Bang mai tai — Koloa White Rum, orange juice, coconut cream, pineapple and a Koloa Dark Rum Float — and the Green River mojito. The latter came with Koloa White Rum, Green River syrup, lime and mint. If you remember my last review, you know I used to work at The Heights Drive Inn in Aiea, and the biz was known for its Green River drink, so I knew I had to order this one. Both drinks were tasty, sweet
and refreshing.

Halia also offers an extensive list of wines, beers, seltzers and more.

Halia’s menu was divided by pupu (nametake tofu, crispy fried chicken gizzards, edamame, poke and sashimi), salads (farmer’s, Chinese chicken, tofu, house and potato mac), rice and noodles, from the grill (barbecue baby back ribs, kalbi, rib-eye steak, Hawaiian-style pulehu short ribs and teriyaki beef), and chicken (signature garlic, misoyaki, kalbi, wing zings and popcorn).

We decided to order Side Street Inn’s signature fried rice ($25), signature garlic chicken ($28) and famous pan-fried pork
chops ($33).

Neither my boyfriend or I have ever dined at Side Street Inn before, so when the dishes came out, both of our eyes went O_O. We hadn’t realized everything was served family-style! The food was falling off the plates.

The fried rice came with bacon, Portuguese sausage, char siu, green onions, peas and carrots, and we added on lup cheong (additional $3). It had a smoky flavor and featured a nice medley from the vegetables and meat. The lup cheong added a bit of sweetness to the otherwise savory dish. It was the perfect side dish to accompany the garlic chicken and pork chops, but the next time we come, I’d definitely want to try the yakisoba ($25). Halia’s comes with wok-fried, fresh soba noodles with garden vegetables, kamaboko, char siu, green onion and
Chinese parsley.

The signature garlic chicken was my favorite. Even though it was family-style portions, it was so delicious I felt like I could eat the whole plate on my own. I was very content with my leftovers the next couple of days. The chicken was sweet and crispy, but so tender and juicy on the inside. It was flavorful and had the perfect crunch when I bit into it and I can’t think of another word to describe it, except “bomb.” This is easily my favorite garlic chicken on the island.

Side Street Inn’s pork chops reminded me of my favorite Filipino food, lechon, and I felt like it would’ve tasted even more divine with that signature lechon sauce. The pork chops were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside as advertised on the menu.

If we weren’t so full from all the ono grinds, we would have gone for dessert. We were eyeing Mom’s Sweet Bread Pudding ($13) — a Hawaiian sweet bread served warm with Roselani’s vanilla ice cream and topped with anglaise and chocolate — and the lilikoi creme brulee ($13). This just gives us another excuse to go back!

I’d also go back to try the Hawaiian-style pulehu short ribs and the crispy fried chicken gizzards, the latter out of curiosity.

Halia also offers a Colin’s Classics Prix Fixe Menu ($161 for four to five guests, $317 for eight to 10 guests). This comes with edamame with alae salt, farmer’s salad, signature fried rice, garlic fried chicken, famous pan-fried pork chops and sizzling boneless kalbi. It’s definitely a bang for your buck, and the perfect way to indulge in with ohana and/or friends for any celebration.

Leaving Halia, we felt the same warmth and hospitality as when we walked in. The staff was all smiles, each of them saying “aloha” and wishing us a nice night. It felt like we were leaving a family member’s home and we knew we’d be welcomed back.

Mahalo, Halia by Side Street Inn ohana!