This was our first trip to Helsinki and I was very pleasantly surprised to come across this restaurant. The restaurant advertises itself as serving Asian and Hawaiian cuisine. As a visitor from Hawaii, I was initially skeptical however as you will read I was blown away. I was initially surprised from the fact that there was a "Hawaiian" restaurant all the way in Helsinki, Finland. You just cant get farther away from Hawaii then this. The restaurant is located on the 5th floor of a shopping mall in the main food hall area. The restaurant has great views overlooking Helsinki. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant almost made me feel like I was back home.

The menu was simple, however provided great variety. Ordered the Okonomiyaki for starters and the Chicken Katsu and Grilled Mackerel. The Okonomiyaki was small, however it packed a lot of flavor. From traveling to Japan quite often I can tell you this was 100% authentic in flavor. As for the main meals, the presentation and portion was amazing. The Chicken Katsu was tender, juicy and crispy. The accompaniments were on-point. This was better than a lot of Chicken Katsu meals I have had back home in Hawaii. The Mackerel was delicious as well with a heaping portion of vegetables. The one thing that alot of restaurants screw up on is the rice. As simple as it is, that is something that can make or break the meal. I can tell you this rice was perfect, so much so that I ordered seconds. In addition to the meals they also serve Kona Brewing Company beer which was a pleasant surprise.

As someone who was born and raised in Hawaii, I can tell you that what they are serving at Hoku is a fantastic representation of the food and culture of Hawaii. I would highly recommend anyone to give Hoku a try and enjoy the taste of Hawaii. Mahalo Hoku for making this an experience I will never forget in Helsinki.