New “Connections” Menu Reigns Supreme at Kings Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant, Torrance

King’s Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery has been a South Bay establishment since 1988. Located just east of Del Amo Mall on Sepulveda Blvd, the restaurant looks like an old, sprawling mansion, transplanted from an island plantation.

A view of the King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant from Sepulveda Blvd.

More than Just Bread

While most folks know the King’s name from their Hawaiian sweet rolls, South Bay locals are fortunate to enjoy their many other fresh baked goods and Hawaiian cooking at the main restaurant on Sepulveda and the fast casual Local Place on Western Avenue. Regulars and real fans know that King’s offers so much more than sweet rolls. From loco moco to spam musubi, King’s does Hawaiian food extremely well.

Recently, King’s introduced a new menu for their Sepulveda restaurant called the Hawaiian Connection Menu. With so many cultures present in the Hawaiian population, this new menu reflects the new foods and flavors that are becoming staples in Hawaiian cuisine.

I was invited* to try out a few items from the connections menu and took along my daughters and one of their friends to help me out. I figured their appetites would help me get through a few of the five new dishes on the Connection Menu. Following is a review of some of the new items as well as a few classics.

Getting Settled In

I’ve always been pleased with the service at King’s and this visit was no exception. Like most weekend afternoons, the waiting area – which also contains the bakery counter – was bustling with people waiting for their tables and folks buying rolls and cakes. Unfazed, the attentive staff handled the crowd with ease and composure. It was also a treat to see the managers serving customers right along with the waiters.

Once we got to our table, the girls settled in right away with crayons and started coloring their placemats. We put our orders in and they explored the huge fish tank in the dining room. The only things that could get them back to the table was the arrival of their order – they all decided to have beef teriyaki from the kids menu – and a basket of the signature Hawaiian sweet rolls.

My partners for this mission. They were more into coloring the menu than reviewing it!

The kids were excited to watch the fish swimming in the huge salt water tank. Small groups might enjoy sitting at the table around the tank.

A meal at King's Hawaiian is not complete without at least one -- or five -- of their world famous sweet rolls.

Sampling the Hawaiian Connection Menu

With the kids nomming away on their teriyaki, I dished out our first taste from the Connection Menu, the Coconut Shrimp Skewers ($12.95). Usually served
as an entrée, the portion is big enough to satisfy one person and for us was plenty to share. The panko and coconut coated shrimp were crackly, crunchy on the outside and tender at the same time. The sauce accompanying the dish was a perfect blend of tangy and mild sweetness and went great with the shrimp.

Coconut Shrimp: Skewers with plump shrimp coated in panko crumbs and coconut flakes. The dipping sauces seal the deal on this dish being delicious.

Next up was the crowd pleasing Hawaiian Seafood Soup ($14.95). This was a beautiful, fragrant dish of “udon noodles, fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, dashi, and island seasonings.” The kids didn’t get into the clams and mussels as much as I did, but they loved the broth and noodles. Again, the portion provided plenty to share. Even with the four of us each having a small bowl or two, there was still some left to take home. The seafood soup was definitely a favorite among all of us.

The Hawaiian Seafood Soup was a hit with everyone. The savoriness of the broth was the perfect complement to the medley of flavors. The Cilantro on top added a nice brightness to everything.

In case you didn't get enough, here's another view of the delicious seafood soup.

For my entrée, I picked the Miso Salmon ($14.45). The dish was a tender piece of salmon, marinated in a miso sauce that is “a unique King’s Hawaiian blend.” It came with steamed rice and steamed baby bok choy. The miso flavor was present throughout but didn’t overpower the flavor of the fish.

The Miso Salmon from the Hawaiian Connection Menu.

Hawaiian Connection Menu, a Well Received Addition

On the way out, I spoke with Dennis, the General Manager, and asked about the new menu items and how they were doing. He let me know they were being well received by regulars and new comers alike. Both groups seemed to enjoy trying something new. In particular, he said, the seafood soup was a big hit.

King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 AM until 10 PM, 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Breakfast is served until 2 PM with some items served all day. Visit their website for menu details and more.

• King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant
  http://www.kingshawaiianrestaurants.com
  2808 W. Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance CA, 90505
  310-530-0050

* Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review.  This story was accurate when it was published. Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice.