Taking Hawaiian Food To Another Level at Aina
So tender, the meat literally does fall right off these divine ribs at Aina.
When dear friends recently visited from the Midwest, I knew I wanted to take them somewhere to dine in San Francisco that would give them a taste of something new, fresh, modern, and fun.
The choice, of course, was Aina, because the odds were that they hadn’t experienced much Hawaiian cuisine in Wisconsin, and certainly none on this level.
This small gem in the Dogpatch neighborhood is always packed. In fact, at brunch, there is almost always a line out the door.
Owned by Chef Jordan Keao and his wife Cheryl Liew, and assisted by Chef de Cuisine Chris Yang, Aina’s flavors will be familiar to anyone who’s ever visited Hawaii. But the form that they take has been refined considerably, as our party found on a recent Saturday night when we dined and paid our own tab.
A taste of Hawaii in San Francisco.
The chef’s counter offers a tasting menu.
While the counter seats are reserved for Aina’s tasting menu, the regular dining room orders off the a la carte menu.