Honolulu Mag food critic rolls out his take on a number of steak joints around Honolulu and one on Maui. Unfortunately, only half are local -- the other three are parts of big chains, so a little less interesting. But it belies the generally slim pickings around Hawaii in terms of high-end carne. I was also a sorry participant in the one really negative review from the bunch, D.K. Steak in Waikiki (and unfortunately one of the three local joints). I wasn't sure what the Four Seasons Wailea surf-and-turf establishment Duo. The chef has a very non-descript background but apparently he knows his way around the kitchen. John gives it a major thumbs up and I was intrigued. Also, I was under the impression its actually illegal to import true Kobe beef into America and that any places offering it as such is probably pulling one over on the public. But maybe there's some sort of Hawaii exemption. Alan Wong's consistently has some of the best local steaks in town -- invariably made with Hawaii-raised cuts, something that none of the restaurants reviewed in Heckathorn's piece have, to my knowledge.

—Alex, 03/01/08