THE NIGHT STUFF
Dynamite sputtering, but sushi can't be beat

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Kayko Tamaki of 'Aina Haina and Dawn "DJ Dawn" Haitsuka of Kaimuki chat at Sansei during the restaurant's Thursday-night party at Restaurant Row. BELOW: From left, Peter Lauro of Kane'ohe, Micah Alexander of 'Aiea and Frank Cajigal of Waipahu share a laugh while enjoying a dish from Sansei's extensive menu. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Sushi chef Rob Miyashiro prepares a dish during Dynamite at Sansei's late-night offering of half-priced sushi and entrées.

Opened in December in the space of a former (and similarly themed) Thursday-night party, Dynamite hosted two rooms of music and a rotating lineup of DJs. A full bar and huge late-night menu of half-priced Sansei sushi and entrées made the weekly even more enticingly decadent.

The last couple of months have seen dramatic changes.

Shrinking crowds forced the closure of one of Dynamite's rooms (unfortunately, the one with the dance floor) in February. Now, a lone DJ spins downtempo, neo-soul and classics for noshers in Sansei's main dining room.

So why bother showing up? Well, the main reason we stopped by seemed good enough: that huge late-night menu of half-priced Sansei eats.

The nightclub crowd Dynamite once attracted may have wandered elsewhere — down the Row, College Night at Ocean Club had longer lines than Saturday at Costco — but Sansei was still comfortably busy with folks just out for quality late-night food and drinks in a chill environment. We followed the example of others around us, goofy over the plethora of suddenly affordable grinds, and ordered ... in bulk.

First up: rock shrimp dynamite ($4.98), a Sansei original featuring a couple dozen of the smallish crustaceans deep-fried tempura-style and mixed in a sharp garlic masago aioli and sweet unagi glaze.

Presented on crisp won-ton pi over a bed of gourmet lettuces, it was also the first item to completely disappear.

Our order of "Hawaiian-style" poke ($5.98) could've used a bit more 'ahi. But that was only because the OK-sized portion of tender, deep-red, sashimi-grade morsels — coated in a deliciously spicy shoyu/garlic/chili brew — was devoured all too quickly and efficiently. Every last bit of slivered cucumber, tomato, carrot and sweet Maui onion went AWOL as well.

Initially intrigued by the sheer novelty of it, my partner in Night Stuff nonetheless wound up enjoying the maki sushi-style "bagel roll" of smoked salmon, Maui onions and cream cheese ($4.48). My spider roll ($5.98) — also served maki-style — was packed with a surprisingly meaty helping of tempura soft-shell crab in a tangy house sauce, with kaiware sprouts for added bite.

Groans all around greeted the the arrival of our Kapalua "butterfry" roll ($5.98) only because we realized we were quickly growing sated. Another Sansei original, the roll is maki-style sin — snapper, smoked salmon, New England blue crab and vegetables, wrapped, coated in panko and then flash-fried until crisp. Delicious and decadent.

A couple of drinks and a tacked-on 17 percent tip brought total damage to an entirely reasonable $47.44. Patrons were still ordering when we left at 11:30 p.m.

While I enjoyed the darkened candle-lit setting and pleasant-enough soundtrack to nosh over, I'd be the last one surprised if Dynamite's fuse was snuffed sooner than later. Hopefully, Sansei's Thursday after-hours sushi lounge won't disappear along with it.

I'd hate to have to croon Roxy Music covers in public on weekends just to get half-priced ikura nigiri.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.

Sushi chef Rob Miyashiro prepares a dish during Dynamite at Sansei's late-night offering of half-priced sushi and entrées.

WHERE: Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Restaurant Row, 536-6286.

WHEN: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursdays.

OUR ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE: 10 p.m./11:30 p.m.

COVER: $5.

YOUNGER THAN 21 OK?: No.

AGE OF CROWD: 20s-30s.

WHAT TO WEAR: Dressy or casual OK, but you'll probably fit in most comfortably somewhere between the two.

PEAK CROWD WHILE THERE: 50 to 75 patrons.

QUEUE?: No.

THE SELLING POINT: A half-priced sushi and appetizer menu until 1 a.m.

THE SOUNDTRACK: DJed downtempo, neo-soul and classics.

AURAL PROPS: For spinning Kraftwerk's "Tour de France" and classic Aretha Franklin.

BATHROOM ATTENDANT HOLDING PAPER TOWELS HOSTAGE?: Yes.

KARAOKE WITH YOUR UNAGI, ANYONE?: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; also featuring half-price late-night sushi and appetizer menu.

Night notes:

Goldenvoice has slotted an evening with legendary house music DJ/producer/remixer Paul Oakenfold for May 1 at the Pipeline Café. Oakenfold is largely credited with introducing house music to the British masses in the late 1980s via a series of important DJ nights in London. He went on to become one of the 1990s' most popular globe-trotting dance DJs and one of dance music's most in-demand producer/remixers. Tickets for the 8 p.m., 18-and-older show are $20. Purchase in person at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (877) 750-4400, or at www.ticketmaster.com.

Emergence: Cycles of Transformation at Soullenz Gallery tonight sounds interesting: four cycles of diverse DJed sounds spread throughout the night — each intriguingly titled Intensification, Metamorphosis, Emergence and Continuance — mixed with brief theatrical interludes, yoga, spoken word, live drumming, interactive art and massage. It's 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., 18 and older, $8 entry.