JAPANESE FARE IN A MOST UNLIKELY PLACE

We had been watching this spot on Monsarrat for months, wondering if it ever was going to open and what would be served. Well, it finally did ... and to our surprise, it's not a Western-themed eatery as its name, Pioneer Saloon, and signage suggest.

This "saloon," which occupies the space that previously housed Mi Casa Taqueria, serves musubi and Japanese-style plate lunches.

Odd? Well, yes.

The Western decor comes complete with cow skulls and extensive use of wood to give it a rustic ambience. Add to this sparse metal stools and tables, combined with a wooden counter and cushy little sofas, and you get a crazy mishmash of unfinished shabby chic without the chic.

On its menu, Pioneer also offers a mishmash of local favorites and more traditional Japanese dishes — some hits, others disappointments, yet all reasonably priced.

The pork katsu and mochiko chicken (both $6), may have been dry and lacking in flavor, but all was forgiven after one bite of the garlic butterfish ($8), which was tender, cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of seasonings.

The pork hamburger katsu ($6), also known as "mince," was another favorite among us. This big, meaty croquette arrived moist, well-seasoned and didn't taste or feel oily.

Pioneer's most popular offerings are its musubi, all priced at just $1.50. (Note: When we came at dinner, all the musubi were gone. But at lunch, the full selection was available.)

Yet like its dishes, the musubi were inconsistent. While we found the takana musubi bland, the mentaiko mayo musubi offered just the right amount of spicy-salty flavor. And as weird as it sounds, the "cheese okaka" musubi, with its creamy, salty filling, was addictive.

Pioneer is owned by Nori Sakamoto, who had been with Rokkaku at Ala Moana Center, Tokkuri-Tei, and a little Japanese snack shop called Iyasume.

Despite its quirks, it's not a bad place to stop for a quick bite after time at the beach or a jog around Kapiolani Park.

Pioneer Saloon, 3046 Monsarrat Ave. , 732-4001

FOOD NEWS

Wear your Halloween costume to dinner Saturday at Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar, (2552 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 931-6286) or next door at d.k. Steak House (931-6280) and get 25 percent off your bill. Both restaurants are offering a special Halloween-themed menu. At Sansei, try the "R.I.P" blackened mahimahi ($24.95), the "Spooky Bones" braised shortribs ($28.95) or the "Trick-or-Treat" and "Vampire" rolls ($18). At d.k., try "Frankenstein's" lamb shanks ($28.95) or the "Spider Web" soft shell crab (38.95).
Chef Keith Endo of Vino (500 Ala Moana Blvd., Restaurant Row, 533-4476) will host a "Communal Table," a four-course meal that is shared by all participating diners, all dining at the same table. The menu is $36 per person, and includes soy-and-sake braised short rib cappelleti, papardelle duck confit, crispy Kurobuta pork belly linguine and chocolate cannoli. Reservations are required.
John Conover of Plumpjack and CADE wineries is hosting a winemaker's dinner at 3660 On The Rise (3660 Wai'alae Ave., 737-1177) at 6:30 p.m Wednesday, Nov. 4. The five-course menu ($95/person) includes house-cured wild salmon, pan-seared scallops, country-style fried quail, braised short rib "Rossini" and pan-roasted Big Island red veal, with wine pairings for every course. Reservations are required.

FLAVOR TOWN

Nothing suits Kailua more perfectly than beachy food stands that sell good street food, local style. Flavors of Kailua is just such a place. It's a combination shave ice-gourmet hot dog place that serves up a short but creative menu of gourmet hot dogs ($5), including a classic Chicago-style dog, the "La Mexican" (bacon and jalapenos) and the "Kailua" (chili, cheese, jalapenos and onions). The shave ice is pretty great, too. The "kane" (large, $3) cone is about the size of a cantaloupe. That's some serious refreshment.

Flavors of Kailua
28 Oneawa St.
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays

SMALL BITES

RAH RAH FOR RARAYA RAMEN

Our new favorite ramen: the kim chee ramen ($8) from Raraya, a cozy noodle shop that opened at 1145 S. King St. (589-2824). We love the thick, chewy noodles, handmade from flour imported from a renowned Yokohama ramen place. But it's the rich, pork-bone broth that won us over. "I could just have this broth for lunch," one of our lunch buddies proclaimed during a recent trip.