Eat Like BuzzFeed Worth It in Hawaii for Less

Do you like to watch BuzzFeed Worth it on YouTube?  I’ll admit that I do, and recently the trio came to Hawaii.  So here’s how to eat like BuzzFeed Worth It in Hawaii for less.

If you didn’t already know, BuzzFeed Worth it is a YouTube series by BuzzFeed.  It stars Steven Lim, Andrew Ilnyckyj, and Adam Bianchi, who visit three different restaurants at three different price points every episode.  And, in their Fish episode debuting on Sunday, April 8, 2018, the trio made their first visit to Hawaii.  Specifically, they came to Oahu to try three different fish dishes at three different price points.  If you haven’t already seen this episode, I highly recommend checking it out.

Where They Ate

During their brief stay on Oahu, the Worth It team checked out:

• Ahi Assassins
• MW Restaurant
• Chef Mavro

Of the above three, I’ve been to two of those places.  Ahi Assassins is someplace I’ve known about for some time now, but just never made it there.  And that’s a little ironic, considering how close they are to my office.  But what I can tell you is that MW Restaurant and Chef Mavro are solid choices.

At MW, the trio tried their signature Mochi Crusted Fish.  The fish for this dish can change based on availability and other factors, but this time MW featured the king of Hawaiian snappers: Onaga.  Typically, though, you’ll probably find Kona Kampachi or Opakapaka on the menu, which are still good varieties of fish.  Personally, I’ve had the Opakapaka version, which was really good!  But at $38, this isn’t an inexpensive dish.

For their priciest dish, the duo headed over to Chef Mavro, which is an excellent choice.  Though I haven’t been there in at least five years, Mavro is one of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii and possibly the world.  Why?  Because the man has some serious skill.  I’ve NEVER had a dish I didn’t like there, even if I normally don’t like many of the ingredients in it.  But, there, the crew ordered something that was once only available on special: the Onaga Baked in Salt Crust.  Coming in at a whopping $140 for 10oz (serves 2-4), this is a very pricey dish.  But it’s Mavro’s signature dish, and all three of them loved it.

How to Each Like Worth It for Less

Ok, so getting down to the main point of this post, how to eat like the Worth It crew for less.  This portion really only pertains to MW Restaurant, as there’s no way in hell to get a Chef Mavro or similar experience for less.  But, the Mochi Crusted Onaga is available almost every day for WAY less.  The catch?  The fish won’t be Onaga, Kona Kampachi, or Opakapaka and it’s only available at lunch.  Instead of the pricier fish varieties, the lunch version features Monchong, a.k.a. sickle pomfret, which is an ugly but tasty fish that is a by-catch of the tuna fishing fleet.  Despite this, it’s a clean tasting fish with a good amount of marbling and a nice flake.

The price?  Well, that depends.  If you dine-in for lunch, the Mochi Crusted Mongchong will set you back $24, which is $14 less than the dinner version.  Get this dish to go at MW’s sister restaurant, Artizen, and it drops even further to $15.  That’s about 40% lower than the price you’d pay for dinner!  Of course, this means you’ll get your mochi crusted goodness in a plastic takeout container.  But, you’ll still get all the accouchements you would have if you dined-in.

Eat Like BuzzFeed Worth It in Hawaii for Less, Final Thoughts

Eating well doesn’t have to break the bank.  Sometimes there are deals to be had.  And in this case, you can get BuzzFeed Worth Its middle-priced option for far less if you’re willing to dine at lunch.  Or, you can get an even better deal if you dine at lunch and get it to go.  The only issue with that, of course, is the mochi crust may not be so crispy.  But, on the other hand, you could take your fish down to the beach and dine with a view.

As for the other two, well, tough luck with Mavro.  The Mavro’s restaurant is well worth the price, and there are no lower-price options.  If you want to try his dish, I suggest splurging and treating yourself.  Ahi Assassins has very reasonable prices, so just go and check them out.  I know I need to… Been putting it off long enough!