9th Island Grill serves authentic Hawaiin cuisine which has a vast majority of flavors for so many to enjoy, even picky eaters like myself. After the first location opened in Summerlin, the second one, located in Henderson, was combined with another popular establishment, Bowlology. With the same owner, he felt it would be a brilliant idea to merge the two into one concept to spread more awareness for the companies.
At 9th Island Grill, they offer a variety of unique categories such as Island Plates, which include two scoops of white rice, mac salad, noodles, burgers, “Breakfast All Day” in addition to the Bowlology treats offered. There is a multitude of flavors in every dish so those with different preferences can enjoy them.
Admittedly a picky eater, Hawaiian food has always been hard for me to enjoy just because of how many different flavors there are. However, I decided to try the 9th Island BBQ Beef ($15.00) because I really enjoy red meat. Since this dish is an “Island Plate,” I got a side of macaroni salad and scoops of rice for my side with no charge. Now, while this beef wasn’t the juiciest I’ve had, the flavors were amazing. The beef was marinated, kiawe grilled and glazed to the perfect touch and I was honestly surprised with how many bursts of flavors I discovered. I loved the contrasting flavors from both the rice and the beef. I had the teriyaki sauce on the side, so as I added the sauce onto it, there were even more varieties of flavor. The mac salad had a sweet and salty taste to it and I loved all of the veggies I got to try with the mac as well.
I also decided to get the Spicy Garlic Chicken ($10) which is also considered an Island Plate. This dish contained crispy, fried chicken with savory garlic shoyu glaze, spiced up with smoked habaneros. The chicken itself was crunchy and soft at the same time. Each piece of chicken had very potent flavors to it because of the tangy garlic glaze. I enjoyed the mixtures of spices experienced with this dish and definitely recommend it for any chicken lover.
The Loco Moco ($10) was the last main dish we ordered. It’s an Angus beef brisket patty covered in crispy onions with brown gravy, fried eggs, and green onions spread over the meat. In other words, this dish was simply a burger but broken down with distinct, rich elements. The beef patty was perfectly seasoned, but I felt as if the meat was lost in the gravy rather than spread evenly. I didn’t really enjoy the soggier taste, but the other ingredients made up for it. I did enjoy the different flavors and I felt as if the traditional culture was really embraced in this dish.
In addition to the grill and BBQ side of the restaurant, Bowlology has all the sweet treats that I knew I had to get a taste of. I chose the Bohemian 2 ($11.50) and the Chocolate Monster smoothie ($6.50). From previous experience, the overpowering taste of the acai fruit usually takes away from the rest of the bowl, but at Bowlology, I tasted all the flavors and the acai wasn’t didn’t give off an intense flavor. The bowl contained a cacao chia seed pudding, granola, strawberry, dark chocolate chips, almonds and honey for a more sweet taste. As for the chocolate smoothie, it was refreshing and had the perfect balanced taste especially with the banana blended in. This smoothie definitely was what I expected flavor-wise because of how potent the chocolate was, yet the banana and almonds made for the last touch.
My experience at 9th Island Grill was fantastic and I recommend everyone to go and try their take on Hawaiian cuisine. The interior is beautifully decorated for an “island theme” with the flowers on the walls. The staff was kind and helpful, and the dishes were carefully crafted with detail and served with care. Overall, this restaurant is perfect for eating out at any time of the day with both family and friends.
