Marla Cimini
| Special to USA TODAY 10Best
In recent years, Hawaii’s food scene has been rapidly evolving, transforming into a hotbed of innovative restaurants, with imaginative chefs launching cutting-edge eateries and creating diverse menus throughout the islands.
In fall of 2019, Mugen opened its doors in the center of Waikiki, and has been attracting attention from food lovers for its distinctive approach to fine dining. With executive chef Jason Yamaguchi at the helm, Mugen features his unique perspective on modern Japanese-French cuisine. The resulting aesthetically stunning and artistically-presented tasting menu is a captivating kaleidoscope of locally and globally-sourced ingredients.
Yamaguchi, a native of Los Angeles who grew up on Oahu, also happens to be renowned chef Roy Yamaguchi’s nephew. Mugen is actually a homecoming for Jason, as he was fresh from his position as the chef at Driftwood Kitchen in Laguna Beach, California. His extensive culinary experience includes working with legendary gastronomic talents on the mainland, including chefs Michael Mina and Chris Garnier.
He explained that he created the ambiance at Mugen to be “personable – not pretentious.” He said, “I felt that this concept was…
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