Aloha Japanese Bento Express

Aloha Japanese Bento Express is a Syracuse restaurant that blends Burmese, Japanese and Hawaiian cooking, and it describes itself as the first in Central New York to bring the three together. The menu grows out of the life story of its chef and owner, Zaw.

Born in Burma, Zaw cooked homey Burmese food for family and friends, drawing on recipes passed down through generations. Zaw then spent more than ten years in kitchens in Japan, learning from chefs from across the country, and later honed the craft as a Japanese chef in Hawaii.

What to Know

• The menu mixes Burmese, Japanese and Hawaiian flavors.
• The restaurant describes itself as the first in Central New York to combine those three.
• Chef and owner Zaw trained in Japan for more than ten years before cooking in Hawaii.
• The dishes are meant to be hearty, with a contrast between the three cuisines.
• It is featured by Visit Syracuse and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse.