chazuke's Profile
Great Blueberry Pie in an unexpected place...(Southwestern Utah)
The name of the restaurant is the Bumbleberry Restaurant. If you don't mind not having a restaurant ambience, you can buy the pie cheaper at the motel gift store just across the lot (at least, that was the case back in 2008).
Ideas for first time visitor to Bellevue?
The suggestions made by lavaca and eat.rest.repeat are all very good, although I've never thought much of Med Kitchen. Tangerine is also a good Thai restaurant. Across the street from Monsoon East is La Cocina del Puerco, a worthy Mexican restaurant. Although Ruths Chris is a chain, don't discount their great happy hour (their burger is excellent).
Best Kept Secrets on the Eastside
Beef noodle soup - we ordered ours with rice noodles instead. Delicious.
Clams stir-fried with basil
Pickled radish fried rice
Sliced lamb in barbecue sauce - don't be misled by "barbecue" in the name. It's rather a savory and dark sauce, which when combined with ong choi, makes a wonderful dish.
Salt and pepper shrimp - much preferred over steamed shrimp in wine sauce.
Mango shaved ice - an unbelievably refreshing and stunning dessert (only available in the summer)
Citrus or kumquat tea - sweet, tart and delicious.
Best Kept Secrets on the Eastside
There is also no shortage of said peppercorns at Spiced. It is used liberally in many of their dishes, including ma po tofu and Chong Qing chicken. Be forewarned that the spiciness level will absolutely blow your mind, not to mention other body parts.
visiting seattle
Great places for seafood include:
FLYING FISH (in Belltown) - I have never been disappointed with their ever-changing menu of fresh fish.
ETTA'S SEAFOOD (just north of Pike Place Market) - one of Tom Douglas' restaurants that also happens to offer what many consider to be a superb fried chicken (I suppose in deference to non-seafood eaters).
RAY'S BOATHOUSE (in Ballard) - wonderful seafood in arguably the best location on the water. Ray's introduced kasu cod (grilled butterfish in miso paste) to many diners who otherwise didn't have access to Mutual Fish or Uwajimaya to make their own.
Lunch or dinner in Issaquah?
Macky's does a bang-up job on their regular menu. While I personally thought that the overall dim sum experience was above average (though there are some outstanding individual items), their "dinner" menu shows great promise. Our party had a very good Szechuan Mix Seafood. Shrimp, sliced fish, tender squid and NZ mussels were served on a sizzling platter, bathed in a savory and spicy sauce, though the mussels were too large for my liking. The Sauteed Pea Vine is a cut above the traditional style in which pea vines are usually served, namely in a garlic sauce. Macky's sauce was much more savory and was topped with sauteed enoki mushrooms. Finally, I will find it difficult to taste a better example of BBQ Roast Duck, very meaty with incredibly crispy skin. The duck really doesn't need the plum sauce that accompanies it. Macky's is definitely worth return visits to try some of their other specialties.
Long Weekend Trip to Oahu
When was the last time he checked? It's a seasonal beer, so it could be available now. I saw it appear simultaneously at three different supermarkets here in the Seattle area only a couple weeks ago. Some places will also order it for you through their local distributor. Good luck finding it.
Long Weekend Trip to Oahu
Great report, yehfromthebay. Absolutely agree with you on the spicy shrimp at Giovanni's. Not much going on there, other than heat. Very one-dimensional. Malasadas must be eaten right out of the oven, otherwise the experience goes downhill quickly. We also liked Kona Brewery. I just saw the Wailua Wheat sold here in my stomping grounds, which I thought would never be marketed outside Hawaii (other than Longboard and Pipeline) because of challenges in preservation.
New best Shave Ice in Town
Thanks for the tip. I will definitely have to try this place out the next time I'm over there.
BTW, I didn't experience any attitude at Waiola (the one off Paani) that you and some others have reported. The proprietors there were very kind and patient, even though a group of school kids preceded us. In fact, the lady thanked us for being patient.
Good taco trucks on the eastside?
Alas, the Eastside is not Seattle and I personally have not seen any taco trucks. However, there are a couple of good places you can get freshly-made soft tacos. One is La Cocina del Puerco in Old Bellevue that offers taquitos that come three to a plate, along with rice and beans. My personal favorite filling is carnitas, as good a version as I've had anywhere. They even make their own corn tortillas on a griddle. The taquitos plate, however, is not exactly cheap, which may be important to you.
The other place is La Venadita Taqueria in Issaquah whose tacos are definitely taco truck priced ($1.29 each). Fillings include asada, chicken, cabeza, lengua, chorizo and adobada. My favorite is the adobada. You can order tacos singly or in a combination plate.
Because both places are sit-down restaurants, they offer other things as well, many of them quite good.
good food in Moab?
We had a very nice dinner at Miguel's Baja Grill, a Baja-oriented Mexican restaurant that uses fresh ingredients to make tasty, innovative dishes. Margaritas are pretty good. You'll like the ambience, too. The two Asian restaurants in town (Singha and Szechuan Restaurant, the one Thai, the other Chinese) are not bad, as long as you don't expect West or East Coast standards. Don't bother with Pasta Jay's, an Italian restaurant that is supposed to be one of the best restaurants in town.
In case you're interested in breakfast and lunch options, you'd be in the luck. We were quite pleased with Pantele's Desert Deli for lunch where the locals go. It's off the main drag, so diners cruising the main highway will likely not find it.
Breakfast at Jailhouse Cafe is a must. It's only open for breakfast and is very popular. Coffee, sweet and savory items are excellent at Eklecticafe. It's a small place that also happens to use organic ingredients.
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Miguel's Baja Grill
51 N Main St, Moab, UT 84532
Pantele's Desert Deli
98 E Center St, Moab, UT 84532
Best Poke on Oahu? (Need nearby Waikiki and North Shore suggestions, will have car)
Poke Stop is definitely excellent. I have also heard great and wonderful things about Ono Seafood in Kapahulu.
Oahu under $20 Trip Report
I very much agree with your reviews of the common places where we ate. Thanks for the reviews.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
That's a creative and humorous handle, flylice2x. I admired your post on fried rice earlier on this board. You know, even though I love fried rice and make it often at home, the only time we had it on this trip was at the Saturday Market (mediocre). We never made it to Side Street Cafe, even though my friend highly recommended that we go. Just never got around to it for one reason or other. Next time, for sure.
Regarding manapua, I'm not a big fan of bao, so I never sought it out. To me, it's too much bread to get through before the filling. That being said, I don't discount it. I know that locals are passionate about it. I like the fact that there are many creative fillings that are not strictly Chinese. Portuguese sausage, egg and cheese manapua, anyone? Hmm, I might have to change my tune about this.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
Thank you. We liked Kalihi a lot. I noticed that there are several other places to eat in that area. On my list besides Helena's, I have Kenny's, Sugoi, Bob's BBQ, Mitsuken, Palace Saimin, Young's Fish Market and People's Cafe, all within a mile of each other. I'd be interested to know what your favorites places are in that area and what dishes you liked.
Your comment about pidgin cracks me up. When we were at Foster Botanical Garden one year ago, the tour was led by a guy who spoke pidgin. I love to tune in on different dialects and he didn't disappoint. He really knew his botany. When we left the arboretum, we "discovered" Zippy's down the street, where we had a pretty decent lunch.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
One thing I forgot to add is a food item that you can't get (I believe) anywhere else but here. You can buy these at any grocery store and farmers market on the island.
APPLE BANANA - Grown on the slopes of Kilauea, these small bananas are slightly tart and have an almost waxy texture and a finish that reminds you of, you guessed it, apples. Even though the skins of older bananas mottle like the Cavendish variety, these still retain their body. I have to thank this board for mentioning and recommending it, otherwise I would have overlooked it.
Best Thai in Seattle
While running errands in Issaquah, we stopped at the Noodle Boat for lunch. A word of warning: the kitchen may or may not agree to make anything from the dinner menu during the lunch hour. We simply asked to see it after we were handed quite an extensive lunch menu, which didn't feature any of the specialties. The wait staff can only ask on your behalf. Fortunately for us, the kitchen was obliging. We ordered Queen of Banana and BBQ Chicken. The Queen of Banana is one of those dishes that has multiple taste sensations and textures. On top of a steamed banana leaf comes chicken and shrimp tossed in a sweet-sour dressing of chile sauce, nuoc mam, lime juice, lemongrass, green onions, toasted coconut, finely shredded lime leaves, cilantro, mint and banana blossoms. The blossoms were really intriguing. We couldn't identify it; we had to ask. Normally, this might be the excellent dish that others say it is, but our sample had overcooked shrimp and a tired appearance, possibly from an overload of dressing that pooled at the bottom. Nevertheless, the flavors were terrific and vibrant. The BBQ chicken was a great combination of perfectly grilled and moist chicken (the dark meat with skin still on and nicely browned), bathed in a curry-coconut sauce, served with an exceptional sweet chile sauce. Overall, the meal was very good. It is true that there are dishes here you won't find anywhere else in the area. We definitely will return and try some other dishes.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
Thanks. I'm already compiling another list of places to try during our next visit.
Looking for Kaffir Lime Leaves
I would think that southeast Asian supermarkets like Viet Wah would carry them. There are three branches in the Puget Sound area.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
You know, I should have remembered the eggplant fries! I kick myself for forgetting about those. Thanks.
Restaurant and food reviews (Oahu)
We just got back from Oahu this past Monday. It was windy the entire time, gusting up to 30mph in Honolulu. Then, rain came later during our stay. We had planned on exploring outdoor Oahu somewhat, but the weather prevented that. There is one silver lining—we were able to concentrate on where we were going to have the next great meal. Thanks to the many discussions on this board and Yelp reviews, we were able to narrow down our choices. Regrettably, we weren't able to get to a few places we wanted to try, e.g., Side Street Cafe, Mitsuken, and others, for lack of opportunity. But, there's always next time. Following are short summaries of our dining experiences. I welcome your comments.
MATSUMOTO (located in Haleiwa) VS. WAIOLA (Kapahulu) SHAVE ICE - We had the good fortune of visiting both on this trip, a great way to compare two of the best on Oahu. Waiola's is definitely finer, more fluffy. The downside of such driven snow is that it will melt more quickly when it's hot outside or if the syrups are not super-cold. This was borne out by experience: Waiola's ice mounds slumped somewhat from the warmer syrups, while Matsumoto's held their shape. Our favorite was Waiola's by a small margin because of the fineness of the ice. Both have great syrups. Since we like tropical fruits so much, we tended to get lilikoi, lychee, pina colada and the like. I had mine with vanilla ice cream at both places, a remarkable combination to my taste. I have never taken to kintoki, so I didn't bother. At Waiola, you can get other extras, like li hing mui powder, Hershey's chocolate syrup, and lilikoi cream, plus elaborate bowls of combinations of ice cream, azuki beans, chocolate, flan and condensed milk, all of which to me are detractions from the main event. There is nothing like Hawaiian shave ice.
GIOVANNI'S VS. FUMI'S (both in Kahuku on the North Shore) - On our swing through the North Shore, we decided to compare the shrimp made at the original and most famous purveyor and at the place we tried (and loved) last year. As for the garlic and butter, it was a draw: Fumi's more buttery, Giovanni's more garlicky. On the other hand, Fumi's was the clear winner on the spicy version. Their combination of chile pepper sauce, sriracha and butter clearly was superior to Giovanni's sauce of what seemed to be an uninspired combination of chile pepper sauce and vinegar. In addition, Giovanni's spicy shrimp were overcooked. Our choice: Fumi's.
BUBBIES - These are wonderful island-made (in Aiea) mochi ice creams. If you've never had a mochi ice cream, you're in for a treat. Mochi (pounded sweet rice) encases a flavored ice cream center. Biting through the soft, chewy mochi exterior to the cold ice cream inside is a textural and flavor inspiration. There are a good number of flavors. The lilikoi and lychee were simply delicious. There are two outlets on Oahu (one on University just outside of Waikiki, the other in Koko Marina Shopping Center in Hawaii Kai). You can also get a small selection at the Coffee Bean as well as selected Japanese restaurants in Honolulu.
KONA BREWING COMPANY (Koko Marina Shopping Center, Hawaii Kai) - Home of the Pipeline Porter (available on the mainland), KBC makes several more brews, some of which are available only on tap. Everything is brewed on the Big Island, the headquarters which the staff affectionately calls the Mother Ship. Pipeline is the remarkable brew blended with Kona coffee. At the Koko Marina Shopping Center pub, you can get a flight of four 4-oz glasses. Our flight consisted of Black Sand Porter (very dark, bitter chocolatey, roasty), Duke’s Blond Ale (light, crisp), Lavaman Red Ale (caramel, orange-red in color, malty), and Wailua Wheat (medium, slightly sweet, passion fruit, tangy). Pub food is also available, though we didn't partake.
LEONARD'S (Kapahulu) - No visit to Honolulu would be complete without a stopover at Leonard's. Their malasadas are to-die-for. Warm out of the oven, they are dangerously addictive. Our coconut- and lilikoi-flavored custard fillings were astonishing. Their coffee is forgettable, but then who goes there for the coffee? There is always a line, including Japanese tourists who have discovered Leonard's. You can also get dobash and haupia fillings, and even plain, but I lust after the custards. Yowza!
SWEET HOME CAFE (McCully/Moiliili) - Taiwanese hot pot is their specialty. First, you select a broth from among many. Their most popular are the house special, spicy and healthy herb broths. Then, you choose one or more meats (beef, pork, lamb, or beef tongue). If you want two broths (should those in your party want to try different ones), you will be charged for two broths, which will be served in a divided vessel. We selected the spicy and house special broths, both of which were excellent. Once you get seated, you then select however many wrapped plates of other ingredients you want from the coolers along the back wall. Each plate is color-coded, each color corresponding to a price. There is a bewildering selection of vegetables, seafood, organ meats, noodles, and several kinds of tofu from which to choose. I can’t even provide a complete list. We chose soft tofu, watercress, sliced squashes, nappa, lobster balls, and fresh shiitake. As if selecting ingredients weren’t enough, you can choose one or more of fourteen different dipping sauces. Once the meal is over, you will be given a dessert gratis. Finely ground ice (not as fine as shave ice) was surrounded by scoops of green tea and pineapple tapioca pearls, coffee mochi cubes and soft tofu, and the whole works drizzled with almond cream, condensed milk and topped with an espresso mousse. Despite the fact that the tapioca flavors were artificial and the ice clumped in several places, the mousse, mochi balls and almond flavor broke da mout. If you stuffed yourself with the main meal, you’ll still find the room to (mostly) finish this stellar dessert. It’s possible that the dessert might change periodically. The staff is very friendly. A true dining experience.
JIMBO (McCully/Moiliili) - For udon lovers, this is the place. Made in the Hokkaido style (according to the waiter), the broth is rich and smoky. Jimbo's dedication to quality is clear: one chef makes the broth at night, another makes the udon fresh in the morning. The result is a superior noodle, soft on the outside, chewy on the inside. They can also be had in large or skinny sizes, though I prefer the regular. We ordered nabeyaki and ume wakame udon. The former comes piping hot in a traditional nabe with a single crispy, thinly battered shrimp tempura, a slice of Japanese eggplant tempura, kamaboko, baby bock choy, snow peas, negi, spinach, nappa, shiitake, and raw egg. For the ume wakame udon, the ume flesh is scraped from the pit and minced. It provided a tart counterpoint to the smoky broth, a wonderful combination. For you adventurous types, Jimbo also has natto bukkake udon, which comes in a darker broth and topped with the ultimate slime combination of natto, grated okra, and daikon oroshi. This was one of our favorite restaurants.
POKE STOP (Waipahu) - On our way to leeward Oahu, we stopped in Waipahu to have chef Elmer Guzman's poke at Poke Stop, located in Waipahu Town Center. There is quite a list to choose from. We ordered sweet ahi tuna (ahi lightly seasoned with sesame oil, sprinkled with green onions, raw onions, chile flakes and toasted sesame seeds), seared ahi bowl (seared ahi served atop a bowl of furikake-sprinkled rice), and crispy chicken chunks (chicken thigh pieces lightly battered and combined with a spicy taegu sauce). Everything was delicious. A big minus is that there is nowhere to sit down inside; there are a few tables outside, but the noise from the highway and strip mall traffic was loud.
GULICK DELICATESSEN (Kalihi) - Only a few blocks from Bishop Museum, this place, oddly sounding like a Brooklyn diner, is worth seeking out as a super-okazuya. Locals have been eating here for a long time. If you're a first-time customer, you'll be intimidated by the choices, all nicely displayed behind glass counters. Here is a partial list: fried rice, tempura (both shrimp and vegetable), nishime, shoyu salmon, musubi (ume-filled or wrapped in nori or coated in furikake or Spam), chicken katsu, shoyu chicken, fried chicken, kimpira gobo, kombu maki, teri burger patty, chicken long rice, namasu, pork long rice, chow fun, shoyu hot dogs, garlic eggplant with pork, corn beef hash patties, sliced omelet, cucumber salad. It may not be gourmet, but this is Hawaiian comfort food, and it's cheap. You can mix-and-match or order plate lunches. You have more choice when you do the picking. Take-out only, we walked back to Bishop and ate there. It's located in a residential neighborhood, just off N School St. Closer to Waikiki, there is another Gulick's on S King, next door to Jimbo's.
YOTTEKO-YA (McCully/Moiliili) - There are many ramen shops in Honolulu. Everyone will have his/her favorite. We haven't eaten at any of the others, but I will say this—Yotteko-Ya is clearly one of the best we've had anywhere. Theirs is a paitan broth, cooked for 10 hours, using crushed pork bones, chicken and vegetables. It has a milky consistency, mainly due to the great amount of collagen that has been released during its painstaking manufacture. This is the broth, probably of Chinese origin, beloved by Kyoto-ites and rameniacs, at once subtle, refined and rich. And the ramen noodles are perfectly cooked, which by my preference is Japanese-style (al dente). You can also choose local-style (softer). The chashu is sinfully tender with teriyaki flavors. The various paitan choices differ mainly in the quantity of said chashu that is included. I got the Yasai Paitan, which included a single teasing slice of chashu, cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, green onions and carrot. Other variations dispense with as much vegetables in favor of more chashu. The restaurant is located on the second floor of McCully Shopping Center on the west end; the sign outside only reads "Kyoto Ramen," rather than "Yotteko-Ya."
LILIHA BAKERY (Kalihi) - famous for its coco puffs. The puffs are renown for their chantilly frostings and custardy centers. Some can be ordered with powdered sugar on top instead. These were very good, but personally, I'd rather have a Leonard's malasada if I'm going to keel over from cardiac arrest (figuratively speaking, of course). When it gets busy, you take a number and wait your turn. All the pre-packaged puffs in the self-help refrigerator were all gone by early afternoon.
HELENA'S HAWAIIAN (Kalihi) - Here is a neighborhood institution that was awarded the 2000 James Beard Regional Classics Award. Helena's is off the beaten path, i.e., far enough away from Waikiki that tourists aren't likely to seek it out (unless of course you're a chowhound). It's been serving local food for a long time and the prices are unbelievably cheap. Expect to find laulau, opihi, lomi salmon, fried butterfish collar, boiled butterfish collar with watercress, beef with watercress, kalua pig and chicken long rice. The best dish here undeniably is their pipikaula short ribs. The ribs are first marinated and then hung to dry over an oven. When ready to serve, they are fried in hot oil to crispy perfection. Even the slightly charred edges of fat explode with flavor. These are best eaten out of hand (your fingers will be slathered in grease). There is also occasional pockets of gristle to get past (unless you enjoy eating it), but most of the pieces are meaty. Dipped in poi, chili water and sprinkled with a little rock salt, you're in lani. The hearty beef flavor lingers long after the bones are discarded. If you've never had luau squid, here is your chance. Not unlike Indian saag in appearance, it is a stew of taro leaf, coconut milk and squid. Incredibly tasty. Helena's haupia is also darn good. You can order a la carte or choose among four plates. With menu D, you get kalua pig, lomi salmon, pipikaula, luau squid, small or large poi, and two scoop rice, a great way to sample Helena's good stuff. Highly recommended.
ONO'S HAWAIIAN (Kapahulu) - Very similar to Helena's menu, Ono's has also been around for a while (since the early 60s). It's much closer to Waikiki, and therefore prone to get the local and tourist crowds. Their kalua pig is excellent, cooked in the traditional way—imu, as is Helena's. The place isn’t much to look at from the outside, but once you step through the doors, you step into the small dining space and are greeted warmly by owner and staff alike. The walls are adorned with memorabilia and old photos, presumably of celebrities who’ve dined here. It seems that not much has been upgraded since the first day. The lady who brings your meal scopes you out and asks, “First time?” If it is, she will show you how to eat the meats with the poi, sliced raw onions, rock salt and chile water. We ordered a Kalua plate and salt meat with watercress (a la carte), an excellent dish. The plate is a good way to sample many of the islands’ favorites. Not only do you get whatever the plate is named for (such as Kalua pig) but every plate also gets lomi-lomi salmon, pipikaula, poi, rice and haupia. The salt meat with watercress was supposedly created by Ono's in the early days. Now, a few other island restaurants serve it. The pipikaula here is a kind of beef (flank steak) jerky, though not in the sense that most Americans know it. It is marinated, then dried, but not to a leathery texture. You can eat these with dentures. The prices here are more expensive than Helena's. Both places are great, with a slight nod toward Helena's.
SHIROKIYA FOOD LEVEL (Ala Moana Shopping Center, across from Macy's) - Anyone who has ever visited a department store in Japan knows that an entire floor is devoted to food. The second floor of Shirokiya extends that experience to Hawaiians (although a small portion stocks non-food items). There are both restaurants and small family-owned businesses that prepare the food. Most of the food is purchased for takeout, but there are some tables inside. The variety of food available is staggering. If you decide to pick up something for lunch or dinner, you'll have a hard time deciding what to choose. You can watch one place making takoyaki in those ebelskiver-like contraptions. There are all sorts of musubi and nigiri, too, including some with natto. Mikawaya, the confectionary from LA, and Yoku Moku, which makes those incredibly delicate and delicious cookies, also have a presence here. Occasionally, there will be a special celebration of foods from a particular province in Japan, like we discovered last year. These should not be missed. Learning from a great suggestion by Miss Needle who contributes to this board, we purchased some foods here to take on our flight home to the mainland.
EGGS 'N THINGS (Waikiki) - Eggs ‘n Things must be on every Japanese tourist’s guidebook. There are so many Japanese customers that the lady taking names at the door for the waiting list speaks fluent Japanese, though she’s obviously a local. There is almost always a line out the door to get seated. While you wait, you can pre-purchase coffee in paper cups, which will be re-filled when you get seated. We arrived a little before 8am, and that is probably a good bit of advice for anyone. Our wait was no more than 15 minutes; we climbed the outside stairway to the second floor where the restaurant actually is located. Their specialties are the pancakes, waffles and omelets, which can be ordered with a variety of toppings, including a light house-made cream. Pancakes can also be topped with their own coconut or mango syrup. The menu indicates which items are the most popular (ahi & eggs, Portuguese sausage & eggs, minced pork [the pork meaning a choice of sausage, ham, spam or bacon] & scrambled eggs, sour cream blueberry crepes, mac nut pancakes, etc.). Both of us wanted the Portuguese sausage and eggs, mine with scrambled and pan-fried potatoes, my wife's with fried eggs and rice. Without question, the sausages were the best we can remember ever having had. My potatoes were like an afterthought, because they were mealy on the inside. Go with the rice and fried eggs. This is definitely an upgrade to eating at Wailana Coffee House, also in Waikiki.
TONKATSU GINZA BAIRIN (on Beach Walk in Waikiki) - If you love tonkatsu, you owe it to yourself to go to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin. They take its preparation to the next level, a dedication to quality that starts with the selection of choice Canadian kurobuta, to the use of fresh, high-quality cottonseed oil for frying, to the making of their own house tonkatsu sauce that, to my taste, has no equal. The batter is thinly applied and crispy. The prices are pretty steep, up to $35 for a kurobuta tonkatsu teishoku, $32 for a la carte. For a brief time, the restaurant is offering a special of Kurobuta Tonkatsu with Demi-Glace Sauce for “only” $26, which includes “mashed” potatoes that served as a bed for the tonkatsu (it had the consistency of soft potato salad), shredded cabbage, and spaghetti Japanese-style (mediocre). Having them serve the demi-glace on the side let me sample their signature tonkatsu unadorned and also left me with other sauce options, including their tonkatsu sauce and the dipping sauce that came with my wife's Wafu Oroshi Pork Loin Katsu ($21). The demi-glace is a viscous creation of two kinds of mushrooms (nameko and shiitake), stock and long-cooked onions (as in an onion soup) and other ingredients I couldn’t identify, an interesting, tasty enough sauce that seemed oddly unsuited to tonkatsu. But the tonkatsu sauce and the wafu oroshi were better. The wafu is an astounding dipping sauce--grated daikon artfully mounded in a pool of ponzu, soy sauce, and dashi, with shreds of katsuobushi for added flavor and texture. Even the shredded cabbage gets special treatment. You get your choice of several kinds of light and refreshing dressings. We chose the ume and the wafu. Lunchtime offers a plate for $13. The beverage list includes several premium sakes and beers. There is also a branch on the Shirokiya food floor, where you'll find pre-packaged tonkatsu (not recommended), but they can be cooked to order.
SATURDAY FARMERS MARKET (Kapiolani Community College) - This is, without doubt, one of the best farmers markets in the country for foodies. It has its share of produce stalls; they mainly benefit the locals who come here for fresh fruits and vegetables. But, I’ll wager that the vast majority of visitors come here for the incredible selection of prepared foods. We’re talking about food that Hawaiians love. The merging of cooking influences mostly from Asia is apparent in the offerings. While the food may not be the best you’ll ever have of this kind of comfort food, it is good. The variety alone in an open-air market setting is exciting. After carefully looking over all the offerings, at approximately 10:15 am (45 minutes before the market closed) we decided on a salmon fried rice and grilled kasu cod, grilled corn daubed with shoyu butter and furikake, grilled abalone and a mango and ginger drink. We almost lost out. The abalone that were selling for $5 a small pair had all sold out. I managed to get one of the last grilled corns. I did get the last fried rice combination, too. The moral of the story is that it’s best to get what you want early, even if it isn’t quite the lunch hour. As for the food itself, the kasu cod was delicious. The salmon fried rice tasted less interesting than it sounded, though it wasn’t bad. The corn was dried out from over-grilling and the furikake made it too salty. Any drink from the PacifiCool booth is always refreshing, although the large amounts of ice cubes tend to dilute the drink if left too long. For dessert, we snagged a couple of shave ices, one topped with lilikoi syrup, the other with ginger syrup which was also sprinkled with dried ginger flakes.
HONOLULU COOKIE COMPANY (multiple locations) - Outlets for this store can be found everywhere, including many locations in Waikiki. We discovered them last year. Their incorporation of tropical fruit flavors and Kona coffee in their shortbread cookies is astonishingly delicious. The good thing is that you can sample any of their cookies at any location. They just introduced coconut in their line just to tempt me, LOL. The coffee cookies have a deep coffee flavor. The one combined with dark chocolate is especially good. My favorites are the cookies with tropical flavors: lilikoi, coconut, pineapple and mango. It's probably a good thing that it costs a fortune to have them shipped via mail order.
Some questions for my Oahu trip (a bit long)
Miss Needle, I enjoyed your reviews. Thanks so much for sharing them. I am about to head back to Oahu at month's end and look forward to foods onolicious again. I won't hit all the same places as you did, but certainly a few of them. I have a list of places based on chow posts and recommendations from friends. I hope to post reviews in this space after I return. And, by the way, I think it's a great idea to pick up a few things to consume on the flight home, despite its not working for you this time around. Really too bad. Thanks again.
What's Your Favorite Fried Rice on Oahu
Nice job on the report of fried rice, flylice2x. Ever have the ones sold at the Saturday farmers' market?
roadtrip through Oregon and Washington
It appears that you will be following the West Coast from Arcata along Highway 101. This is a spectacular drive, starting out in the redwood forests of Northern California, along the beautiful coastal cities of Oregon, and then through Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., and points north. Sounds like an ambitious plan, but one that is once-in-a-lifetime, especially if you can make it as far as Alaska.
Arcata is a very interesting town, home of Humboldt State University and is known for its left-wing politics. Ask the locals about the Patriot Act. I haven't discovered any great places to eat there, most likely having more to do with our brief stay than anything. Stop by Jitter Bean Coffee for a good cup of joe.
Both an Arcatan shop keeper and a Hispanic gas station employee in Trinidad highly recommended La Hacienda in Orick for Mexican food. It's a little restaurant along Hwy 101 in the middle of a very small town. The food, however, was anything but ordinary. One of their specialties is an entree called molcajete because of the large stone vessel in which it's served. This is an extraordinary dish, a spicy, salsa-based stew chockfull of carne asada, shrimp, avocado, bacon and roasted chiles. All their salsas are homemade and available at the salsa bar.
Just south of Orick is the town of Trinidad which features a memorial lighthouse and the Humboldt State marine lab. We had a wonderful room (call it a very comfy suite) at the Trinidad Inn, which is situated in the middle of a redwood forest.
As you drive further north, you'll drive through the heart of the magnificent redwood forests. There are many state parks and a national park that showcase old growth stands. As a really interesting side trip, check out Fern Canyon just beyond Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. As the name implies, it's a canyon fantastically lined with several kinds of ferns. It looks so prehistoric that Jurassic Park 2 was filmed here. It takes a little while to take a side road into the park, but if time allows, go for it. There aren't too many places to eat worth mentioning through this vast stretch, so you might as well pack something to eat.
In Gold Beach, Oregon, we had a nice prime rib dinner at Spinner's with a bottle of Oregon pinot noir. Several locals thought this was their best restaurant in town. The clam chowder here was serviceable; you'll probably find better versions somewhere along the way.
Bandon, Oregon, has many small and interesting shops. Stop by the Minute Cafe for a good variety of seafood. We had their fried clams, which were quite tasty. These clams were on the large side, not as small as you typically find them (like at Ivar's in Seattle). At first, we thought they were razor clams, but the waitress assured us they were not.
A famous lighthouse is situated at Bullards Beach. Quite photogenic. Be forewarned that the staff will not let you climb to the top with open-toed shoes.
In Yachats, Oregon, try to spend some time at Cape Perpetua. One of the hikes to the beach features Devil's Churn, which is an inlet with huge, swirling vortexes of water that are a phenomenon to behold.
Do not pass up lunch or dinner at Shark's Seafood Bar in Newport, Oregon. They serve arguably the best cioppino on the West Coast. The restaurant is hard to find but well worth the effort. The stew is filled with the freshest fish, shrimp and Dungeness crab (for which northern California, Oregon and Washington are known). The broth is legendary. The stew goes great with an Amity pinot blanc. And definitely don't miss the huckleberry ice cream.
You'll find lots of suggestions of places to eat in Portland and Oregon on this board.
Takoyaki at Shirokiya
Anyone here ever had the takoyaki at Shirokiya? When we were there (food court) last year, we noticed that it was being offered. Because the minimum order was 8 pieces and we weren't really all that hungry, we didn't buy any. We are now returning to Oahu and are wondering if there is a better version of it elsewhere.
Some questions for my Oahu trip (a bit long)
No, Fumi's does not butterfly. I suppose whether it's better to butterfly or leave the shells on boils down to preference. Butterflying would seem to be very labor intensive since the shrimp would have to be peeled, possibly deveined, then split, so it seems surprising to me that Mackey's would bother. This method also runs the risk of making the shrimp more rubbery when cooked. There is no doubt, however, that more flavor penetration of the sauce is possible. The shrimp at Romy's and Fumi's are sourced from their own farms, and cooking them in their shells would seem to be the only way to guarantee their succulence. For those who eat shells and all, the lack of sauce penetration into the shrimp is not an issue. For peelers, like myself, sucking off all the sauce beforehand is one way not to waste any of that precious liquid. And, yes, the extra sauce on the rice is pure heaven. Is it possible to request more sauce at any of these places?
good indian in Seattle?
I am a big fan of Spice Route. Their dishes are definitely spicier than the normal mild, medium or hot designations would suggest, and their menu is very extensive with items one rarely sees at Indian restaurants. We were originally alerted to gobi manchurian by a vegetarian friend who raved about it. I can only saw "wow." Although it is offered as an appetizer, I could have this as an entree all by itself.
Some questions for my Oahu trip (a bit long)
I also highly recommend Fumi's. If you like really spicy garlic shrimp, this may be the only stand that makes it in this particular style, a combination of sriracha sauce and hot pepper flakes, with tons of garlic and butter. Others correct me if I'm mistaken. Nevertheless, I dream about Fumi's shrimp here on the mainland and long to go back and partake again. The shrimp were indeed very fresh from their own farm, as MRMoggie points out.
HELP: Beard Papa's in Seattle? What and where?
Beard Papa in Bellevue Square is NOT ready for prime-time. On our last visit, their puffs were dry (day old? more??) and the vanilla custard simply lacking in the "wow" factor. The only other custard flavor is chocolate. In Southern California, I've consistently had great puffs and their fill offerings also include strawberry and green tea. Another BP has recently opened in Southcenter, where I haven't yet gone. It is amazing to me that there is absolutely no quality control in this chain as the quality and offerings vary from site to site. For the moment, I'll just have to wait until we go to California or Vancouver, B.C., to get the real stuff.
Where Are the Best Wine Shops in Seattle or Eastside?
Yes, Pete's Wine has great selections. It's somewhat hard to find at first, being located on what can be described as an alley though it is a designated street.
Another wine shop is Seattle Wine, also located in Bellevue (1950 130th Avenue NE). They have wine tastings every weekend and their prices are excellent.
http://www.seattlewineco.com
