macaraca's Profile
Downtown Grand Rapids
Thanks for all the recs so far...will provide some follow up when we get home. Forgot to ask in the original post whether there are any local specialties we should go out of our way for if time permits.
Downtown Grand Rapids
Attending a conference at the Amway Grand this week and looking for chowworthy recs for inexpensive to moderate breakfast, lunch or dinner, preferably withing reasonable walking distance of the hotel (no rental car). Willing to cab for something particularly worthwhile. Coming from Honolulu, so probably not interested in anything Asian, as the selection here is extensive and top notch, but open to other ethnic or traditional favorites. Of course for us, Polish and German would be very unusual ethnic choices!
Have looked over the board and have found the following possibilities...would appreciate feedback and additional suggestions.
One business-expense dinner, probably 616 or Leo's.
Good Italian dinner: Bistro Bella Vista
Sandwiches/ deli breakfast or lunch: Skywalk Deli/ Big James Steak Sandwich cart
Thanks for any and all suggestions and comments.
Inexpensive Chinese Banquet in Honolulu
I would add Kirin on Beretania to K Man's recs...they have private rooms and the food is excellent...not a hole in the wall or inexpensive, but a very good value for delicious food. Can't share the widespread popular enthusiasm for Hee Hing, which never gets props here.
Friends recently gave me a surprise b'day dinner at Maple Garden-Yen King. They also have a small private room, and ordering our favorites from the a la carte menu was great...avoid the buffet, though.
After many years of wondering, we finally stopped into Hung Won on Waialae for lunch.."the oldest Chinese Restaurant in Kaimuki," or so they claim. Not tiny, but maybe fits the hole-in-the-wall category, extensive menu, and prices are very reasonable, but not the quality of Little Village or Kirin.
I don't know if Legend has private rooms or not. The food is very good, but it is a huge place and the dining room is loud and impersonal, and not where I would want to go for a nice family celebration, but if you speak Chinese, you may enjoy the loud and hectic environment more than I would.
best thai in Waikiki
Phuket Thai used to be our favorite, at McCully, but now they have a second, larger venue near the Ward Theaters, and the one time we went there for lunch we were quite disappointed.
Recently we have enjoyed Sabai Dee, at University Square, a family run place that is not exceptional, but tasty and reasonable. A newer place has opened in the last few weeks at Market City next to Foodland and we liked it a lot, but like KMan, would not say any of them are outstanding.
Cocktail ingredients
Don't know about the specific items you want, but Tamura's on Waialae Ave has probably the best selection (and usually great prices) on wines and spirits, and a good chance they have what you are looking for. Second choice would probably be Fujioka's, on the lower level in back of the Market City Shopping Center next to BenFranklin, more or less at the foot of Waialae Ave. Liquor Collection may well have it all, but it is much smaller, and in a much higher rent area, so prices will reflect that, but they have an awfully good selection for such a small spot.
Tamura's
3496 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 735-7100
http://www.tamurasfinewine.com
Fujioka's
2919 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 739-9463
Moving to O'ahu, Looking for Specialty Grocery
I understand your desire very well, and suggest you stock up on some essentials to ship here when you move to help tide you over until you are able to find the best local sources for those necessities. Don't know where you are, but confess to hitting up Trader Joe's and other places in SFO myself when I travel for some things I can't find here. Two things come to mind for my larder: dried porcini mushrooms, which I get from the mushroom dealers inside the Ferry Bldg, and really good orange marmalade. Can get great fresh mushrooms here now, but dried porcinis here are ridiculous expensive or of poor quality, and they keep well, so I stock up. Have not found a really good local marmalade, and Hero brand used to be available some places, but haven't found it lately. Of course I also take advantage of home-made lilikoi and guava jelly from local artisans, but sometimes I just want good marmalade!
If you have a lot of stuff to ship, you may want to check with the "Ship to Hawaii" people...if you sign up with them or their competitors, you can use them for relatively inexpensive shipping costs on internet orders that otherwise charge outrageous prices for sending things here.
origin of the loco moco
Hard to argue with the links on the Wikipedia site...even Cafe 100 doesn't claim to have created it...only credit for popularizing it.
Moving to O'ahu, Looking for Specialty Grocery
Second K-Man on suggesting you widen your culinary horizons from familiar Mainland themes to what makes cuisine in Hawaii so unique...the many Asian/Pacific influences with their endless variations, and the abundance of local produce.
The markets in Chinatown offer some of the freshest produce (and cheapest) as well as many condiments and ingredients hard to find in the supermarkets or gourmet stores. While there is also much imported stuff there, there are some things you won't find at the farmer's markets, while the competition for low-income families' dollars means it is hard to find better prices. For example, I use a LOT of garlic, and buying it in the supermarkets here is never a good idea...overpriced and often tired looking. The KCC and Blaisdell farmer's markets restrict out-of-state products, so you won't see garlic there. In Chinatown you can buy a huge bag of heads of garlic, maybe 20 heads, with all but the final skin peeled, so you can see how large and firm the cloves are, for just $5. I go thru a bag like that in a couple of weeks, and that much garlic, less fresh, would cost a lot more anywhere else.
Go early in the day, and explore the two blocks around Kekaulike pedestrian mall. You can also buy fresh fish, many different types of fresh asian noodles, pastries, roast pork, duck, chicken, etc etc etc.
Maui (Lahaina / Hana) & Big Island (Kona / Volcano Village) recs sought
Volcano...your three suggestions are probably the best choices...with Thai the best value and the Lodge the best fine dining and charming ambiance. You can also check Ono Cafe at Volcano Garden Arts for vegetarian lunches.
Great Sunday farmer's market in the community center on Wright Rd. Go early; not huge, but lots of produce and a fair amount of prepared food, pastries, coffee, etc. You may see people selling puppies, goats, almost anything. A real community event which is entirely different from the much larger but more commercial Hilo farmers market on Saturday, smaller on Wed, and a few stray vendors most other days, so worth checking on your way thru Hilo town.
It is a long drive to Waimea from Kailua-Kona for dinner, but an hour may not seem so long to people from the Mainland used to long drives of many hours. If you do an excursion up the coast to Hawi and Kapaau/Pololu Valley in the afternoon and then take the lovely mountain ridge drive from there to Waimea before dark, you can have a great dinner and be back for bedtime....just go easy on the wine pairings!
There is, or used to be, a farmer's market in Waimea, but I don't have any personal knowledge of it. I believe it is Saturday morning.
Amasia - Alan Wong's Maui
Full review in today's HNL newspaper by restaurant critic Nadine Kam. Bottom line: she likes it.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/featurespremium/weeklyeaterpremium/20120509__Alan_Wong_strikes_gold_on_Maui.html?id=150704415&c=n
(may require free registration and login)
One thing I always admired about AW was that unlike so many of his peers, he stuck to one eponymous venue and more or less perfected it. Now that he is going to be splitting his attention between his Honolulu home base and Maui, can he keep up the level of excellence he has achieved? One can only hope so.
Moving to O'ahu, Looking for Specialty Grocery
Kokua is also carrying some La Tour (Ba-Le) breads now.
Moving to O'ahu, Looking for Specialty Grocery
Not too optimistic about meeting your needs with one go-to gourmet store. The closest may be the R. Fields concession in the Foodland Super Market on Beretania, but while they have some nice cheeses, they generally will be found in plastic wrap. However, the small and fairly dedicated staff may be able to supply whole cheeses on request.
Doubt you will find goat's milk there...others will have to suggest an option. They do have lots of imported chips and crackers and bottled sauces, etc, but it is not nearly as large as even a small Whole Foods, so the selection will be limited.
There is a very good bakery that opened recently in Manoa, Fendu. Heavy on pastries in the early am, but nice loaves come out later in the morning. Kokua Market, a health-food coop on King St near the University has a fairly good selection of yogurts, including goat's milk types...not sure if they have goat's milk itself or not, but worth inquiring. Nearby is Down To Earth which is larger, but for reasons that would be censored on this site, I won't mention why I never shop there...nothing to do with their products.
The KCC Saturday morning farmer's market is the gold standard...should be lots of posts about it here and elsewhere. Some organic, but they police it fairly well to assure that everything is grown, made, or produced in Hawaii, if not O'ahu..
The Indian market at Isenberg/Beretania is run by a very nice Fijian-Indian family. Not a large selection, as the local Indian population is not large, but certainly worth visiting. Lots of spices, and a fair variety of staples.
da falafel king (honolulu)
There was no truck, but a sign in the parking lot at MCC/DTE last night saying they had moved the truck nearby to the corner of University and Coyne...didn't go to see, but sounds like it is across University from the Greek Corner, and opposite Bubbies on Coyne.
Musubi
In all the years people have been taking spam musubi to the beach/hike/school/whatevers I've never heard of any health problems from them being unrefrigerated/unheated etc. You would think with their incredible popularity, that by now we would have had some report of the actual risk.
Perhaps a tangent, but a lot of people fear unrefrigerated mayonnaise, and things made with it, like potato or mac salad. Growing up here, with daily temps constantly 70-80+ degrees I can vouch for the fact that my mother never once refrigerated her big jar of Best Foods mayo, and we all survived. It is my understanding that the lemon juice in mayo inhibits bacteria. What mysterious protective powers spam has remains unknown.
Fried Chicken on Oahu
One of my favorites is Soul at 3040 Waialae, near the University at the intersection of Waialae Ave and St. Louis Hts. Another popular choice, closer to the airport, is Pancakes and Waffles, 1284 Kalani, in a strip mall between Nimitz Hwy and Dillingham.
http://pacificsoulhawaii.com/
Oahu, great fries?
Any more good fries since this report? My lunch companion had the fries at Nico's recently so I got to sample them; agree with K-Man (as usual)...very good, without being exciting. Friend, who usually doesn't have a big appetite, happily finished the rather large portion, and the very large fish portion too. The new Nico's is definitely more pleasant than the old, and the deli is a great addition.
Best sushi/sashimi in Honolulu
If it is the Kapahulu Side Street perhaps they are referring to Genki Sushi, which is actually several blocks farther up across from the new Safeway complex...it does have large glass windows, but has been there for several years, and I don't recall seeing it mentioned as one of the top places for quality sushi. However, it is quite popular with locals, and robo-sushi can be entertaining, especially for visitors who haven't experienced it before. They also have a venue at Ward Centre, which seems to draw more Asian visitors. Kapahulu is K-Man's home turf, so maybe he can clarify things.
Shinsato pork at Kokua Market
Turns out the Shinsato family will visit Kokua on Monday, April 30 from 11:30-1pm for a "Meet your Farmer" event.
http://api.ning.com/files/2I*LOCKMydS81Tl9sBprEtfOZCrpDAFykbIzF2TyIshjG82jWWUEvnU49MMt2s*JRUbWDdsqFdo4Bl7ZyCeaAX9wc3rmmk*P/MeetYourFarmer.jpg
Shinsato pork at Kokua Market
Kokua Market has recently become the only retail outlet where you can purchase Shinsato pork...locally raised and slaughtered. They have until now only sold whole pigs to restaurants.
You can otherwise only find it on the menu at Salt / 12th Ave. Grill /town / Whole Ox, etc. The cuts at Kokua are not cheap, but I recently had a share of a whole Shinsato pig thru the Slow Food group and it was delicious...hope they offer that again.
See page 2 of this link about Chef Ed Kenney and Shinsato: http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/July-2011/Farm-to-Table
Kokua is also carrying Big Island Kulana beef and lamb, and recently started bringing in fresh fish.
Top 50 best Chinese restaurants in the U.S.
Easy to see why Legend's might be at the top of many local lists, but hard to imagine who "voted" for Sweet Home above several other very well-regarded choices.
O'ahu Luau
Tickets are $35, includes pupu, meal, Hawaiian music, and door prizes. Not sure if there is a take-out option for this one. Be forewarned, the beverage provided may be nothing more than a kool-aid-like overly sweet drink, but you can probably ask for tap water. Never hurts to carry a bottle of water with you just in case.
O'ahu Luau
Several visitors in the past have inquired about local luaus that are not primarily tourist shows. Local posters have suggested that church fundraisers are more likely to have better food and the opportunity to enjoy a local ambiance. The best known is the Kaumakapili Church luau in the summer, near downtown Honolulu, which I have enjoyed taking visiting guest to when the timing worked out. Often, these events will offer both a sit-down meal option or a take-out option.
The Pali Lion's Club is holding a luau April 28 to celebrate its 50th anniversary, so if anyone is in town looking for this type of event, here is your chance. I can't vouch for it personally, but the food is coming from Young's Fish Market, which often gets good reviews on this site for its Hawaiian chow.
St. Anthony's Church
148 Makawao St
Kailua (Windward O'ahu) 96734
223-4893
Lunch on east side of hwy.
Luibueno would seem to work well for their return drive "back down the west side," which suggests their intention of heading to Turtle Bay via Kane'ohe and Laie, and then back to HNL via Hale'iwa and central O'ahu. The OP should be aware, if they are not already, that there is no road connection around Ka'ena Point to the west side of the island.
Late Night Dining and Drinks near Waikiki
I would guess a taxi to any of the places mentioned in all of the posts above would be in the $10-15 range. AW is the same distance.
If you think Waikiki and Honolulu shut down early, wait till you get to the Neighbor Islands!
Late Night Dining and Drinks near Waikiki
Not quite as close to Waikiki hotels as some places previously mentioned, but Sushi King in Mo'ili'ili is open till 2, with a Japanese late-nite inexpensive special menu after 10:30 or so, and a sushi bar that is well-regarded. At that hour, no more than a couple minutes further than either Sidestreet location, and easier parking.
Lunch on east side of hwy.
Second Manomin's rec for He'eia Pier. Eating on the pier is very pleasant, but seating is limited, so if it is crowded, you could take your lunch containers to He'eia State Park...the little park on the hill just E or S of the the pier...and picnic up there with great views of the bay, the mountains, and the restored ancient fish pond.
Second choice(s) would be the various shrimp trucks farther up the coast...plenty of references to them on other threads...but not much on views.
2012 Hale Aina awards from Honolulu Magazine
This thread speaks to me about the value of Chowhound vs polls...it becomes pretty clear when people post sincere and detailed reviews and comments that you can place some faith in their reporting. You may not agree on matters of taste or style, but getting the first-hand experience of people willing to take the time to post is very valuable...not so much when they can just click a star rating or stuff a ballot box. Mahalo to all the posters on this board!
Oahu, great fries?
OK K-Man...Lent is now officially over and we are anxiously waiting your report(s) on fries, onion rings, and related indulgences!
Adega Portuguese/Brazilian
Finally got there for dinner on First Friday. Was early and not crowded, but quickly filled up with a mostly older crowd (probably headed for the galleries) in spite of fairly loud music...I suppose later on it is quite lively as a bar/nightclub. Service was good...only a couple of staff but they hustled, and were knowledgeable and helpful.
Started with the Bacalau fritters...7 tiny puffs that were airy and delicious, but pricey for 7 little bites.
As it was Friday, they featured the Brazilian specials which were all quite good. The feijoada, black beans cooked with pork into a stew and served over white rice...the Brazilian national dish...was excellent. Very flavorful, served with toasted yucca (cassava) flour you sprinkle on everything, and garlicky kale that was wonderful.
A Mahi entree in a mild coconut sauce was pleasant, but not really exciting...large piece of fish, so almost surely frozen.
Chicken breast in a mushroom sauce with garlicky shrimp was also very good, if a bit salty, but really delicious. finished with a rice pudding and a sort of clotted cream dessert made with condensed milk, both a little sweet for my taste, but quite reasonable for just $3 ea.
Mixed drinks (Mojito, Capirinha) were good, $7 ea.
Other reviews have been so wildly mixed that we had some apprehension about trying it, but were pleased with what we had. It is my impression that the weekend Brazilian fare is prepared by a different chef than the weekday Portuguese menu. Overall we enjoyed our meal and would try it again....especially for the feijoada.
Peanut Butter Srirachi Pie?
Wow...great idea...I put Indian pickle on all kinds of things, especially breakfast eggs...have got to try it with PB. I never consider what people put together with PB to be strange, ever since my sister grew up favoring PB, Bologna, and Mayo sandwiches.
