The HI Life: Part II

After spending Day 4 snorkeling and laying out in the sun at Hanauma Bay, Mr. Tall and I headed to Ono's Hawaiian Food for dinner, which is a very popular restaurant for locals and tourists alike in Waikiki.  

The restaurant is in a quiet, commercial area, with a nondescript store front. There was a little bit of a wait, but nothing that would deter most people away, as the place seats only about 20-something people at a time.

 Mr. Tall and I ordered the Kalua Pork, Pipikaula (way better at Helena's), Lomi Salmon (which the owner of Ono's joked was the only way that Hawaiians get their vegetable, i.e. onion and tomato), and, of course, my personal favorite, Lau Lau. We also got a side of Spam fried up on the cooktop, and it was salty Spam goodness! While at Ono's, you felt as if you were at a neighbor's home who were cooking up some delicious authentic Hawaiian food. If you're visiting Waikiki, Ono's is a must if you don't want to venture out as far as Helena's for some good local cuisine.

Before Mr. Tall and I knew it, it was our last full day in Oahu. We decided to spend it just hanging out on the beach of Waikiki. For lunch, we walked over to Puka Dog--it's hot dogs with Hawaiian flair!

I got a veggie Puka Dog with lilikoi mustard and habanero garlic lemon sauce, and it was so good! I loved the combination of the sweet lillikoi mustard with the heat of the habanero garlic lemon sauce, all melded together with the perfectly salty dog, held together in a soft bun. I wish we had one on the mainland!

To end our Hawaiian vacation on a high note, Mr. Tall and I started the evening at The Halekulani.

The place to be in Waikiki for cocktail hour(s) is undoubtedly at House Without a Key at The Halekulani. We sipped on the classic Mai Tai and Ambrosia, which came with complimentary house potato chips. We also ordered an appetizer of chicken swekers to go with our cocktails. A full lunch and dinner menu is served at House Without a Key, but most patrons, like us, were there for the pre-dinner cocktail hour and the unbeatable ambiance.

We sipped our cocktails while enjoying the view of Diamond Head, the Waikiki shores, and traditional Hawaiian music and dance under the century-old Kiawe tree. The evening got even more beautiful as the sun set.

I got another cocktail called the Chi Chi, which for someone who's not a big drinker like me was great because it tasted like a coconut smoothie! If you can afford it, I would stay at The Halekulani. But if you can't (like us), definitely visit House Without a Key at least one evening, if not every evening, while you're in Waikiki. The classic cocktails, traditional Hawaiian music and dance, and the Waikiki sunset--it was a beyond perfect way to start our last night in Oahu.

Mr. Tall did some Yelping before we went out that night, which was how we discovered Yakiniku Hiroshi. There is a wide selection of Japanese restaurants in the Waikiki area as there are many Japanese tourists who visit Oahu, and, boy, we we glad we found Yakiniku Hiroshi!

You can order a selection of various (pretty pricey) meats or a la carte for fewer items (and to keep the costs down), and grill the meats yourself at each table's yakiniku grill. I don't remember what the cut above was as it was one of the specials that night, but it was so freakin' delicious.

This was the paper-thin steak grilled up and served with green onions, cripy garlic chips, and Ponzu sauce--totally mouth-watering!

Mr. Tall's favorite of the night was definitely the US Kobe "Toro" Kalbi served with Hiroshi's Special Marinade. The ridiculous marbling made for some of the most tender and flavorful beef we had ever had! If you are a quality meat lover, don't miss Yakiniku Hiroshi!

With all the good eats during the trip, Mr. Tall and I somehow didn't manage to find any Spam Musubi. So, on our way to the airport in the morning, we stopped by 7-Eleven for me to pick up a couple of them. I know that there are probably better Spam Musubi out there, but these were quite tasty, convenient, and satisfied my craving! Since our trip, I have made Spam Musubi at home several times, which is super easy thanks to my Musubi mold.

Unfortunately, there aren't very many good Hawaiian restaurants in San Diego to satisfy our cravings. There was a Leilani's Cafe that opened near Mission Valley, which I thought had the best Hawaiian food in town, but it closed after a very short time (there is still the original location PB). We have found Chamorro Grill on Mission Gorge, which serves Guamanian food but offers many familiar Hawaiian dishes like Kalua Pork and Spam Musubi. Mr. Tall and I have already been trying to figure out when we can make another trip to Oahu or another one of the islands--we definitely left our hearts in Hawaii.

Enjoy,

LMC

Coming next: LMC & familia travel to Greece!

The HI Life: Part I

After my law school graduation and before the Bar prep course, Mr. Tall and I decided to take a trip to Oahu, Hawaii. Neither of us had been to Hawaii, so it was an easy choice for a fun and food-filled vacation. Approximately five and a half hour later on a non-stop flight on Hawaiian Airlines from SAN to HNL, we were there!

Our first stop as soon as we arrived in Oahu was Helena's Hawaiian Food, which is located in a residential neighborhood in Honolulu. The founding chef of Helena's Helen Chock received a James Beard Award in 2000, so needless to say Mr. Tall and I were very excited to try this place. 

We ordered Menu D, which included Pipikaula Short Ribs, Kalua Pork, Lomi Salmon, Poi, and Luau Squid (that green bowl that looks like cream spinach). Of course, it came with a side of Maui onion to eat with chili water and Alaea salt, and Haupia (coconut dessert) to finish off the meal. The first and definitely the best Hawaiian meal of the trip! 

For dinner during our first day in Waikiki, Mr. Tall found a Japanese restaurant in the heart of Waikiki called Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin. Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin doesn't just specialize in Tonkatsu, they specialize in Tonkatsu made with Kurobuta, or the Kobe beef of pork. 

First, you grind up toasted sesame seeds, as coarsely or as finely as you'd prefer, to add to their house Tonkatsu sauce. 

The Kurobuta Tonkatsu was tender and well cooked--almost as good as Maisen in Japan! Day 2 in Oahu took us to the top of Nu'uanu Pali and the beautiful beach of Lanikai. For a late lunch, Mr. Tall and I went to Young's Fish Market, which is such a great Hawaiian plate lunch/takeout spot.

I tried my first Lau Lau, which is a traditional Hawaiian dish of pork and butterfish wrapped inside taro leaves, and was hooked! The dish sounds a bit strange and doesn't exactly look appealing, but the saltiness of the butterfish with the mild yet slightly bitter taste of the taro leaves made the dish so delicious and comforting.

Mr. Tall got the Kalua Pork, which like other lunch plates at Young's, came with 2 scoops of rice and a side of purple sweet potato, which he really enjoyed. Although Mr. Tall thought the Kalua pork was relatively good, it was his least favorite of the trip. After a quick lunch at Young's, we made our way over to the Shimazu Store for some shave ice!

Mr. Tall got the Rainbow Combo with (blue) vanilla, strawberry, and banana syrup, and vanilla ice cream on the bottom. 

I ordered mine with lilikoi (passion fruit), lychee, and green tea syrup, topped with sweetened condensed milk, all on top of Azuki red bean! It was the perfect afternoon treat after the day at the beach. The Shimazu Store is a small, family-owned operation, which is totally different from the empire of Matsumoto Shave Ice. Even though Mr. Tall and I didn't make it to Matsumoto, we prefer our experience at the Shimazu Store because of its personable service and handmade quality of each order of Shave Ice.

On Day 3, Mr. Tall and I visited the USS Arizona Memorial in the morning, and hiked up Diamond Head in the afternoon. The USS Arizona Memorial site was a great place to visit and reflect on the sacrifice the men and women in service have made and continue to make. For lunch, we stuffed our faces with some more Hawaiian food at the Rainbow Drive-In. We were so hungry that I forgot to take any photos!

Not too far from the Rainbow Drive-In is Leonard's Bakery, the home of their famous Malasadas. Malasadas are Portuguese donut confection that are super popular in Hawaii.

The Malasadas are simply fried dough rolled in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar. We got half a dozen of them to enjoy after the hike up Diamond Head, and for dessert after dinner that night. Mr. Tall and I headed to the Ala Moana shopping complex to walk around and do a little shopping (taxes are much lower in HI than in CA!). We didn't have any dinner plans, so Mr. Tall did a little Yelping while we were shopping and found that Alan Wong's Pineapple Room is conveniently located inside the Macy's. We started with a Chinese Roast Duck Quesadilla, which was probably the best thing of the night (and that isn't saying too much). 

Mr. Tall ordered a mango and Macademia nut-crusted, apple curry glazed Kurobota pork chop served with Kabocha pumpkin and Mascarpone cheese puree, and he thought it was good. He sure ate a lot of Kurobota pork that week!

We had been eating a lot of heavy dishes, so I thought I would order something light like the seared peppered Ahi with Asian slaw. Although the Ahi was fresh, the whole dish was a big letdown. The prices at the Pineapple Room were high for what I thought was mediocre food--or maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes. The place left me disappointed especially considering the fact that Alan Wong put his name on it! 

That's it for Part I; Part II will be here tomorrow! 

Enjoy, 

LMC

A Food Travelogue: Tokyo and Yokohama, Part II

During our fourth day in Japan, we explored the hectic streets of Tokyo. I had researched for a place for us to do lunch while we were district-hopping around Tokyo, and found the perfect place--Maisen in the Shibuya. Maisen is famous for its Kurobuta (more commonly known as the black or Berkshire pork) Tonkatsu. Although Maisen is hidden behind the Omotesando Hills shopping area, it was relatively easy to find using our city map. 

The bottom level of Maisen consists of the bar area where most solo diners are seated; and the upper level is the seated dining area. My family and I were quickly seated upstairs, and I knew exactly what I wanted. 

We started out with the Korobuta Siu Mai (my parents' selection, above), which was decent, but not anything special.

My parents also shared the Katsu Don (above). While my sister went for the "regular" Tonkatsu, I went for the real deal--the Kurobota Tonkatsu! And it was perfection. 

The Kurobota pork was extremely moist and flavorful, and the panko breadcrumbs had the most amazing crunch. Maisen, of course, makes their own Tonkatsu sauces. My Tonkatsu came with its own sauce, which was a big deviation from what we're used to in bottled sauces and Japanese restaurants in the U.S. I could not decipher what ingredients exactly were in their sauce, but I would imagine that it had finely grated dikon, maybe some ginger, among other things. The sauce was sweet, savory, slightly tangy, and perfectly complemented the rich and crispy katsu. This was undoubtedly my favorite meal in Tokyo. 

After lunch, my family and I wandered over to the Meiji Jingu, where we witnessed an incredible part of the country's spirituality and history from the Meiji era. 

We finally made our way to the heart of Harajuku, where we sampled its immensely popular crepe from one of the packed crepe shops. 

Before heading back to the Tokyo Dome Hotel, we asked around for suggestions of where to have dinner, and were kindly directed to a nondescript ramen shop behind the Harajuku subway station. And, boy, were we happy to have found it! Like many ramen shops in Tokyo, there was the usual "vending machine" where customers conveniently order and pay for their ramen selections. 

After you purchase your ramen, then you are seated individually in a carrel stacked in rectangular arrangements. The servers operate in the center of the carrel arrangement, and you never see their faces! (See LMC's Mama above in a carrel about to dig into her rame.) It was a very anti-social dining experience, but the ramen was amazing! 

I really don't remember what I had ordered exactly, but it was even better than any of the Ramens we sampled at the Ramen Musuem. The ramen was one of the smaller noodles with a miso-based broth, a few slices of pork, and a generous sprinkle of scallions. Definitely, my second favorite meal in Tokyo--so much fantastic food all in one day!

On our last day in Japan, LMC, Pinnerton & Co. visited another must-see tourist destination, the Asakusa Namamise. After wandering around Sensoji, or the Asakusa Temple, I was excited to try some of the food vendors in the Namamise--and there were a lot of vendors!

We started with Amazake, or sweetened hot sake which is served during the winter season, then moved on to various kabidango, or sweets--they were all so good! 

 

 

 

Finally, we took departing photos at the Kaminarimon Gate. 

That's it for LMC's culinary adventures and travelogue in Japan. More traveling and good eats to come! 


Enjoy, 


LMC

A Food Travelogue: Tokyo and Yokohama, Part I

Pinnerton and I, along with our folks, traveled to Japan recently. Upon arriving to Narita, where we would be spending our first night in Japan, we were in need of a light lunch. We took a quick cab ride to the Aeon shopping center.

After walking around for a while, we settled on a casual Japanese restaurant--we were lured in by the nifty faux food.

The first dish we shared was some sort of rice bowl topped with chopped sashimi of salmon, tuna, and shrimp, as well as tamago, cucumber, and scallions. It was served with a warm broth that tasted like some mirin or rice vinegar. Light and refreshing.

The second dish was like a fish katsu in a hot broth. This one was very tasty. None of us had any idea of what either of the two dishes were called because we basically pointed to a picture on their menu and nodded. At least things worked out well so far with that strategy.

My first encounter with the amazing Japanese toilets. Among the nifty toilet technology, there were washing or spraying options to clean your tush and water sounds to facilitate your toilet experience.

The Japanese are definitely known for their efficiency and clever product design. They are also known for their emphasis on convenience. Case in point: ice in a cup. Genius, right? Why have I not seen this in American supermarkets? They also had sake in a cup among other equally intriguing supermarket or convenience store items.

After spending the night in Narita, we made our way to Yokohama to do some sightseeing, including the San Diego Friendship Fountain.

The highlight in Yokohama was probably the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum. It was a bit of a tourist trap with exhibitions about the history of ramen, but it was also a good place to sample various, unique types and recipes of ramen. Above is a nifty ramen vending machine in front of each vendor: insert money, choose your ramen, and grab your ticket and change. Again, efficiency and convenience are key.

The ramen man at Yamagata Ryuhanhai skillfully cooking the ramen noodles.

Yamagata Ryushanhai: miso-type ramen--chicken, pork, and seafood-based soup with medium-shaped noodles, topped with slice pork, and chili, miso, and garlic paste. This was the most amazing bowl of ramen I have ever had--the broth was extremely flavorful; the noodles were fresh and perfectly cooked; and the chili/miso/garlic paste added the last punch.

Kumamoto Komurasaki: tonkatsu-style ramen--chicken, ginger, and pork-based soup-- with thinner-shaped noodles, topped with sliced pork, seaweed, and a boiled egg. The broth was visibly cloudier and richer than the miso ramen. The bowl was also huge! Pinnerton and I shared so we were able to enjoy both types of ramen. I don't think I can have ramen state-side ever again ... It's just not the same!

I wish we could have gone to all the 9 vendors at the ramen museum, but unfortunately the tour must go on. We went on a boat ride then on the Hakone Ropeway (an aerial tram) to the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, where you could still see the remants of Mount Fuji's volcanic activity. Above is the Owakudani Boiling Valley--known for the "black eggs" (the eggs turn black when boiled in the hot springs due to the sulphur level), which is supposed to add 7 years to your life. We didn't make it there in time to consume freshly boiled black eggs, but we did purchase some pre-boiled eggs in a vacuum-sealed pack. My sister and I tried the black egg soft serve ice cream. It tasted just like any other ice cream, but hopefully its longevity benefits will still translate in the ice cream application.

A view of Mount Fuji.

After a wonderful stay at the Hotel Fujihana and a relaxing onsen (traditional Japanese hot spring) experience, my family and I traveled to Oshino Hakkai, where there were spring pools flowing from Mount Fuji. My camera ran out of battery so no picture from there--bummer! After checking into our new hotel, we went exploring around Tokyo and visited the Imperial Palace (above). Unfortunately, it is only opened to the public for a few days a year, and we were not so lucky.

While we were exploring Tokyo and its many famous districts, we made a stop at the iconic Herzog and de Meuron's Prada structure located in the Omotesando district. We also stopped by the Commes des Garcons flagship, but it wasn't opened yet. I tried finding the BAPE store, but we gave up after wandering the streets to no avail. Apparently, the store is purposely hard to find--well, they succeeded.

That's it for the first part of LMC's culinary adventures in Japan--way more food to come in the next travelogue including the BEST tonkatsu in Tokyo and amazing food vendors at the Asakusa Nakamise.

Enjoy,

Little Miss Contrary