tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-380689562024-03-21T13:54:55.167-10:00Random Dictates of a Half Ass FoodieI like food--cooking it and eating it. I like good food, but I think I have a pretty broad idea of what good food is. I like seared ahi and spam musubi, creme brulee and big pots of stew. I'm attracted to food that is cheap, indulgent, healthy, easy, or just plain tasty.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-64042938575549415322011-07-24T22:02:00.003-10:002011-07-24T22:07:59.612-10:00Koloa Mill Ice Cream & CoffeeWe were in Koloa yesterday, taking Olive to meet her great-grandma. Kea, Olive, my mom, my brother, and I took the 9 am flight in and spent the day at great-grandma's house with various uncles and aunties. By 3 pm, Olive was cranky but refused to take a nap and Kea and I were ready for our second coffee of the day so we went for a drive. We stopped by blow hole and then the little commercial area in Koloa near Sueoka Store. We stopped by Koloa Mill Ice Cream & Coffee and I was not expecting much. <br /><br />First happy thing was that they saw my local driver's license when I opened my wallet to pay and gave me a discount. Second, the iced coffee is just about the best I've ever had. Smooth. Third, the iced mocha was also good--not too sweet. This place is super awesome. I want to go back! They also have locally-made Roselani ice cream--and plenty flavors too, not just the kind they sell in the grocery store.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-85725143423015523042011-06-21T21:55:00.002-10:002011-06-21T21:55:54.819-10:00sandwich of the daytoast+cream cheese+korean pear+walnutsRobynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-12168206244242451062011-03-20T12:49:00.004-10:002011-03-20T13:15:13.429-10:00Tea at 1024, Honolulu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh_eX3h4vJrZZZO27zhZOIfoNbFYdNA0gEGAxiXOnACStTIhQhcJBzlhIjjghsn3pjhigWQs-1Vi4_NJpstjwk0w7UW2v5hPP_spkjIsD_k7YZldnHmOJVGiq7aUmhlwBbanqyQ/s1600/DSCN0797.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh_eX3h4vJrZZZO27zhZOIfoNbFYdNA0gEGAxiXOnACStTIhQhcJBzlhIjjghsn3pjhigWQs-1Vi4_NJpstjwk0w7UW2v5hPP_spkjIsD_k7YZldnHmOJVGiq7aUmhlwBbanqyQ/s400/DSCN0797.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586304037943361298" /></a>Went <a href="http://www.teaat1024.net/">here</a> for my cousin's bridal shower yesterday. I was excited because I've always wanted to try it. You get to choose your own teacup to use from off the shelves. Just a little thing that is fun. This is the one I picked.<div><br /></div><div>They also have hats and boas to wear, which is kinda cute.</div><div><br /></div><div>They gave us their house tea first, a black tea with raspberry and rose petals I think they said. I didn't think I'd like the rose, but it was good. Later they asked us if we wanted to try another tea.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjnMd7ikMBTWZA-N4tJNRPN_nP3l-n_bBJrpnlksuGdho5HHa-zloZp2k6Ww05Fh6bkLrOUjYHemP8wbiyn-wjyedaJgcC8U6VOIKn0robgyC5fHivxcJ2spfJU3DFIaTzPqT5Q/s400/DSCN0799.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586304431719982850" /><div><br /></div><div>Food was good. There were sandwiches, of course. My favorites were the smoked salmon, curry chicken, crab and olive, and cucumber. The egg salad sandwich was a bit boring and the cheese sandwich was strange. The scones were good and hooray for clotted cream. Idk what that stuff is but it's so good. I wouldn't know what to do with it besides put it on scones though.</div><div><br /></div><div>Desserts were also good--and pretty. In the glasses is some kind of lemon dessert. In the chocolate cups is chocolate mousse; I think they said it was chocolate haupia, but it just tasted like chocolate to me. And the flower-shaped thing is like a brownie with a molten center.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've had tea at Waioli Tea Room before and can't decide which I like better!<br /><br /></div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-73183481949474583922011-03-12T14:42:00.001-10:002011-03-12T14:42:44.728-10:00wendy's frosties...... are so reasonably sized.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-38943122357956331912011-03-05T10:36:00.005-10:002011-03-05T10:54:32.224-10:00Grand Cafe and Bakery<div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>The back story</b></span></div>I always heard great things about <a href="http://www.grandcafeandbakery.com/">Grand Cafe and Bakery</a> but never went until yesterday.<div><br /></div><div>It's kind of a random story. We had to pick Kea's dad up at the airport at around 8 and I had a doctor's appointment in the Chinatown/downtown area at 9:30. We figured we'd go for breakfast. Kea's dad is mostly into Local food. Actually, I think it's more that he's not into spending money on food. Like I think when Kea was growing up, they never ate out. And when his dad does eat out, it's like okazuya and plate lunch places mostly. </div><div><br /></div><div>So Kea and I were trying to think where to have breakfast with his dad. We thought about Byron's, Mitsuken, and Char Hung Sut (his dad's favorite place to get manapua) but were kind of at a loss. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, it was his dad's idea to go to Grand Cafe. Every time he makes this kind of suggestion, we immediately think, oh this must be some place his girlfriend introduced him too. It's amusing. In any case, I was glad for a chance to try the place.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>The food</b></span></div><div>First off, their pastries are amazing. I am not a pastry person. I often will eat them if they're around because it seems like you should and then I'll like barely even enjoy it and feel totally sick after. The Grand Cafe pastries, though, well, they're small, which is fine with me. The size is closer to that of rugelach than the bear claws we usually see though. The pastry itself is amazing. I usually think of the pastry as just the holder for the filling, but this pastry was seriously the best part. Anyway, I had the apple and tried the lemon cream cheese; I definitely preferred the apple. The lemon cream cheese was too cheesy for me. Kea and his dad had bear claws and Kea tried the lemon cream cheese too; he preferred the bear claw also.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had a pretty basic breakfast. I can't remember what it was called, but it was basically pancakes, eggs, and bacon. I didn't know what to order and I figured this way I could try a little of everything. And even this basic breakfast was good. The pancakes were very light, as advertised. Even the eggs were good. I'm not a fan of scrambled eggs and only ordered them because I'm not supposed to eat raw yolks right now, but these were a good texture and tasted better than scrambled eggs I'm used to too. (Maybe scrambled eggs are usually overcooked? I'm not sure exactly what it is.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Kea had the breakfast panini and his dad had corned beef hash and eggs. His dad spoke highly of the omelettes and eggs from what he remembered last time.</div><div><br /></div><div>One last thing: There was a Bananas Fosters French Toast on the menu. I was so tempted to order it, but it came with gelato, which just sounded out of control.</div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-34421743852855565262011-02-06T19:29:00.003-10:002011-02-06T19:36:21.504-10:00EmpanadasMade <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/chicken-and-bean-puff-pastry-empanadas-recipe/index.html">empanadas</a> for a get-together last night. They were a hit; I think I'll try and make them again some other time now that I got the kinks out. In hopes that you can learn from my mistakes, here is a list of things I forgot to do:<div><ul><li>Thaw the puff pastry. I'd allow about 20-30 minutes for this.</li><li>Roll out the pastry before you cut it into 4" squares. Luckily, if you mess up you can just have bigger empanadas, which is not too much of a problem. I don't know if pastry sheets are always folded into thirds, but ours were and each third seemed to roll out to about 4" wide.</li><li>If you don't have non-stick baking pans, use Pam or something.</li><li>Don't forget the vegetable oil on top; I think it just makes it brown up nicer, but that is a good thing.</li></ul><div>I also didn't use a full 1/4 cup of oil in the filling. I just started with a tablespoon or two and added more as needed to keep the filling saute-ing (and not burning).</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I also didn't make the salsa provided in this recipe because I am nervous about fruit salsas. Luckily someone had brought homemade salsa and that was a good thing. (The corners tend not to have much filling so salsa is nice with those bits.</div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-740015384596380022011-01-29T23:25:00.003-10:002011-01-29T23:37:36.479-10:00SoulFinally finally went to <a href="http://pacificsoulhawaii.com/">Soul</a>, a soul food restaurant in Hawai'i. (Word of caution: their website kind of stinks. Not sure why but the links are super slow for me.) This place has been getting a lot of good press. If I remember correctly, they started out as a food truck, and before that, the chef Sean Priester was at Top of Waikiki and getting good press there. And who the hell goes to that restaurant anyways? <div><br /></div><div>Anyway, was trying not to get my hopes up. For one thing, there aren't many places to get soul food in Hawai'i so this place doesn't even have to be good, but it is. I heard the fried chicken was the best in Hawai'i and I'd also heard good things about the vegetarian chili. K and I both had the chicken and chili, which also comes with collard greens, coleslaw, and cornbread. Sooo good. Seriously, the juiciest, most flavorful fried chicken I've ever had. A little on the salty side, but I prefer that to too bland. I wasn't sure about getting fried chicken because I find it's so messy and I usually get lazy about eating it. Not this one though. It's good stuff. K pointed out that they separate (but don't remove) the bone before they fry it. This way, the chicken can cook all the way through without getting dry.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't that big a fan of the chili, although K and our other friend really liked it. I really liked the cornbread, but, honestly, it was all good. We shared a slice of sweet potato pie after and K said he thinks maybe that was his favorite.</div><div><br /></div><div>Parking is a pain here, yes, and the restaurant is pretty crowded too. Our party of three got there a little after 6 on a Saturday night and they managed to squeeze us in. Also, the level of fancy is a bit confusing as it looks nice inside, but you go up to the counter to order. We talked about how it reminded us of India Cafe back in the day; both restaurants even have the TV playing "cultural" entertainment. lol. </div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-8218880135006764332011-01-23T12:07:00.003-10:002011-01-23T12:15:41.555-10:00Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD2Slb-P33PNAnJrYZKZFUskJ9vlw79dCBQ0Efmc0AI6CMDQepZ5UCDtjhkV36o7C4pMql6y8x6ilAXqQ-yuBjCu5Wl-NuVGyutfzCrQB6HpXWJu62-ZlgRagJO19LoOQERSBng/s1600/DSCN0717.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD2Slb-P33PNAnJrYZKZFUskJ9vlw79dCBQ0Efmc0AI6CMDQepZ5UCDtjhkV36o7C4pMql6y8x6ilAXqQ-yuBjCu5Wl-NuVGyutfzCrQB6HpXWJu62-ZlgRagJO19LoOQERSBng/s400/DSCN0717.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565508454159153570" /></a>Made this for a family party. I ended up with 14 sticks (6-7 pieces/stick), which used almost two full packs of bacon and I'd say not even half a Costco bag of asparagus. The instructions I found online said to cut the asparagus to the width of the bacon but I might consider cutting it longer next time to up the asparagus:bacon ratio. <div><br /></div><div>I found that cutting the bacon into quarters makes it a good length for wrapping; any shorter and it's messy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Baked in a single layer on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. (I find that the back of my oven is hotter so next time I'll rotate the pan halfway through. And soaked the skewers beforehand of course.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Surprisingly, these don't need to be eaten super hot. Still good at room temperature. They were a big hit--even though my health freak dad was alarmed at the amount of bacon.</div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-11799212069390696122010-12-12T21:03:00.001-10:002010-12-12T21:04:42.401-10:00Land O Lakes Arctic White Hot Cocoa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.office-supplies-usa.com/images/Land_O_Lakes_Arctic_White_Package.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 232px;" src="http://www.office-supplies-usa.com/images/Land_O_Lakes_Arctic_White_Package.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">This kind of just tastes like sugar milk. And that is okay with me right now.</div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-46948451207424140642010-12-12T09:54:00.000-10:002010-12-12T10:13:51.934-10:00Enchiladas and Beans<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIUzHDzhu-p2ukmRqnufA9oAKeGjb-r8VUit07KNAEM4estMNQjhAMg2RISyirLlc5Wu7pbLpC_iCNXNuEfuD7RAqninclJdSiC5RT0EajUlpdl_OaGSfNwUgCGGixbv8aXvflg/s1600/DSCN0665.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIUzHDzhu-p2ukmRqnufA9oAKeGjb-r8VUit07KNAEM4estMNQjhAMg2RISyirLlc5Wu7pbLpC_iCNXNuEfuD7RAqninclJdSiC5RT0EajUlpdl_OaGSfNwUgCGGixbv8aXvflg/s320/DSCN0665.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549886705258358802" /></a>Cooked up a storm yesterday. We were getting together with Kea's cousin, who was here for surgery, and her family, and Kea's sister and her family, which includes two school-age kids who have sports like all day on Saturdays. We were happy to cook since we hardly ever do, although we were a little worried about cooking for so many people, as we never have before. Seriously, this is the most burners we have ever used. <div><br /></div><div>I did the beans in the back. I have always wanted to try making beans from scratch and I figured this was a good opportunity cuz how you gonna take a can of beans to someone's house? I was a little worried though that the effort wouldn't be worth it because I've sometimes had beans from scratch that were nothing special. Hoped it would just be about seasoning though and I was really happy with how it turned out. I used this <a href="http://www.chow.com/recipes/13464-authentic-black-bean-recipe-by-gregory">recipe</a>, although I don't know why it lists "slow cooker" as one of the tools because in the directions, it doesn't really make sense to use a slow cooker. Anyway, my beans were soft after only about 2.5 hours I think, but I still stewed them for an extra couple hours with the sofrito (which is in the fry pan) and it was fine. Oh, also, I didn't use the food mill cuz too much work! So I just diced the onion and pepper to start off. Warning: This smells soooo good as it cooks!</div><div><br /></div><div>Kea wanted to make green sauce for the first time (in foreground). He found tomatillos and serranos at Safeway Kapahulu, which he says has everything. I'm not sure what recipe he used, but it called for like 4-5 serranos and it was way too hot. We like hot stuff of all kinds, like wasabi, ginger, angry red Korean soups, Thai. Really, we like stuff that's hot enough to make you sweat, but this was too much so he ended up throwing some sour cream in. It worked out okay; even our 12-year-old nephew ate it (although he did say it was hot). Next time, though, starting with maybe 1 or 2 peppers! The big surprise for us was that green sauce is not too hard to make; it seems a lot less common than red sauce so I thought it must be hard to make, but the basic steps were boil tomatillos and peppers until tomatillos lose their bright green color, and then blend.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since we were making two pans of enchiladas, I suggested using corn tortillas for one (because I love them so much more). They were very fragile, but I love the taste. And I think flour tortillas make me feel sick sometimes.</div>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-82619854769465690702010-09-04T16:00:00.002-10:002010-09-04T16:17:32.580-10:00The Big Frozen Yogurt ChallengeI guess it's probably been the past year or so that we've been trying all the different frozen yogurt places around town and I've come to define my own ranking and a sense of the strengths of each of them. You might think this is sad, but I think it is also useful.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Milano Freezer</span>: We used to go here a lot because K's friends love it. They primarily serve gelato, which is also awesome, but they also serve some frozen yogurt. One shortcoming with the frozen yogurt is that they only have original and one other flavor (like blueberry). The original is really good though and I think Milano Freezer has the freshest fruit toppings (e.g. strawberries).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Menchie's</span>: I've eaten here quite a bit too. I guess because I live near one. I like their cake batter, cheesecake, original, and red velvet flavors. Their fresh fruits aren't always the best.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yogurtland</span>: I've only been here a couple of times. Went because of their Tokidoki promotion and because it was the first of the new frozen yogurt places I'd heard of when they first opened near UH a few years ago. The yogurt seemed very runny to me, like it was messy getting it out of the dispenser. The texture also seemed more icy than creamy to me. Overall, I'm not a Yogurtland fan yet. Both times we went, it was just before closing though so this may have caused some of the problems.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">OrangeTree/OrangeGrove</span>: My favorite thing about this place is the bubble and jelly toppings. My favorites are the yogurt, lilikoi, and lychee bubbles. It's been awhile since I went here so I can't even remember what flavor yogurt I like!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cherry On Top</span>: The best thing about this place is their chocolate yogurt. Chocolate flavors at other places like OrangeTree/OrangeGrove and Menchie can be a little weird. I had thought that maybe chocolate flavor just didn't translate well to frozen yogurt, but this place proved me wrong.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tutti Frutti</span>: Like OrangeTree/OrangeGrove, this place also has bubbles and jellies. I think they have a greater selection of toppings (or maybe just different ones) than other places too. I was surprised to see just about every kind of M&M (plain, peanut, coconut, pretzel, etc.) available, for instance. I also managed to put together a breakfast-themed snack here: coffee yogurt with granola and coffee jelly on top.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-90894826430195441702010-08-12T22:28:00.002-10:002010-08-12T22:40:35.021-10:00Bianelli's Pizza in KonaKea and his mom took me to Kona for my flight home on Wednesday. Kea's mom had to stop by AT&T and we thought we'd grab lunch nearby. There was a Subway, Korean food place, Safeway, Blazin Steaks, and <a href="http://bianellis.com/">Bianelli's Pizza</a>. Usually I think we'd go for Korean, but Kea has not been in the mood for that lately. We were curious about Bianelli's, but cautious for a couple reasons:<br /><ol><li>It's located in a health food store. Seemed kind of strange. I mean, I am not opposed to health food at all, but it doesn't always seem the best direction to go in for pizza.</li><li>It's in Kona.</li></ol>In reality, A and B overlap. Together, they gave us cause for concern that it would be expensive. We were pleasantly surprised. We ordered a deep dish with mushrooms, ham, garlic, and spinach. This was to split between three of us and it cost about $18. (I was also eye-ing their lunch special: $6 for slice, soda, and salad.) As the clerk informed us, it was 6 slices.<br /><br />It was enough for the three of us (with Kea being a big eater and me and his mom pretty small eaters). I'm not sure if everyone really had their fill, but I sure did with my share. I think it would've still been pretty reasonable if we had added on a salad or something too. The garlic was whole, marinated cloves; that was a highlight. The crust was nice and crispy; the clerk mentioned that it was twice-baked. Overall: delicious.<br /><br />The one down-side was that it wasn't deep dish! Kea and I have come to expect this. You really can't get deep dish this far from Chicago. So, that's barely a knock on Bianelli's. Still good pizza!Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-28766553955101196442010-06-02T20:18:00.017-10:002010-07-06T11:42:22.457-10:00White chili<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1tbu2YnrzdEffHUHKWnYoXQ9JDVSZYhm5lAQVaGAIMIo-wcG2sNMamiSzNkgp31zb0CT8Je3QxqayAh_GLCmJAJRn0GfFEKdRBW1BPXL91FmnYL0GrdaWq-Uhgtts5lBb0R2yw/s1600/DSCN0612.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1tbu2YnrzdEffHUHKWnYoXQ9JDVSZYhm5lAQVaGAIMIo-wcG2sNMamiSzNkgp31zb0CT8Je3QxqayAh_GLCmJAJRn0GfFEKdRBW1BPXL91FmnYL0GrdaWq-Uhgtts5lBb0R2yw/s320/DSCN0612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489129806516900610" border="0" /></a>I grew up eating chili con carne. My mom cooks it and all. It is one of the things I am most comfortable cooking myself. Never had white chili though. Thought it sounded gross, but a trusted friend spoke highly of it and shared the recipe she used so I wanted to give it a try.<br /><br />My husband and I liked it; my parents thought it was okay. I think their minds were sort of blown by the idea of white chili. While I was cooking, my dad said, "So it doesn't have tomatoes? Why would you do that?"<br /><br />I also made sure to add the cheese when my parents weren't looking because they tend to get nervous about the amount of cheese my husband and I eat. I didn't find the chili too rich though. It was very interesting to have the cheese melted into the sauce, different than anything else we eat regularly. And because of this, I think my parents didn't even really know that it had cheese in it.<br /><br />I served the chili with cornbread. I think this also confused my parents.<br /><br />My recipe needs some tweaking but I think this was a good first try.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Recipe</span><br />Adapted from <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/white_chili/">Simply Recipes</a> and <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Chili-with-Ground-Turkey/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a><br /><br />1.5 lbs. chicken, cut into small pieces<br />1 onion<br />3 cloves garlic<br />2 t cumin<br />2 t oregano<br />1/4 t cinnamon<br />1/4 t cayenne<br />8 oz. canned green chiles<br />45 oz. cannelini beans<br />5 cups chicken broth<br />2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTUCdSjGP2rZAk2QXlK1WEZGW4_3hHsFKqFHYfNkQ6hAg17BbzZEF_33lj1B6c-VQS3kuazCIazwT8PFPMlYxpIT07fzBBGcLyQBkcOp8mvSBECV5g8dJEFvQ_vmdIYS-2JzhSw/s1600/DSCN0615.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 412px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTUCdSjGP2rZAk2QXlK1WEZGW4_3hHsFKqFHYfNkQ6hAg17BbzZEF_33lj1B6c-VQS3kuazCIazwT8PFPMlYxpIT07fzBBGcLyQBkcOp8mvSBECV5g8dJEFvQ_vmdIYS-2JzhSw/s320/DSCN0615.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489130666116935602" border="0" /></a><br /><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and chicken and saute for 10 minutes, or until chicken is well browned. Salt to taste. Add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper to taste and saute for 5 more minutes. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Add two cans of the beans and the chicken broth to the pot. Take the third can of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add this to the pot along with the cheese. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt. </span></li></ol>Notes:<br /><ol><li>One of the recipes calls for ground turkey; I went with chicken just because it was on sale.<br /></li><li>I only used two cans and did not puree a third can but I wish the chili came out thicker so I would puree a third can next time.</li><li>I only had half an onion. :(<br /></li><li>I might consider using more spices next time.</li><li>I didn't salt the chicken before I cooked it and it really needed it. Don't make this rookie mistake!</li><li>I used 6 cups of chicken broth and it was a lot--although with the pureed beans, it might've been okay.<br /></li></ol>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-3633027369160714222010-05-21T23:38:00.019-10:002010-07-04T18:57:19.719-10:00Ratatouille, Take 2Take 1 was delicious, but not so aesthetically pleasing. Didn't make the cut for the blog! This one is somewhat presentable, although using yellow squash and/or yellow and red bell peppers would give it even more aesthetic value. This is what the finished product looked like.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvhzsFUT4luWlTMSVabrK8U1PyEeD000d6zKwpXNqAPXtKhmQtdOvOKPfEH0-xotQH1spSBhpBb0gg8TSwpq7Qf_oJAp0a0RAwZ2OcD3pCEoEa0YGTVJEeaqn0W0cY7M4zT5u3Q/s1600/DSCN0608.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvhzsFUT4luWlTMSVabrK8U1PyEeD000d6zKwpXNqAPXtKhmQtdOvOKPfEH0-xotQH1spSBhpBb0gg8TSwpq7Qf_oJAp0a0RAwZ2OcD3pCEoEa0YGTVJEeaqn0W0cY7M4zT5u3Q/s200/DSCN0608.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474027199173880770" border="0" /></a>In Take 1, I had ignored the instructions to use a large skillet to saute each vegetable separately before putting it into the large pot. The zucchini got way overcooked and a lot of them disintegrated. So this time I followed directions. Here you can see my two pans: one for the individual saute and one for combining all the cooked veggies.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN0mZvbdF7LIoJdU_LOa22TKEL6Y4RhyphenhyphenQcFZMa_dUEM7xXrjLlAenZ5CetQqtoNNo8j4XdORP88Rxp9pJexEr7bW9Q1CjaOAatvyLvpJtELMd7Sq0NIYFUI6fde_yRAI_67jzrA/s1600/DSCN0605.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN0mZvbdF7LIoJdU_LOa22TKEL6Y4RhyphenhyphenQcFZMa_dUEM7xXrjLlAenZ5CetQqtoNNo8j4XdORP88Rxp9pJexEr7bW9Q1CjaOAatvyLvpJtELMd7Sq0NIYFUI6fde_yRAI_67jzrA/s200/DSCN0605.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474030383348676482" border="0" /></a>Still, the zucchini and eggplant got a bit over done. I think next time I need to follow the directions more closely--and only <span style="font-style: italic;">brown</span> the vegetables before adding them to the pot rather than cooking them more fully.<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNAgeC6lsHOc5Hbza6PPYpBbZjOnyS52AO3frM-V3iNvqg0yzDk54sivKNjAgUzUbvh7rA9izJXSA2rinej_XpDvVyuN-YpbK61qcRHRDOMis-AQaMcbdPIZ6l6-ACIUW_KFRkA/s1600/DSCN0603.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNAgeC6lsHOc5Hbza6PPYpBbZjOnyS52AO3frM-V3iNvqg0yzDk54sivKNjAgUzUbvh7rA9izJXSA2rinej_XpDvVyuN-YpbK61qcRHRDOMis-AQaMcbdPIZ6l6-ACIUW_KFRkA/s200/DSCN0603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474033407120129810" border="0" /></a>Another problem is that I have trouble chopping my vegetables into even cubes! Something else to work on I guess.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUpMFNLrEYIPcEjzbqUZe-jwycyvthrPxcgj0K_Pqjxxdh4bvHzafT8oUgZf5tIhtmmgTJfkwrAH69M8-H_TbT6ilzQ5OijQyu3o89a8YhPn1-NQ43asHUw3b_VXY_A7B8KKV9w/s1600/DSCN0598.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 395px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUpMFNLrEYIPcEjzbqUZe-jwycyvthrPxcgj0K_Pqjxxdh4bvHzafT8oUgZf5tIhtmmgTJfkwrAH69M8-H_TbT6ilzQ5OijQyu3o89a8YhPn1-NQ43asHUw3b_VXY_A7B8KKV9w/s200/DSCN0598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474030372704209586" border="0" /></a>I also ended up adding about 4 tablespoons of olive oil to each batch of eggplant just 'cause that stuff soaks up so much oil. I don't mind though; makes it taste good. I mean seriously, this dish is all veggies so what's a little olive oil?<br /><br />I love this dish. My family and I ate it as a side dish with grilled chicken and pork and also as a snack in the afternoons. My parents said it looks like pinakbet! And it does have some of the same veggies. I guess it's Italian pinakbet!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Recipe </span><br />Adapted from Summer Vegetable Ratatouille at <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Summer-Vegetable-Ratatouille/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com</a><br /><br />1 onion, sliced into thin rings<br />2 cloves garlic, minced<br /> 1 medium eggplant, cubed<br /> 2 zucchini, cubed<br /> 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed<br />2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped<br /> 1/2 cup olive oil<br /> 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley<br />8 sprigs fresh thyme<br /> salt and pepper to taste<ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Lower burner to medium-low or low.<br /></span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic. (Really, just brown the veggies. They'll have time to fully cook later.)<br /></span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. (You may need more for the eggplant as those buggers really suck up the oil.) Once each batch has been sauteed, add them to the large pot as was done in step 2. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. </span></li><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. </span></li></ol>Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-26282848596211377202010-05-20T10:00:00.003-10:002010-05-20T11:56:14.586-10:00Breakfast: Sourdough+ratatouille+fried egg<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EH80vSH0oegrjcYrQ6tT_FKnHPfhGpVH8H51iM-3eNvLUKp0qLUdgtjovlYgGoTiSdW39iUKqqzmjsUvXu-wPUp3LCjcW7yQh_4HllztwzZ_G1LdyTBOm9g5BaMZbuHiIONcPQ/s1600/DSCN0596.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EH80vSH0oegrjcYrQ6tT_FKnHPfhGpVH8H51iM-3eNvLUKp0qLUdgtjovlYgGoTiSdW39iUKqqzmjsUvXu-wPUp3LCjcW7yQh_4HllztwzZ_G1LdyTBOm9g5BaMZbuHiIONcPQ/s200/DSCN0596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473444924293061666" border="0" /></a>This breakfast is inspired by <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/town-honolulu">Town</a>. And I'm so excited that I even took a picture. Well, I guess this is as aesthetically pleasing as my food gets. Yikes! Anyway, I'm no professional (chef or photographer, lol). Seriously I can barely fry an egg, but I was completely inspired by breakfast at Town last week. They seem to have sort of a formula going: starch + hearty, savory deliciousness + fried egg. In two of the dishes we had, the starch was either a slice of bread or some polenta. And the middle layer was either a nice slice of ham or--I guess you could call it a stir-fry, of kale, sausage, raisins. (I guess what I'm saying is that if I were to attempt that, I would stir fry it!)<br /><br />It's kind of the Eggs Benedict model too I guess, which I only started eating a couple years ago, and then only at <a href="http://soupspooncafe.com/">The Soup Spoon</a> in Lansing, where they have a San Diego Bennie with avocados and spicy hollandaise. I still fear real hollandaise.<br /><br />Anyway, I made this with some sourdough bread my mom had bought. I debated using an English muffin too. Next time. The ratatouille I had made on Monday. It came out kind of mushy and ugly; need to try that recipe again, but still yummy and thus perfect for hiding under an egg. I still need to work on my fried egg technique, but at least this time when the yolk broke, the whites were almost done anyway. That, my friends, is progress!<br /><br />It tasted awesome and I think I have found my favorite way to eat eggs!Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-42606874654793103572010-05-15T21:43:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:46:34.302-10:00Aoki's Shave Ice, Haleiwa, HIKea and I usually go to Aoki's because the line is shorter than Matsumoto's. I'm mad at them now though. We went there last Sunday and the shave ice was so poorly constructed. I had ice cream leaking out of the top of mine from the moment they handed it to me. Actually, I think it was from even before they handed it to me because the girl noticed it had problems and put another cup--which did absolutely nothing to solve the problem! It also was very wobbly and crooked so I had to hold it sideways--which made the ice cream leak out even more. Grr... one of my friends had problems with his too. Some of it spontaneously fell on the ground. Jeez, maybe they are trying to persuade us to buy those shave ice holders! They were messing up plenny people's orders too. I go Matsumoto's next time.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-16005205548380696762010-05-15T21:33:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:41:31.944-10:00Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream from Coffee Bean and Tea LeafAfter Diamond Head, we were all a little hungry. We hadn't had much lunch, but only wanted a snack before going home for dinner. We stopped at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Monsarrat and had some mochi ice cream. The workers were pros. They had no problem dealing with our decision-making issues and they put each of our orders (3 mochi ice cream each) in a covered cup. Very cute and perfect for taking in the car.<br /><br />I had li hing mango, chocolate espresso, and chocolate strawberry. I would not order the chocolate espresso again; the espresso ice cream was awesome but the chocolate mochi was a little weird. To be honest, it reminded me of dog food somehow. The other two were both awesome. I am sometimes weird about mango, but this one passed muster. The chocolate strawberry had chocolate ice cream, which apparently Bubbies does very well, and strawberry mochi. *yummy noises*<br /><br />S had green tea, which she thought tasted weird. She said she likes other places green tea ice cream but was not a fan of this one. I recall feeling the same way about Bubbies green tea ice cream. (Can't remember the other flavors she had...)<br /><br />D had sakura and lychee. I can't remember his third, but I remember he picked things that sounded different. He's so funny. Anyway, he liked all of his too I think, but I remember a lot of yummy noises over the sakura especially.<br /><br />I was also impressed that the mochi ice cream traveled well. I was driving and it was no problem for me to eat and drive simultaneously. The treats must have been really cold because I had to let them warm up for a bit before eating them. I savored them and there were no problems with ice cream running down my chin.<br /><br />I was never much of a fan of mochi ice cream, but this week I realized that one of the best things about them is that they are small so that you can try multiple flavors!Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-22554113501622527292010-05-15T21:28:00.003-10:002010-05-15T21:33:51.056-10:00Diamond Head Cove Health BarI'm really confused about the name of <a href="http://www.diamondheadcove.com/">this place</a> as I don't recall their sign reading "Diamond Head Cove Health Bar," but the pictures and address look right. Anyway. We needed a quick meal before doing Diamond Head and I recalled this smoothie place on Monsarrat. The menu was limited (all their smoothies [$6] but one had at least one ingredient I am not a fan of [bananas, mango, papaya]) and the smoothies and juices were expensive, but it was good stuff, is not a chain, and did the trick. I wanted the mint and honeydew smoothie, but they were out of mint. :( So I had a juice ($7) made with cucumber, ginger, celery, and lemon. I wished that the juice had ice in it, but it was good and it did the trick of getting me up and down Diamond Head.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-57165843360493327882010-05-15T21:23:00.003-10:002010-05-15T21:25:48.109-10:00Green Papaya on KeeaumokuWent here again. We had green papaya salad (with shrimp), summer rolls (also with shrimp), and lemongrass chicken. The green papaya salad was awesome as always and the shrimp was very fresh. The summer rolls came with a peanut sauce that had coconut in it. That was new to me and it was very good. The summer rolls by themselves were kind of plain, but I think maybe that's just how summer rolls are. The lemongrass chicken was great. I usually don't like to order just meat like that, but this was good, lemongrassy stuff!Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-9553005638790593842010-05-15T21:12:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:22:42.018-10:00Breakfast at TownI've heard so much about <a href="http://www.townkaimuki.com/">Town</a>, but somehow never went there until this week. I think part of it is that their website stinks. There's nothing like reading a menu (even a sample one) to persuade me to visit a restaurant. Anyway, my sense was that they were fancy and I knew that they use local ingredients. That was the extent of my knowledge. I read some Yelp reviews and learned that morning is sort of self-serve (The staff called it "counter service"), that they serve Illy coffee, and that breakfast is good--which I had heard from some friends too.<br /><br />Anyway, nothing like having a friend in town to motivate you to go out and do things. My friend's flight was at 1 so we figured that brunch would be a good morning activity.<br /><br />I ordered the polenta which was the best thing ever. I've had polenta a couple times before but it was never like this. It was crispy on the edges. The polenta was served with a fried egg, some breakfast sausage, greens (kale?), and raisins (or maybe those fancier sultanas or something). I have never been a fan of breakfast sausage but, like I said, this was the best thing ever. I also liked having all the greens.<br /><br />My friend and I shared our orders so I had some of her bruschetta too. It also had some greens (arugula?), but not as much. Also had some really nice ham and a fried egg. Good, but I think I prefer the polenta, in part because of all the veggies. Also because the bruschetta was a bit messy; it was kind of like an open face breakfast sandwich.<br /><br />Kea had the banana pancakes, which he said he thinks is just menu filler. Still yet it was good. Very banana-y.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-76995829506063556022010-05-15T21:08:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:11:23.884-10:00Hokulani Bake Shop, Part 2<a href="http://hokulanibakeshop.com/10/">Hokulani Bake Shop</a> was another must-do on our list. Located in Restaurant Row, it wasn't too hard to find. The shop is small and looks like it's under construction. The cupcakes and cookies are gorgeous though! They also had onesies and baby t-shirts for sale that said "Made from Scratch." I thought that was cute.<br /><br />Anyway, one of my friends asked if he could take pictures and they said he could but that he couldn't post them online. We were dumbfounded and think they are missing out on a huge marketing opportunity.<br /><br />Luckily, the cupcakes are still good. I tried the guava, lilikoi, coconut, and mango. The lilikoi was my favorite. The guava wasn't as good as last time. Still good, but the lilikoi had a stronger flavor. The mango had actual chunks of fruit which was also good.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-49567624968160450872010-05-15T21:05:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:07:20.510-10:00Palama Supermarket in WaimaluMy family and I are huge fans of Palama Supermarket (the ones in Kalihi and the Keeaumoku area). We love the kim bap and other prepared foods as well. Unfortunately, the one in Waimalu doesn't seem so good. First, their kim bap didn't even have sesame oil on it! I ended up putting my own! I'm not a fan of fish jun, but my mom is and she said theirs is junk. The meat jun and chap chae were okay...Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-60570593434887718912010-05-15T20:56:00.002-10:002010-05-15T21:04:36.980-10:00Dim Sum at Legend Seafood RestaurantI had some friends in town and wanted to take them to dim sum. One of them is vegetarian so I thought we'd try <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/legends-buddhist-vegetarian-restaurant-honolulu">Legend Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant</a>, which is affiliated with the well-known <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/legend-seafood-restaurant-honolulu">Legend Seafood Restaurant</a>. I wanted my non-veggie friend to have a "real" dim sum experience though so I called the restaurant to ask whether vegetarian dim sum could be ordered on the seafood side and vice versa. They said yes and I was very happy. (They also answered their phone and had someone who was fluent in English for me to speak to, neither of which I assumed would be true for Chinatown.)<br /><br />Anyway, we ended up going to the seafood side on Mother's Day. We went at 10 am and it was a good thing because there was a crazy crowd by the time we came out at around 11. The host was very helpful and offered to bring two vegetarian dim sum--one steamed and one fried--for my friend. The rest of us ordered off the carts and menu as usual.<br /><br />Legend is not my favorite dim sum place. Compared to some other places in Honolulu, it seems they focus more on quantity than quality, but I'm really happy with it as a place where vegetarians and omnivores can have dim sum together.Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-57106300116583769842010-04-28T23:24:00.002-10:002010-04-28T23:30:37.886-10:00Chun Wah Kam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8W3AS_ZTzASVRIldjFCsF1pjob2CO1PPN3l4wiMh1vkJTT5fHLarCl9X5ASIvYh6S9R1EJuzi6R9dv4iwFbAtOrXZxpyxm7aQo2Xgni5TDrkBMmCXCJWhyUQ28O6zvfP1-ZslDg/s1600/2579171534_052d115e8b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8W3AS_ZTzASVRIldjFCsF1pjob2CO1PPN3l4wiMh1vkJTT5fHLarCl9X5ASIvYh6S9R1EJuzi6R9dv4iwFbAtOrXZxpyxm7aQo2Xgni5TDrkBMmCXCJWhyUQ28O6zvfP1-ZslDg/s200/2579171534_052d115e8b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465489398811626834" border="0" /></a>Nothing new but I gotta say how much I love Chun Wah Kam. I had it for lunch like four days in the past week. The last two times were leftovers from Sunday, but still yet. I think everything there is good! Kea always gets the manapua, pork hash, half moon, and all that kind. I usually get a mini-plate with chow fun and often get szechuan eggplant or mapo tofu. Or anything else with nice veggies inside. Last Friday, the chow fun didn't look so good so I got duck fried rice instead. Was so good. From what my parents bought on Sunday, I liked the Hong Kong noodle and beef asparagus. The roast pork was too porky for me; I like pork, but I like it with vegetables I guess. They also bought this like yellow udon fried noodle; I didn't really like that one either.<br /><br />Also, they got so many choices that there's something for everyone. Always got at least some vegetarian options. And when we took our picky 8-year-old nephew, he got furikake rice with orange chicken.<br /><br />photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hawaii/2579171534/Robynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38068956.post-44466482513924633842010-04-28T23:20:00.002-10:002010-04-28T23:24:11.310-10:00Kunio in WaikeleWas looking for soup on the Leeward side and ended up <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/kunio-restaurant-waipahu">here</a>. I ate here couple times before. I think those times my parents paid so I got sushi. Plus it was when we were still living in Michigan and would only be in Hawai'i for the summer. This time I got udon. I was glad that they had an udon with all kind toppings (nabe udon). Had shrimp tempura, egg, enoki mushrooms, bamboo shoot... maybe more too. I forget already. It was kind of bland for me though. It fulfilled my desire for soup, but I rather have Gomatei or TaiyoRobynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06131341155228629159noreply@blogger.com2