Cafe Miro – Waialae, HI

Oct6

What is up with Halloween costumes? I really wanted to find some costumes for Frozen but they only make them for kids! Okay, I know it was a kid movie but the characters are all women! Then finally I see adult costumes for Frozen and…umm…they’re adult costumes if you get my drift. Why? Let’s not even get into how all womens halloween costumes are so…ADULT. Anyway, so I’ll have to change my course and do something else. I might shoot for Minnie Mouse. Did you know Disney only makes kids costumes? I think they are missing a major market!

This weekend was hot yah? When is the autumn coming for us? I want rain and cold weather! Cold weather for Hawaii anyway. Next week is gonna be killer. I might just turn into a hermit because of what I have due coming up! Things should loosen up after October, a bit! This is gonna be a graphic heavy post. Cafe Miro is one of my favorite restaurant in Hawaii. A bit of a hidden gem and so great. The food and service, can’t be beat. It’s a cute little Japanese French restaurant. Let’s get to the food!

Here is the complimentary amuse-bouche (they change it up). It was a cold paprika soup. The flavor was good – tasted like fresh bell pepper. Was it the favorite of the night? No. Would I order it if it were on the menu, no. But if you like cold soups and bell pepper, this is perfect for you.

Chef’s Appetizer Tasting Plate – this comes with the Prix Fixe Menu (3 Course). You all have to try this appetizer! It’s legit!

Devilled Egg with an olive and prosciutto on top – this was alright. Not great, not the best.

Crab Croquette. This was good! Look at all the flakes of crab in there, it’s served on top of a tomato marinara type sauce. It was good but not my favorite of the dish.

You had me at herb butter sauce, Oyster. It was good, I wish oysters didn’t shrink when cooked! I love oysters.

This is why I need to post quicker because I totally forgot what this dish is. It’s a cold one and gelatinous. Shrimp based gelatin on the bottom, a cauliflower (I believe?) puree layer (thankfully it didn’t taste like cauliflower) and an edamame on top. This was one real interesting dish. You know what the shrimp gelatin reminded me of? The flavor of shrimp chips – the ones that look like small crinkle fries. I don’t think I appreciated it that night as much as I do now….because I would love to try it again!

LOBSTER. Okay, so the prix fixe menus all come with appetizers but you are able to upgrade your appetizer by paying a bit extra. Kristian went for the Roasted Spiny Lobster Tail with Nantua Sauce which cost $8.oo extra, I’d say it was worth the extra $8! He loved it.

Rib Eye Steak with Red Wine Mustard Sauce with Maui Onions. This was Kristian’s dish, I’m starting to wonder if he substituted the sauce because he loves teriyaki sauce. Please do let me know Kristian if you see this. He was head over hills for this steak! I got to taste a bit and yeah, I would be too!

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Shiitake Mushroom and Mint Sauce – oh my gosh. It was so good! Sorry for those who don’t like rare meat, I enjoy seeing blood in mine! You are welcome to add a 3rd chop if you want to for either $7 or $8. I was fine with the normal portion. Was perfect!

And of course, you end the meal with dessert! We decided to try two different ones just for fun. This is the assorted cheese and walnut raisin bread. It was okay, I wouldn’t get it again.

I would get this one again! Kona Coffee Ice Cream, Creme Brulee, Japanese Cheesecake – WHO WOULDN’T WANT THIS??

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Ono Korean BBQ – Kalihi, HI

Oct1

How did I not know about this new Korean BBQ joint opening up in K-town?? I was on the hunt for dinner one night and found this place last week. It’s called Ono Korean BBQ and they opened up in Palama Supermarket’s old location. That shopping center is really opening up some great food joints with more to come. I saw a sign for a new Chinese dim sum take-out place coming soon. Anyway, Ono Korean BBQ is a lot like Yummy’s in terms of take-out plates. They have a very clean store with nice seats and tables. They also have more soup options even though I still went for the Yuk Gae Jang. The prices are a bit higher than Yummy’s but I believe they give great portions and the quality is there. I only had a soup this time but I do plan to return soon and will share more then.

Yuk Gae Jang – $10.99 (with rice and 4 vegetables, you can get the soup on its own for cheaper)
Although it is bright red, it was not spicy at all. They even asked if I wanted it spicy and I said yes, lol.

It’s the little touches that count. I appreciate them wrapping up the soup container in it’s own bag to prevent spillage.

From left to right:
Mayonnaise Potatoes – The potatoes are cooked great. The seasoning is sweeter and not as garlicky as I would like. I wouldn’t get it again.
Choy Sum – Definite favorite of the 4. Cooked perfectly and tastes great.
Bean Sprouts – Nothing special, a bit bland.
Cucumber Kimchee – I didn’t like this initially but grew to like it. It is marinated with slivers of onion and carrots.

The soup – one of the best I have had. I was never a fan of yuk gae jang before but this one was great. Also, they give you so much stuff! Very generous portions.

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Happy Monday!

Sep29

Can’t think of a better way to start Monday morning than with donuts! I’ve been having a hankering for Krispy Kreme donuts lately. Blame it on the hormones. I even had a chance to grab some last week but resisted but that was mostly because my co-worker talked me away from it (how’s her yeah? J/K.). Anyway, I’ve been seeing these donuts pop up all around Social Media and I just had to try it! They are Floresta Nature Doughnuts and they are sold in the Ranch 99 Food Court. They are actually housed within Kansai Yamato which is a local mochi company. Okay, I can say this because I am Chinese…they get some grumpy Chinese ladies working there. I am actually surprised that this Japanese confectionary has all these Chinese ladies. English is not their first language and customer service is definitely not their priority. It is very true, you can stand around in front of the shop for a while before they acknowledge you. When they do, don’t expect stellar service. If you can get past all that, give their stuff a try. These donuts are PRICEY. At least $2 each, but I keep hearing how they’re better for you…and well it helps that they’re so cute! I don’t quite know the different flavors of these donuts…they are pretty creative. The “ears” on the donuts are actually almonds! I didn’t know the coating of the donuts were HARD, I figured they were some kind of soft frosting. How are they? Well, they taste like healthier donuts. They’re not bad but not great, nothing I would go back for especially for the price. So why don’t we just look at how cute they are…look but no buy (next time anyway).

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La Tour Cafe – Kalihi, HI

Sep24

It’s a vicious cycle. I work hard all week. Go to school and attempt to study all week. The weekend comes. I am dead tired and try to sleep it off but inevitably, the weekend ends (all too quick) and I am back at work again. For you state workers out there, our next holiday is in NOVEMBER. Gosh. I should really take some vacation days here and there before I crash and burn forreal.

I hope you are all doing well. I can keep apologizing but I’m sure you folks are used to it and tired of it by now. So all I can do is ask for your patience and to keep checking in! I’ll try to update at least once a week…hopefully more. This post focuses on a visit I had to La Tour Cafe recently. It was a pretty good meal! They are much better than I remembered so I should return sooner rather than later. I had what my friend called rabbit food. I didn’t feel like something too heavy and well…I got hungry pretty soon after. Haha…anyway, check it out!

La Tour Burger
My friend’s lunch. Not bad. The sauce on the side definitely makes the burger better. Not sure if the sauce is for the fries or the burger. The sauce does not go well with the fries..haha

Sorry for the blurry picture, here is the inside of the burger!

Pomme Frites – comes with the burger

Crispy Goat Cheese and Beets
Breaded Goat cheese, fresh beets, spring greens & our tomato balsamic vinaigrette.

Raisin bread slices with the salad. A bit of a weird combo for me, I didn’t eat the bread.

Crispy Goat Cheese! I love goat cheese, especially with beets! Great salad! I would recommend it!

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Spicy Cold Soba – Yajima-Ya

Sep17

This food truck is great. The last time I came here, I tried their mushroom chicken and thought it was good but a bit salty (Previous Yajima-Ya Post). During my recent visit, it was hot as all heck and I needed something cold to cool me down. I tried their spicy cold soba and I gotta say, there’s no turning back now. It was exactly what I was looking for!

Umm…droool. I am so wanting a bowl as I write this post. Can you see the ingredients in this? The mixed vegetables (great!), kimchee (ah weak sauce in terms of spice), kakiage (actual chunks of shrimp!), oh so soft thin slices of beef. I think it was beef, was pretty sure. Super soft and flavorful…ahh…

They packed the tsuyu separate which is great. Mine leaked but I blame it more on how we transported back more than anything else. We didn’t have AC at work for half the day today and this bowl of deliciousness would have really hit the spot. Look, I got a green onion hooked onto my chopstick. I don’t know how I do it, but I manage it every time…lol. Have a good one folks.

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Chukaya Sea Dragon Table – Ala Moana, HI

Sep15

I’ve been wanting to try Chukaya Sea Dragon Table ever since they opened up a while back because I was curious how Japanese style Chinese food would taste like. The start was interesting. First off, you have to find your own parking so I parked in the sketch are behind a well known druggy park. We got to the restaurant and decided to check out some shops on the side before heading in. The restaurant opens at 5pm and we got in at about 6pm. Well, we tried to get in at 6pm. The restaurant was fully lit and employees were inside waiting for customers to come in. So basically, they hadn’t unlocked their door yet and we were their first official customers. I couldn’t believe it and I bet if a customer tried to open the locked door and couldn’t, they would just walk on by.

My friend and I were pretty excited about a few dishes we saw on Yelp but as we browsed through the menu, many of them were crossed off. We were informed that they are going through a re-design and would be changing up the menu. We were disappointed but stayed around anyway. One of the main dishes I wanted was their Dragon Ball soup which is something they discontinued. The waitress was nice enough to ask the kitchen about it and they were willing to make it! Check out our meal…

Jajamen
So, I am used to the Korean version of this dish and this was a lot different. They used more of a Chinese red bean sauce which I liked as well! The noodles were great, chewy and firm. I enjoyed it!

Spicy Eggplant
I’m not a huge fan of eggplant but my love for it has been growing lately. I guess what they say is true, as you get older – you start liking things you didn’t like before. I like when eggplant is prepared like this – braised. This was delicious!

Dragon Balls
The famous dragon balls! Which they no longer carry. If you folks know what cha gor (tea roll) is, this is very similar. The plain mochi covers a savory filling. In this case, their filling is like a spare-rib/pork hash filling. It was pretty good but nothing I would order again (not that I can anyway). I think I just compared it too much to the ones I grew up with and nothing beats home cooking!

As we were walking back to our car, I saw the J-Shop that Jalna posted about! I had to check it out and saw this big hunk of meat for $1000! Insane. Only Japanese restaurants can afford this kine of thing huh? How much do they have to charge to make their money back?? That marbling though, looks amazing. But $1000…craziness to me!

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Restaurant Do-ne Japanese Food

Sep12

Wait a minute. Did that really just happen? So I’m totally stoked for the new iPhone and I just put in my order…and it went through. Like for real. I did it within 15 minutes of the official release. I’m pretty stoked but knowing my luck, I will get some kind of error message tomorrow. Hahaha ah well. I’m not dying to get it first…I just wanted to get it and not stand in line. We will see huh?

Can I start off my post with a big MAHALO to Ono Kine Recipes? I’ve been following them for a while now and I was so honored when I saw them featuring my recipes two days in a row! People seemed to like the recipes too so it was such an honor, really. Welcome all new readers to my humble little blog, I hope I get to talk to you folks soon. This should also serve as motivation to make new recipes for the blog! I do have one recipe that I’ve been holding onto, it’s SO good but I think I should ask for permission before I post it. It might be too top secret to share…lol.

Anyway, I hope you are all having a great week. Tomorrow is Friday! Yay! Classes have been going okay. Then again, I haven’t had to start my papers yet so it’s a bit early to judge. I am however interested in everything I’m learning about so that’s a good sign! Today, I’m sharing a dinner I had recently at Restaurant Do-ne Japanese Food. I’ve dined there before and liked it, this visit was no different! Great food! Great…company? Well, my dining companion was cool…there was a table of older gentlemen, and how can I say this nicely? Getting bombed. They kept offering everyone cigarettes and beer. Yeah. Hahaha but other than that, it was good. They have limited parking but you just double park and it’s a small enough restaurant that you can tell people leaving that you can move your car. Let’s get to the food!

Katsu-don Set – $12.50

I usually go for a raw fish don but this night, I felt like like a good old..katsu don. It was delicious! The seasoning was just right and the chicken was moist and tender inside.

Always enjoy their salads! Very refreshing, the dressing has a citrus/ponzu flavor.

Seasoned Eggplant. I really want to learn how to make their side dishes. I’m not even a fan of eggplant and I ate this right up.

Okra with Mushrooms. Not sure what kind of mushrooms exactly, delicious once again. Yes, okra has a bit of a slimy texture but it’s totally fine in this dish. Once again, their flavors are on point.

My favorite side dish of the night – by far! This is made in the style of Mentaiko Pasta but with konnyaku. My gosh, the crunchy texture of the konnyaku with the creamy yet spicy sauce was heavenly. The little strands of basil I assume were the perfect accent. I wish I could steal a whole pot of this and run far far away. I would love to recreate it if I could! Maybe I will…

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Superb Sushi – Kalihi, HI

Sep9

I live in the heart of K-town and noticed that Superb Sushi put up a banner a while back advertising their fresh poke bowls for $6.00. I’m down! But they were never in the forefront of my mind because I always thought they were a catering company so it didn’t automatically click until about a week ago. It’s a great little shop, you basically walk into their open air kitchen that has a small counter area. I was stoked to try their food! They make the food pretty quick and there is a very interesting painting in the waiting area – try take a look when you visit. If there are any kids around, I wouldn’t let them look too closely at it…you’ll see what I mean when you see it.

Poke Bowl/California Roll Special – $10

Awesome poke. I don’t know if you can see it too clearly here, but there are salt crystals that you crunch into. I wasn’t super into that at first but grew to like it quite a bit.

California Roll, classic. This set also comes with a miso soup. That was probably the one downer of the whole set – it was SUPER salty. And this is coming from someone who likes salt. I don’t know if they made my soup wrong or not, but I had to dump it because of the salt.

Futomaki with Unagi – $6.50
Yes, I sprung the extra dollar for unagi and it was DELICIOUS. This roll was so good. What is that pink thing inside this roll? I know it was a type of seafood and it seemed to be like sugar crusted. It was good! I really enjoyed this roll as well. I definitely plan on returning to this place.

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Salmon Ikura Bowl – Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Aug26

Just a quick post today. This is one of my favorites from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka! If I wasn’t such a glutton for noodles, I would get this by itself and just gobble it down. The rice is perfectly cooked, the salmon is freshly flaked and the ikura. How do I explain ikura? An explosion of flavor. Mmm…soo good…

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Post 1
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Post 2

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The Cheesecake Factory – Waikiki, HI

Aug25

I haven’t been to The Cheesecake Factory in forever. First, I don’t enjoy waiting nearly 1.5 hours to get a table. Second, the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center parking lot feels SO far from the restaurant. I mean the restaurant is literally at the other end and I for the life of me can’t stop getting lost within the shopping center getting back to the car. The parking validation doesn’t do much anymore – you still have to pay money. Still, it’s not a bad rate for parking as long as you don’t have to wait 2 hours to get a table. We did a take-out order and boy…it isn’t much better. You can only put in the order right when they open, no faxing and no online system. No curbside pick-up so I had to circle Waikiki until my co-worker ran back out with the food. Then, I still had to block up traffic to get her in the car! Oh and did I mention Cheesecake Factory is pricey? Yeah, it’s pricey. But you can’t beat the selection – there’s something for everyone! The cheesecake is expensive but tasty. Well, let’s take a look at the dishes we ordered!

Incredible Eggplant Sandwich with fries (not pictured) – $12.95

Lunch Portion Shepherd’s Pie – $12.95

Lunch Portion BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad – $11.95

Bistro Shrimp Pasta – $18.95
Ho the pricey! But delicious and huge portion!

Cuban Sandwich with Salad (not pictured) – $13.50

Chicken Bellagio – $15.95
I can’t comment too much on the other dishes because this is the one I got! Doesn’t it look so good? This is the first time I tried it and I am so glad I did! It includes crispy chicken breast over basil pasta and parmesan cream sauce topped with proscuitto and arugula salad. It all works very well together!

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maybeitsjenny

Hawaii based food blog with foodie travels!

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