10Dec / 2021

Mixed Plate Friday

Happy Aloha Friday! We are creeping closer and closer to Christmas. You ready or what? I am writing this post early but I’ll just say yes to move this along. I plan to do some baking this season as well so let’s see how that goes. This is probably going to be my final Florida post on food – then we can get back to the regular schedule. Can you guess where my first meal in Florida was?

It’s a laugh I even walked around the store beforehand. Get me to thee meatballs!!!

Swedish Meatball Plate | $5.99
Traditional 8 pc. Swedish Meatball Meal served with Mashed Potatoes and Lingonberry Jam

This dish is my comfort food. After my bout of food poisoning while in the air to Florida, I just couldn’t wait to nourish my soul with some Swedish meatballs. Did they hit the spot? Absolutely.

Smoked Salmon Salad

I never saw this dish before and I can’t find the price, it’s just a simple salad with smoked salmon. The dressing is very strong in dill flavor.

Apple Cake | $1.99
tart with layers of almond paste, apples and crumble

Oh yes, my apple crumble adventures continues. It happens here in Hawaii and of course twice in Florida. It was pretty good! Served cold. I was kind of good, I mainly ate the topping and left most of the crust. I guess that makes it a diet dish? Ha. Ha. Ha.

There was an AYCE hot pot place right next to our hotel so while our meals were usually spoken for, we did make it out to this restaurant once. And well, once was enough. It’s not even worth sharing the name of this restaurant – they are incredibly busy so reservations are highly recommended. They have a gimmick, one of those cute robots that take you to your table. Cute and creepy? Anyway, the service was severely lacking and we didn’t even get the drinks we ordered until we had to remind them and they made them wrong but it wasn’t worth the effort to flag someone else down. The buffet was okay, had some people (ahem Asians) just grabbing all the good stuff to take to their tables. Come on guys, leave some for the rest of us and just grab more later. Ah what can you do. I miss Little Sheep so much. 🙁

So like, I think we ended up at Chipotle like every night. Hahahaha long days of walking led to getting late dinners at Chipotle. Boy did the locations differ in staff and ingredients available. The first bowl pic was basically all I could get because they ran out of everything. The second bowl was much better. Must be the Asian in me, I just wanted one big bowl of rice. Love their toppings and the fresh ingredients. Also love their chips with queso dip. Augh, wish we had a Chipotle here in Hawaii too.

You know what else I did? I bought Shake Shack burgers and Chick-Fil-A sandwiches the night before my return flight home. Threw them in the fridge over night and then straight into my luggage. Yup, I risked another bout of food poisoning. I wanted the boys to experience these burgers/sandwiches because they never have. Happy to report that none of us got sick and I was informed that Popeye’s Chicken sandwich is better than Chick-Fil-A. Have a great weekend folks.

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08Dec / 2021

Seito Sushi – Orlando, FL

Saved the best meal of the trip for last! It’s not easy to find good Asian food you know and while Seito Sushi was definitely more for the hip/trendy types, I still enjoyed it. We went after our day at Universal and got there in time for happy hour specials. Let’s check it out!

Salmon Hand Roll | $4.00 (each)
aji amarillo vinaigrette/pickled onion/fried capers
Yellowtail Hand Roll | $4.00 (each)
kizami wasabi/yuzu tobiko/powdered shiso

Did I expect sushi tacos? No. Did I like it? A resounding yes. We really enjoyed the salmon handrolls so we even order an encore of them. They mix all kinds of flavors together but they all work very well. Capers and salmon huh? Can someone try do that here too?

Amaebi Nigiri | $6.00 (each)

Look at how I positioned this shot. You can’t even see the actual nigiri. It was good, highly enjoyed and re-ordered. Don’t judge us, this was our splurge meal of the trip. I would have loved to eat the amaebi but I have an allergy to raw shellfish, it’s my cross to bear. The plus is that I get to eat the fried heads lol.

The Distinguished Gentleman Roll | $24.00
wagyu tataki/lobster/avocado/wasabi aioli/masago/jalapeno/scallion/truffle salt

We shared this roll and it tastes as good as it sounds. Yum yum! A bit wasted that the lobster is chopped fine – would not be able to tell if this was lobster or imitation crab, you know? Anyway, it was good!

Foie Gras Torchon | $10.00 (each)
five spice/cherry gastrique

I know I know. This is not the most ethical dish to eat. I never have foie gras but do want to try it once in a while and this was my opportunity. It was good – was it worth the $10 bite? Sure, I’ll go with yes since I enjoyed it!

Tonkotsu “Bone Broth” Ramen | $17.00 (add chili bomb $1)
Seito’s house broth/Bershire pork belly/shiitake mushroom/charred corn/black garlic/hearts of palm/Lake Meadows Naturals egg

Here’s what’s missing in Hawaii. Good Japanese restaurants that can do both sushi AND ramen well. We either have just ramen restaurants or Japanese restaurants that do noodle dishes but they are more of an afterthought or prepared very simply. I noticed this in Chicago too, one of my favorite restaurants did both regular Japanese food and ramen very well! Oh sorry for the offshoot. I really enjoyed this dish! Great broth, loved all the veggies and a whole soft boiled egg. The chili bomb isn’t in the shot but like I was hoping it would be shaped like a bomb or something. It was just a big glob of chili sauce on the side, boo.

Anyway, this restaurant was great and the waiter was good! Well he was good in the beginning. You know how it goes, they always seem to disappear as the night goes on. This is definitely worth a return visit!

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06Dec / 2021

Yama’s Fish Market – Moilili, HI

I had a hankering for Hawaiian food one day and wanted to grab and go from somewhere quick. I haven’t been to Yama’s Fish Market in years and years so we decided to give it a go! Kind of realized why it has been years since I been there…(sorry!)…

Sweet Sour Spareribs | $11.85

This was not my dish. Feedback shared? Was just alright, nothing special.

Baked Seafood Salmon Belly | $11.85

Feedback shared, overcooked and smallish portion!

Mushroom Chicken | $11 (around there, I forget, sorry)

Okay, this was my dish. This was a daily special and in my head – I imagined a nice creamy mushroom chicken dish. They run out of Campbell’s soup or something? Haha nah, just joke. It tasted alright but I really expected it to be the creamy mushroom gravy so it wasn’t enjoyed as much. The gravy was a bit more soupy too so I didn’t feel like it stuck onto the chicken as much as it should have. I wouldn’t get this again.

Squid Luau (16 oz.) | $9.65

I used to love getting their squid luau. The only way I can eat squid luau is with choke choke choke sriracha. I don’t know why, why do I even eat this dish if I drown it in hot sauce? But somehow the combination just works so well for me. The taste is still the same and still tastes good, maybe my own tastes have changed. Anyway, I splurged a bit for this – this side cost as much as my plate!

The plus side was that we got there and the lot was basically empty…when the lot is full, you know it’s crazy to get in and out of. Does anyone know what that empty lot next to Yama’s is? It’s like a huge parking lot but I don’t know what for? It’s just locked up.

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03Dec / 2021

Amorette’s Patisserie | Disney Springs

Okay, there were two things I had to eat while I was at Disney for this trip. First was the apple crumble tart which I got to try at Epcot (and loved), the second was the 50th celebration petit cake at Amorette’s. The first night we arrived in Florida, we came to this mall but the cake was all gone. It was such a bummer. The last night of our trip, we made one final trip to the mall and guess what? THEY HAD IT. So here is a post dedicated JUST TO THIS CAKE.

50th Celebration Petit Cake | $22.00
Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Celebration Blue Mousse, Blueberry Jam, and Lemon Curd

Do you folks watch the Great British Baking Show? I love that show so much. And when they talk about cakes, they are always talking about chiffon, mousse and LEMON CURD. Look, every part of this cake was my jam. I knew I had to get it. It’s 22 freaking dollars…it’s a petit cake. Maybe a 3 inch cake? But do you see all the beauty? Yes, there are gold flakes on it…alongside with the pretty rock candy (I don’t eat rock candy). The inside of the cake was delicious. I don’t care much for fondant so I mainly ate the inside and it was all worth it. I was sad that it was on our last night so I couldn’t even enjoy the whole cake. Why don’t we have these kind cakes here in Hawaii??

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02Dec / 2021

Universal Studios Florida

Only one day at Universal but that’s all I really needed, just wanted to check out Harry Potter there. Walt Disney required masking indoors but Universal didn’t require masks ANYWHERE. Yeah. I kept my mask on the whole time yet again. Better be safe than sorry!

Louie’s Italian Restaurant Jumbo Supreme Slice | $13.49
mozzarella, italian sausage, pepperoni, tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomato sauce, herbs, house made dough

Surprisingly really good. And it had a bit of a kick to it too so even better. Yes, pricey for one slice of pizza but I love supreme pizza. Also, when is Costco gonna bring back their combo pizza?!

Louie’s Italian Restaurant Spaghetti & Meatballs | $9.99

This was good, not great but not bad. It just hit the spot and I love meatballs. Was satisfying enough.

Frozen Butterbeer | $7.99
a non-alcoholic sweet drink reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch

Always gotta get this drink when you’re here. To me it’s like a frozen root beer, not really my thing. I tried the hot version in Japan when it was cold weather and that was nice to sip on.

The train ride from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade is pretty cool! The windows are all covered by video scenes so you feel like you’re riding your way to Hogwarts, complete with dementors! Super cool.

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01Dec / 2021

Be Our Guest | Magic Kingdom

I didn’t realize it was so hard to make reservations for certain restaurants at Disney. This is definitely one of them so if you are planning a trip, make sure you make you reservations early! We happened to keep checking the day before for any last minute cancellations and was able to score one! A very cute restaurant with a Beauty and the Beast theme. There is the main ballroom (where we dined) and two other rooms – I am happy we got to dine in the main ballroom. All meals are three course meals at $62.00. A much better price than the dang steak we got at Tokyo Dining! Anyway, the Beast comes out to make his rounds but no Belle! Bah!

Captain Nemo Octopus | Appetizer
Seaweed Salad, Cucumber, Pickled Beets, Hearts of Palm, Tapioca Crackers, Beets Mousse, and Carrot-Ginger Silk

Assorted Meats and Artisanal Cheese Selection | Appetizer
Chicken Rillettes, Shaved Serrano Ham, Chorizo Sausage, Pleasant Ridge Cheddar, Truffle Tremor, and Stilton Blue with Seasonal Garnishes

My appetizer and ummm…I might have gotten sick from the cheeses. This is the second time I got sick. I felt really junk after this meal, I found myself a seat on a bench with a wall and like just sat there for hours. I didn’t mind haha…maybe I just reacted poorly with the food.

Center-cut Filet Mignon
Robuchon Yukon Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Cipollini-Garlic Purée with a Red Wine Purée

We both chose the same dish and it was delicious. Once again, much better than the Japanese steak dish. And they cooked the steak to our specifications perfectly. Lovely dish.

Lemon Jam Macaron
White Chocolate “Chip” Cup – with grey stuff and crisp pearls
Dark Chocolate Truffle – filled with dark chocolate grand manier ganache

You don’t have a choice for dessert – their menu lists these dishes all separately but you actually get this trio. I was already pretty full so I wasn’t really feeling dessert. I didn’t try the grey stuff but I heard the waiter having to tell every table to try the grey stuff it’s delicious, don’t believe him, ask the dishes. Poor guy. Hahaha

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30Nov / 2021

Tokyo Dining | Epcot

Another rainy day at Disney, definitely on and off rain. This time we had our rain ponchos ready! Yay! It was still awkward walking around with a wet poncho but I was looking forward to a nice Japanese dinner.

Green Tea | $7.00

Wagyu Set | $68.00 (I think – definitely 60 something!)

I mean, this was a splurge. Was it worth it? No. I think it was supposed to be A5 but it tasted no different from regular steak to be honest. It was not worth the price at all, I get that this is Disney but it was EXPENSIVE.

Salmon Ikura Don | $24.00
sushi-grade salmon ikura over rice

Yet another overpriced dish. It was good, not great.

Yuzu Mousse Cake | $18.00
yuzu mousse cake with kinako crumb adorned with gold flakes, matcha cream, chocolate rocks, and sparkling yuzu sauce

We had to get this for the picture, hahaha. isn’t it cute? It modeled after Epcot and the Japan section of Epcot! It’s not bad. we’re not big fans of yuzu so I don’t think we appreciated it as much as we could have.

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29Nov / 2021

Walt Disney World

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Yes, a month ago I headed to Florida for an impromptu trip. It was super needed, if you know me, I love traveling so this pandemic has been so hard. Walt Disney World is celebrating their 50th year anniversary and Epcot was holding their annual Food and Wine festival so it seems like all the stars were aligned.

The trip was good, I did encounter motion sickness a bit more than I liked. Actually, I think I got food poisoning twice, once was from home onto the plane to Florida and then once was at the park. Haha but I still think it was a good trip! And yes, I pre-scheduled a PCR covid test a few days after my return. I also used the home test kits days after the PCR results too…happy to report that they were all negative!

Anyway, I apologize ahead of time. I will post all week this week and it will be all from Disney or Universal. We spent three days at Disney (Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Magic Kingdom) and one day at Universal. You follow this blog mainly for food so that’s basically what I’m posting! Today’s post is going to be a bunch of random food pics…

Pork Egg Rolls (2) | $6.99

Chicken Fried Rice | $5.99

Yup, this Chinese girl went to Animal Kingdom and eat pork egg rolls and chicken fried rice. LOL. Actually, didn’t eat anything else at the Animal Kingdom. I think we skipped out on dinner here and ate out. Both dishes were pretty okay! Though I had to drown the fried rice in hot sauce.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee | $7.00
pumpkin custard with bruleed sugar, candied pecans, spiced whipped cream, and raspberry tuile

Okay, this is a Disney themed dessert but it’s from Amorette’s Patisserie which is located in the Disney Springs Mall. This wasn’t my dessert but it was enjoyed and isn’t it so pretty?!

Roasted Irish Sausage with Colcannon Potatoes and Onion Gravy | $4.25

This dish was part of the Epcot Food and Wine festival and boy was it SALTY. I couldn’t finish it because it was like eating a salt lick. Not good.

Apple Crumble Tart | $4.50

One of my favorite dishes of the trip. This was one I had earmarked pre-trip that I had to have. I’m a sucker for apple desserts and this met all my expectations. First off, we were rained out on this day so the Appleseed Orchard offered a warm oasis. Seating was a bit limited around the park due to covid so I was happy that we could sit here indoors to eat and they even had a warm apple scent running through the place. Oh this was great.

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20Oct / 2021

Bon Voyage!

Hey folks…still super busy at work but luckily slowing down. Slowing down enough for me to finally take a trip! My first trip since pre-covid. I’m excited to travel again and hope to share some great stuff when I come back! I won’t be able to post while I’m on my trip but please feel free to follow me on my instagram, I will probably post stories!

http://www.instagram.com/maybeitsjenny

See you folks later!

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15Oct / 2021

Mixed Plate Friday

Spicy Poke Inari | $5.99
Spam Musubi | $1.75

New Japanese Bento Shop called U Kitchen and oh no, I just saw the Yelp ratings so far and it doesn’t look great (though the picture the one star review shared says they got served raw chicken and the chicken doesn’t look raw to me). This shop is located in Dillingham – same strip mall as Hana Tea and Yohei Sushi Restaurant. It looks like it took over the Korean restaurant spot that V used to frequent?? Anyhow, I was actually here to pick up some subway sandwiches and U Kitchen was open so I popped in for my own dinner!

I got a spam musubi and their spicy ahi inari sushi. The spicy inari was pretty good, interesting they also have imitation crab salad in it. At first I was wondering if they were just trying to add stuffing to use less ahi but it was just a little bit and I thought it had enough ahi. The spam musubi? Oh boy. The rice was so dang mushy. What’s up you guys? What’s up Hawaii restaurants? I don’t think there is ever an excuse to make such mushy rice!! I couldn’t believe it.

I’m interested in trying them again because they sell delicious sounding Japanese plate lunches and they make all kind Japanese bentos but they close at 4pm? I was there past 5 on a Friday and maybe they were just trying to sell out what food they had? I think they should minimally try to stay open past the dinner crowd!

Sorry folks, a home cooked dish. A big heaping bowl of jook (congee) for the Mid-Autumn Festival. How do you folks like your jook? I like mine cooked with nice marinated pork bones, sliced up century eggs, choke green onion and cilantro and then even more choke white pepper. Hits the spot for me.

I had dinner in Waikiki and took advantage of the location to finally try Henry’s Place. You folks ever heard of this place? They make all kinds of sorbets and ice creams and store them all in styrofoam cups and all individually labeled. I decided to try the POG flavor and bugga was good. I had it fresh so it was still so soft, it reminded me a lot of the Asato Family Shop. There is definitely no parking for Henry’s so if you willing to walk down to Beachwalk while in Waikiki, give it a try! Guess what else I got from Henry…

LOL, they label all their sandwiches too. Now has anyone ever tested to see if sharpies seep through plastic wrap? I wonder if I ingested any sharpie ink. I saw some interesting pictures of their sandwiches and I had to try it for myself. Why are they interesting you ask?

Okay, I know what this looks like and I promise you that’s not mold! LOL. I opened up the sandwich to show you folks before I heated it up. Interesting yeah? It’s mixed with this green herby mixture but it’s definitely not pesto and it’s definitely not like ginger scallion sauce. Very peculiar. I can usually tell what things are but I couldn’t tell what this mixture was made of. Was good though. If you know what the green stuff is, let me know!

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