If I worked in Salt Lake/Mapunapuna, I’d be in food heaven. So many great choices out there but I love the old school choices. I wish these places were open all weekend long so I could give them a whirl. I was in the Salt Lake area around lunch time so we checked out Masa’s Cafeteria for lunch! Oh it was awesome. I was a bit sad we weren’t there during the Baked Spaghetti day (comfort food to the max).
Hawaiian Plate w/ Rice | $11.25 ~comes with laulau and lomi salmon ~choice of tripe stew or chicken long rice or beef stew
How can you lose with this plate and the price? It was ono brah! The beef stew was local style with big chunks of tender meat. The laulau had great taste, along with the lomi salmon and rice, you can’t lose! Man I wish I could eat here more often!
Who doesn’t enjoy beef brisket noodle? If you answered no, you may want to skip this read. I think Lam’s Kitchen serves up some of the best on the island. If you are willing to make the trek out to Chinatown, find your own parking, and wait out the line, give them a try!
Cheong Fun (Look Fun Roll) | $5.50
This meal is major carbo loaded. We couldn’t help ourselves, they serve up such great look fun. The menu is a bit confusing, I just wanted a small portion of it so I tried to get the side order of it which costs $1.00 or $1.50, I honestly don’t now what the difference is. The waitress turned over my menu and pointed at this one for $5.50 so I just said…okay. I guess this is the one you have to get for dine in? I don’t know. It’s fine. It’s delicious. The sauces are on the table, spread some of that peanut sauce and hoisin sauce on top and you are golden. Delish!
Beef Flank & Tendon Look Fun | $8.99
My dining companion does not like tendon so she asked for beef flank only. Well, I’m used to this now but the wait staff always gives pause when she orders it like this. I guess for us Chinese, tendon is like gold! Why say no? Hahaha but everyone has their own tastes right?
Beef Chow Fun (Dry) | $8.99
Why oh why do I get the beef chow fun here? Yes, it’s just such a basic dish but I really enjoy the way they make it. Hard to explain but they have a way of seasoning it…is it the char of the wok they use? It’s a taste I remember from really good chow fun I had back in China so I just eat this right up. Yes, I left the plate CLEAN. Great stuff.
Okay, misleading title…no I am not the one saying goodbye! This post is focused on bidding goodbye to an employee of mine. While I am sad to see her go, I am excited for her new adventures and her move to the mainland! Now, she is a graphic designer so I knew I wanted to personalize her gift with something handmade…and well…if you know me, you also know I am obsessed with miniatures so guess what I did…
I made a miniature of her office! Yes, this was all done by hand from scratch…I wanted to help her to commemorate her first ever office space as well.
Made her bookshelf, mirror (yes her mirror is blue!), art work…
Of course the iPad box contains an iPad inside too! Gotta focus on the details!
Did I? Yes, these are real books in her shelf that I scanned the covers of to create the books! Sorry I didn’t get to show a book inside, but the pages are text lined! Loved creating these mini books!!
One of my favorites in this project, creating the cork bulletin board! Yes, the pictures were the same as the ones on her real board!
Created the blinds in her office with the exact view out of her window…and yes, the blinds move!
I put a lot of work into this piece and while I had my moments of insanity (mainly because I am so focused and detailed), it was all worth it because she loved it! Ugh…I love miniatures so much…
Of course I had to cook for the going away party! I made homemade pancit because it’s one of her favorite foods. Very nervous making this because it’s just such a good dish and the taste is key! I gotta admit, I did a test run myself before this day and did not like the first test. I revamped the recipe I worked with and I think it came out great! My coworkers seemed to like it so I am super happy!
If you follow Kat, you would have noticed she talked about Butterfly Pea Flower tea the other week! It was such a coincidence because I had just ordered the dried flowers online and was prepping to make this drink! So you steep the flowers and the water turns into a very bright blue color. When mixed with acid, it changes color! I made a fresh lemonade (first time, was good!) and poured the drinks at the party. It was so fun to see it turn purple and pink! The tea itself doesn’t have a strong taste or any taste, it’s hard to explain. I would pour maybe 3/4 of lemonade to 1/4 of the tea. Tastes great!
I don’t get to visit Windward too often but when I do, I do enjoy trying the different eateries out there! I tried Pho My Vi for the first time the other week and really enjoyed it! The service was good (well it was a young man and he definitely did not want to be at work but he was still a good server), I enjoyed the food! Prices for the appetizers were a bit higher but I think the pho was an incredible value. The medium size was huge!
Spring Rolls (2pcs) | $7.95
Spring rolls tasted good, do I think two spring rolls for $8.00 is a good deal? No.
Beef Salad | $15.95 Citrus infused sliced rib eye served with romaine lettuce, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion flakes, crushed peanuts, chinese parsley, tossed in Chef’s lime and pineapple specialty dressing.
Anytime I see beef salad on the menu, I just gotta try it! Pho 777 still has the best on the island, hands down. I don’t love visiting Pho 777 because it’s a bit run down and I question the cleanliness but you can’t beat their beef salad. The beef salad here was good, not great.
Combination Pho (Medium) | $12.75
I enjoyed my bowl of pho! I think they are generous with the meats and noodles, I felt quite satisfied after dining here! They have the hot chili sauce I like too (the one with the chili oil). Give them a try if you are feeling like pho and in Kaneohe!
I don’t think I need to tell you about The Pig and the Lady nor do I need to share about Piggy Smalls? Right? Well, I honestly haven’t been to The Pig and the Lady just yet but absolutely have been to Piggy Smalls a few times and loved it for both lunch and dinner. My previous post was dinner, this post will focus on lunch. Both meal times have their perks but I think I might favor lunch a bit more…let me share why…
Seasonal Slushy (Strawberry!) | $4.50
Finally! A seasonal flavor I can get behind! Strawberry! Nice refreshing drink, perfect for a hot day.
They are known for their LF Chicken Wings, and yes, many tables were ordering them! But somehow, I felt more veggie that day (word?). Well, I had no regrets getting the cauliflower, absolutely none. And honestly, you only get like 4 chicken wings. Look at this platter of cauliflower goodness. I am salivating just looking at it, and it was lightly breaded and deep fried so the cauliflower totally soaked up the money sauce. I could eat this as an entree with rice, well almost…but not when the next dish exists…
Pho-strami Banh Mi | $16.00 +$4 add noodles all day smoked beef brisket, pickled mustard seeds, sriracha-lime onions, awesome sauce, on la tour baguette with a side of our signature pho broth & farm salad
I was being pretty good during this meal. I actually shared this entree, could I finish it in one sitting? Probably not, but I sure as heck could hoard the other half of the sandwich for a really luscious snack later. This beef brisket is fatty/juicy and tender…I mean…this is my perfect sandwich. The baguette is a little hard (that’s what she said) but you gotta have the crusty french bread right? And the bowl of pho noodles on the side? THERE IS NO WRONG WITH THIS DISH. I wish this sandwich was available during dinner, nope…it’s only during lunch. Anyone want to take me out to lunch?
Okay, it’s been a while since I’ve posted about Wagaya but I still feel like a broken record. I think I already shared that Wagaya is my favorite ramen restaurant right now, it still is. Although…I hardly eat ramen now, not quite sure why. Well, I got to eat there again last week and am happy to share that the food is still great!
Chili Cucumbers | $3.75 (Happy Hour), $4.50 (Regular Price) Japanese cucumbers with chili pepper and chili oil.
I have a thing for cucumbers, if you are a regular visitor to this blog, you know I will try everyone’s cucumber dish. This was delicious! Each piece of cucumber was seasoned well, that’s quite hard to do with fresh raw cucumbers! The nori was a bit salty so I recommend eating those pieces with the cucumber. Wait a minute, that’s what I did, so maybe that’s why the cucumbers were so seasoned. Hmm, okay eat each cucumber with nori. Hahaha
Garlic Tsukemen (spicy level 3) | $13.95 Thick chilled noodles with savory tsukemen broth kicked up with garlic.
Garlic Wagaya Ramen (Kuro) | $13.25 Our classic tonkotsu broth is kicked up a notch with garlic.
My regular stand-by. Love it, I think I got spicy level 2 because I am frankly getting old and can’t handle spice like I used to. I also don’t want to suffer as I’m trying to enjoy my food. Well, level 2 was pretty weak sauce so I think I may go to level 3 again next time which negates the whole talk about me being too old for spicy foods but it’s all good. Beautiful broth. Perfectly cooked egg. It just all WORKS. Trust me.
Sometimes, you just gotta eat. You don’t want to cook and you just want to eat some good ole American Breakfast. IHOP is just that. Yup, I read the reviews beforehand (spoiler alert: they aren’t great) but I figured I could get some not terrible food. Was it good? Ehh…food was alright. A bit pricey if you ask me. The service was a bit inattentive because it was a bit busy, would I return? Well, not anytime soon.
Appetizer Sampler | $12.99 Mozza Sticks, Onion Rings & Crispy Chicken Strips served with marinara & choice of honey mustard or ranch.
Philly Cheese Steak Stacker | $13.49 Signature favorite is stacked with grilled Philly sirloin steak and thinly sliced onion, then topped with melted American cheese on a perfectly grilled roll.
Country Fried Steak & Eggs | $16.99 Get an 8 oz. fried beef steak smothered in country or sausage gravy, then served with two eggs*, hash browns and two buttermilk pancakes.
This was my entree, sorry I didn’t get a picture of the pancakes! This was just alright. The country fried steak was breaded heavily and deep fried too long, so it was too hard for my liking and not enough gravy to soften it. The eggs were cooked perfectly, there are hash browns hiding underneath the country fried steak. Wouldn’t recommend it, you can get better CFS at other restaurants.
Yakiniku Korea House is a great Korean restaurant in Moilili. They have great lunch specials and I enjoy their menu because to me it’s more authentic Korean food versus a localized version. They even have the Yukhoe raw beef dish I love! Well, I haven’t tried it here because no one is willing to eat it with me and I can’t eat the serving all by myself and I’m going to assume they would not let me take it home. Ugh, third world problems.
Pork with Potato Stew (serves 2) | $29.95
Here’s a dish I got recently, big soup ready to feed 2-3 people. I like how it boils up in front of you, let it cook down some more at the table so the meat gets more fall off the bone and the potatoes get softer. Kinda spicy (I mean look at it!) but a great way to sweat out some toxins!
We got five complimentary ban chans; seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned acorn jelly, traditional kimchee, mac salad, and a more fresh water kimchee? They don’t explain it but I enjoyed the traditional kimchee more. They did refill our banchan when we asked.
HOWEVER, apparently rice is not free refills. They charge $2.00 for an extra bowl of rice! Hmm…not a fan of that charge. She didn’t let us know it cost extra either and it’s not like it’s the fancy mixed rice, it’s just plain white rice. I think when you cough up the dough for a big soup dish, the rice should be complimentary!
Tangö Contemporary Café has been a favorite of ours for quite a few years. Absolutely love their food including dessert (which I don’t always partake in). The service is great, awesome free parking, and of course the food is good. I would recommend calling in a reservation beforehand, they don’t get crazy busy but when I called twice within a month, the whole restaurant was closed for a private party. Let’s get to the food!
Salmon Board | $13.00 Gravlax, Smoked Salmon Rillette, Roasted Garlic and Herb Labneh, Pickled Cucumber, Rye Bread
I know there’s supposed to be a difference in the two salmons but it tastes the same to me? (shoulder shrug emoji). I feel like this dish has changed from the first time we got it, in a good way! It used to come with a certain bread I wasn’t a fan of. I like the crispy salmon skin too! Perfectly crisp.
House-Smoked Duck Breast and Duck Leg Croquet | $27.00 Herb Polenta, Balsamic Demi Glace
I decided to try something different this night. My usual go-to dishes include the lamb (YUM!) or the beef short-ribs…how was this dish? It was okay, not great but not bad. It looks better than it tastes I think, left me wanting some Chinatown Roast Duck. I’m also not a great fan of the polenta – wish it was a bit creamier.
Grilled New York Steak, Kauai Shrimp | $29.00 Garlic Roasted Potato, Peppercorn Demi Glace
This is my friend’s go-to dish, and how can you go wrong? Steak and Shrimp? Delicious! I’ve tried it and it is great!
Kona Coffee Ice Cream Cake | $7.00 Kona Coffee, Vanilla and Italian Chocolate Ice Cream with Chiffon Cake
One of my favorite desserts in a restaurant. Simple choice but sooo good. The flavors just work so well together and I really enjoy the lightness of the chiffon cake against the rich ice cream. If you like the taste of coffee, you will love this dessert!
Yard House is a good ole American restaurant to me. A great selection of food and drinks, I don’t come here for stellar service or atmosphere but do enjoy the food! This post includes dishes from two visits, the second visit…to my dismay was the Saturday of Saint Patrick’s Day weekend. Yeah, I didn’t realize that until after I put in my wait-list request on their website. Also due to this fact, I think my wait time was still 2 hours. The initial wait time was 1.5 hours so I arrived then and was still given a buzzer to wait for about 20-30 mins more. I think this was due to Saint Patty’s day so I won’t poo poo their system just yet. Let’s get to the food!!
Sunset Sangria | $11.50 new amsterdam vodka, aperol, la perlina moscato, citrus agave, passion fruit, seven falls rapids red blend, strawberries, black cherry, pineapple, mint
Okay, there was some confusion when I first put this drink order in. They have this Sunset Sangria and a Sunkissed Sangria. Well I order Sunset and our waiter decided not to write orders down (why do waiters do this) and kept repeating back Sunkissed to me…and it was just confusing. I got the right drink in the end so cheers to his memory. It was delicious. Sangria is always delicious.
Out of all the dishes on the menu, this is one of my go-to’s. If not, the dish I always order. I know what you’re thinking, a turkey burger? Really, Jenny? Yes, really. They really nailed down a great recipe for their turkey burger, I prefer it over any burger any day. Everything just works in this burger, it’s delicious. I even let my kid brother try this burger and he then loved it too. A kid liked it, just try it.
Clam Chowder | $3.75 (add-on for Turkey Burger)
Eh, it was okay. A bit salty but I felt like something soupy that night. I usually actually get their Tomato Bisque which I enjoy a lot but felt like the chowder that night. I can’t say $3.75 is a good price, especially if you get the tomato bisque.
Mini Trio Sampler | $11.25 cheesecake brûlée, peach apple cobbler, chocolate soufflé cake
This was a nice selection to share! I gotta say we were pretty stuffed so we didn’t enjoy the dessert as much as we should have. Biggest surprise, my favorite dessert was the peach apple cobbler. It was delicious!! I think if I were to order dessert again, I would just get the full serving of a peach apple cobbler. Hmm, I’ve been into cobbler lately…may have a recipe to share soon-ish.
