Entries tagged 'foodie'
Eating Hawaii -- Oahu North Shore Shrimp Truck Tour - Romy's
Some serious shrimp eating going on. These folks prefer Romy's to Giovanni's. Your opinion?...
Video Tour of North Shore Shrimp Trucks - Giovanni's: Hawaii's Crustacean Fascination
First in a series. This is Giovanni's, the original shrimp truck. Enjoy! And what's your favorite North Shore shrimp truck and why? Do tell!...
New Hawaii Foodie Website: Share Your Table, Looking Good
"Share Your Table is a splashy Web 2.0-ish site with slide shows, videos, recipes, and columns from Joan Namkoong and Wanda Adams, two of the big names in Hawaii food writing. It's clear they spent a good amount of money...
Long Overdue Food Review Roundup
I've been lazy and busy. Here are a few. Honolulu Magazine doesn't like much to eat on Lewers Street in Waikiki. Hawaii Magazine brings us a feature on Maui's hottest green brewery Maui Time Weekly on Kahuna Kabobs in Lahaina...
Mala Lounge at Wailea Marriott: New Place, Good Vides, Good Grinds
This is one of the last Microsoft Mobile Posts. You see this logo and it means I'm posting on the go. Again, thanks to Microsoft for underwriting this Maui trip (indirectly, of course). So here we have a picture...
Aloha Air Cargo Shuts Down: One Big Loser -- Farmers and High-End Restaurants
Shocking news out today. Aloha Air, which had recently shuttered its passenger operations, on April 29 closed down its profitable air cargo operations after no buyer would bite (no surprise -- the Airline Pilots Association had threatened to strike). Aloha...
Best Vietnamese Food in Honolulu -- Or Hawaii? SuperPho
Another Microsoft Mobile Post, this time from Downtown Kaimuki. When you see the Microsoft icon, you know I'm posted on the go. I'm biased on this one. SuperPho is a hole-in-the-wall eatery located five minutes from my house in...
Hawaii Restaurants: Exit Stage Left - Two Top Dog Chefs Bolt from Honolulu's Hottest Newish Eatery
My friend John Heckathorn, editor of Hawaii Magazine, dropped a bombshell culinary scoop in his Sunday Honolulu Star-Bulletin gossip column when he disclosed that Chef Jon Matsubara and Pastry Chef Mark Okumura had left Stage Restaurant. When it opened to...
5 Hawaii Food Reviews: Finnish Tango, Doraku?
Belated food roundup. Honolulu Mag goes to Goran Streng's new smart and nicely priced joint, Tango.. Honolulu Weekly goes to Big Island for review of quasi-mex resto Pau (as in Pow!). On my plate does a Wailuku brekkie roundup of...
Microsoft Mobile Post: Waiola Shave Ice in Kapahulu: Why Drive to Country, Cuz?
A live Microsoft Mobile Post post coming at you. Microsoft is graciously sponsoring Hawaiirama in exchange for some relevant posts (none of which are about software). So I am blogging at you from Kapahulu, sitting on the bench outside...
Honolulu Restaurants: Shokudo Review, New Wave Japanese
I'm posting from Shokudo, a Japanese restaurant right next to Ala Moana Shopping Center and five minutes from Waikiki. This mobile post, typed on the go from my laptop whilst I polish off a platter of ahi tatami atop...
Alan Wong's Honolulu: Hawaii's Only James Beard Semi-Finalist in 2008
Word in the blogosphere is that Alan Wong is in the running for Outstanding Chef (we had already reported as Best Chef in the Northwest -- We were wrong).. He won it in 1996. Would be nice to get a...
Side Street Inn: Still Delish, Not so Nutrish
I'm mobile posting from the Side Street Inn, a favorite sports bar / dive bar that is the closest thing to Momofuku Noodle Bar that Honolulu has. Food. Reminder -- this post is sponsored by Microsoft and I put...
Ono Kine Goes to Downtown at HiSAM - Euro-Island Cuisine
Ono Kine visits Downtown @ HiSAM, Ed Kenney's latest venture. Great pics. Gives you a real flavor of the place....
Hawaii Steakhouse Roundup: Honolulu Magazine
Honolulu Mag food critic rolls out his take on a number of steak joints around Honolulu and one on Maui. Unfortunately, only half are local -- the other three are parts of big chains, so a little less interesting. But...
Getting Fruity Tooty: Edible Incredible's at KCC Farmer Market
(Sorry -- loaded this post up on Saturday to MT but only now getting it up and live. Was a bit too Microsoft Mobile for my own good. Wink, wink. And am only now catching up.) So a lot...
Cassis Closed Last Saturday: Big Bummer
Holy cow, that was fast. Cassis, the (slightly) more casual restaurant in Downtown Honolulu owned and masterminded by Chef Mavro (the James Beard Award Winner) has shuttered after less than a year. And I didn't even get to eat there!...
Food & Wine Reccomends Tsukiji Fishmarket: Hawaii Local Media Beg to Differ
This is why I never trust the big travel magazines, particularly for shorter articles. In "100 Tastes to Try in '07", foodie Bible Food & Wine posts the Tsukiji Fish Market at Ala Moana as Number 59 and has this...
Happy Valentine's Day -- Bucatini Bolognese at Town in Kaimuki
(Note to readers: Microsoft has generously agreed to sponsor Hawaiirama and as part of the deal I am doing a few mobile posts for our friends in Redmond. You will begin to see the occasional “live on location” audios,...
Winez and Grindz Returns to Pineapple Room: Hawaii Foodies Rejoice
After some chef turnover and menu instability, Alan Wong's slightly more casual offshoot The Pineapple Room is returning to its signature monthly tasting events. This one looks extremely intriguing, with a chef I do not know, Robert Urquidi. Here's the...
Beachhouse at the Westin Moana Surfrider: Waikiki Steak House, New Hawaii Classic
Last week I finally got to eat at the Beachhouse. My friend John Heckathorn had told me I had to eat there. He is a picky eater, and he was right. First, let's talk about the hotel. I had...
Rainbow Drive In: Bad Moco in Hawaii
Tasty Island is one of my favorite local food blogs. I only wish they would post more. Here they pull a fully contrarian review, dressing down the Rainbow Drive In surf diner for sub-par loco moco (a Hawaii staple,, a...
Bone Collagen Ramen in Hawaii; Other Food Update News
Another edition of our rarely updated food update. Sorry, folks. Here we go. The Star-Bulletin chews over a chewy, gravy-like version of ramen with chicken broth sauce thickened by chicken bone and cartilage. Um, yum? Not sure I could stomach...
Have You Had Your Malasada Today? Gotta Eat, Cuz!
I managed to stop at Leonard's in Kapahulu this weekend for a quick malasada fix and was greeted with a poster proclaiming Feb. 5 as Malasada Day (related to Mardi Gras, of course). We've blogged on these greasy goodie native...
Real Italian Food in Waikiki from a Japanese Chef:
Two of my good foodie friends, Lesa Griffith (who blogs here for the Honolulu Academy of Arts) and Dave Choo, have recommended Taormina as solid. Dave said it was good and I trust his judgement. Lesa used to work as...
Haute Dog Hank: Interview with Hawaii's Hot Dog King
Chow.com has a great interview with Hank Adaniya, the founder of Hank's Haute Dogs in Kakaako and formerly a restaurateur par excellence in Chitown. Takeaway -- it's really, really hard to run a quality small restaurant in Hawaii because suppliers...
Ahi = Mercury: Hawaii Tuna Trouble
A few weeks ago the New York Times went out and sampled fresh ahi at over a dozen high-end eateries and markets in the Big Apple and tested them for levels of heavy metals. The results? Ahi is loaded with...
D.K. Steakhouse in Waikiki: I Wll Never Eat There Again
Ate there last night with two friends. Not going to tell you why -- will leave it up to an upcoming review in a local publication, in which I was a participant. But leave it at this. Do not eat...
Good Hong Kong Chinese in Waikiki at a Resto Named Beijing
Restaurant reveiwer Wanda Adams susses out a newish (or at least unheralded until now) Chinese joint in Waikiki. The verdict? It's all good, if you dig garlic. Highlight - wontons in spicy garlic and chili. BEIJING CHINESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Advertiser...
Another Laughably Bad Set of Hawaii Ratings from Trip Advisor: Kauai Restaurants
According to the beloved TripAdvisor.com, the Top 3 on the Garden Isle the Hukilau Lanai, Mermaids Cafe, and Shrimp Station. Say what? Roy's Poipu, Blossoming Lotus, Tidepools -- which are much better joints than the top troika - all come...
Five Best Ice Cream Spots on Maui: Cold Stone? Puuhleeze
Aside from that lame reference to the global chain that has convinced sweets hounds that its ok to roll out your ice cream on a slab before wolfing down enough to sink a battleship, this Maui Time Weekly article points...
Hawaii's New Greek in Town: Honolulu's Gets Fat and Wanda Adams Reports
Honolulu Advertiser food queen Wanda Adams is stoked on the Fat Greek, a new casual nabe spot in Kaimuki next to City Mill. We were less stoked. Fish was not as fresh as Olive Tree. Sauces were not as flavorful....
Hawaii Food Round-Up:
Much delayed. Too many projects. Here's some of the latest. Alan, the bloggermind behind M'aona reviewed Chibo Okonomiyaki, an Osaka-style pancake house -- with his auntie from Osaka! Smart read. Tasty Island visits Meg's Drive-In in blue-collar Kalihi on Oahu....
The Bay Club on Maui: Peter Merriman Will Revive It
One of my favorite Maui memories involved a supreme chocolate desert and a snifter of port at the old Bay Club in Kapalua, Maui. The restaurant is perhaps the most romantic setting in all of the islands, with an open-air...
Dave Choo Gets A Blog: Hot Monkey Love For The Masses
My good friend Dave Choo has long been a sorta populist food critic in Hawaii (aside from being a talented writer and editor of a business magazine). His straight-shooting reviews are the anti-Frank Bruni of local foodie lit. So I...
How to Say "Atsa Lotsa Pasta" On Kauai: Local Italian (Not An Oxymoron)
I was struck by the abundance of good Italian offerings on Kauai last night as I and the other members of our party at Casa di Amici reached across the table to fork from one anothers' plates bites of seafood...
Anthony Bourdain in the House: Does Honolulu Taping
Bad boy chef Anthony Bourdain airdropped into Honolulu to tape a segment of "No Reservations." The Honolulu Star-Bulletin's Betty Shimabukuro gots the goods and chatted with Big Tony as he chowed down on Colin Nishida's choice grinds at Side Street...
Kauai Gets More Good Grinds: Merriman's to Open in Poipu
The Garden Isle has some good restaurants but generally lacks fine dining. Might come with the lack of development. Whatever the case, Hawaii farm-fresh-to-table savant Peter Merriman will be opening a new joint near Poipu as part of a massive...
Best Dining on Maui: Maui No Ka Oi Mag's Aipono Awards
This pub serves as the hip city mag for the whole Valley Island (for the over 40s crowd, that is -- who else can afford Maui?). But I found its annual reader restaurant awards to be kinda off key. Not...
Charley's in Paia -- Upgraded Menu, Willie Would Be Happy
When I last ate at Charley's in Paia, the food pretty much sucked. It was drab, boring, and definitely not befitting this noted biker-hangout and secret celebrity gig spot. Maui Time Weekly revisits and sez food better. Duly noted. Next...
Hawaii Restaurant Roundup
Long overdue but here it is. HawaiiDiner tells us why Honolulu Magazine readers (the folks who vote on the Hale Aina Restaurant Awards) are boring, clueless or both. I tend to agree with her assessment that they mostly missed the...
Deep Fried Pickles at MAC 24-7
This is why I love Mixed Plate Special. Video food reviews. I know the Advertiser is doing video but they are mostly little snippets with no soul. The MPS crew is funky, irreverent and a lot of fun. I disagree...
Edible Hawaiian Island Illegible Online -- Major Bummer
I was really looking forward to the first edition of Hawaii's new food magazine, Edible Hawaiian Islands. The line-up looked intriguing. I love food and Hawaii (as you know) so I was really amped to get some mega-coverage of a...
Kona Coffee Festival: Cupping, Eating, Learning on Big Island
Each November on the Big Island, the Kona Coffee Festival kicks off with a jolt -- hee hee. The festival is all about the world class Joe that the sunny side of the Big Island puts out. Big Island Kona...
Hawaiirama Food News:
Back for more tidbits. Gail over at Hawaii Diner gives us a solid roundup of where she took out-of-town guests to eat including unexpected (Bobo's BBQ in Kaawa), the worse than expected (Elua) and the so-bad-but-still-gotta-do-it (Buzz's Steakhouse in Kailua)....
Jean Marie Josselin Returns to Hawaii: Oahu Restaurant Scene Heating Up
In my first year living in Hawaii, I was working as a staff writer for Hawaii Business Magazine (making something like $20,000 per year) in 1994. Part of that gig was trips to the Neighbor Islands to cover business out...
Trip Advisor Oahu Restaurant Rankings -- More Hilarity
Oh, gotta love the hoi polloi over at TA for their wacky restaurant rankings. Compadre's Bar and Grill ranked 4th on the island of Oahu, beating out La Mer (the peerless and pricey French classic at the Halekulani) and Alan...
Diamond Head Market: Don't Go for Breakfast
After a Honolulu Advertiser article trumpeted breakfast at the Diamond Head Market & Grill on Monsarrat (the place does make really killer high-end plate lunch fare), I took the missus and kids down for some pancakes on a recent weekend,...
Gourmet Mag Sez Maui Chef James McDonald is Farm God
Gourmet Magazine has named Pacific'o and I'o, two highly regarded Lahaina, Maui eateries helmed by popular award-winning Chef James McDonald, to its list of top restaurants with farm connections. There were only nine restaurants named so major congrats to the...
Hawaii Food News: Kochi Lounge, Other Tidbits
Here's the latest. My first food review in the Honolulu Advertiser (thanks Lesa!) covers Kochi Lounge, a hipper version of Side Street Inn. Restaurateur Dave Stewart, the man behind Indigo, Bar 35 and Du Vin has a new boite on...
Hawaii Hotels: Kahala Resort Richard Dreyfus Ripoff
As if the Kahala Resort hadn't had enough bad press lately. Apparently, famed stage and screen has-been actor walked on a $3,000 room charges tab from the Kahala after stealing the show in a local charity theater performance in Honolulu,...
Hawaii Restaurants: Little Kitchens, Big Flavors
This is a really killer event that features some of small restaurant chefs from around Oahu (Downtown, 12 Ave. Grill, India Cafe, Mi Casa) but turns out dynamite food and for a good cause, Slow Food Oahu. The local alt...
Hawaii Food News: Hamura's Saimin, More
Here's the latest batch. Planet Kauai adds yet another paen to Hamura's Saimin, a delish Lihue landmark. Maui Time Weekly eats breakfast at Cafe James in Kihei, the latest eatery by James McDonald (I'o, Pacifico, and Feast at Lele are...
Green Hawaii: Costco Goes Solar in Kona, Kauai
The islands get two of the four pilot solar programs for the progressive Big Box retailer. All the more reason to stop into Costco and stock up on $30 bottles (a bargain) of Maui Ocean Vodka and 5 pound jugs...
Hawaii Food News: The Other Kilauea Farmer's Market, Cassis, Nobu
Here's the latest tidbits. Over at Planet Kauai, Charley Foster is doing an admirable job of eating his way around the Garden Isle. He opines on the Kilauea Farmer's Market -- no, t he store, not the weekly event --...
Puka Dogs in Waikiki - More Haute Hot Dogs (And Lilikoi Ketchup)
Continuing on the Hawaii high-end hot dog meme, my friend Lesa Griffith at the Honolulu Advertiser comes out with a review of Hank's Haute Dogs (which I blogged about earlier) but adds a mouth-watering review of a second gourmet dog...
Deniro at Nobu in Waikiki
I blogged it two days ago. Here's the pic. Image via Halekulani Corp....
Hawaii Food News: Deniro Dines at Nobu, Diamond Head Market Does Breakfast
Robert Deniro made a surprise visit to Nobu Waikiki this past week, dropping in for a bite at the joint he partly owns on a pitstop back from Australia where he just opened ANOTHER Nobu outlet. Deniro is a part...
Hawaii Cupcakes: Hokulani Bakery, All Butter, No Bad
Yes, the upscale cupcake madness has landed in Hawaii, too. Fortunately, I should say. My pal Tushar Dubey is one of the purveyors of the sweet, kine stuff. Two years ago he and his lovely wife Anna opened Hokulani Bake...
Maui Time Weekly - Best of Maui Issue 2007
I mentioned this briefly in a recent food news posting. Here's a bit more about the Best of Maui issue for 2007. Best Mai Tai goes to Mama's Fish House in Paia on the lovely, lush North Shore. I can...
Hawaii Food Roundup: Reviews, News, Eats
Welcome to everyone who has come by for Hurricane Flossie info. Pull up a chair and join us for a virtual meal (bad cliche). Nadine Kam of the Star-Bulletin gives three stars to The Aji House at Xlyoh, an nouveau...
Hawaii Restaurants: Tony Soprano Dines at "Epic"
Apparently James Gandolfini was in Hawaii last week, in Honolulu, to be precise. Accompanying him was his lovely girlfriend Lin. Gandolfini, natch, dined on pork chops at Epic, a newish restaurant in Chinatown in Honolulu on the island of Oahu....
Hawaii Food News: Uncle's Fish, Alan Wong's, Epic, Sea Asaparagus
Alan Wong's Restaurant announced what super sous Wade Ueoka would be slinging at the next "Next Generation Dinner" on August 8. These events are killer one-of-a-kind tasting menus with wine pairings that the folks working with Alan whip up to...
Hawaii Celebrities: Harrison Ford's 65th Birthday in Hilo -- What to Feed Steve Speilberg and George Lucas for Dinner
Hilo, hole-in-the-wall, foodie Naung Mai restaurants Harrison Ford George Lucas Cate Blanchette Calista Flockhart Indiana Jones Big Island Hawaii Hawaiian
Maui Restaurants: Upcountry Bounty
Maui Time Weekly weighs in on the Kula Sandalwoods Cafe, a restaurant I have often heard mentioned as a local favorite with simple, hearty fare. It was really nice food when I went there. Plenty of local vehicles parked outside,...
Nobu Report: Is Waikiki One Nobu Too Many?
Apparently not. The latest Nobu, located at the newly hipified (as opposed to hippified) Waikiki Parc, has been hopping. My friends who have eaten there have said that the food is excellent, albeit a bit dated (meaning, we've have the...
Haute Dog, Honolulu! A Five-Star Wiener Joint in Kakaako
Legendary Chicagoland restaurateur Hank Adaniya, the owner of the celeb chef factory and noted Mobil Five-Star Joint Trio, has returned to his dog eat dog roots -- in Honolulu, no less. Before his birth, Hank's mom and dad ran a...
Hawaii Restaurants: Halekulani's House Without a Key Lambasted
I personally love the House Without a Key. It's where we've gone to eat many, many nights. with guests in town. When I was drinking man, I tossed back countless potent Mai Tais mixed up at this oceanfront restaurant on...
Hawaii Restaurants: Stage, Another Choo Review
My pal Dave Choo takes a look at lunch at Stage Restaurant, the latest "IT" eatery in Honolulu (alongside Mavro's Cassis). His verdict? Mixed. This contrasts with a glowing review from the Honolulu Advertiser. "All the fixtures are beautiful, but...
Maui Restaurants: More On Why to Not Trust TripAdvisor
Pull up the list of the Top 5 recommended restaurants on Maui and you can see why TA is totally untrustworthy when it comes to food. Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante, Kihei (I've never a Hawaii local say this one is...
Hawaii Food: More Mango Madness on Maui
This is a typical Hawaii mango tree. It's located in Wailea, Maui. Notice the concentration of fruit. Things are different in Hawaii. :) :) :) Image via Wailea Daily Photo...
Hawaii Restaurants: New Eats in Makawao, Upcountry Maui
Maui Time Weekly puts forth a review of Cloud Nine Cafe, a seat-o-the-pants eatery in this erstwhile cowboy town located farm from the hotels (though you'll still rub elbows with the tourists). This is the first I've ever heard of...
Spam as Hawaii Comfort Food, Redux: IHT Runs it Again (Via AP)
And so it goes again. The Honolulu bureau of the Associate Press sent out over the wires yet another version of the "Hawaii Loves Spam" article. It's a nice read and made it all the way into the International Herald...
Hawaii Restaurants: Manapua Mojo from Honolulu Weekly
Kawehi Haug, often a cranky, contrarian voice in the Hawaii food scene, takes us on a tour of her fave manapua joints. For the unitiated, these are essentially Chinese-style bao buns but stuffed witha wider variety of localized fillings....
Hawaii Restaurant / Food News: Downtown, Kailua, All Around
Now, the food news. Honolulu Weekly writer Kawehi Haug gives a thumbs up to the new second location of the Kalapawai Cafe in downtown Kailua. She raves about Chef Jason Iwane's evening menu. This is an offshoot of the beachy...
Hawaii Food News Roundup : Late This Week, Better Than Never
The first review of Cassis, the downmarket Chef Mavro bistro in downtown Honolulu, paints an uneven picture, My friend Lesa Griffith did the review and I trust her judgement, which, in a nutshell, says: the foods really good but...
Hawaii Food News Roundup: Stage Review,
Here's the latest. The Star-Bulletin gives the Alan Wong's alumni at Stage Restaurant three stars but its hardly a convincing review. At blog Tasty Island, reviews of locally made Portuguese sausages. Yum, Pomai. Grand Cafe Bakery in Chinatown (Honolulu) has...
Hawaii Restaurants: Next Gen Dinner at Alan Wong's King Street on May 17
Better grab those tables fast. Wade Uekoa, who has helmed a number of these prix fixe tasting extravaganzas, is back at the toque. Menu highlights include Seared Furikake Crusted Ahi with Ma’o Farms Ruby Streak Greens, Fresh Myoga, Soy Mustard...
Hawaii Food: Mango Madness -- Tis' The Season of Golden Abundance
Driving around Oahu and seeing the fruit-laden trees, I am hopeful that we are going to have a bumper mango crop this year. Our own little Ma'apulehu tree in the front yard has doubled his fruit count (from one to...
Hilo: "Hawaii's Forgotten City" Says Chicago Trib
But they mean it in a nice way. Ian Lind pointed out this Chicago Tribune piece covering the rainy (well, not as much as you think), sleepy burg on the eastern side of the Big Island. The article compares...
Hawaii Eats: Macadamia Nuts Good For You -- Study Proves It
The first time I visited Hawaii (before I moved here) I ate about a can of macadamia nuts per day. It made me feel sick but I couldn't help it. As an East Coaster I had never had any nuts...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
Here's the weekly crop of food reviews and news items. Honolulu Weekly says "Molto bene!" to Donato Loperfido's latest, Pasta et Basta located in the Restaurant Row foodie death zone. The Star-Bulletin also loves Pasta Basta (inevitably shortened) as well...
Hawaii Restaurants: A Food Miser Fellow Blogger Weighs in On Ballyhooed Cassis
Chef Mavro caters to the foodie crowd, the crazy folks who throw down serious coin for upscale chow. Ian Lind prefers dirt cheap Thai food. Which makes his review particularly interesting, as he's enticed to eat at Cassis, Mavro's new...
Hawaii Restaurants: First Look at Roy's Waikiki: Hawaii Diner has the Goods
I often don't agree with what Gail Jennings at Hawaii Diner has to say but I love reading her stuff anyway. Here she gives us a sneak peak at the new Roy's at Waikiki Beach Walk. This is a "Mock"...
Hawaii Restaurants: Nobu Hype Building
Nobu Matsuhisa is in Honolulu, whipping his crew into shape for a May 28 opening of his latest outpost at the Waikiki Parc Hotel. Local media is all lathered up about the event -- which kind of cements my suspicion...
Hawaii Foodie: Mac Pie -- There's Always Room for This!
Being a man with an uncontrollable sweet tooth, I am a sucker for butterscotch / caramel flavorings in my post-dinner noshables. I also love pies, particularly rich and sinful pies. Which leads me to the Mac Pie, a Big Island...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
I'll start off the foodie roundup with a mention of Wailua Wheat, a lilikoi-citrus scented wheat bear put out by Kona Brewing Company. This is the company's second limited-release custom brew, following on the heels of its stellar chocolate and...
Hawaii Foodie Alert : Bottom-Fishing Ban Approved for 5 Months. No Mo' Opakapaka, Folks
I blogged a while back about the impact of the impending ban on bottom-fishing techniques used to scoop up a handful of succulent local varieites such as opakapaka and onaga. This presents a problem for Hawaii eateries with signature dishes...
Four Seasons Maui Clones BLT NYC: Can Noel Baudillio Stand the Heat?
The Wailea restaurant scene on Maui has, despite the uber poshness of the hotels on this peachy stretch of beach, remained utterly disappointing. Most of the hotel restaurants have failed to inspire widespread recognition or accolades, with patrons merrily decamping...
Hawaii Foods: Buy That Honey! Hawaii Bees Going Fast!
A nasty little bug, the Varroa mite, has decimated bee stocks on the U.S. Mainland. Due to its isolation, Hawaii had remained free of the mite and Hawaiian bee hives had continued to produce amazing honey treats. Now the mite...
Hawaii Foodie Roundup: Weekly, Hungry, Eat!
Yet another fabulous edition of our statewide foodie roundup featuring all things edible and readable in Hawaii. A hefty and tasty salad bar in Kailua, Oahu. Maui Tacos' Tex-Mex-Hi coming to you soon. Kaimuki Town takes it down with "Downtown",...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
More edibles for the masses, courtesy of the roving food monkeys at Hawaiirama. Honolulu Weekly happily sails into the Holokai Grill, the new Tiki's Bar & Grill clone in the also new Waikiki Beachwalk. The word? Order mixed drinks. Lots...
Hawaii Restaurants: Book Excerpt, Dave Choo's Chewsy Views
I've long envied the life of my good friend Dave Choo. A multi-talented writer and editor who works at local magazine shop Pacific Basin Communications, Choo is an encyclopedia of local food insights. Dave has just published a bunch of...
Honolulu Restaurants: Stage Restaurant Makes Two
Two highly anticipated restaurant openings, that is -- in a town that has seen far too little restaurant activity of late. My friend John Heckathorn (who somehow juggles multiple gigs including Editor of Hawaii Magazine, food critic for Honolulu Magazine,...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
Restaurant Epic, the lastest downtown bistro, shutters only a few weeks after opening to retool poorly-received menu. Honolulu Weekly gets fat at the Yard House, a new edition to the Waikiki Beach Walk with 130-odd beers on tap. Maui Time...
Maui Seafood Watch -- Saving Fish, Succulent Eats
This is a cool article from No Ka Oi Magazine on Maui that details a bit about an effort by Valley Isle restaurateurs to create sustainable seafood menus. Right on! This is particularly important due to the rapid declines among...
Bottom Fishing Ban in Hawaii Puts Squeeze on Restaurateurs
I was having lunch today with one of the state's top chefs, George Mavrothalassitis at his restaurant, Chef Mavro, in Honolulu. It was a wine tasting lunch with is staff, something Mavro does each quarter to allow a democratic vote...
Chocolate Covered Bananas -- Hidden at UH Manoa
I wrote a while back about the phenomenal chocolate-dipped apple bananas at the Campbell Avenue Bakery in Kapahulu. Alas, the bakery appears to have shuttered. But I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a viable replacement in case of mad...
Maui Gets a Better Pizza : Flatbread Arriveth in Paia
Granted, you don't come all the way to Hawaii to expect to get great pizza. And for the most part, Hawaii trails in that category. You'll never find a pie from the island ranked up there with the greats of...
Mickey D's Goes Coconuts -- Haupia Pie on the Way
First there was the McTeri Ribs and spam as a breakfast meat. Then we had the taro pie. Now its haupia (coconut cream) pie under the golden arches. Hilarious. And only in Hawaii....
Where to Eat Tonite: Alan Wong's Next Gen Dinner
Sorry for the late notice but there are tables available at 9:00 pm at Alan Wong's for the latest in their monthly series of Next Generation dinners. This series allows the Wong's proteges to show off their best stuff with...
Hawaiirama Foodie Roundup
On Oahu, the Star-Bulletin samples Goldfish (name of restaurant) sushi fare and digs fancy rolls. This comes on the heels of a quick write up of R&P Cafe, an heir apparent to the recently closed palace of plate lunch paralysis,...
OpenTable.com Hawaii -- From Useless to Moderately Useful
Denizens of large metropolises on the mainland love to use OpenTable.com. It's a free online restaurant reservation service that lets you pick a restaurant by cuisine, region, and price range and then tells you which ones have online availability. There's...
Bar Acuda -- Grrrreat Food in Hanalei
I'd been hearing rumors about a great new place to eat in Hanalei for six months now. Something about tapas, which seemed incongruous as Hanalei is the ultimate country town. Not to say unsophisticated but, rather, the peeps sack out...
Ahi Plate Lunch Paralysis - So Ono, Take Two
A number of friends had recommended to me Kelvin Ro's Diamond Head Market & Grill to us when it opened in 2004 so we ponied up for a couple of plate lunches -- and were disappointed. The flavors had no...
Hawaiirama Valentine Ideas: Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate
Word to this. You simply cannot beat chocolate for inducing an amorous quasi Pavlovian response (hopefully with the proper intention). Hawaii actually has more than its fair share of fab choc options. For starters, its the only place in the...
Food Review Roundup: All Over Da Map
Have not done one of these in quite a while. Star-Bulletin: Atlantis Seafood & Steak in Waikiki is mediocre, good for dumb visitors Hawaii Business: Dave Choo thinks Kyoto Osho is mediocre, but good for people who eat at buffets...
Tip #5: How to Save Big Bucks on a Hawaiian Vacation -- Do Lunch
Like the rest of my saving money tips for Hawaii visits, this one is fairly obvious yet astonishingly overlooked. The quickest way to max out your meal expenditures is hit a high-end restaurant for dinner. Of course, it's a lovely...
Restaurant Closure Alerts: Yanni's, C&C Pasta
A long-running Italian casual fave in Kaimuki appears to have shuttered. C&C Pasta brought me many a good meals over the years. Am not sure what owner Carla is up to as another Italian restaurant is opening in the space....
Next Gen Dinner -- Alan Wong's King Street
Alan Wong has a reputation as a stern taskmaster. The James Beard Award winner works his people hard and in his kitchen there are only two ways to do things -- the wrong way or the Wong Way. I guess...
Lucy's Bar & Grill : When in Kailua...Do As the Locals Do
We were over at the beach in Kailua yesterday and it had been over a year since we had last eaten at Lucy's Bar and Grill. That's about a year too long. Now, I would never say Lucy's has the...
New Menu Time at Mavro: Yum Yum!
Chef Mavro does not like to sit on his laurels. The maestro, who toques up amazingly subtle and exquisite grub at his posh eatery in a blue collar district of Honolulu, revamps his menu four times a year. That's pretty...
Foodie Alert: Ono Kine Grindz Back Blogging
After a long hiatus, Ono Kine Grindz is posting again. Recently reviewed -- Tokyo Tokyo at the Kahala Hotel and Bombay, the new Indian eaterie (Hawaii could use A LOT more Indian) in Discovery Bay in Waikiki. This blog takes...
Main Street Bistro in Wailuku
We've been hearing good things about the Main Street Bistro in Wailuku, the sleepy county seat of the Valley Isle. Wailuku has been threatening a revival and it has enjoyed an influx of refugees from overpriced resort towns and Honolulu....
A Second Hawaiian Chocolate: Waialua Extra Dark
Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. where cacao is grown. The tropical climate and bright sunshine allows the finicky cacao plants to thrive. To date, most of the cacao grown in Hawaii has been at one farm on...
Things You Must Eat in Hawaii: Roselani Haupia (Coconut) Ice Cream
I am a serious ice cream snob, jaded from years of seeking out the best ice cream parlors on both coasts and wherever abroad I may have been travelling. Hawaii has great ice cream, with a half-dozen really high-end...
Hawaii Restaurants: Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas
Hiroshi Fukui started out washing dishes in a Japanese restaurant in Waikiki. His only formal training was on the job as he climbed the ranks from line to sous to the guy running the kitchen. Fukui spread his wings at...
Aloha-Mex at Newark International -- Food to Fly By
Here's my post on Jaunted.com, a site where I am a contributing editor. I like it. It's a fun site. I write about Maui Tacos in Newark International, where its a total godsend for the long flights back to Hawaii....
Hawaii Restaurants: Merriman's Market Cafe
Noted restaurateur Peter Merriman was one of the original founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine (HRC) over a decade ago. His flagship eatery in upcountry Waimea is an island institution with intricate plates crafted from Big Island produce (he has...
Hawaii Edibles: Elmer Guzman's Xmas Poke Delivery Service
Why is it that poke made outside of Hawaii just isn't poke? It doesn't taste like poke. It doesn't feel like poke. How about if the ingredients come from Hawaii? Hmmm, might work. Elmer Guzman, Poke master and owner of...
YouTube Hawaii Video: Ryan Takes Us to Taste of Honolulu Fest!
My online pal Ryan Senaga, who is a prolific creator of Web content, posted this video he shot at the Taste of Honolulu fest this past summer. It's a fun view on the event. I've yet to go but intend...
Matthew Gray Food Tours: Cheap(er) Eats Than Usual
Former Honolulu Adverttiser food reviewer and all around bon vivant Matthew Gray shifted from writing to tour guide a few years back when he opened his own foodie tour biz. I have not been on one of his sojourns around...
Oahu Hotel Reviews: Kahala Hotel & Resort
Pros: This property is 10-minutes away from Waikiki and set on its own beach which is rarely crowded and very calm. This is the closest you'll come to a true resort on Oahu's South Shore. The service is, in general,...
Hawaii Restaurants: La Mer + Louis XIII = Decadent Dinner
Caveat reader. What you are about to read was the result of a comped dinner experience, Translation? I couldn't afford it but when the Halekulani offered to feed me its " Louis XIII de Remy Martin Ultimate Dinner," I simply...
Where Andy Irons Grinds: North Shore Surf Pros Chow Alert
Want the low-down on some of the best eats on Oahu’s North Shore? No better sources than the world’s best surfers, who, after shredding the massive winter waves along this famed coastline stretch, surely work up the appetites to match...
Edible Hawaii Xmas: Melemac Madness, Mac Nut Mania
In 1999 Hawaii confectionery Island Princess unveiled the Mele Kaliki Mac (as in Mele Kalikimaka, which is Merry Christamas in Hawaiian). Take a sinfully rich macadamia nut. Dip it in buttery English toffee. Cover this little nugget with milk chocolate....
Hawaii Restaurants: Uncle Bos, Latest Honolulu Neighborhood Joint
Honoluiu Star-Bulletin Weekly Eater Nadine Kam gives a big thumbs up to new Kapahulu electic eatery Uncle Bo's. My friend Bob knows the owners, which converted the spot from a past joint into an Asian Pacific pupus and casual plates...
Big Island Candies: Home of the Best Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
If you’re like me and you want to get a headstart on your holiday shopping (because the malls are going to be crazy this year, my friends), you’ve probably done a lot of browsing on the Internet. Shopping online is...
Hawaii Eats: Hawaiian Strawberries
Mmmmm, strawberries. While everyone associates Hawaii with pineapples, papayas, and other tropicals, in the higher elevations on the Big Island and Maui, local farmers are busily growing ridiculously luscious strawberries. They are pretty hard to find in supermarkets but a...
Downhill Alert: Jimbo's Noodle Shop
We love Jimbo's as do a lot of other folks. It used to be our favorite place to get udon and other Japanese comfort foods. I was partial to the yakiudon with shrimp. But over the past six months the...
Hawaii Eats: Ma'o Farms Goes to Town
Living just up the hill from Ed Kenney's restaurant Town definitely has its perks. We get down there all the time for lunch and either Ed or Dave, his partner, sticks their head out of the kitchen to say hello....
Hawaii Restaurants: Food Review Roundup
Am trying to continue to keep up with local food reviews. I know I like to read them so.... Long Awaited French Wine Bar (not very Hawaii, but hey!) Du Vin, From Owner of Indigo, Opens in Honolulu: Hawaii Diner...
Chef's Choice: Daryl Fujita, Orchid's at the Halekulani
Chef Darryl Fujita started out washing dishes at the Halekulani and quickly rose under the tutelage of Chef George Mavrothalassitis at La Mer. Fujita is now the chef of Orchid's and gaining considerable acclaim on his own right. Gourmet...
The Next Generation Part 3: Whither HRC or Wither HRC?
This is a piece that was killed by the new online food publication, Chow. Bummer for me but hey, it happens. And more fodder for Hawaiirama! This is part 3. Here is part 1. and part 2. That hasn't...
Obscenely Delicious: Mochi Ice Cream from Bubbie's
If you are a member of the Moral Majority, you may want to put a blindfold on junior before you take him to Bubbie's. This homegrown ice cream company makes obscenely great ice cream, rich and dreamy, and tags its...
The Next Generation Part 2: Whither HRC or Wither HRC?
This is a piece that was killed by the new online food publication, Chow. Bummer for me but hey, it happens. And more fodder for Hawaiirama! This is part 2. If you want to read part 1, click here....
The Next Generation: Whither HRC or Wither HRC?
This is a piece that was killed by the new online food publication, Chow. Bummer for me but hey, it happens. And more fodder for Hawaiirama! This is part 1. In September 2006, Alan Wong threw a luau. And it...
Big Island Restaurants: Punalu'u Bake Shop
This is part of a series of five excerpts from a book by Jessica Ferracane, "50 Thrifty Big Island Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs should dig in. And a hat tip to the folks at Watermark Publishing...
Big Island Restaurants: 50 Thrifty Eats on Big Island
Note: Sorry for busted links in the image and the text yesterday. Fixed. This is part of a series of five excerpts from a book by Jessica Ferracane, "50 Thrifty Big Island Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs...
Cake Couture: Hawaii Wedding Delight
The cake makes the wedding. Not really, but having a stunning cake is certainliy something every bride hopes for on her perfect day. Cake Couture, based in Aina Haina on Oahu, is a standout. Owner Carrie Emerson-Bass was raised...
The Last, Best Comfort Food: Hawaii Eats
One of my favorite local food writers, John Heckathorn, has a phenomenal article in the current issue of Spirit of Aloha, the inflight magazine of Aloha Airlines. He covers the origins of high-end Hawaii Regional Cuising and where its going....
Taste of the Range: Love Family Farms
One of the real crowd pleasers at the event was the maracuya cheese cake whipped up by Love Family Farms. Ken and Margy Love run this small coffee farm in Kona with a kitschy twist. Visitors can pay to adopt...
Taste of the Range 2006: Stampede!
Truth be told, we got to this big foodie event on the Big Island a full hour late. A strange confluence (conflagration?) of events transpired to contribute to our tardy arrival, from a late depature from Honolulu due to a...
Kula Ali'i Lavendar Chocolate Fudge Sauce
I got a chance to sample this insanely delish sauce from Ali'i Kula Lavender at the Hawaii Products Expo in August. Ali'i Kula is an 8 acre lavender farm in Upcountry Maui. Full disclosure. I'm a chocomaniac. And I'm not...
Book Excerpt: 50 Thrifty Eats on Maui: Da Kitchen Plate Lunch
This is part of a series of five excerpts from a book I like very much by Jessica Ferracane and Yvonne Biegel, "50 Thrifty Maui Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs should dig in. And a hat tip to...
Where Hawaii Chef's Eat: James McDonald
Maui chef James McDonald has three respected eateries in Lahaina. I'o and Pacific'o are upscale oceanfront Hawaii east-meets-west fusion joints with stellar fish and apetizers. Feast at Lele is actually a luau / dinner show but McDonald suppliers the...
Indigo Poke Recipe
At least once a week I get a request from someone for more poke recipes. So I am going to try to keep adding them up there, ideally pushing my readers into some sort of poke paralysis. Heh. This one...
Food Review Round Up
* Catherine Toth has a fun overview of the evolution of shave ice, everyone's favorite Hawaii desert. * Dave Choo reviews NeoNabe, a nouveau Nippon hotpot place in Hawaii Business * Leeward Community College reopens its lunch spot, Pearl, where...
2006 Aloha Festivals Poke Contest Results
The results of the 2006 Aloha Festival's Poke Contest were posted sometime a week or two ago and I was remiss in not getting them up. Readers of this blog know that I am a huge fan of poke. For...
Poke Contest Results
The results of the 2006 Aloha Festival's Poke Contest were posted sometime a week or two ago and I was remiss in not getting them up. Readers of this blog know that I am a huge fan of poke. For...
Book Excerpt: 50 Thrifty Eats on Maui
This is part of a series of five excerpts from a book I like very much by Jessica Ferracane and Yvonne Biegel, "50 Thrifty Maui Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs should dig in. And a hat tip to...
Book Excerpt: 50 Thrifty Eats on Maui
This is the first in a series of five excerpts from a book I like very much by Jessica Ferracane and Yvonne Biegel, "50 Thrifty Maui Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs should dig in. And a hat tip...
Why I Love Food Reviews at Ono Kine Grindz
Food is visual and Hawaii food, due to the bright colors of the tropical palate, is more visual than most. Traditional food reviews try to paint a picture with words and perhaps add an image or two. Ono Kine Grindz...
Food Reviews and News Roundup
* Catharine Lo at Honolulu Weekly slurps 'awa, gets numb, eats kalua quesadilla at Kapahulu Kafe * Star-Bulletin reccomends Wong's "New Wave Luau: II" party * Honolulu Advertiser's Wanda Adams eats more Filipino food, whole fried akule, pancit and lechon...
Alan Wong's Opihi Shooter Off the Menu
A sad development. Due to the state ban on commercial sales of opihi, Alan Wong's Restaurant on King Street has converted its famed opihi shooter into an oyster shooter. We ate there last night. I had an oyster shooter. It...
Hawaiirama in the Honolulu Advertiser
The Honolulu Advertiser, the state's biggest paper, ran a brief write-up on Hawaiirama and quoted me. Thanks much to Lesa and Elizabeth Kieszkowski, both of whom I've worked with in the past. They do a great job down there and...
Foodie Deal Alert: Sam Choy's Diamond Head 20% Off
Cruising Costco Hawaii Kai the other day I spotted a nifty gift card bonusorama from Sam Choy's Diamond Head. Cough up $80 at Costco and get two $50 giftcards good for all meals at Sam's! I personally am a big...
Food News / Reviews Roundup
* Star-Bulletin's Nadine Kam gives Ola on North Shore a barely passing grade * Ono Kine Grindz explains why Makino Chaya beats other cheapie Japanese seafood buffets * Sue Kiyabu of the Honolulu Weekly likes food at Bistro Nights in...
Best Steaks on Oahu
I often read the Chowhound bulletin boards to learn what people are saying about eating in Hawaii and what they are asking about the state's food scene. Every now and then I'll crib one of these queries and answer it...
Honolulu Weekly Annual "Best Of 2006 Issue" Online
This year's edition is finally online. I disagree with a lot of it. In a city of great ethnic and Asian restaurants, its laughable to say that middling Italian spot Auntie Pasto's is the best place to eat on...
Carnivore's Dilemma: Taste of the Range
A little known fact -- the Parker Ranch on the Big Island is the largest cattle ranch in the country in terms of total acreage. No surprise, then, that the Big Island is ground zero for high-end beef, lamb...
Book Excerpt: "Food Lover's Guide to Honolulu"
Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong has been documenting the foods, ingredients and cooking styles of the islands for several decades. She is the consummate Honolulu foodie. Joan (and her publisher Bess Press) graciously agreed to allow Hawaiirama to post...
Book Excerpt: "Food Lover's Guide to Honolulu"
Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong has been documenting the foods, ingredients and cooking styles of the islands for several decades. She is the consummate Honolulu foodie. Joan (and her publisher Bess Press) graciously agreed to allow Hawaiirama to post...
Town's Top Barkeep AWOL
Had drinks at Town last night and was surprised that David Maguire was not behind the stainless steel counter spinning yarns and mixologizing. He's been the inspiration behind Town's eclectic and popular cocktail menu. Was told he no longer worked...
Nine-Courses at La Mer? A Dining Review/Marathon
For good reason, my friend Dave Choo has earned a loyal following among local readers for his Hawaii Business Magazine food reviews. Unlike lots of food writers who love the sound of their own words, Choo doesn't bloviate in...
Waikiki: Chain Restaurant Hell or Market-Driven?
In the past two weeks I've had in-depth conversations with two of Hawaii's savviest food experts, restaurateur George Mavrothalassitis and critic John Heckathorn. In both cases, they have essentially written off Waikiki as a place where mass-market chain restaurants are...
Off the Clock: Chai Chaowasaree
His restaurants, Singha Thai and Chai's Island Bistro, are home to some of the more interesting Thai cooking in Hawaii And Chef Chai Chaowasaree has made a name for himself eating his way around Honolulu as a voracious and...
Most Romantic Restaurants
Cupid roams free on Maui. Almost everyone I talk to who has spent time on Maui has a story of a magical night under the stars sipping a glass of amazing vino, noshing on the most sensuous edibles, with...
Off the Clock: Ivan Pahk of Sansei Kapalua
I've stuffed more sushi down my gullet in a faster period of time than any human should have thanks to Ivan Pahk. Pahk is the executive chef at the Sansei Sushi Bar & Restaurant in Kapalua. It's probably the...
Alan Wong Passes the Toque
Foodie alert. Most serious gourmands who visit Hawaii have heard of Alan Wong, the James Beard Foundation award winner whose restaurants consistently rank among the best in the country. (Wong cooked with the legendary Andres Soltner of Lutece in...
Da Perfect Poke: Part 5
I gobble down three varieties in roughly 15 minutes before dashing back out to the car. Times running out and I have plenty more poke to eat. The next stop is literally up the street. Tanioka’s (808-671-3779: map) is...
Da Perfect Poke: Part 3
Read Da Perfect Poke Part 1 and Part 2. I elect to start my 24-hour pokethon at night, as many restaurants don’t serve it on breakfast or lunch menus. Sam Choy’s is the first stop and the second is...
Best of Maui Issue: Maui Time Weekly
Sifting through all the garbage offerings from freebie publications on Maui is a major hassle. All masquerade as true editorial -- 101 Things to Do on Maui, or Maui Menu's or whatever. Maui Time, however, is a true-blue alt...
Da Perfect Poke: Part 2
Note: Read Da Perfect Poke Part 1. With its rustic roots, simple preparation and seasonings, poke until recently remained a blue-collar, soul food for Hawaii. “It was very convenient. It was very important to have poke after a hard...
