Funny. How I Often I Forget...

...just how lucky I am to live in the same apartment with my closest friends. Funny too, how infrequently we see one another despite sharing either sides of a bedroom wall. I have to remind myself these things from time to time, lest I take them, and our very wonderful living situation, for advantage.

Shann and Darien leave tomorrow for Hawai'i, and Steph leaves a week later. You appreciate home so much more when it's freeezing over here in NYC. It's been a while since just the four of us have dined together, so we met up at Lam Zhou (thanks to Robyn for introducing this spot!) this evening. Hot soups. Hand pulled-noodles. Dumplings. Yes.


We were all last here a few months ago for Shann's birthday - boy does time fly quick. Decision making is easy. Noodle soups all around - Dumpling Noodles for Darien and I...

...Beef Brisket Noodles for Shann...

...and Fish Ball Noodles for Steph.

Lam Zhou has become noticeably more crowded since they've posted a full English translation of the menu.

The increase of diners are, as you can probably guess, of a very different demographic from prior months. Not surprising, given how much blog/media coverage it recently received. Part of me is a sad to see so many hipsters crowd the restaurant on a Friday evening. But in the end, this place is most certainly deserving of more business.

$4.50 bowls of noodles sounds about right. Cheap dinners are often the most satisfying. We followed the meal with a stop at Hon Cafe. Milk tea, red bean bolo baos, and sponge cake. I lack the proper words to note just how lovely this simple evening was. Shann, Steph, and Darien may as well be family as far as I'm concerned. By the way, I don't think you've meet them before! Time for a proper introduction.

Shann. We've lived together for nearly two years - first on the Lower East Side, and now, the East Village. She's a graphic designer and has been with me through a lot of crap and good stuff. A lot. I would trust my life with this girl :)

Steph. We baked Kelly's graduation cake together. We had long phone chats throughout college. She knits! She introduced me to yoga. We're antique and flea markets shoppings buddies. And her room looks like a little clothing boutique.

Darien. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese. She's currently mastering Korean. Chinese is next on her agenda. And I don't know anyone who loves red bean bolo baos as much as her. Can you say incredible?

And there you have it. Some really good food, and even better friends.

Ok, it's off to sleep for me now...don't think this week could have been any more draining.

Happy Friday/Saturday!
Shann and Darien: have a safe flight!

Lan Zhou Hand Made Noodles
144 East Broadway
New York, NY 10002
(212) 566-6933

Oh! By The Way.../Macaron News

...some have asked if there are other locations aside from Tafu where you can find Itzy Bitzy macarons. Wonder no further...Mitzy will be at the DUMBO Winter Pop-Up location of the Brooklyn Flea this coming Sunday, 11am-6pm. Mitzy's currently working on a new line of really awesome flavours for the month of February. We'll post flavour names here on Saturday night.

Till then, take part in the remainder of January flavours (Vanilla, Matcha, Hojicha, Mocha, Lemon, and Raspberry-Pistachio) at Tafu or via online order at the Itzy Bitzy Patisserie website.

Brooklyn Flea Market @ DUMBO
76 Front Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

If I lived On Oahu...

...every Saturday morning would begin with a ready appetite and a visit to the KCC Farmers Market.

Why not - have shave ice for breakfast?

And bring home a Bale baguette for dad.

(Sometimes he switches it up and requests a loaf of potato and onion focaccia).

The bread and pastry options from Bale have expanded since my last visit six months ago. Suffice it to say that Rodney Weddle is turning out the best bread on the islands. Japanese, Chinese, and even Korean breads are plentiful here, but it's so very rare that once comes across a decent loaf of the rustic European type, much less a great one.

Remember the Magic Rice Pop machine we came across at Palama Market? Well they also have a similar contraption here, EXCEPT...

...the crackers are embedded with furikake! How exciting :)

When the entire family comes, we usually grab a few plate lunches for breakfast. Options are so many it can be overwhelming. The pesto grilled pizza is a family favourite, though we try to switch it up with other dishes like laulau...

...or garlic shrimp...(the fried taro mochi is also worth stomach space, that is, if there is any left by this point!)

...but no matter what eat, we always end on a shared dish of fried green tomatoes. Heheh.

Saturday, 9am

I've been visiting the KCC Farmers Market twice a year. Once in the summer, and once in the winter. Lucky all those who live on the island - it's so easy to take advantage this market. Find my last post (summer 2008) here. I wish this was a more comprehensive post, but alas, tax season has all but drained my energy (and dried out my eyes ;).

Happy Tuesday/Wednesday!

KCC Farmer's Market
4303 Diamond Head Rd
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 484-0052

Happy New Years! ^_^

Justin bestowed upon the apartment-mates and I an adorable duo of plush bears this past weekend. Steph and Shann, exhausted from cleaning (thank you so much!) broke for a little nap before a nightcap at Redhead.

Be back soon for a food-related post :)

@ Sheng Wang, Robyn with Pomelo

Dinner of hand-pulled noodles and dumplings at Sheng Wang ended a bit before 9pm. Robyn, Jessica, Greg and I stood to don our coats while we waited for Diana. I was faced in the direction of Robyn and couldn't help but notice the enormous lift she made in order to shoulder her messenger bag. The move required a lean forward, and heft of solid energy.

"Robyn, what is in your bag? It looks so heavy!"
"Urhm hehehehehe" she made a look and laughed in her oh-so charming way. Robyn's laughs are endearingly genuine. They are of a very unique sort in which she is able to effortlessly trigger everyone else around to fall into laughter - the same sort of heartwarming laugh that makes you smile on the inside and out. And so we did, which naturally increased our curiousity.
"What is in your bag?" I asked once more. She laughed again, and we could not help but laugh back, thus making humour out of a very simple question.
"Urhm, it's a…"
"A what?"
"uhhh, a…pomelo!"
And perhaps it is not very funny now, as I write this. It was clearly one of those you-needed-to-be-there situation, coupled with a you-need-to-know-and-love-Robyn case. (Everyone should know and love Robyn as far as I'm concerned ^_^)
"A pomelo? You're carrying a pomelo inside your bag?" Not that there's anything wrong with carrying pomelos…it's just…you don't hear that everyday from Robyn.

She laughed again, and removed the evidence for viewing, hence this photo.

My favourite memory from the evening meal.

Sheng Wang
27 Eldridge Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 925-0805

wd-50: Just Back From Dinner...

...with John. It was my first return to wd-50 since a spur of the moment visit with Robyn in 2005. Four years ago...as a college sophomore! Goodness, an awful long time has passed. We went with the tasting menu this evening - surely the ideal route at this restaurant.

Below, photos from the January 2009 Tasting Menu, plus two additional desserts.

Sesame Flatbread

Shrimp, Bulghur, Honey, Hops

Everything Bagel, Smoked Salmon Threads, Crispy Cream Cheese

Foie Gras, Passionfruit, Chinese Celery. Innard foie shot.

Scallops, Tendon, Endive, Parsley, Hazelnut Oil

Truffled Carbonara

Lobster Legs, Brussels Sprouts, Lily Bulb, Banana-Kimchee

Rabbit, Wild Rice Polenta, Cassis, Kale, Black Olive

Squab, Butternut Noodles, Cream Soda, Carob

Ricotta, Capers, Frozen Honey

Jasmine Custard, Black Tea, Banana

Hazelnut tart, Coconut, Chocolate, Chicory

Milk Chocolate Cream, Devils Food, Banana, Coffee

Caramelized Brioche, Gala Apples, Sage, Brown Butter Sorbet

Cocoa packets. Pear-Pistachio Cake. Chocolate and Milk Ice Cream.

The food is gorgeous, huh? :)

...am off to hang out with Justin (aka long-time friend, old prom date) who came down from Yale. Hand-pulled noodles tomorrow, then web design and dancing the day after. Stay cozy and bundled for the impending cold weather, and have a wonderful weekend ^_^

wd-50
50 Clinton St
New York, NY 10002
(212) 477-2900

OK Dudes, Itzy Bitzy Macarons Are Back...

...at Tafu ^_^ Monday's batch sold out, but Mitzy just made a new delivery yesterday. Huzzah!

Details at Zach's post here.

January flavours. Clockwise from Top Left: Vanilla, Matcha, Hojicha, Mocha, Lemon, and Raspberry-Pistachio.

Oh, and yes, there's also Caramel Fleur de Sel.

My personal favourite of the month is the Hojicha...

...though Lemon, with a bright citrus-y tang is a unexplainably addictive.

Robyn prefers the Triple Vanilla...

...though truth be told, there's not a single one I'd pass on ^_^

Happy Thursday!

Itzy Bitzy Patisserie @ Tafu
Double Tree Metropolitan Hotel
569 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10079
(212) 980-1310

Busy at Work...

...but I'd rather be busy than twiddling my thumbs. How about some mochi to keep you occupied? Michel bought this dainty and delicious set of little bites from Shirokiya. Clockwise from top left: Strawberry, Pineapple, Melon, and Orange.

Happy Wednesday! :)

Shirokiya
1450 Ala Moana Blvd # 2250
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96814
(808) 973-9234

In Hawai'i: Yotteko-Ya, Once More

One rainy Wednesday, Mom and I found ourselves with dinner arrangements canceled on both ends. We phoned up one another and made plans for an early dinner and shopping. Those unscheduled for, easy-to-relax nights are among the best I store in memory.

We met at Yotekko-Ya, our favourite ramen shop on the island.
It's tradition to come here, just mom and I, every time I visit home. My father and sister are not such great fans of ramen, but mom and I are borderline obsessed with this place. A fair majority of my eating preferences are unintentionally molded after her - mochi, bibim kooksoo, and gnocchi. Not to mention lamb chops, dumplings, and doughnuts. Thank you, mom :)

Gyoza

We slid into the window corner table as they opened for dinner service. The restaurant would be full and in dire need of another waitress upon our departure an hour later. Though till then, it was nice to bask in silence and watch the rain pound down with no end in sight. We started with a trio of pan-fried gyoza to whet the appetite...

Yakibuta Chahan

...then moved to the glistening pork fried rice, complete with eggy bits, onions, and extra fatty cuts of pork. It's done "wet" style, they way I prefer fried rice.

Yataiaji Ramen

Unable to settle for one style of ramen, we shared two. First the lighter one in a shoyu-based broth, the Yataiaji Ramen...

Paitan Ramen

...and then their thickest, and heartiest offering, the Paitan Ramen. I've batted my lashes over the wonders of their charsiu - nothing has changed since my last visit. Couple that with a addictively deep and heady broth, and you have a very happy diner.

Banana-Chocolate Ice Cream

And because we needed to build up energy for the shopping to follow, we had the only dessert offering (aside from single ice cream scoops) on menu. This dessert may look silly/amateurish, I'll give you that. But after a belly warming meal, I like to cool down in an uncomplicated manner with ice cream or fruit. Or in this case, both ice cream and fruit. Starting from the base: canned fruit (peaches, pears, mango) followed with three scoops of ice cream, sliced bananas, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup.

Then…off to Ala Moana to build our collection of handbags, hehe ^_^

Happy Monday!

Yotteko-Ya
McCully Shopping Center
1960 Kapiolani Blvd. #214
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 946-2900

Leaving Hawai'i For A Second. Off To Momo Milk.

(An NYC post. Writing a Hawai'i post today would do nothing but make me reminiscent about home on this snowy, snowy Manhattan evening :)

Over Milk Bar cookies and my first viewing of Raiders of the Lost Ark the other night, Don was kind enough to drop note that Milk Bar brought out newww soft serve flavours. I stored the info in the must-eat-sweets half of my brain, and made good on it tonight.

Greg and I were supposed to meet for ONLY soft serve. But we got carried away, as often happens when it comes to sweets. Simply. No. Control. Whatsoever.

"I have a chicken to roast at home," he mentioned.
It's a good thing soft serve doesn't take up much stomach space.

We scanned the board for new items.
"Oh carrot cake! I haven't had that one yet!"
"Oh man, ok, let's try it."
"Oh and wait. The banana bread. Did you have that?"
"With green curry?"
"Yeah!"
"Let's get that one too."

And that is how we ended up with two cups, and four flavours of the new soft serve...

...the first cup twisting Graham and Malted Chocolate...

...and the second with Root Beer Float (top) and Orange Julius (bottom)...The two flavours don't "twist" together unlike the ones above, but you can still get both layered in a single serving. The root beer float is insane, it tastes exactly like a root beer float. Which sounds silly, because things should always taste as they are...they just...rarely do.

The Carrot Cake, including layers of cheesecake, milk crumbs, and streusel buttercream wasn't as exciting as the other cakes I've had in the past (pistachio cake, yes, yes :) Though no cake, however fancy or plain, can top the one from M&I International in Brighton Beach. That is, without a doubt, the ultimate carrot cake.

...and warm green curry banana bread. A surprisingly great deal at $2 for a massive hunk, it was also my favourite item tonight. It is not quite sweet and not quite savoury with the curry kick mildly rising in the end. Served hot, and very, very buttery. Fat is what I love most.

Stomachs content, our visit ended with, "I guess the chicken will have to wait another day." :)

Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar
207 Second Ave
New York, NY 10003

Malassadas

The best malassadas can be had only two days in a year at the annual Punahou Carnival. Carnival = malassadas. Deep-fried sweet eggy dough, like an extra fatty child of brioche and yeast doughnuts. The Punahou numbers are fried an impressive deep brown, super crisp and dusted in nutmeg kissed sugar. They're wonderful beyond words...to the point where one lonely college year, Steph MAILED me a Punahou malassada stuffed in a plastic jar. Now that is quality friendship. Granted it tasted nothing like a fresh fried malassada, but it was surely the thought on her part, and nostalgia on mine, that counted.

But unless you're lucky enough to be in Honolulu that first February weekend, you'll have to settle for something lesser.
Not that lesser is bad at all. Especially in the case of Leonard's on Kapahulu.
Victor, Michel and I stopped in the other day, post-Chinatown. We were still full from breakfast, lunch, and coffee. But you don't need to be hungry to crave a malassada (or any dessert for that matter :).
In addition to the classic (plain, unfilled) malassadas, Leonard's is known for their FILLED malassadas. Yes. Stuffed! Think Hawaiian Bomboloni. Bigger. Better. And thus...happier.

We mixed a trio of flavours in a six-pack. Custard, chocolate, and haupia.
There's a short wait because the malassadas are fried to order. As they should be. Never buy a malassada that's been sitting around Pictured above is the custard stuffed malassada.
This is the haupia version. What a lovely sight, eh? A cup of black coffee is the perfect pairing. There are a few benches in front of the bakery. That's the ideal place to consume your one, two, or three malassadas. In the warm island weather, with slippers, shorts, and not a care in the world.

In the end, however, nothing tops a plain Punahou malassada straight out of the fryer on carnival weekend. Handed to me by a PTA mom, of course. All while the Punahou juniors and their parent carnival chairs fry up thousands of these bubbly creatures. It's greasy. And tiring.

But fun. I would know. I worked the Malassada Booth my year. Wearing the annual carnival print apron. Those were the days :)

Leonard's Bakery
933 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 737-5591

See How They Ooze...

...just. like. that.

Have you ever had a Malassada? It's kind of like magic.

(Post to be completed tomorrow :)

Kyoto Ohsho + Yay Steph!

Sashimi

I was all ready to start a post on lunch at Ala Moana's Kyoto Ohsho.

Fried Oysters

The restaurant opened as a $40 buffet spot, but recently reconfigured to (more affordable) a la carte dining with a nice lunch special. I was about to write of the sashimi, udon, and fried oysters…but then, I got distracted...

Tempura

...upon receiving note that dear apartment-mate/old friend Steph scored an interview for Berkeley Optometry! Congrats Steph! Celebration time! Completed post to come: never :)

Kyoto Ohsho
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 949-0040

Shokudo with Miss Kristen

Miss Kristen and I share a past. Our past extends a decade and involves many adventures including studying, shopping, and lots of laughing. Throw in there a physics final which one aced and another failed (even though we shared notes and studied together all night), baby sitting adventures, and a very compatible sweet tooth. Sounds generic right? To that I'll agree. You'd have to be part of our past to understand just how special it is.

Most importantly there were endless rounds of meals worth memory. Annual dinners at La Mer, Alan Wong's, and Michel's. Afternoon tea at the Halekulani, Kahala Oriental, Tea at 1024, Moana Surfider and far too many to count.

We faced the same dilemma - a love for dressing up and an even greater love for dining out. So we dined out every opportunity possible, always overdressed as far as island codes go. We could not drink, so we had sparkling cider. We wore hats to afternoon tea and slyly winked at all the cute boys.

"Sukiyaki Bibimbap Rice"

Our parents had to drive us everywhere. And when they were too busy, we took the public bus. Kristen and I were both the last within our circle of friends to obtain a driver's license.

We graduated high school. And on that year, she went her way, and I went mine, placing one another on polar ends of the country. Since then, and up until today, we meet back twice a year in Honolulu. And what do we do? We eat of course.

Oddly enough, our meals are no longer as lavish as they were in high school. No tasting menus at La Mer and no endless afternoons basking over tea and all the sweets we desired at the Surfrider. Funny, how we could afford to eat best when we had no income.

"Salmon Rice"

It's not the price of the meal, nor is it the atmosphere, which brings us together. It's the company. We last met over dinner at Du Vin, (which houses some very charming waiters ;). This time we met at Shokudo for honey toast. The savouries were merely (tasty) incidentals. There was a salmon & ikura rice bowl, bibimbap, and drinks to bring about the slightest buzz of the joyful and heady sort.


"Honey Toast"

But it was Honey Toast that brought about the biggest smiles. Two three-inch slices of Japanese bread, hollowed out, cubed and then toasted. The cubes are tossed with honey and tumbled back into the hollowed slices. To finish, two scoops of vanilla ice cream and more honey seeping into every crisped pore of toast. We finished it all - nothing left to waste.

Bread, Ice Cream, and Honey. Simple is best.

We parted ways at the end of dinner. And when we see each other six months down the road, we'll pick up where we left off with carefree ease.

Previous Shokudo Posts:
One
Two

Shokudo Japanese
Ala Moana Pacific Center, Ground Floor
1585 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 941-3701

Thang Coffee & Bubble Tea, Once More

Just wanted to say "thank you" to everyone who cleared up my question (via post comments and email) on Peking Duck buns/crepes matter. I grew up eating it with buns in Hawai'i and naturally/wrongly assumed that buns were the "traditional" style. Goes to show you just how much I have to learn :)

But one thing I do know for certain is where to find the best fruit smoothie in the city. Thang's. The avocado smoothie is perhaps my single favourite drink on the island. There's no need to post much more on it because I've already done so here, here, here, and here. Any more would only be repetitive.

On your first visit you must get an avocado smoothie, and then, and only then, are you allowed to branch out to other flavours.

Flavours such as Soursop...

...and Durian. That's my aunt Sylvia who was visiting from San Francisco. I stayed with her and my uncle in San Gabriel one summer and I credit them for teaching and leading me to all the good Vietnamese restaurants in LA. (P.S. If you live in LA, the Durian and Avocado Smoothie at Mr. Baguette are just swell).

My younger sister and cousins stick with the Thai Tea Shake. Pictured above is Victor, the cousin the one I thank for endless car rides here and there. Victor drives, and I direct us to delicious destinations, so it works out rather nicely.

As far as food establishments are concerned, I like to order something different every time. Curiosity naturally drives one to do so. However Thang's is one of those rare places where there is only one item I desire: the avocado smoothie. When I come here there is no dilly dally. There is no indecision. There is only avocado smoothie. Thank god for that ^_^

Thang Coffee & Bubble Tea
1120 Maunakea Street
Maunakea Marketplace
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

Fook Yuen

We celebrated Grandpa's birthday at our all-time family restaurant, Fook Yuen. I am fairly certain that there is an unspoken rule which dictates that we must dine here when:

1. an out of town guest comes
2. family visits/returns home from the mainland
3. grandma or grandpa's birthday
4. graduation dinner
5. we cannot decide where else to eat

I'm not complaining. The dishes, especially the lobster and fried tofu, at Fook Yuen leave me nothing but content. We had the unfortunate luck of dealing with an extra surly waiter this particular visit, but for the most part, management is accommodating and we've had only good experiences.

Black Bean Clams.
Deep-fried Tofu (Shrimp Stuffed).
Drunken Chicken, Scallions.
Garlic Ong Choy
Peking Duck (served in a steamed bun, like how it peking duck ought to be served. Why do NYC restaurants only serve it in thin crepes? please tell me if you know :)
Lettuce leaf wraps. Meat from the Peking Duck diced and fried with peppers, onions, and garlic.
Lamb and Tendon Stew (must eat with many bowls of rice).

Lobster, "wet-style" braised with noodles.
Three Meats & Mushrooms Crispy Noodles.
Jai over steamed funn.

Fook Yuen
1960 Kapiolani Blvd Suite 200
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 973-0168

Desserts, Etc.

On Tuesday, Mom brought home a paper menu. "You would like this," she said. I arched my eyebrow curiously and she slid the sheet over the kitchen counter top, "there's a new dessert shop in Kaimuki." She corrected herself, "not a shop exactly. He bakes from home. You have to call this number to order." And then she handed me a post-it with a phone number scribbled in black.

I scanned the menu. "Desserts, Etc." Cheesecakes dominated. Other whimsies that caught my eye: Chiffon Cakes and Pies in Lilikoi, Mango-Orange, and Guava. Coconut Cream Pie. Austrian Ischi Cookies. Pistachio Cake. And a very simple sounding Triple Chocolate Cake.

A few questions in, I learned that mom had sampled his cakes at a holiday party. She recently obtained his information from a friend of a friend. "Let's order a few cakes for Christmas dinners," she suggested. And so we did, starting with the pumpkin cheesecake, more light than rich with a sour cream top and graham cracker crust.

The Lilikoi Chiffon pie was more my speed, as a slave to all things lush and effortlessly easy on the tongue. Chiffon, or rather, the local Hawai'i understanding and reproduction of chiffon, is the type I have come to love.

Resting above the pastry shell (which needs to be flakier) and below a mound of fresh whipped cream, is a good two inches of lilikoi chiffon in the airiest of sense. The wonderful thing about chiffon is that you can simply place a cut upon your tongue and it'll give, just give away without thought, billowy and graceful. The lilikoi is subtle as the pie itself, and everything becomes a hazy tropical memory.

My cousin, however, much preferred the Triple Chocolate Cake. Chocolate cake studded with chocolate chips. Chocolate mousse layered between. A ganache-esque chocolate frosting to finish. It was, sadly enough, overkill for me, but perfect for him. My affections for chocolate have dwindled with age. I used to be strictly chocolate all the way, before moving onto vanilla, and then fruit.

But now? Those three basics still speak to me, though less strongly than before. Cream is at the top of my list :)

Pho 97

Another family meal post here today ^_^ Pho 97 was the first restaurant I ate at upon arrive back to Hawai'i. I got in late afternoon, was shuffled home for a quick shower, then off to a family friend's dinner party. Local, home cooked parties are the best kind. Here's part of the spread.

And here's the other part, hehe. Mostly Vietnamese food with Chinese influence. A few Thai dishes, along some local favourites. A dark spicy curry to be paired with either sticky rice, steamed noodles, or baguettes. Roasted pork, kalbi (with Vietnamese flavours), som tum (green papaya salad), gau gee, fried noodles, cake noodles, (can never have too many noodles). For dessert: tapioca with taro and red beans, and another of mango + sticky rice + coconut. Parties don't get any more tasty than this :)

An hour later, I joined my grandparents, cousins, aunt and sister for another dinner at Pho 97 in Chinatown. I made my first post on Pho 97 back in the fall of 2006, and while the family still frequents this restaurant quite often, I think it is wise to not claim devotion to any one Vietnamese restaurant in the island. Each has pros and cons, and Pho 97 wins with spring rolls and...

Com Tam Suon Nuong Ap-La

...this gargantuan plate of happiness. A base of broken rice, barbecued pork, savoury steamed egg, pork, and vermicelli cake, shredded pork and pig ears, and a fried egg. Nuoc nam to finish! My favourite is the steamed cake (diamond shaped wedge at top-left), which you should really make a point to try if you haven't yet. It puts American meatloaf to silly shame. It's a mouthful, and an utterly wonderful one at that. I tend to think of this as my Vietnamese version of the Loco Moco, hehe.

Bun Rieu

The best bun rieu is found in my mother's kitchen. But since she rarely cooks nowadays, we find comfort in the version at the nearby 99 Coffee Shop on King Street (post here). The broth at Pho 97 is slightly muted and the crab cakes are too loosely packed. This was my dish, fully equipped with the floating crab cakes, shrimp, mushrooms, and pig's blood. My grandma, who sat next to me at dinner, feared for my cholesterol levels and suggested I pass on the chunks of pig's blood to my younger, more athletic (and therefore more healthy? ;) cousin.

Accompanying veggies for the bun rieu.

Cha Gio

The spring rolls here never fail to be remarkably light, and are always served straight out of the fryer, still hot enough to burn your tongue. The best part is the little chunks of taro in the filling, a major bonus.

Michel had this bowl of noodle soup and I cannot remember the name of the dish for the life of me. I shall email her and update you :) It's a tomato heavy broth with pig's blood, ground pork, and slices of jah.

Duck and Bamboo Noodle Soup

This is a two-part dish, dry and wet. First a small plate of cold sliced duck with shredded cabbage, onions (green and white), and minced ginger. The proper way to do this is to first remove the duck off to another side dish, then pour nuoc nam over the "salad" and mix away. Then eat the duck and salad together. But you might want to alternate between doing that and getting down to business with your noodle soup before it gets cold!

Duck and Bamboo Noodle Soup

Duck broth. Noodles. Pig's Blood. Even with the pig's blood, I find this soup to be cleansing and clear. Probably to counter in all that fat hidden between the duck meat and skin. You don't, gasp, remove and discard the skin, do you?

[Oh!
That reminds me.
On the matter of skin. I have a close friend who does not eat fried chicken skin. It drives me crazy to eat fried chicken together because she loveslovesloves fried chicken...just not the skin/the best part. (Trisha, I am looking at you!)]
This is a slightly toned down version of the first Com Tam pictured at top. Here we have the broken rice with grilled pork, and the shredded pork & pig ear mix. I personally prefer this dish with the fried egg and steamed meat cake, but to each his/her own.

Grandpa had the same dish, only served in a bowl of cold noodles in place of broken rice.

And then last but not least, no trip to Pho 97 is complete without a bowl of Pho, which my sister and cousin each ordered.

Meat on the side, of course.

Pho Tai Bo

Unadorned pho, ready for meats and veggies.

It's pouring out in NYC today, but just wanted to wish my dear apartment-mate and long time (since elementary school!), Darien, a happy, happy 22nd! ^_^ We're a day belated, but better a day than never right? ;)

Pho 97
1120 Maunakea Street
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817
(808) 538-0708

Zippy's and Nisshodo Mochiya

On the way to Waikele the other week, Grandpa, Michel, Aunt Sylvia, Madeline, Victor and I stopped by the Kalihi Zippy's for an early lunch.

Zippy's has gone downhill in the last decade, it's a fact. But despite that, it's still good, especially if you've been gone from the islands for a long time. I think the peak of Zippy's wonder was the mid-late 90s. Man, those were the days. I distinctly recall that year when were doing construction on our home kitchen and were thus "required" to eat out every night, for a solid three months. In search of comfort, one table inside the dining room at Kahala Zippy's became the family dinner table as we were there a good four or five times a week. Zip Min, Pork Saimin, Chili Dog...all good, as long as you close the meal with cream cheese jello squares, hehe.

Nowadays, we patronize the takeout counter more often than the dining room. Lunch on the go seems to be the norm. The Zip Pac - Zippy's signature dish, is always the most tempting option. From top down, fried chicken, fried mahi mahi, Spam, and teriyaki beef. What not to love? Some of my friends here in the city have commented on the absurdity of this dish. But no, it's perfectly normal. Rice + meat + fish. Some deep frying. Furikake. One slice of daikon. Perfectly balanced to me ;) At the very least, it gives you a good idea of local food.

Above is a photo of the Mini Zip Pac which is essentially a Zip Pac minus the Spam and Mahi Mahi. Easier on the calories, however much less exciting.

This might not look like much, but Zippy's does awesome spaghetti. It's the sauce, or rather, the mayo they add in the sauce! Mayo is also added to the chili, which happens to be just as incredible. So incredible that all the kids on the mainland for college have frozen chili and apple napples shipped to their dorm. Downing local food in the freezing chill of the east coast is one of the best feelings in the world. The magic is in the mayo. Who would have thought, huh?

I was tempted to have either an Apple or Chili Napple, from the adjacent Napoleon Bakery counter (there's one attached to every Zippy's on the island), but decided to exercise caution/sensibility as we were off to Nisshodo - more mochi time ^_^

I wrote about Nisshodo a few posts ago. But it's the best mochi shop on the island, so it deserves another post (and perhaps many more to come :).

Our indecisiveness resulted in a lot of variety - taste everything! That's the way to go.

First, good luck sugar peaches for Grandpa's birthday.

Azuki bean jellies.
The two big greens ones are Uguisu Mochi. There's a mini version in the middle minus the kinako dusting, and stuffed with lima beans. At the bottom right is a quarter pound of chichi dango with kinako (I swear, kinako makes everything taste better). I personally prefer this version over the plain chichi dango, which is their bestseller.

These are also sold by weight. Above, a half pound box...

...in signature shades of pink and white.

Gorgeous little bites…

...exposed!

Zippy's
Various Locations

Nisshodo Mochiya
1095 Dillingham Blvd Ste I5
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817
(808) 847-1244

Siam Garden

I've been back in NYC for a week and still have 99% more of the Honolulu visit to post. At this rate, it'll be April before I revert back to east coast mode. So we're going to rush Honolulu posts a bit. Catch up, catch up. For those curious, this past weekend back in the city involved a dumpling session at Don's, dinner at Shang, and a very exciting day out in Flushing. Click on the links for photos ^_^

On a non-food related note, I fell in love with the world's most beautiful hat on 9th Street yesterday, and made it mine this evening. Black draped fur felt, and sleek, ending in a point at the eyebrow. There goes that Per Se meal, and then some, that I was saving for. This was however, one very rare instance in which a material good totally trumped any desire for food.

A few weeks ago, we went out for family dinner at Siam Garden, one of the better Thai place in the city. Family dinner usually take place at Chinese restaurants by default - Fook Yuen, Legends, and similar numbers. But sometimes you need to change things up a bit, and there was no better reason to do so than on this occasion, when Aunt Sylvia, Michel and baby Madeline were in town.

With a steady stream of customers on a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was at 80% capacity throughout the night. Below, shots of various dishes from the meal. Hopefully I'll have time to backtrack, and write up more detail after future posts are up. Till then, enjoy!

Thai Iced Tea
Fried Fish Patties (Tod Man Pla) - "fish with Thai spices, kaffir lime leaves, and long beans. Deep-fried, sweet-sour sauce."
Fried Chicken (Gai Tod) - "Thai-style fried marinated chicken."
Spicy Sour Soup (Tom Yum) - "spicy-tangy broth with tomatoes, mushrooms, lemongrass, and traditional spices."
Papaya Salad (Som Tum) - "green papaya, long beans, tomatoes, chilies, and limes."
Minced Pork Salad (Laab) - "minced pork with roasted mint, lime juice and chilies."
Green Curry (Gaeng Kiew Wan) - "classic Thai curry made from traditional spices, coconut milk, eggplant, and basil."
Siam Jungle Curry
Pad Thai
Pad See Iew

Siam Garden Cafe
1130 N Nimitz Highway # A130
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817
(808) 523-9338

Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies

There's a sandwich shop in Manoa called Andy's. It's tiny, it's good, and just walking into the shop makes you happy. While Andy's closes before dinner time, it's a dandy breakfast/lunch go-to spot, and always the ideal place to pick up a meal before hiking up the nearby Manoa Falls. During weekday lunch hours you're bound to run into Punahou students and teachers alike, along with residents in the neighborhood. Andy's has that feel of utter and complete comfort. For previous posts on Andy's click here and here.

The menu is covers much ground in the territory of sandwiches and smoothies, with the occasional odd number like the burrito and green chili melt.

The best sandwich here is doubtlessly the Mushroom Medley, which is more of a mushroom melt than anything else. House-baked bread (whole wheat), mushrooms, melted American cheese, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and alfalfa. Papaya seed dressing on the side. And a sprinkle of the ever elusive mix. The mix. No one knows exactly what goes into the mix - a powdery blend of this, that, and many more, all stored in a big plastic Costco container. The kind with a shaky top. There's definitely paprika, pepper, and steak seasoning. But that's all I can pick out. Better we never know. To know the secret would take out all the fun.

On another occasion, Marie and I split an acai bowl and the turkey-avocado sandwich. Smashed avocados slathered over the slices of turkey, then piled with carrots, tomatoes, cheese, and a sprinkle of the mix. Like most great sandwiches, it's a very simple creation that owes it's deliciousness to the quality of individual components. Daily baked bread, the turkey, local avocados, and of course, that mix.

Acai bowls are quite the trend in Hawai'i, though I'm not sure where I stand on the hate-to-love scale of this local obsession. My only complaint about Andy's version is that the overly sweetened granola is bit overkill. I'd personally prefer a big bowl of shave ice with azuki beans and condensed milk, but that strikes lower on the health factor scale - a solid component in fueling Hawai'i love for acai. Darien swears after the one at Lanikai Juice, while Justin is a fan of Jewel or Juice.

On that same occasion, Kelly had the avocado veggie sandwich with a guava smoothie. I'll never understand why people patronize Jamba Juice here when there's Andy's - better smoothies at a lower price. And the flavours! Guava! Mango! Papaya! (Nothing however, tops Thang's Avocado Smoothie in my books ;)

Come in the mornings for a pancake and french toast fix. Or omelets and home fries if you prefer. I tend to eat a lot of breakfast in Hawai'i. Mornings on the island are absolutely beautiful, especially in Manoa where one often wakes to slight drizzles of rain. Or maybe it's the fact that when I visit home, it's vacation time, and all those unnecessary worries of work and life are put on hold back in NYC. Whatever the case, island mornings start with proper meal and not the coffee and run affair I've taken to habit.

Pancakes come plain or whole wheat, with blueberries or bananas...

...and having tried all four combinations, I can assure you that plain-banana is the way to go :)

Are you a french toast or pancake person? Mom and dad are of the pancake breed while dear sister always opts for french toast. I'm a 70/30, french toast/pancake person, though would gladly eat both in one sitting. Andy's heavily cinnamon dusted version comes three to an order, made with local sweetbread. The search for the best french toast on the island is a perpetual one, though the version from Cafe Kaila in Market City rank highest at the moment.

Hope you had a great new years! I have a window seat in the office today and it is snowing all flurry-kine stuff. Apartment-mates are doing well: one at the gym, another doing laundry, and the third seeing a visitor off. Okee dokes, am leaving to dessert-for-lunch with Robyn now, dinner with friends tonight, and dim sum tomorrow. Back into the city swing of things :)

Andy's Sandwiches & Smoothies
2904 East Manoa Road
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822
(808) 988-6161