Foodie Fare

Menchie's froyo

Just wanted to post some random pictures of food I've been devouring lately. Some of it (like the Prune-Mui below) are just things I find interesting. I have found that part of what I love about blogging is the picture-taking! Capturing the way the food is presented is something I have become very disciplined about. Anyone who eats with me knows that I must take my food pictures before digging in!

I hear, "Okay, can I eat now?" a lot. Haha.

I feel indifferent about trying it, but it's definitely something worth taking note over. Maybe in the future I will find some use for it! Found it at the HNL Farmer's Market at Blaisdell on Wednesdays 4-7pm if anyone is interested!

Ichiriki Loft's fluffy and extra creamy Spinach-Artichoke dip. Quite possibly the best I've ever tasted.

Yogurstory's Sweet Potato Waffles

Ichiriki Loft's Green Tea Shave Ice with Azuki Beans and Mochi Balls. Green Tea ice cream or vanilla is hidden underneath!

Strawberry-Pineapple-Coconut Smoothie from one of the food trucks on the North Shore

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and the little Irish that I am, I decided to try McDonald's Shamrock Shake. I'm not a fan of downing anything that tastes like I'm eating my toothpaste, so this wasn't my favorite. Worth trying, I guess!

"Warrior Dog" at the UH Baseball Game. This was extra jumbo!!

Yep, not a food pic, but how could I not put these beauties on the blog?!

Hilo Eats- Kawamoto Okazuya, Farmer's Market, and Restaurant Miwa

The last few weeks I was busy island-hopping for work......and I was also in an okazu-ya haze. "Okazu" means "side dish," while "ya" means "shop." These casual storefronts carry take-out food and are most often family-owned "Mom and Pop" joints.

While on Maui, Dad and I frequented Ichiban Okazuya many times on our two-day trip. It's a perfect lunch to take to the beach/park...or perfect for Dad and I to munch on in between meetings. I also love the wide variety of dishes to choose from!

Then, on our Hilo trip, I found Kawamoto Okazuya. What a gem! This has to be my favorite okazu on all of the islands. They are best known for their (shrimp, ahi, ono, veggie, sweet potato) Tempura, their Nori-wrapped chicken, and their jaw-dropping prices! I mean "jaw-dropping" in the best way possible, because their prices were so reasonable. In this day and age, it's very difficult to find such a great value. If I lived on Hilo, I would probably eat here so much that I'd be paying for their rent!

Take a peak......there's so much to choose from!!!

Veggie tempura, Ahi tempura, and Shrimp tempura. All moist yet crispy!

A bento for $2.50?! Where else can you find such great prices?

The crispiest shrimp tempura I've ever eaten

Wednesday Farmer's Market!

 

Restaurant Miwa-  Their special of the night was their version of Oxtail Soup. You know I don't ever pass on this! Came topped with lots of green veggies, watercress and seaweed. I loved their Japanese take on it. Only thing I would have loved? More oxtail, please! There were only about 3-4 pieces hiding on the bottom. So tender that I wanted more more more!

This will have to be in one of the top spots in my Oxtail search. See the rest here.

Dad couldn't pass on their Haupia Cheesecake. It was definitely worth every calorie though. Dense and creamy- this was the ultimate piece of cheesecake.

I opted for something tried and true- you can't go wrong with Green Tea Ice Cream!!

Asahi Grill

In search of the best Oxtail on the island, I've tried three restaurants so far. Ton Ton Ramen in Waipahu has still won my heart! Their tender, melt-in-your-mouth oxtail meat and delicious clear broth is still the best on the island.

I rate the Oxtail Soup based on how easily the meat falls off the bone. At Asahi Grill (located next to Yogurstory), I constantly had to pull and tug at their meat. By the end of the meal, I was just so frustrated with having to continually tear the meat off, that I did not enjoy it. I looked at the bones that I tossed in the bowl and there was still so much meat on them, but I was just over it. Now, this Oxtail Soup is supposed to famous! This is the Kapiolani Coffee Shop's recipe! But, in the end, I was not impressed. All I remember is the crunchy, tough cartilage that was not appetizing.

Thank God we ordered their Soft Shell Crab Salad as well! Man, that saved me!!! Not often you find Soft Shell Crab in casual restaurants like this, so I wanted to see how good it was here at Asahi. The crab was crunchy and the salad was fresh with a really tasty oriental dressing- their house Asahi dressing. Well worth the $12 salad. This is a must-try.

BF had their Miso Butterfish, and I assume it was good. He left not a bit of rice on the plate!

Next up on the Oxtail Soup Search? Aiea Bowl! But, if you're craving Oxtail Soup NOW, I highly recommend Ton Ton in Waipahu or Sunrise Restaurant in Kapahulu. Those are my favorites!

Comes with miso soup and tsukemono

Soft Shell Crab Salad

Oxtail Soup

Morning Glass Coffee + Café

There are so many hidden gems in Manoa, and Morning Glass is definitely one. Too bad I don't live in this area- I'd hop on over here every morning for their hearty Egg-a-Muffin! This thing is so simple, yet so delicious. It must be the amazing one-of-a-kind tomato jam. Or the Shinsato Farms Pork Sausage Patty. Whatever it is, it's worth a try. This Egg-a-Muffin will rock your world!

After seeing friends pics and browsing Yelp reviews/pics minutes before, I went there knowing exactly what I wanted to order. First choice- the Hamakua mushroom, caramelized onions and gruyere cheese omelette. Second choice- Egg-a-Muffin. Third choice- Homemade Fritatta. No, wait....First choice- Egg-a-Muffin. Second choice- Mushroom Omelette. Third choice.....no, wait......I want all three!!!!!

BUT, as soon as I arrived to the counter to order, my decision was easily made for me. The fritatta had eggplant in it, which I'm not a big fan of at all. Cross that off. And secondly, the Mushroom Omelette I so dearly wanted is only served on Saturday and Sundays. Boooooo.

Egg-a-Muffin it is!

And not a bad choice at that. Best decision for a breakfast sandwich ever. If you're looking for a great breakfast sandwich, this place has it all. Yes, this place is more famous for their variety of exotic coffees that you can't get anywhere else on this island, but their food is just as extraordinary.

PS-
1. Sandwiches not served until 11am.
2. Service not the fastest. The owner is in the back making all the food by his lonesome.
3. Also tried their Hot Chocolate, but I still prefer McDonald's for half the price!

Precise coffee-making

Eggplant Fritatta more than half gone by 10am

All this for 5 bucks!

Tomato Jam!!!

Morton's The Steakhouse

BF and I decided to celebrate our anniversary one Sunday night at Morton's. I had been there more than a few years ago with my parents, and remembered the infamous tray full of raw chunks of meat that they bring around to show you. You know what I'm talkin' about! This is what Morton's is known for! This way, you can see exactly what you're ordering- the marbling can tell you a lot about the steak. If the meat has little to no marbling, then it's very lean, no fat. This means that although it is leaner and often more tender, it is not as flavorful. Just remember- the more marbling, the less tender, but the more flavorful. You have to really find what you like in a steak and select based upon that. One more thing- the marbling should be thin streaks of fat. If it is thicker, then it contains a lot of connective tissue making the meat tough.

To my dismay, our awesome server James (request James if you are heading down there!) brought us our drinks, and then brought us the menu. No tray or cart full of raw meat that I had excitedly prepared my BF for! After asking James why he hadn't brought the raw meat tray out yet, he told us there they had stopped showcasing their meat as of February of this year. What happened? There was a Morton's stock buyout.....though it wasn't all bad news. Morton's will be renovating shortly! The only negative is that they aren't allowed to bring out their raw meat tray anymore- only on request.

As for the steak, service, price and atmosphere, I give Morton's a 3.5 out of 5. The Petit Filet that I had was the usual (small) size, had a nice flavor to it, but not as tender as Hy's or Ruth's Chris' Filet. BF had the Bone-in Ribeye, which was gigantic. The slice of meat was as big as the plate it was served on! He definitely took a doggy bag home! We also ordered a Caesar Salad and a French Onion Soup to start and shared a garlic mash when our steaks arrived. Everything was tasty, though I just wish my steak was a tad more tender. As for James- he was fantastic and a very humorous and entertaining guy. We left him a nice tip!

Atmosphere-wise, it seemed to be infiltrated with many Japanese tourists, not the home-y, more local vibe you feel at Hy's or Ruth's Chris (Restaurant Row). It was also pretty busy on a Sunday night!

When our bill arrived, my mouth dropped. It was indeed more than I was expecting. I have to say that I do believe Ruth's Chris or Hy's is much more reasonable. Plus, I know that RC offers a set menu for two with steak entreés, soup or salad and dessert for $100 something total. What a deal! I didn't want to mention our meal was twice that amount........

All in all, it was a really nice, quiet evening and we both enjoyed ourselves. You gotta splurge sometimes, right?!

The Red Velvet- had all of my favorite liquers! Prosecco, Lindemans Framboise Lambic Ale (Raspberry Beer), and Chambord Liquer made a fantastic combination. I was impressed.

French Onion Soup

I loved that it was loaded with lots of melted cheese on top.

Caesar Salad

Garlic Mashed Potatoes!

Bone-in Ribeye- get it with the bone for much more flavor!

Petit Filet for myself!

We closed up the place!

Red is my favorite color! Looks clean and simple with these scalloped white shorts from Nasty Gal. Necklace via LMS Boutique, Marc Jacobs watch, and my new FAVORITE shoes- Sam Edelman Yelena.

Love the mix of metal and natural leather