Pint + Jigger

Pint + Jigger opened up in the old Kochi space not too long ago. I do have to say though, that they really got their act together! I love the atmosphere, ambiance, food and drinks. I will be sad when this (smaller-sized) place gets more popular because I love the casual feel of it! It is definitely a nice place to get a few drinks, order some food and catch up with a friend or four. Service is on point, not to mention that parking is pretty easy, too!

I would highly recommend their Oatmeal and Stout Burger, the Guava Smoked Sausage Sliders, Bacon-wrapped Strawberries and the "BEST" Margarita!

They also have a number of different beers on tap, so if you're not in the mood for crowded YardHouse, check out Pint + Jigger!

In the mood for some games? They have a Shuffleboard in the back of the restaurant, plus a wall-turned-chalkboard to doodle on for your artistic pleasure. How cool is that!?

I love the rustic feel of this place. Everything is wooden with chalkboards. You don't find many of these kinds of lounges/bars in Hawaii, so it's very refreshing!

Shuffleboard!

Lilikoi Mule- Citron Vodka, Peychaud's Bitters, Fresh Lime, Lilikoi and Ginger Beer. LOVE THIS!

Fried Pickles- house-brined. Very tart!

My second fave- Guava Wood Smoked Sausage Sliders served with Cherry Tomato Relish. These are tasty little buggers! The sweetness of the guava really added to the tastiness of each slider. I could have had another order!

If you visit Pint + Jigger, you absolutely NEED to order their Oatmeal and Stout Burger. Absolutely amazing. We ordered ours with avocado, but you can also add bacon as well! It is served with beer cheese, garlic aioli, lettuce, pickle and fries. Fries were thin and crispy!

Scotch Egg- Soft-boiled egg wrapped in pork rillette, breaded and deep-fried. I was very excited for this dish, but it was different for me. I had a hard time figuring out if I really enjoyed this or not. It was okay. A very standout dish, but taste was just okay.

Pan-Fried Crab Cakes served with oven-roasted tomatoes with fennel aioli. Mediocre.

"Red Devils on Horseback"- Red Strawberries wrapped in Bacon with a savory lemon caramel. You either love it or you hate it.........I loved this dish!! It's essentially bacon and strawberries, but I really loved the combination of sweet and savory and crunchy!!! Plus the sauce was equally essential.

Beer Braised Brats- our waitress suggested this to us, and we hesitantly ordered it. We should have went with our gut (no pun intended!), because it was just okay. I think Aidell's Sausage is much much tastier.

Winner of Hawaii's Best Margarita- VERY smoky. I didn't think it was that strong or that awful. I actually thought it was a very unique take on a margarita and liked that they experimented with the typical marg. I don't like nuts, but I appreciated the crushed Mac Nut rim. Very very creative. I would highly recommend! I ended the night with this!

Foodie Fare For June

Below, some miscellaneous food I've been chomping on lately...!

Paitan Chashu from Yotteko-Ya

Delicious food from the Wednesday HNL Farmer's Market- Berry Ginger Soda and Mango Ginger Soda, Kebobs and Fried Rice!

Tacos from my fave Zaratez, now at the HNL Farmer's Market! Above, Chicken tacos and Braised Brisket tacos. SO YUM-O.

Fatboy's Garlic Shrimp, mild. Now located in Hawaii Kai!!

Fresh Cherries!

Fresh Artichokes!

Crab and Avocado Omelette from Bogart's

LBD

This LBD from Urban Outfitters was actually supposed to be my birthday dress last month, but it came a day later. I finally got to wear it for a night out on the town for my cousin's 27th birthday. I absolutely adore the ruching and the peekaboo cutout in the back. A very sexy LBD, that's for sure! I wore it with my Sam Edelman metallic studded heels for an extra kick (no pun intended).

Brandy Pham necklace via LMS Boutique

Bamboo Sky rhinestone stud earrings

Morning Glass

Finally had the chance to go back to Morning Glass on the weekend to have their full breakfast menu. Served from 730am-1pm and then lunch 11am-4pm.

Thought Terence and I would have to wait awhile for a table, but it was less than a 10 minute wait! Though this place is on the smaller side, I love the open-air and casual feel. So very laid-back and comfortable. I can see why a lot of neighbors in the area come here to have a nice cup of coffee and read the paper. Almost reminds me of sitting in your very own kitchen. But with service! Hah.

As for breakfast, I decided on their Omelette en Casuela- Hamakua Mushroom Omelette with gruyere cheese and caramelized onions. The presentation was unique- the omelette came in a little cast iron pan, so that you can cook your eggs to your preference. Very cool! The omelette? The eggs were not overcooked, had a generous amount of cheese (just how I like it!), and the mushrooms were fresh and plentiful. The eggs were so fluffy and delicious that I'm sure they used a lot of butter. I also ordered a Green Tea Latté, which was on special. I liked their latté so much I asked if it was going to be a permanent menu item!

Terence seemed to have liked his Fried Rice Omelette with Portuguese Sausage, because there was not a drop of food left on it! He washed it all down with a house made Ginger soda.

The cutest mini shakers ever.

Bamboo Sky crochet shorts with Sephora by OPI nail strips in a feather design!

Miguelz Hawaii Kai

The spot that now houses Miguelz had many many owners before. Remember the sports bar, Therapy? Then, there was Just Tacos, and now, Miguelz. Same owner as Just Tacos, just a different name.

Every time I have passed by, I've never seen anyone in there! But, this time, when Joe and I decided to go there for dinner, they walked us past all of the empty tables and booths towards the front to the back area, where all the action is, apparently. There's a lot of unused space, but we eventually found out that's where the live band sets up! Some people were seated at the bar, some on the high-tops and some in the small booths.

I couldn't choose between the House and the Hawaiian Sangria, but our waiter said the Hawaiian has far more alcohol. I went for the House Sangria, but boy, was it strong! I believe our waiter said there was wine, vodka and rum in that sucker. I could barely finish the thing by the end of dinner!

As far as food goes, we had three dishes- Poppy Crusted Ahi, Arroz Caldoso, and Octopus Galician Style. I thought all were very good and had positive notes to them.

The Octopus came out first. Our waiter recommended that and the Poppy Crusted Ahi as the most popular and his faves. I tasted the frisse salad with pickled cauliflower, and literally could have had a bowl to myself! It was one of the best salads I have ever tasted. The dressing was a sort of balsamic vinaigrette with a lemon tinge to it. I loved that there were bits of cauliflower in it too. A very light part of the dish. The "scalloped potatoes" was much more of a mashed potato with a fried/crunchy top layer. It also had lemon zest in it, which gave it a more refreshing taste rather than a heavy feel. As far as the octopus itself, it was tender- definitely not rubbery. I appreciated that.

The Arroz Caldoso was one of the dishes I chose because our waiter said it came with shrimp. And, you know I can't pass up shrimp! This dish, though, was essentially just Saffron Rice with shrimp on top. Nothing out of the ordinary, and Joe and my least favorite of the three dishes.

The Poppy Crusted Ahi came out shortly after. After tasting, I knew why it was one of the popular items. Ahi was tender and melt-in-your-mouth amazing, while the sauteéd mushrooms and seaweed underneath was also just as amazing. I loved the presentation with the sesame "pretzel."

Last, Joe couldn't pass up the Fried Cream. Dessert time! I had never tried this before, so I was very eager. Little squares of what was literally, sweet fried cream, and also marinated fruits with lemon zest and Whoppers on top to finish it off! Whoppers, you say?! So very reminiscent of being a teenager and watching movies at Kahala theatre.

So, would I go back? The food was excellent, but for the price, it was a little much. The service was also great, and they hand out samples at the entrance! I would say, go, try it out. It's worth a try.

House Sangria

Octopus dish

Arroz Caldoso

Poppy Crusted Ahi with Sesame Pretzel

Fried Cream with WHOPPERS!

Bamboo Sky lace chiffon jacket and leopard leggings, Steve Madden booties, Mink Pink Rambo top.

This Season: Neon

I recently bought these shorts in neon and black. The neon was a must-have and the black will never go out of style. They are the most comfy shorts ever, and so perfect for summer! This whole outfit is almost all Bamboo Sky except for the Kelsi Dagger open-toe booties....enjoy!!

Corner Kitchen

Located on Kapahulu, in the spot where Zenshu (and many others) used to be, Corner Kitchen is a laid-back spot to eat, drink and listen to live music every day of the week (Maunalua was playing when we were there)!

Of all the dishes we tried, I really love their Steamed Clams. Big luscious clams are steamed and served in a light, ginger, citrus broth. No bad clams were served, and definitely no crunchy sand!! Their Ika Geso and Local Poke are notable items also.

Parking can be slightly difficult. You can park in their small lot or on the street. Metered parking is free after 6pm!!

Satori cocktail- like a Mojito, but they use Cilantro instead of Mint leaves!

Opening hours and the restaurant is sparse...wait til later.

Local Poke- like Shoyu Poke, but with large chunks of tender, fresh poke.

Ika Geso- Also, large pieces with a light batter. Couldn't stop eating the Shiso Salso Fresco underneath. So refreshing!!!

Steamed Clams infused with a ginger sake broth.

Japenese Tater Tots!!! With Unagi and Mayo sauces!

Fried Ribs...too dry. Was very reminiscent of a Pork Chop.

Very crowded when I left! The band brings a large, older crowd.