YuZu

I apologize, but this review was during Christmastime when my favorite foodie friend, Chris, was back for the holidays. A little late, but better late than never!!

YuZu, a cute little Japanese gem, is located in The Ala Moana Hotel. Park in Ala Moana and walk over-  I heard valet is expensive.

Now, I don't usually eat sushi or rice that has been rolled into a ball. Superstition and tradition has it that it is only to be eaten during funerals. But, I gave in and went here anyway. I have to say, the walls are brightly-colored and the food was definitely unique. Lots of seating, not too crowded and very spacious. You feel very comfortable. Service is great too. Ask for Kim!!

So what did we order? What was memorable? We wished we could have ordered both the Temari sampler (six assorted pieces of fish) and the Temari Five-0 (one type of fish, 5 different sauces), but we went with just the Temari Five-0 and a few other dishes including the infamous Lotus Root Pizza, Seafood Dynamite, and Lobster Bisque.

Highlights? Definitely order one of the samplers. We went with the Five-0 and picked Ahi as our fish. Delicious!! My only gripe? Can we have about 10 more sushi balls, please?! It was essentially an appetizer and all bite-size. Next came the Lotus Root Pizza. This is a must. Cheesy goodness. Where else are you going to get Lotus Root with lots of cheese?! Simple, but so amazing.

And then came our Seafood Dynamite and Lobster Bisque. The Seafood Dynamite came with a california roll with baked tuna, yellowtail, salmon, shiitake mushrooms, maui onions with dynamite sauce. This was good, but I don't know if I'd order it again. It was just a "good" dish, nothing mind-blowing. The Bisque sounds extra delicious, but it is more like a creamier pasta with two chunks of lobster. The bowl it came in was bigger than the portion of food. I would pass on this if I ever went back. Not as good as it looks.

By the end of the meal, both Chris and I were way too stuffed to order dessert! Wish we had more stomach room because their dessert menu was vast. Talk about Wasabi Ice Cream, YuZu Sorbet, Mango Snow Ice, Acai Rare Cheesecake and Choco Banana Crepe! We still walked out happy campers. I would definitely be back to try the Temari sampler. Cute little place, but more on the expensive side. Lotus Pizza is worth it, though!

PS- Forgot to mention their sushi is accented with YuZu vinegar and organic cane sugar!

Yuzu Mojito= shiso + yuzu + ginger

Temari Fiev-0 from left to right- Ahi raw with wasabi vegenaise with YuZu tobiko, Ahi seared with gochujang with fried garlic, Ahi raw with YuZu sauce and jalapeno, Ahi seared with eel sauce and YuZu cucumber, and lastly, Ahi raw with Tamari organic soy sauce with wasabi. YUM!!

Their Tamari Soy Sauce- Organic!

Seafood Dynamite

Lotus Root Pizza!!! Need MORE!

Lobster Bisque with Eringi mushrooms

Venom

I bought this Viereck Vendome dress from Mikinola over a year ago, but just recently wore it for the first time at Dad's Birthday Dinner at Hy's. Since then, I've fallen in love with it! This maxi dress falls perfectly to compliment your curves, not to mention the material is ultra-soft, stretchy, and very comfy. I'm glad Mikinola is always bringing in this maxi dress in different patterns........I may find myself with many more hanging in my closet in the future!

More from Roy's Waikiki

I'm BACK! I've been super busy with work, so I apologize for the lapse in posts. I've been wanting to post these Roy's pics for awhile.....ENJOY!

Let me just say the desserts were AMAZING. I highly recommend ordering both the Apple Cobbler and Bread Pudding.

Check out my original Roy's Waikiki post HERE.

Rainbow Roll

Guavalicious drink. Looks pretty but tastes like cough medicine. I had them take it back.

Dessert! Bread Pudding with Strawberry Ice Cream, Apple Cobbler ala modé, and a sampler of sorbet!

Morning Glass Night Breakfast

Watermelon Fresca and Green Tea Latté

Morning Glass has become a lunch (and dinner) favorite of mine. My first time lunching here was back in March of last year, seen here. That's back when I wasn't into coffee at all, though much has changed since then. I am now a proclaimed "coffee addict," and have since tried a variety of their lattés and coffee drinks. The second time I wrote about Morning Glass was a few months later, seen here, when I came on a Sunday morning to try their weekend breakfast menu full of omelettes, fried rice and the like.

Since then, I've been back to Morning Glass a number of times, and most recently to try their infamous "Night Breakfast." It's became a hit among foodies and anyone who loves the occasional breakfast for dinner. I went for their second Night Breakfast back in December, though I believe they are planning to have one every month or on a weekly basis. I sure hope it's the latter!

I came here with my foodie friend, Chris, spur of the moment, and was able to snag the last table around 7pm. Night Breakfast runs from 6-9pm, but this place is small and seating is limited, so you will be best off getting there early.

What'd we order? Literally everything on the menu!! It's a small menu and we wanted to try it all! My absolute favorite, though, were their Mac N Cheese Pancakes. It's a must-get!! Drizzle with the syrup or eat it by itself. It is just that good. Also, I recommend their Watermelon Fresca. So very refreshing with a hint of lime.

I have to admit that everything we ordered that night was simply amazing. I don't think you can find this kind of food anywhere else. I highly recommend you hit up Morning Glass' next Night Breakfast, as the menu is constantly changing!

Kim Chee Fried Rice Parfait

Mac N Cheese Pancakes!

Breakfast Pizza- Tomato Jam, Prosciutto, Gruyere, Arugala, and sunny side up Kalei egg!

Crowded!

Mini Cereal Milk Ice Cream Pie. AMAZING end.

We closed this place up!

Pink Pep

Recently, I've been really into Peplum tops. Couldn't resist this top when I spotted it in Zara during my SF Thanksgiving trip. It's so easy to pick this top and pair it with a bandage skirt, my fave black skinny jeans, or shorts with a denim jacket. If I could wear it every day, I really would!!

Vintage Urban Outfitters necklace

BDG jeans, vintage F21 boots

Nico's Plate Lunch

Here's some pictures from my recent lunch to Nico's with a visiting friend. It was a Friday, and of course, I had to order their Hawaiian Plate! Couldn't pass that up!

Fish and Chips- Garrett said it was a bit dry, okay with the sauce though.

Hawaiian Plate!

Home Away From Home- Kona, HI

I had the pleasure of taking a mini vacay to Kona for some golf and relaxation. I haven't golfed on the outer islands since high school, so I jumped at the chance. Of course, I had to buy a new golf travel bag since I threw away my old one, but that small problem paled in comparison to the amount of immense fun I was about to have!

A few friends of mine and I rented out a Villa at Waikoloa, played golf all day, and came back to BBQ almost every night. I usually visit Hilo (which is about 2 hours away from Kona), so it was nice to take in Kona living for 5 days. Talk about rest and relaxation. Kona is much, much different from Hilo. If you want more to do and a little bit of town, I would stick around Hilo. If you love to golf, relax, and spend some dollars on resort food, Kona is it! The courses in Kona are just breathtaking. Views you will never forget. And talk about the gorgeous vacation homes and rentals all along the Mauna Lani North and South courses!!! These are houses you can only dream about. All equipped with high ceilings, jacuzzi and Infinity pool. Did I mention most were vacant?! Imagine living there for a week!

I can't wait to visit again! I left with very fond memories. Until another time, Kona!

Next on the list? I would love to golf at Manele Bay and Koele on Lanai! Stay tuned for that. I'm going to make it happen in 2013!

Upgraded to a Tahoe for all of our golf bags and passengers!

First stop after landing in Kona, head to Pine Tree Cafe for some good eats! What everyone does after landing in KOA. What did I grind? Oxtail Stew, of course!

40 mph winds. CRAZY!

Par 3. Closest to the hole!

Lots of holes with water or lava!

Checking into our Villa!

Drinks and Pupus while we wait for everyone to arrive!

I introduced everyone to my favorite cheese, Boursin, and they loved it just as much as I do!

Dinner time! Steak, Teriyaki Beef, Chicken, Sausage, Ribs with RICE every night. Cereal or Steak&Eggs the next mornings!

Next day: Range Practice.

No. Words.

Last day in Kona. Pool time, finally. No sun.

And before you know it, vacation over. Back to the daily grind. Oahu.