this week

Friday started off with this beautiful sunrise.

Bought some items from Nagoya Bakery...egg tart (super flaky crust!) and coconut cross raisin bread (the bread is huge, so I had this for 2 meals, not much coconut but still delicious)

Solo pupu party dinner...Uproll Cafe's sexy salmon salad, Foodland's Kolohe Mix and Underwood's Rose Bubbles.

Saturday, lunch from Taqueria El Ranchero.

I tried their tamales.

Living the sheltered food life that I have, it was my first time to try tamales.

Shredded meat is wrapped in a corn "dough" then steamed in a corn leaf.

I bought one pork and one chicken.

I also brought home a little of their housemade pico de gallo to put on the tamales.

I enjoyed these...the ratio of "dough" to meat was balanced, the pico de gallo added a nice kick.

I'm glad I tried these.

In the afternoon, we met with the Realtor to fill out some paperwork.

Sunday, major heat and humidity!

I think the weather dude said that we've been having high heat and humidity every day of September! ack!

At one point in the afternoon, I couldn't stand the heat and ran up to Aunty Kalei's to get some shave ice.

Tropical Summer (pineapple, coconut, watermelon) plus lemon peel...so good and took our minds off of the heat for a bit.

It was my first time trying this place and I'm glad I did!

I like how Aunty Kalei, puts the shave ice into a styrofoam bowl with a cover for take out...not ecologically friendly, but was super appreciated since I drove up myself and couldn't hold anything on the ride home.

Just before going to Sunday dinner, we purged some of our board games by giving them to the library.

Sunday dinner at Aunty M's...pot roast, salad, 3-bean salad

Dessert was from Flamingo's Express.

They are known for their banana pie, but I was too scared to try it, so I played it safe and bought their apple.

It was so good, flaky crust, lots of apple, not too sweet.

Monday, still hot and humid...gah!

Lunch from La Tour Cafe...pepperoni hand pie.

I had wanted to try their beef curry one, but they had sold out.

This was flaky and delicious...it was just too hot to eat something like this on a hot and humid day though.

Lychee Mango with Lemon Peel shave ice...the day before, Aunty Kalei made a mistake with our order, so she gave us the one she made as a mistake.

She insisted on the making the order right and that she wouldn't take money for it (I did sneak some $$ into her tip jar though).

She also told me, "just keep the shave ice in the freezer and take this out when you are watching your Korean dramas"...sorry, Aunty, but I don't watch K-dramas.

Still, this was perfect with all the krazy heat and humidity we've been having.

Dinner was La Tour's buffalo chicken salad...enough for 2 meals!

Spicy chicken, olives, roasted corn, red onion, bleu cheese dressing...love!

Tuesday, Aunty M1 adopted our dining table. (thank you!)

Thankful for all the meals, conversations this table has seen.

After the movers left with the table, I brought more things to JCCH.

Lunch from Shaloha...shawarma sandwich (grilled chicken, hummus and veggies in a pita).

I like how HUGE these sandwiches are...enough for 2 meals!

Wednesday, doughnuts from Donut King.

Love their chocolate coconut cake donut and tried their blueberry cake donut.

The blueberry was kind of "fake" tasting, but super moist!

I got carded at Tamura's!

It felt WAY nicer than being asked if I qualify for the "senior discount" or being called "ma'am".

Can't wait to try this porter and cola!

Thursday dinner from Hughley's Southern Cuisine.

I tried their 1/2 rack, collards, baked beans and corn bread.

So good! Their corn bread is super buttery! And their ribs are fall off the bone tender.

I'm glad I tried this place and wouldn't mind going back for their brisket.

So that was kind of my week...

My time in Hawaii is winding down, the heat and humidity still haven't stopped, though I do see more "Fall-like" weather (rain).

Hoping it is cooler where you are, have a nice weekend.

Nagoya Bakery
98-042 Kamehameha Highway
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.484.9999
Hours: 8:00-17:00

Aunty Kalei's Shave Ice
2321 Auhuhu Street
Pearl City, Hawaii
Phone: 808.343.8289
Closed Mondays & Fridays
Hours: 13:00-17:00

Flamingo's Express
98-820 Moanalua Road
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.376.8388
Hours: Mondays-Saturdays 7:30-20:00, Sundays 7:30-15:00

Hughley's Southern Cuisine
99-080 Kauhale Street
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.380.4200
Closed Mondays
Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays 11:00-20:00, Sundays 13:00-18:00

foodie june

Earlier in mid-June, BFF W and I were able to get in our last Tacos Zarate fix, they closed up for good June 14, 2018.

On this particular day, I had their fish tacos, super crunchy outside and tender fish inside....will miss their food.

Fish jun bento from Palama Supermarket...enough for two meals!

I also tried the meat jun bento (no photo) and love both!

Kalapawai Cafe & Deli has a shop in Kapolei, I tried their tuna sandwich.

Lots of veggies and lots of tuna salad...and their fries are crispy...so good!

Lychee from the Big Island (Island of Hawaii) were being sold at Costco...some weren't too sweet but for the most part they were delicious.

With all the krazy vog (volcanic smog) from the Big Island, it makes for beautiful sunsets.

Tried Ruscello restaurant in Nordstrom with my aunties.

It was a day when they were going to turn off all the power in the area that my parents home is located, to do some maintenance work, so I made sure to get out of the house.

The crispy panko chicken salad was similar to mochiko chicken but crispier...delicious. (Thanks Aunty M for lunch!)

Pineapple Mint Iced Tea from Island Vintage Shave Ice...super refreshing on that blazing day. (Thanks Aunty M1!)

Mango from Aunty V's stash...Thank you!

Tillamookies...Tillamook ice cream sandwiches filled with mint chocolate chip was meh...the mint seemed to be more peppermint like those hard red and white candies than spearmint.

1st time trying the baked manapua and custard bolo bao from Honolulu Kitchen.

The baked manapua is huge and the outside is really sweet & sticky.

Custard bolo bao is similar to Japan's melon pan but softer and filled with custard.

I'm glad I tried both.

Have you tried the fried chicken from Paalaa Kai Mini Mart (next door to Paalaa Kai Bakery)?

It was my first time.

The skin is so crispy and the chicken so juicy...I dare you not to eat all the crispy skin...I couldn't stop eating it.

1 piece chicken and a musubi under $3! I now understand why all the surfers were hanging out and eating this in the parking lot.

Da Snack Shack is a tiny food court at Pearlridge with 3 shops sharing the kitchen.

Annie's Kitchen, a Vietnamese restaurant is one of them.

I tried their bbq beef banh mi...too bad all their veg was cilantro and not much daikon-carrot pickles.

Also, bummer their beef wasn't tender.

(My brother tried their BBQ Pork Sandwich a couple weeks later and said it was good)

1st time trying HAL special from W & M Bar-B-Q...teri cheese burger topped with lettuce, tomato & onion AND slices of teri beef!

So good, dunno why I have never ordered this before...

1st time trying Donut King.

I tried their chocolate coconut cake doughnut...so moist!

And so cheap too, under $2.

Teri beef sandwich from Shiro's...the beef was super tender...delicious.

Been wanting to try Aloha Cones for some time, but their shop in town has parking issues, so am glad they also have this shop in that Da Snack Shack at Pearlridge.

I tried their mini chirashi and added avocado and edamame for $1 each.

The fish is so so fresh! and the edamame and avocado so generous.

Whew...a list of stuff I tried during June..some new places, some new (to me) items at familiar eateries.

Kalapawai Cafe & Deli
711 Kamokila Blvd.
Kapolei, Hawaii
Phone: 808.674.1700
Hours: Mondays-Thursdays 5:00-21:30, Fridays 5:00-22:00, Saturdays 7:00-22:00, Sundays 7:00-21:30

Ruscello
inside of Nordstrom Ala Moana
Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808.953.6110
Hours: Mondays-Saturdays 9:30-21:00, Sundays 11:00-19:00

Island Vintage Shave Ice
Ala Moana Shopping Center 2nd Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808.942.7770
Hour: Mondays-Saturdays 9:00-21:00, Sundays 10:00-19:00

Paalaa Kai Mini Mart
66-1425 Kaukonahua Rd
Waialua, Hawaii
Phone: 808.637.9182
Closed Tuesdays
Hours: Wednesday-Saturdays & Mondays 5:00-18:00, Sundays 5:00-16:00

Da Snack Shack (UPDATE: 2019 all shops in this food court no longer at this location)
Pearlridge Uptown
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.888.8668
Hours: Mondays-Saturdays 10:00-21:00, Sundays 10:00-18:00
Closed when the mall is

Donut King
Market City Shopping Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808.258.4119
Hours: Mondays-Fridays 6:00-19:00, Saturdays & Sundays 6:00-17:30

pancakes & waffles bld

Over the weekend, we went to breakfast at Pancakes & Waffles BLD. (BLD stands for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

I've been to their Kalihi shop in the past.

This was our first time trying the one that opened rather recently in Waimalu.

Satoshi went with their waffle eggs benedict, instead of the english muffin, they put the eggs benedict on top of mini waffles.

I ordered the bacon waffle. 4 pieces of bacon baked into the waffle...this was just as I remembered it.

My brother tried their Honey Butter Chicken & Waffles. The coating on the chicken tasted like mochiko chicken...yum! He thought it was too salty though.

FYI: if you order chicken be prepared to wait about 20 minutes or so for it to come out...

I'm glad they opened this shop closer to where we are, I'll be back!

Pancakes & Waffles BLD
Waimalu Plaza Shopping Center
98-1277 Kaahumanu Street
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone:808.200.7556
Open everyday 6:30-21:00

hi sandwich

A Vietnamese sandwich shop opened recently in Waimalu called Hi Sandwich. (Not sure if it meant "hi" like "hi there" or the abbreviation for "Hawaii").

They also serve bubble drinks and smoothies.

Mom tried their lemongrass tofu sandwich on croissant...meh, she though it was too spicy and didn't have much lemongrass flavor.

I think the burning of incense in the shop kinda turned her off too.

I tried their BBQ chicken sandwich on french bread.

Where's the chicken?!

I gave some of this to my mom since she wasn't eating her sandwich, the BBQ chicken was mild, like a grilled teriyaki chicken, except drier. The bread was crumbly, definitely not good french bread.

Unfortunately, they are related to Pho Five-O, which we've tried in the past and liked.

For about $6 + tax for each sandwich, I think you could get better quality sandwiches elsewhere...I think we'll pass on going back to this place.

chun wah kam

Lunch yesterday from Chun Wah Kam in Waimalu.

1 choice + 1 starch, $6.95...not bad.

I chose the spicy chicken and their chow mein.

Mouth.on.fire. but in an addicting kind of way.

We'll be back.

ige's lunchwagon

Mom's been wanting to eat these BBQ spareribs for some time now.

They're from Ige's Kitchen. Ige's is a popular catering company in our area, I think the owners are Okinawan?!

Growing up, I swear at almost any graduation or funeral, you'd find their food being served.

Anyway, their food is good, well, except their mac salad, in my Mom's opinion.

Mom was bummed because their mac salad only had macaroni and mayo. She was also jealous, because in my bite of mac salad, I had bits of celery.

Their BBQ spareribs are super meaty and fall off the bone tender. And I love the cartilage part of the pork.

And for $6.75 (tax included) this was a steal, not to mention we have enough for another meal.

We'll be back.

Ige's Lunchwagon
98-025 Hekaha Street #16 (Harbor Court)
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.486.8728
Monday-Friday: 10:00-13:00

the patisserie

Taking a little break from baking, we went to pick-up some lunch from The Patisserie.

They opened a little cafe in Waimalu, I think some time last year.

Mom ordered a roast beef sandwich on honey whole wheat, she chose all the veggies and added some swiss cheese.

Dad wanted a turkey sandwich on honey whole wheat, we also added all the veggies and kept his sandwich without cheese. (no photo)

Their sandwiches were packed with meat!

Another good thing is that they wrap each half in parchment paper, so you could save your other half if you were having dessert...ahem!

I ordered the B.L.A.T. on 10-grain, I didn't get to chose veggies but I opted not to put any cheese in there.

I loved this sandwich, it may look like it was mostly lettuce but there was avocado and crispy bacon in every bite!

Of course, we also ordered a slice of black forest cake, a slice of apple pie and a chocolate donut.

Mom thought the black forest cake was so-so.

The apple pie that Dad ate, he said was good.

And the donut that I ordered was moist, though the chocolate that was piped in the center was way too sweet for me.

My only peeve was the refrigerated case with the donuts in them had some moths in there (alive!)...eew!

The prices of the sandwiches were really reasonable, the veggies fresh and delicious too.

We'll be back for sandwiches and cakes, and maybe donuts if they clean out that case.

The Patisserie (UPDATE: 2014 this shop is closed)
Waimalu Shopping Plaza
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.484.1299

kabuki

There is an okazuya in Waimalu called Kabuki. An okazuya is like a deli but they serve dishes for your bento (boxed meal). Mostly all of the foods sold taste great hot or cold.

In Japan these days, okazuya is called sozaiya. But sozaiya in Japan are different, most of the foods there are pre-made.

Okazuya in Hawaii is something of an icon. Lots of places are run by people who have been in business for a really LONG time. So, if you love your Hawaii grandma's cooking, chances are you'll love the stuff they sell at an okazuya.

At Kabuki, the line starts early in the morning and they usually sell out before lunchtime. Even on a Sunday morning (when I went), there was a line (before and after me).

Since this was my first time going to an okazuya (yes, it was my very first time), I asked the lady in front of me how to order. She wasn't quite sure herself, and she got scolded by the ladies preparing her order...yipes. So, while I ordered, I smiled a lot and apologized to the ladies preparing the orders which saved me from getting the "stink eye" (evil eye)...whew.

On Sunday, I needed to buy lunch for my dad and myself, so I got 4 inari(cone sushi), 2 chorizo, 1 shoyu chicken, 1 butterfish, 2 hash and 1 serving of kinpira gobo...all for (US$10.52 tax included..totally cheap eats!). I thought the inari were like the cute things we have in Japan, but as the lady put the inari in the box, I was shocked...these inari were HUGE and only US$.95 each. (In Japan, I think you'd have to pay at least 300yen(US$3) for one this size.) Everything was delicious.

Most okazuya that I know serve their orders in these paper boxes (cake boxes). Even the older plate lunch places used to put their paper plated lunches into these boxes for take-out. Definitely more earth friendly than those styrofoam containers.

So, if you need something fast for a picnic, breakfast or lunch, check out an okazuya.

Kabuki
Waimalu Shopping Center
Aiea, Hawaii
Phone: 808.487.2424