December 25, 2008
December 11, 2008
Antonio's New York Pizzeria
Brick walls, a few old-school arcade games, and pictures of professional wrestlers on the walls. This spells authentic New York pizza. At Antonio's New York Pizzeria their pies are fresh and made to order. You can choose from a host of specialty pizzas on their menu or if you're the picky type make your own by choosing from a list of delectable ingredients.
Among the specialty pizzas that stood out were the Paesano (genoa salami, italian sausage, green peppers, onions, italian seasonings and parmesan) which came with the traditional red sauce, the Broadway (spinach, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, and parmesan) which was served with pesto sauce instead of red sauce, and The Hamptons (tomatoes, garlic, parmisan and italian seasonings) served with a olive oil and sweet basil sauce.
At Antonio's New York Pizzeria pizza is served only one way -- the correct way: thin with over-sized slices. They say you can tell that someone is from New York if they fold their pizza even if the slices aren't over-sized. In my opinion this is the way to go. If you want to try authentic-style New York pizza here on the islands Antonio's is the place to go.
Aside from their pizza, Antonios also serves up the newly "rediscovered" calzone. I'm sure you've recognized it from the endless pizza hut commercials but real calzones (those that aren't just a marketing scheme) can be truely a God-send. A Calzone is basically a pocket pizza. This means that it is easy to handle while eating and is great for people on the go. Antonio's serves a three topping calzone with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce for $7.49 with additional toppings for $1.00 a piece.
What more could Antonio's offer? How about authentic philly cheesesteaks, hoagies, Nathen's Famous hot dogs, salads, baked spicy wings, appetizers, pastas, garlic fries, the list goes on. Did I mention cannoli's? Yes they even serve that hard to find authentic cannoli for $4.00 a piece. Trust me. It's worth the $4.00 just get one you'll thank me.
All good things aside, what flaws can I pick out of such a great establishment voted #1 best pizza by Honolulu Magazine? Just a few. I found that the pizzas had too much cheese on it. I'm a big cheese fan and I regularly order extra cheese on my super-deluxe home delivery pizza. But this time it was just too much cheese. Having an excess amount of cheese takes away from the other flavors of the pizza but hey, that's just my opinion on cheese.
Overall, if you want to try that authentic New York-style pizza, Antonio's New York Pizzeria is the place. Would I go there again? Sure. But I'd probably just end up ordering
"6431111" if you catch my drift (I'm such a sucker for pan pizza some times).
Antonio's New York Pizzeria
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2.5
Food Quality: 2.25
Monetary Value: 2
Quality vs Quantity: Quantity
Overall: 2.25
Contact Information;
Kahala Outlet
Address: 4210 Waialae Avenue
Phone: 808-737-3333
Hours: 11:30 AM - 8:15 PM Mon - Sat, 12:00 PM - 8:15 PM Sun (take-out available)
Pearl City Outlet
Address: 719 Kam Hwy.
Phone: 808-454-1233
Hours: 10:30 AM - 8 PM Tues - Thurs, 10:30 AM - 9 PM Fri, 11:30 AM - 9 PM Sat, 12 PM - 8 PM Sun (take-out available)
Among the specialty pizzas that stood out were the Paesano (genoa salami, italian sausage, green peppers, onions, italian seasonings and parmesan) which came with the traditional red sauce, the Broadway (spinach, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, and parmesan) which was served with pesto sauce instead of red sauce, and The Hamptons (tomatoes, garlic, parmisan and italian seasonings) served with a olive oil and sweet basil sauce.
At Antonio's New York Pizzeria pizza is served only one way -- the correct way: thin with over-sized slices. They say you can tell that someone is from New York if they fold their pizza even if the slices aren't over-sized. In my opinion this is the way to go. If you want to try authentic-style New York pizza here on the islands Antonio's is the place to go.
Aside from their pizza, Antonios also serves up the newly "rediscovered" calzone. I'm sure you've recognized it from the endless pizza hut commercials but real calzones (those that aren't just a marketing scheme) can be truely a God-send. A Calzone is basically a pocket pizza. This means that it is easy to handle while eating and is great for people on the go. Antonio's serves a three topping calzone with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce for $7.49 with additional toppings for $1.00 a piece.
What more could Antonio's offer? How about authentic philly cheesesteaks, hoagies, Nathen's Famous hot dogs, salads, baked spicy wings, appetizers, pastas, garlic fries, the list goes on. Did I mention cannoli's? Yes they even serve that hard to find authentic cannoli for $4.00 a piece. Trust me. It's worth the $4.00 just get one you'll thank me.
All good things aside, what flaws can I pick out of such a great establishment voted #1 best pizza by Honolulu Magazine? Just a few. I found that the pizzas had too much cheese on it. I'm a big cheese fan and I regularly order extra cheese on my super-deluxe home delivery pizza. But this time it was just too much cheese. Having an excess amount of cheese takes away from the other flavors of the pizza but hey, that's just my opinion on cheese.
Overall, if you want to try that authentic New York-style pizza, Antonio's New York Pizzeria is the place. Would I go there again? Sure. But I'd probably just end up ordering
"6431111" if you catch my drift (I'm such a sucker for pan pizza some times).
Antonio's New York Pizzeria
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2.5
Food Quality: 2.25
Monetary Value: 2
Quality vs Quantity: Quantity
Overall: 2.25
Contact Information;
Kahala Outlet
Address: 4210 Waialae Avenue
Phone: 808-737-3333
Hours: 11:30 AM - 8:15 PM Mon - Sat, 12:00 PM - 8:15 PM Sun (take-out available)
Pearl City Outlet
Address: 719 Kam Hwy.
Phone: 808-454-1233
Hours: 10:30 AM - 8 PM Tues - Thurs, 10:30 AM - 9 PM Fri, 11:30 AM - 9 PM Sat, 12 PM - 8 PM Sun (take-out available)
December 4, 2008
Food Spotlight #2: Ikizukuri
WARNING: The following post is meant to be informative and may not be suitable for those with a weak stomach. I highly advise that you at least attempt to read this article as it is full of information. There are no pictures in this post but I will have links to videos if you are interested in viewing them.
Here's a short summary that may be easier to stomach: Ikizukuri is the Japanese term for "live sashimi". It is a tradition in Japan and requires a very high level of skill to produce. While this may be shunned as immoral, I ask that you keep an open mind and formulate your opinion at the end of the article
NOTE: Below contains my article on Ikizukuri "Live Sashimi"
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Ikizukuri
Ikizukuri, better known as "live sashimi", is a traditional delicacy in Japan. The traditional meat used for ikizukuri is fish. To produce a plate of Ikizukuri requires a highly skilled chef as the fish must still be alive when eaten. This means that the fish must go from tank to plate in the matter of minutes. The fish is taken out of the tank, the meat is taken off in a matter as not to disturb the organs (to keep the fish alive longer) and then is quickly sliced into strips for sashimi. The beating heart is then placed on the plate with the rest of the fish (still breathing) along with the sashimi and is then served to its diners.
In this video you can see that the fish is still alive when presented (YouTube)
In this video you can see the skill involved in preparing ikizukuri as the fish is still alive and able to live in a fish tank (YouTube)
In addition to fish, the Japanese also serve live lobster and shrimp sashimi. While the shrimp may not actually be alive as the head is severed from it's body, the shrimp still moves and is called odori ebi or "dancing shrimp". In Asia it is also common to find live baby octopus tentacles that have been cut up into bite-sized pieces.
In this video you can see a plate of odori ebi (YouTube)
In this video you can see "live" lobster sashimi (YouTube)
In this video you can see live abalone sashimi (YouTube)
Is this immoral version of sashimi justified? To be served alive? It is on the other hand, a tradition and a show of skill and is very expensive. It is also the same as eating raw opihi right out of the ocean or eating live oysters on the half shell. It is because of the fact that it is still moving as it is dieing or after it is dead make it immoral? Wouldn't eating live shellfish be immoral as well? I myself view this as an act of horror but at the same time view it as tradition. It is traditional to eat some foods live. We have been eating live shellfish for ages -- why stop now? i hope that by now you have formed your own opinion about this matter and I hope that I have enlightened you on the topic of ikizukuri.
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Gyotaku Review
Here's a short summary that may be easier to stomach: Ikizukuri is the Japanese term for "live sashimi". It is a tradition in Japan and requires a very high level of skill to produce. While this may be shunned as immoral, I ask that you keep an open mind and formulate your opinion at the end of the article
NOTE: Below contains my article on Ikizukuri "Live Sashimi"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ikizukuri
Ikizukuri, better known as "live sashimi", is a traditional delicacy in Japan. The traditional meat used for ikizukuri is fish. To produce a plate of Ikizukuri requires a highly skilled chef as the fish must still be alive when eaten. This means that the fish must go from tank to plate in the matter of minutes. The fish is taken out of the tank, the meat is taken off in a matter as not to disturb the organs (to keep the fish alive longer) and then is quickly sliced into strips for sashimi. The beating heart is then placed on the plate with the rest of the fish (still breathing) along with the sashimi and is then served to its diners.
In this video you can see that the fish is still alive when presented (YouTube)
In this video you can see the skill involved in preparing ikizukuri as the fish is still alive and able to live in a fish tank (YouTube)
In addition to fish, the Japanese also serve live lobster and shrimp sashimi. While the shrimp may not actually be alive as the head is severed from it's body, the shrimp still moves and is called odori ebi or "dancing shrimp". In Asia it is also common to find live baby octopus tentacles that have been cut up into bite-sized pieces.
In this video you can see a plate of odori ebi (YouTube)
In this video you can see "live" lobster sashimi (YouTube)
In this video you can see live abalone sashimi (YouTube)
Is this immoral version of sashimi justified? To be served alive? It is on the other hand, a tradition and a show of skill and is very expensive. It is also the same as eating raw opihi right out of the ocean or eating live oysters on the half shell. It is because of the fact that it is still moving as it is dieing or after it is dead make it immoral? Wouldn't eating live shellfish be immoral as well? I myself view this as an act of horror but at the same time view it as tradition. It is traditional to eat some foods live. We have been eating live shellfish for ages -- why stop now? i hope that by now you have formed your own opinion about this matter and I hope that I have enlightened you on the topic of ikizukuri.
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Gyotaku Review
December 1, 2008
Shirokiya and Steak & Fish Company
Aloha, I hope you have all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Today we will be taking a closer look at Shirokiya in Ala Moana Shopping Center along with a couple of other food stalls. This is only the first of many posts that we will be making about Ala Moana as the shopping center contains many unique food options.
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On the upper-most level of Ala Moana there lies a jewel of Japanese cuisine. Shirokiya. Shirokiya has been a much loved establishment here in the islands since 1959. In 2001 Shirokiya was threatened by closure but in 2002 it was reopened as the company was bought out. The bottom level of Shirokiya consists of many Japanese novelties, consumer electronics, and furniture. However, take the escalator upstairs and you will be transported to a food destination unlike any other here in Hawai'i. The upper level of Shirokiya is filled with food vendors (many who have come from Japan to practice their trade here in Hawai'i) dishing out food right before your very eyes. From sushi to katsu to made to order ramen, Shirokiya is a mecca of both traditional and local Japanese food. Besides the food, you can also find groceries that are hard to come by in most supermarkets such as quail eggs, fresh Japanese produce, a large assortment of miso and tofu and much more.
Shirokiya is always packed full of customers and vendors especially around meal time.
A variety of bentos.
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Shirokiya
On the upper-most level of Ala Moana there lies a jewel of Japanese cuisine. Shirokiya. Shirokiya has been a much loved establishment here in the islands since 1959. In 2001 Shirokiya was threatened by closure but in 2002 it was reopened as the company was bought out. The bottom level of Shirokiya consists of many Japanese novelties, consumer electronics, and furniture. However, take the escalator upstairs and you will be transported to a food destination unlike any other here in Hawai'i. The upper level of Shirokiya is filled with food vendors (many who have come from Japan to practice their trade here in Hawai'i) dishing out food right before your very eyes. From sushi to katsu to made to order ramen, Shirokiya is a mecca of both traditional and local Japanese food. Besides the food, you can also find groceries that are hard to come by in most supermarkets such as quail eggs, fresh Japanese produce, a large assortment of miso and tofu and much more.
Shirokiya is always packed full of customers and vendors especially around meal time.
A variety of bentos.As we wandered through the seemingly endless food stalls, I couldn't help but feel like I was being herded from one place to another like livestock. Catching the aroma of something that I haven't had in a long time we made our way to a vendor across the room. It was as I had expected. Guytan (Cow tongue). In our previous post about yakiniku I believe I had explained that if you ever have the chance of eating cow tongue you should definately take that chance. Here it was glazed in a yakitori-type sauce and lightly grilled. It was excellent. I haven't had cow tongue in such a long time that I had almost forgotten how much I loved it.
Gyutan (Beef Tongue).
Gyutan (Beef Tongue).Of course being brought up in Hawai'i, I need starch with my meat. This means rice. And what better time to introduce one of my favorite rice dishes of all time, seki-han. Seki-han is a rice dish containing short grain glutinous rice and red azuki beans. The rice and beans are cooked together and when it is finished cooking, the rice turns a light purple color. The rice is then topped with toasted sesame seeds and served. There is a Korean equivalent that I also enjoy but that is for a later post.
Seki-han (red bean rice)
Seki-han (red bean rice)As we made our way around, we came across a vendor selling hamachi. It was a shame that there was no hamachi collar as that is my favorite part of the fish. I picked up a small cross-section of the fish to go with my meal. Hamachi is sweet and is my personal favorite fish when grilled or broiled. Its flavor however, also reflects its price making it a very expensive fish as well.
Hamachi
HamachiAs we made our way to the checkout isle I found another food item which I haven't eaten in a long time. It is basically a nori-wrapped musubi with a sea-kelp filling in the middle. It tastes like a standard musubi but what really makes it special is the salty sea-kelp.
Sea Kelp Musubi
Sea Kelp MusubiWe made our way through the seemingly endless line and payed for our food. The Host was being treated that day to lunch by a friend who was with us so we made our way down to the food court so that he could decide what he wanted to eat.
The Ala Moana Shopping Center food court is a thing to be marveled at. Although there are bigger food courts in the world, Ala Moana's food court proudly displays what the culture of our islands have become. A melting pot of foods. Traditional Hawai'ian food sat next to Italian, Chinese, Japanese, American, and so on. A new stall at the far end caught our eyes as we had not seen it before. The Steak & Fish Company seemed like an out of place establishment. It had dim lights and a more upscale feel to it. If you don't already know my take on take out steak places such as blazin' steaks I will just say that I frown upon it. When The Host told his friend that he wanted to try this place, I figured that it would at least be a good addition to our blog. He ordered an 8oz ribeye steak (the shrimp and fish looked dry so he decided not to order any seafood). What he brought back to the table didn't look too bad. It seemed a bit on the over-done side as he ordered it medium rare. It came with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. The steak itself was tough and hard to cut with a plastic fork and knife and was equally tough to chew as it was cooked to about medium/medium-well instead of medium-rare. The seasonings weren't that great (I assume just salt and pepper). As for the price, lets just say I'd rather not speak of it. I would however suggest going to blazin' steaks (regardless of what I said earlier) as the price at least reflects the quality and quantity there. But what can I say, it was steak and it was cheaper than a dine-in restaurant and it is located in the middle of Ala Moana (where rent is very high) so I guess they must be doing something right.
The Steak & Fish Company.
8oz Ribeye Steak Plate
The Ala Moana Shopping Center food court is a thing to be marveled at. Although there are bigger food courts in the world, Ala Moana's food court proudly displays what the culture of our islands have become. A melting pot of foods. Traditional Hawai'ian food sat next to Italian, Chinese, Japanese, American, and so on. A new stall at the far end caught our eyes as we had not seen it before. The Steak & Fish Company seemed like an out of place establishment. It had dim lights and a more upscale feel to it. If you don't already know my take on take out steak places such as blazin' steaks I will just say that I frown upon it. When The Host told his friend that he wanted to try this place, I figured that it would at least be a good addition to our blog. He ordered an 8oz ribeye steak (the shrimp and fish looked dry so he decided not to order any seafood). What he brought back to the table didn't look too bad. It seemed a bit on the over-done side as he ordered it medium rare. It came with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. The steak itself was tough and hard to cut with a plastic fork and knife and was equally tough to chew as it was cooked to about medium/medium-well instead of medium-rare. The seasonings weren't that great (I assume just salt and pepper). As for the price, lets just say I'd rather not speak of it. I would however suggest going to blazin' steaks (regardless of what I said earlier) as the price at least reflects the quality and quantity there. But what can I say, it was steak and it was cheaper than a dine-in restaurant and it is located in the middle of Ala Moana (where rent is very high) so I guess they must be doing something right.
The Steak & Fish Company.
8oz Ribeye Steak PlateWe ended the meal off at Zagu Crystal & Pearl Shakes. Most of us islanders know what a bubble or pearl drink is (fruit flavored syrup mixed with crush ice with tapioca balls at the bottom) however a crystal drink was something new. A crystal drink is the same as a bubble drink but instead of tapioca balls there were coconut crystals at the bottom. I had a honeydew melon drink and it was so good that I forgot to take a picture of it. Sorry guys. Needless to say, it is hard to screw up a bubble drink so it was pretty much your standard honeydew melon drink. If you like honeydew melon bubble drinks then I suggest that you try a Melona bar from 7-11 or your local supermarket.
Zagu Crystal & Pearl Shakes
I will not be rating Zagu Crystal & Pearl Shakes as it is just a bubble drink stand.
Shirokiya (food vendors)
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: n/a
Food Quality: 3.5
Monetary Value: 3.5
Quality vs Quantity: Quality
Overall: 3.5
Steak & Fish Company
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2.5
Food Quality: 2.25
Monetary Value: 1.75
Quality vs Quantity: Tie
Overall: 2.2
For Ala Moana Shopping Center Store Hours Please Visit Their Website www.alamoana.com
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Food Spotlight #2
Gyotaku Review
Shirokiya (food vendors)
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: n/a
Food Quality: 3.5
Monetary Value: 3.5
Quality vs Quantity: Quality
Overall: 3.5
Steak & Fish Company
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2.5
Food Quality: 2.25
Monetary Value: 1.75
Quality vs Quantity: Tie
Overall: 2.2
For Ala Moana Shopping Center Store Hours Please Visit Their Website www.alamoana.com
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Food Spotlight #2
Gyotaku Review
November 22, 2008
A Taste of Things to Come
We all love and hate teasers. They give us hope, and yet leave us wondering and thinking. That being said, we have chosen locations for some of the places we will eat at before the end of the year. The general locations we have chosen are: Ala Moana, Chinatown, Haleiwa, and a few other choice places that we have carefully picked. If you have any suggestions for restaurants in these particular areas, please send us an e-mail to suggestions@808foodscene.net. We look forward to posting our experiences and hearing from you, the reader.
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Food Spotlight # 2
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Food Spotlight # 2
November 21, 2008
Loulen's Restaurant
Loulen's Restaurant
In truth, The Host and I were both very skeptical about Loulen's. First off, we have never tasted Filipino food before and did not know what to expect. Sure I've heard of pork adobo, pork with peas and lumpia but what about all of those other dishes that I've never heard of before? And what about that "pig blood" dish I keep hearing about? I was about to find out first hand. However, the interesting ingredients wasn't the only thing that had me on end. I (like most other food bloggers) research restaurants before actually deciding if a trip to the establishment is worth it. I have read that there were American dishes on the menu and that most dishes were obscenely overpriced. So there was some skepticism while we drove to the eatery.
Loulen's Restaurant sits on a gigantic parcel of land (for a restaurant that is). My best guess is that they are trying to lease some of their space as there seems to be an upstairs with office units. We got to Loulen's at about 1:00 PM so the fact that there really wasn't anyone around didn't seem too disturbing to me at the moment (more on that later). There are a bunch of parking stalls out front with a few of them marked "15 minute parking" for those who have pre-ordered and were there to pick-up their food. There was also a lot in back with additional parking. When we entered the restaurant we were welcomed by the waitress and were seated.
The inside of Loulen's is just as spacious as it looked outside. There was a lot of room between tables (not to say there weren't a lot of tables) and in the front sat a full-bar (which you don't see a lot of these days).
The Bar
The wall was painted over with a giant mural depicting some hot air balloons, cliffs and water along with some other interesting out of place objects. It seemed odd it just didn't seem to go well with the whole Loulen's ambiance. The waitress gave us our menu's and the first thing we were asked were, "Are you Filipino?" This was a strange question but thinking about how most people (even here in Hawai'i) wouldn't try Filipino food even if given the chance, I guess the question wasn't that out of place as I originally thought. We replied that we weren't Filipino. The waitress had a surprised look on her face. She then kindly pointed out a few dishes that seemed rather bland and not too adventurous. We thanked her and were left to contemplate what we were going to have for lunch.
We knew that we wanted the full experience so we decided not to take our waitress' suggestions. It was at this time that I noticed that there was only a breakfast and Filipino menu. I assumed that they got rid of the American elements from their menu (a smart choice in my opinion). As previously noted, some of their dishes were pricey considering the contents of the dish but overall it wasn't as bad as it was made out to be.
We picked four dishes. The first dish was pork lechon. The easiest way for me to describe pork lechon is to compare it with its Chinese equivalent roast pork. It is deep fried pork belly served with a vinegar and tomato sauce. This was by far the most familiar dish we had and probably the best (how can you go wrong with pork belly?).
Pork Lechon
Loulen's Restaurant sits on a gigantic parcel of land (for a restaurant that is). My best guess is that they are trying to lease some of their space as there seems to be an upstairs with office units. We got to Loulen's at about 1:00 PM so the fact that there really wasn't anyone around didn't seem too disturbing to me at the moment (more on that later). There are a bunch of parking stalls out front with a few of them marked "15 minute parking" for those who have pre-ordered and were there to pick-up their food. There was also a lot in back with additional parking. When we entered the restaurant we were welcomed by the waitress and were seated.
The inside of Loulen's is just as spacious as it looked outside. There was a lot of room between tables (not to say there weren't a lot of tables) and in the front sat a full-bar (which you don't see a lot of these days).
The BarThe wall was painted over with a giant mural depicting some hot air balloons, cliffs and water along with some other interesting out of place objects. It seemed odd it just didn't seem to go well with the whole Loulen's ambiance. The waitress gave us our menu's and the first thing we were asked were, "Are you Filipino?" This was a strange question but thinking about how most people (even here in Hawai'i) wouldn't try Filipino food even if given the chance, I guess the question wasn't that out of place as I originally thought. We replied that we weren't Filipino. The waitress had a surprised look on her face. She then kindly pointed out a few dishes that seemed rather bland and not too adventurous. We thanked her and were left to contemplate what we were going to have for lunch.
We knew that we wanted the full experience so we decided not to take our waitress' suggestions. It was at this time that I noticed that there was only a breakfast and Filipino menu. I assumed that they got rid of the American elements from their menu (a smart choice in my opinion). As previously noted, some of their dishes were pricey considering the contents of the dish but overall it wasn't as bad as it was made out to be.
We picked four dishes. The first dish was pork lechon. The easiest way for me to describe pork lechon is to compare it with its Chinese equivalent roast pork. It is deep fried pork belly served with a vinegar and tomato sauce. This was by far the most familiar dish we had and probably the best (how can you go wrong with pork belly?).
Pork LechonThe second dish that we ordered was called "Billy's Special". "Billy's Special" is shredded pieces of goat served with onions, ginger, cilantro, and cabbage. It was slightly tangy and was very delicious. Goat has that sharp game flavor and goes good with the vegetables.
"Billy's Special"
Our third dish was a classic Filipino soup -- sari sari. The broth was tomato based that was out-of-this-world amazing. The soup contained a mixture of vegetables including string beans, two types of squash, and eggplant along with pork. Sari-sari would be perfect on a cold winter day.
Sari-Sari
"Billy's Special"Our third dish was a classic Filipino soup -- sari sari. The broth was tomato based that was out-of-this-world amazing. The soup contained a mixture of vegetables including string beans, two types of squash, and eggplant along with pork. Sari-sari would be perfect on a cold winter day.
Sari-SariThe last dish that we ordered was kari-kari. Kari-kari is a peanut-based oxtail stew. Although it was a bit bland it was a very original idea.
Kari-Kari
Kari-KariOverall Loulen's is more of a family affair. The food (non-breakfast) is ordered family style and rice is provided. Eat at Loulen's on Saturday's and you will find that they serve an all-you-can-eat-and-drink lunch and dinner buffet. Recently a family member of mine went to the restaurant to eat dinner. Again there wasn't a lot of people around and the dining room was empty. My best guess is that Loulen's is still struggling to find a strong customer base. However the food is good and that is always the main thing. I now have a new outlook on Filipino food. I love it. I will definatly be eating more Filipino food in the future.
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 3
Food Quality: 3
Monetary Value: 2
Quality vs Quantity: Tie
Overall: 2.6
Contact Info:
Address: 1125 North King St.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-853-2212 (take-out available)
Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM seven days a week
--Upcoming Posts and News--
-A Taste of What's to Come
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 3
Food Quality: 3
Monetary Value: 2
Quality vs Quantity: Tie
Overall: 2.6
Contact Info:
Address: 1125 North King St.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-853-2212 (take-out available)
Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM seven days a week
--Upcoming Posts and News--
-A Taste of What's to Come
November 17, 2008
Food Spotlight #1: Yakiniku
Occasionally we will be posting up "Food Spotlight" posts so that you, the reader, may expand your gastronomic knowledge. Through these posts you will learn more about your favorite ingredients, styles of cooking, culinary history and so on and so forth. "Food Spotlight" gives us a chance to convey additional information outside of our reviews. We hope you enjoy our "Food Spotlight" posts.
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Yakiniku. The word send shivers down my spine. I LOVE yakiniku. But what IS yakiniku anyway? For most locals born of Korean or Japanese ancestry it's a birthright. Strips of meat and vegetables self-grilled on a gas burner. Heaven on Earth.
But what nationality does yakiniku hail from? And what is the difference between yakiniku and teppanyaki? And why...WHY should I dine out if I have to cook my own meal?! Today we shall answer these age-old questions and much more.
Yakiniku (roughly translated as "grilled meat") is a Japanese style of cooking. The common misconception (especially here in Hawai'i) is that yakiniku is Korean. This is half true. The idea of yakiniku is Japanese based idea (I'm sure we've all seen the Japanese grilling food over a charcoal fire fanning the flames to keep the heat up) that was born in Korea during WWII when local Koreans took the idea and used what they had at the time for provisions (usually scrap meats or offal). The Koreans already had a yakiniku-type dish involving fish but using the method to use up less desirable cuts of meat was a new idea. This is why the majority of the populace believe that yakiniku is Korean. You may now be thinking but if the yakiniku we know and love today was invented by the Koreans, why give the Japanese so much credit? During a period of time, the Japanese were shrouded from the outside world to prevent westernization. When this period ended, the ruling Emperor of Japan encouraged his subjects to eat beef. One way that was mentioned was to slice and grill the meat briefly over hot flames. Thus the concept of yakiniku was born. However, these cuts of meat were far superior in comparison to those avaliable in Korea during WWII. So the real difference between the original Japanese-style yakiniku and the original Korean-style yakiniku is the quality of meat. However, over the years the two styles started to merge into one and became the yakiniku we know and love today in the islands. However you can still find pockets of the original styles of yakiniku from Japan and Korea.
Here in Hawai'i, yakiniku is mostly associated with Korean food. If you walked into almost any yakiniku restaurant here in Hawai'i, you will find Korean side-dishes on the menu such as kim-chee, Korean-style pickled vegetables, seaweed soup, taegu, and so on. To me, yakiniku is yakiniku regardless of Japanese or Korean influences.
Another common misconception is that the word yakiniku is interchangeable with teppanyaki. Teppanyaki is yet another Japanese invention. Although it is similar to yakiniku there are some major differences. In the teppanyaki style of cooking, the food is cooked on a flat-top griddle instead of a grill. Although the food is cooked right in front of you, there is usually a chef present to prepare your meal. There are also a difference in the type of food cooked. While yakiniku centers around simple strips of meats and vegetables, teppanyaki ingredients are sometimes combined to form complex dishes which cannot be made on a grill at a yakiniku joint (a common example would be shrimp fried rice). Along with the show (the chef preparing your food usually adds flair to his or her cooking [think bartender]) and not having to cook your own food, teppanyaki also comes with the bill. Usually a big bill.
So other than price, why should I go eat yakiniku instead of teppanyaki? The experience. Bring your friends along with you. There's something about friends cooking their meal together that promotes fellowship (not to mention a few laughs if they can't cook to save their lives). It is also a good way to spark someones interest in cooking or as a teaching-tool on how to cook.
Did I mention the sauces? Most yakiniku restaurants serve their meats with a tangy shoyu-based sauce and (my personal favorite) a sauce containing a mixture of salt, pepper, and sesame oil (I know, it sounds strange but it's wonderful).
Most yakiniku restaurants provide a few staple types of ingredients for you to cook. These include some type of cheap beef (usually marinated sirloin or chuck strips and thin slices of plain sirloin), Kalbi (Korean-style marinated short ribs), chicken, pork loin, and a variety of vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, onion and so on). However, every now and then you will stumble upon a yakiniku restaurant that will offer other cuts. Pricier versions of beef are sometimes offered such as thin slices of ribeye and at some places even wa-gyu beef. Traditionally, yakiniku was used as a method to make use of scrap pieces of meat and offal. Some restaurants still offer bits of offal (my favorite being cow tongue and thin strips of fatty pork) although finding yakiniku restaurants that still serve offal is hard to come by (if you find any, drop me an email at TheChef@808foodscene.net).
At this point, I would like to give out some suggestions in regards to choosing and eating at a yakiniku restaurant:
-If you don't mind shelling out the cash, Yakiniku Toraji is a great choice. They serve quality cuts of meat including wa-gyu beef.
-If you just want to grab your friends and just pig out, I suggest Yakiniku Camellia which has an all-you-can-eat buffet (lunch is cheap at $11.95 but they don't serve my favorite sauce during lunch and they don't serve non-marinated beef anymore)
-While cooking, make sure you monitor the flame (make sure it's not too high or too low) the controls are usually located on the side of the table it is sitting in.
-Remember, vegetables take longer to cook than meats.
-If you are at a Korean-style yakiniku restaurant I suggest you at least try a lettuce wrap. To make one, get a piece of lettuce and put a small dab of rice in it. Then spread on some spicy bean paste (I know it may sound strange to some but it's great) then add your piece of beef (one or two will do depending on the size of your lettuce leaf). Neatly fold up your lettuce so that it's completely encased then dip in your favorite sauce. It may be messy but it's just wonderful.
-This is one of the few times I will say throw out the cross-contamination rules. It is just too difficult to keep foods separate. However, I do suggest using only one side of the chopsticks to grab raw meats and to cook with while using the other side to eat with (maybe even use two sets of chopsticks).
-Don't be ashamed if your meats or vegetables turn out burnt. This is a learning experience and builds a better understanding of how long food takes to cook.
-Expect to walk out of the restaurant smelling like grill smoke and garlic.
Although I may have said in past posts that sushi is my favorite food, yakiniku holds a special place in my heart. And just to let you Korean-style yakiniku fans know, I do prefer Korean-style over the traditional Japanese-style yakiniku.
That said, we wish you yakiniku new-comers good luck with mastering the grill and as for you veterans, we hope that we have shed some truth on a much loved topic.
--Upcoming Posts and News--
-Loulen's Restaurant Review
-A Taste of What's to Come
--------------------------------
Yakiniku. The word send shivers down my spine. I LOVE yakiniku. But what IS yakiniku anyway? For most locals born of Korean or Japanese ancestry it's a birthright. Strips of meat and vegetables self-grilled on a gas burner. Heaven on Earth.
But what nationality does yakiniku hail from? And what is the difference between yakiniku and teppanyaki? And why...WHY should I dine out if I have to cook my own meal?! Today we shall answer these age-old questions and much more.
Yakiniku (roughly translated as "grilled meat") is a Japanese style of cooking. The common misconception (especially here in Hawai'i) is that yakiniku is Korean. This is half true. The idea of yakiniku is Japanese based idea (I'm sure we've all seen the Japanese grilling food over a charcoal fire fanning the flames to keep the heat up) that was born in Korea during WWII when local Koreans took the idea and used what they had at the time for provisions (usually scrap meats or offal). The Koreans already had a yakiniku-type dish involving fish but using the method to use up less desirable cuts of meat was a new idea. This is why the majority of the populace believe that yakiniku is Korean. You may now be thinking but if the yakiniku we know and love today was invented by the Koreans, why give the Japanese so much credit? During a period of time, the Japanese were shrouded from the outside world to prevent westernization. When this period ended, the ruling Emperor of Japan encouraged his subjects to eat beef. One way that was mentioned was to slice and grill the meat briefly over hot flames. Thus the concept of yakiniku was born. However, these cuts of meat were far superior in comparison to those avaliable in Korea during WWII. So the real difference between the original Japanese-style yakiniku and the original Korean-style yakiniku is the quality of meat. However, over the years the two styles started to merge into one and became the yakiniku we know and love today in the islands. However you can still find pockets of the original styles of yakiniku from Japan and Korea.
Here in Hawai'i, yakiniku is mostly associated with Korean food. If you walked into almost any yakiniku restaurant here in Hawai'i, you will find Korean side-dishes on the menu such as kim-chee, Korean-style pickled vegetables, seaweed soup, taegu, and so on. To me, yakiniku is yakiniku regardless of Japanese or Korean influences.
Another common misconception is that the word yakiniku is interchangeable with teppanyaki. Teppanyaki is yet another Japanese invention. Although it is similar to yakiniku there are some major differences. In the teppanyaki style of cooking, the food is cooked on a flat-top griddle instead of a grill. Although the food is cooked right in front of you, there is usually a chef present to prepare your meal. There are also a difference in the type of food cooked. While yakiniku centers around simple strips of meats and vegetables, teppanyaki ingredients are sometimes combined to form complex dishes which cannot be made on a grill at a yakiniku joint (a common example would be shrimp fried rice). Along with the show (the chef preparing your food usually adds flair to his or her cooking [think bartender]) and not having to cook your own food, teppanyaki also comes with the bill. Usually a big bill.
So other than price, why should I go eat yakiniku instead of teppanyaki? The experience. Bring your friends along with you. There's something about friends cooking their meal together that promotes fellowship (not to mention a few laughs if they can't cook to save their lives). It is also a good way to spark someones interest in cooking or as a teaching-tool on how to cook.
Did I mention the sauces? Most yakiniku restaurants serve their meats with a tangy shoyu-based sauce and (my personal favorite) a sauce containing a mixture of salt, pepper, and sesame oil (I know, it sounds strange but it's wonderful).
Most yakiniku restaurants provide a few staple types of ingredients for you to cook. These include some type of cheap beef (usually marinated sirloin or chuck strips and thin slices of plain sirloin), Kalbi (Korean-style marinated short ribs), chicken, pork loin, and a variety of vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, onion and so on). However, every now and then you will stumble upon a yakiniku restaurant that will offer other cuts. Pricier versions of beef are sometimes offered such as thin slices of ribeye and at some places even wa-gyu beef. Traditionally, yakiniku was used as a method to make use of scrap pieces of meat and offal. Some restaurants still offer bits of offal (my favorite being cow tongue and thin strips of fatty pork) although finding yakiniku restaurants that still serve offal is hard to come by (if you find any, drop me an email at TheChef@808foodscene.net).
At this point, I would like to give out some suggestions in regards to choosing and eating at a yakiniku restaurant:
-If you don't mind shelling out the cash, Yakiniku Toraji is a great choice. They serve quality cuts of meat including wa-gyu beef.
-If you just want to grab your friends and just pig out, I suggest Yakiniku Camellia which has an all-you-can-eat buffet (lunch is cheap at $11.95 but they don't serve my favorite sauce during lunch and they don't serve non-marinated beef anymore)
-While cooking, make sure you monitor the flame (make sure it's not too high or too low) the controls are usually located on the side of the table it is sitting in.
-Remember, vegetables take longer to cook than meats.
-If you are at a Korean-style yakiniku restaurant I suggest you at least try a lettuce wrap. To make one, get a piece of lettuce and put a small dab of rice in it. Then spread on some spicy bean paste (I know it may sound strange to some but it's great) then add your piece of beef (one or two will do depending on the size of your lettuce leaf). Neatly fold up your lettuce so that it's completely encased then dip in your favorite sauce. It may be messy but it's just wonderful.
-This is one of the few times I will say throw out the cross-contamination rules. It is just too difficult to keep foods separate. However, I do suggest using only one side of the chopsticks to grab raw meats and to cook with while using the other side to eat with (maybe even use two sets of chopsticks).
-Don't be ashamed if your meats or vegetables turn out burnt. This is a learning experience and builds a better understanding of how long food takes to cook.
-Expect to walk out of the restaurant smelling like grill smoke and garlic.
Although I may have said in past posts that sushi is my favorite food, yakiniku holds a special place in my heart. And just to let you Korean-style yakiniku fans know, I do prefer Korean-style over the traditional Japanese-style yakiniku.
That said, we wish you yakiniku new-comers good luck with mastering the grill and as for you veterans, we hope that we have shed some truth on a much loved topic.
--Upcoming Posts and News--
-Loulen's Restaurant Review
-A Taste of What's to Come
Mahalo Larry!
Much Mahalo to Larry at the Google Apps User Help Forums for guiding me through the process of fixing 808FoodScene.net
As we have finished moving, you may now update your bookmark to our site at www.808foodscene.net or www.808foodscene.com however, if you are having troubles accessing the website, you can also use www.808foodsceneblog.blogspot.com
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Loulen's Restaurant Review
Food Spotlight #1
As we have finished moving, you may now update your bookmark to our site at www.808foodscene.net or www.808foodscene.com however, if you are having troubles accessing the website, you can also use www.808foodsceneblog.blogspot.com
--Upcoming Posts and News--
Loulen's Restaurant Review
Food Spotlight #1
November 11, 2008
Fresh Catch Kaimuki
Fresh Catch Kaimuki
After stuffing our faces full at Genki Sushi, we drove just a few short minutes over to Fresh Catch in Kaimuki. You can easily spot Fresh Catch driving down Waialae Avenue because of their colorful blue roof and giant tako. Fresh Catch resides in what used to be a Pizza Hut establishment. As you can guess, Fresh Catch sells seafood and more importantly poke.
When you step into Fresh Catch you are transported. It is spacious with a few picnic type tables, and a long refrigerated counter. Besides poke, Fresh Catch also sells plate lunches (Beef stew, lau lau, salmon, etc.) as well as marinated meats ready for the grill. But the main attraction at Fresh Catch is the poke. So many to choose from, so little time. Fresh Catch has a number of traditional and non-traditional styles of poke.
I had been fortunate enough to have been given a $25 gift certificate from a family member so we planned on making the most of it. We ordered the traditional Shoyu poke and limu aku poke but also ordered an outrageous poke dubbed "Fireball Ahi Poke". Now Fresh Catch has a spicy ahi poke so I thought I knew what I was getting us into (i was wrong). Along with the more traditional fish pokes we also picked up a smoked tako poke and a Korean-style top shell poke. At a quarter pound each (a half pound for the shoyu poke) and an energy drink (I have a soft spot for energy drinks) our total came out to $25.24. A deal for a pound and a half of gourmet poke (and let me tell you this is gourmet!).
We bid farewell to Fresh Catch and headed back home where we would eat our delectable poke for dinner (with rice of course).
Limu Aku Poke
Shoyu Poke
Fireball Ahi Poke
Smoked Tako Poke
Korean-style Top Shell Poke
When you step into Fresh Catch you are transported. It is spacious with a few picnic type tables, and a long refrigerated counter. Besides poke, Fresh Catch also sells plate lunches (Beef stew, lau lau, salmon, etc.) as well as marinated meats ready for the grill. But the main attraction at Fresh Catch is the poke. So many to choose from, so little time. Fresh Catch has a number of traditional and non-traditional styles of poke.
I had been fortunate enough to have been given a $25 gift certificate from a family member so we planned on making the most of it. We ordered the traditional Shoyu poke and limu aku poke but also ordered an outrageous poke dubbed "Fireball Ahi Poke". Now Fresh Catch has a spicy ahi poke so I thought I knew what I was getting us into (i was wrong). Along with the more traditional fish pokes we also picked up a smoked tako poke and a Korean-style top shell poke. At a quarter pound each (a half pound for the shoyu poke) and an energy drink (I have a soft spot for energy drinks) our total came out to $25.24. A deal for a pound and a half of gourmet poke (and let me tell you this is gourmet!).
We bid farewell to Fresh Catch and headed back home where we would eat our delectable poke for dinner (with rice of course).
Limu Aku Poke
Shoyu Poke
Fireball Ahi Poke
Smoked Tako Poke
Korean-style Top Shell PokeThe first thing that I tried was the limu aku poke. It was wonderful. I would have to rate this among the best poke that I had ever eaten. I tried the shoyu poke and that was also to die for. Some places don't add enough flavor to their shoyu-style poke. This shoyu poke had just the right amount of saltiness. I was hesitant to try the fireball ahi poke so I opted to try the Korean-style top shell poke. Top shell, more commonly known as whelks, are water snails. Similar in texture to a large opihi, top shell is chewy and has that nice snail flavor. I've grown up eating top shell so it doesn't bother me at all. Next I tried the smoked tako poke. This, by far, was the best of the bunch. It was slightly spicy in a mayonnaise sauce but the best part about it was the smokey tako taste. This was good smoked tako. I would eat it by itself. But with the sauce, it was just amazing. The smoked tako poke is a must buy if you are going to Fresh Catch. At long last it was time to taste the dreaded fireball ahi poke. It tasted great. One of the best if not the best spicy ahi poke that I've ever had. There was just one problem...I was on fire. I can usually take the heat but this was just excessive. I suggest buying the spicy ahi poke unless you feel adventurous.
In the quality vs quantity battle, I feel that quality has prevailed. This was some of the highest quality poke I have ever tasted. The flavors were outstanding and the ideas were just amazing. I am certainly buying my poke for my next Super Bowl Party at Fresh Catch. In truth, I sat here looking for something bad to say about the place, but I just couldn't find anything and that is hard to come by for someone such as myself.
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 4 (very friendly counter staff)
Food Quality: 4.5
Monetary Value: 3
Quality vs Quantity: Quality
Overall: 3.75
Contact Info:
Address: 3109 Waialae Ave.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-735-7653
Hours: Closed (Monday), 10AM-7PM (Tuesday-Friday), 8AM-7:30pm (Saturday), 8AM-5PM (Sunday)
In the quality vs quantity battle, I feel that quality has prevailed. This was some of the highest quality poke I have ever tasted. The flavors were outstanding and the ideas were just amazing. I am certainly buying my poke for my next Super Bowl Party at Fresh Catch. In truth, I sat here looking for something bad to say about the place, but I just couldn't find anything and that is hard to come by for someone such as myself.
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 4 (very friendly counter staff)
Food Quality: 4.5
Monetary Value: 3
Quality vs Quantity: Quality
Overall: 3.75
Contact Info:
Address: 3109 Waialae Ave.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-735-7653
Hours: Closed (Monday), 10AM-7PM (Tuesday-Friday), 8AM-7:30pm (Saturday), 8AM-5PM (Sunday)
Genki Sushi Kapahulu
Genki Sushi Kapahulu
>:(Genki Sushi is a most loved and cherished sushi restaurant. On Sunday November 9th, 2008 we decided to drop by one of my all-time favorite restaurants. As we parked our car in the small cramped lot, we were greeted not by a smiling face but by a big angry one. Some may think, "Why is he angry? Shouldn't he be smiling?" In my opinion it doesn't matter. That angry white face speaks one thing to me; sushi. Lots and lots of sushi.
As The Host, a friend and I walk from our car to the front doors, I ponder the meaning of "genki". I've taken Japanese classes and through it I've learned the phrase, "O genki desu ka?" which translates to "how are you?" in English. Genki, in the literal sense, roughly translates to "healthy". This gave me pause -- Healthy Sushi? The thought passed as we walked through the doors and we were greeted by our waiter.
Our waiter seemed a bit confused. He had a slight mix-up on open booths and didn't seem to know where there were open chairs for three. We finally got a booth about a minute later. I was starving.
The basic layout of any Genki Sushi is a long usually round counter with stools and in our case at Kapahulu Genki Sushi there were booths as well. The counter holds a moving conveyor belt with slow moving plates of sushi. The way your bill is totaled up is by the color of the plates on which the sushi are placed on. The plates are counted up and your bill is given to you.
Here you can see the conveyor belt and the plates of sushi. Note the sushi prep area in view of the public.The prices of the plates ranges from $1.20 - $4.80. I should note that when quality vs quantity is concerned, quantity is the winner in this case (which is why I love it on an empty stomach). Genki Sushi Kapahulu also offers take out and party platters. Besides sushi Genki also serves a range of Japanese treats. You can choose from edamame, miso soup, fried chicken, shrimp tempura -- desserts such as mochi ice cream, green tea ice cream and cheesecake; the list goes on.
Above is my favorite dish at Genki Sushi (Scallop Mayo). Below is one of Genki Sushi's more expensive rolls (soft shell crab roll).
It is important to note the time at which you eat at Genki Sushi. We sat down at 3:00 PM so some of the sushi had been sitting out on the conveyor belt for quite some time. Although I'm sure Genki Sushi complies with local health regulations, leaving the sushi out that long makes me cringe at times. This sitting of food is easily noted as I order sushi off of their menu (which is freshly made). The nori of the sushi that we had ordered off of the menu was crisp while some of the sushi that we had eaten off of the conveyor belt felt chewy.
The best tip that I can give you if you are going to any Genki Sushi restaurant is to order off of the menu. The conveyor belt doesn't always have everything that is on the menu circulating all at the same time. So if you want freshly made sushi (especially those that you cant find on the conveyor belt) I highly recommend ordering off of the menu. I also suggest sitting near the chefs work station. If you are sitting near the chef, he will usually hand you the plates himself instead of giving it to the waiter. I say this because our server had some problems remembering who ordered what and how many. Now I must admit, this is the first time that I've encountered waiter problems at any Genki Sushi so this might have just been an off day.
As for the quality, Genki Sushi serves decent sushi. If you were to ask me for a comparison, I would say better than Kozo Sushi and Aloha Sushi but not as good as a formal Japanese restaurant. The main reason for going to Genki Sushi is the variety of sushi and the cost. For the amount of money that you are paying for sushi at Genki Sushi, you would be eating only half or even less than half at a formal Japanese restaurant.
Arigato Gozaimasu, Genki Sushi Kapahulu! Thank you for another great meal!Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2
Food Quality: 2.75
Monetary Value: 4
Quality vs Quantity: Quantity
Overall: 3
Contact Info:
Address: 900 Kapahulu Ave.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-735-7700
Hours: 11AM - 9PM (Sunday-Thursday), 11AM - 10PM (Friday-Saturday), 11AM - 9PM (Takeout 7 Days A Week)
Service: 2
Food Quality: 2.75
Monetary Value: 4
Quality vs Quantity: Quantity
Overall: 3
Contact Info:
Address: 900 Kapahulu Ave.
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808-735-7700
Hours: 11AM - 9PM (Sunday-Thursday), 11AM - 10PM (Friday-Saturday), 11AM - 9PM (Takeout 7 Days A Week)
More Blog Information
I know that we promised you two new reviews, but before we can get to publishing these reviews, we have decided that it would be in your best interests to go over the guidelines that we use in reviewing each restaurant.
Here are a few questions that we ask ourselves when we critique a dining establishment:
1. Appearance and First Thoughts - Is it sanitary? What portion of the dining public does the establishment cater to? Ambiance.
2. Front of the House - Was the host/hostess (if any) warm and friendly? Was the server knowledgeable and helpful?
3. The Kitchen - Was the food properly cooked (sanitation issues)? Was the food delivered in a timely manner (based on the type of eating establishment)? If the kitchen is visible (open kitchen type establishments), are the cooks adhering to proper sanitation and do they act professionally?
4. The Food - We judge the food through taste, presentation, value (monetary value), and in any other way we deem fit if needed.
If you have any suggestions for us please feel free to leave a comment or E-Mail us at Suggestions@808foodscene.net
--------------------------------------------------
Donations
We have just finished setting up a donation function on our blog via PayPal. We would like to assure you,the reader, that none of our donations will be used for personal gain. Below are a few ways that we will utilize your gracious donations:
1. The upkeep of our blog. (which is our main concern) (Current Monthly est. $6.00)
2. Travel Expenses [ex. gas, inter-island fare]
3. Food Expenses (Currently, we use our own pocket-money to fund our research)
We hope in time that 808FoodScene will become a self-sustaining website through gracious donations from our readers and in time, maybe even 808FoodBlog merchandise :)
--------------------------------------------------
Suggestions
We are always open to comments and suggestions. If you have a favorite eatery that you would like to share with us feel free to E-Mail us at Suggestions@808foodscene.net
Likewise, if you are the owner of an establisment and you would like us to stop by we will be more than happy to (just drop us an E-Mail at the address listed above).
I would also like to clarify that even though you have so graciously sent us an E-Mail, we may not get to review the establishment right away but will try our best to add it as a future destination.
At this time I would also like to state that we would like to keep our alias' anonymous. As we comment on both the good and less fortunate traits of an establishment, we would like our alias' to take the blame for any heat-- not us. So for the few who know our real identities, we ask that you please do not reveal them. If you have any hunches, we ask that you keep that a private matter.
Here are a few questions that we ask ourselves when we critique a dining establishment:
1. Appearance and First Thoughts - Is it sanitary? What portion of the dining public does the establishment cater to? Ambiance.
2. Front of the House - Was the host/hostess (if any) warm and friendly? Was the server knowledgeable and helpful?
3. The Kitchen - Was the food properly cooked (sanitation issues)? Was the food delivered in a timely manner (based on the type of eating establishment)? If the kitchen is visible (open kitchen type establishments), are the cooks adhering to proper sanitation and do they act professionally?
4. The Food - We judge the food through taste, presentation, value (monetary value), and in any other way we deem fit if needed.
If you have any suggestions for us please feel free to leave a comment or E-Mail us at Suggestions@808foodscene.net
--------------------------------------------------
Donations
We have just finished setting up a donation function on our blog via PayPal. We would like to assure you,the reader, that none of our donations will be used for personal gain. Below are a few ways that we will utilize your gracious donations:
1. The upkeep of our blog. (which is our main concern) (Current Monthly est. $6.00)
2. Travel Expenses [ex. gas, inter-island fare]
3. Food Expenses (Currently, we use our own pocket-money to fund our research)
We hope in time that 808FoodScene will become a self-sustaining website through gracious donations from our readers and in time, maybe even 808FoodBlog merchandise :)
--------------------------------------------------
Suggestions
We are always open to comments and suggestions. If you have a favorite eatery that you would like to share with us feel free to E-Mail us at Suggestions@808foodscene.net
Likewise, if you are the owner of an establisment and you would like us to stop by we will be more than happy to (just drop us an E-Mail at the address listed above).
I would also like to clarify that even though you have so graciously sent us an E-Mail, we may not get to review the establishment right away but will try our best to add it as a future destination.
At this time I would also like to state that we would like to keep our alias' anonymous. As we comment on both the good and less fortunate traits of an establishment, we would like our alias' to take the blame for any heat-- not us. So for the few who know our real identities, we ask that you please do not reveal them. If you have any hunches, we ask that you keep that a private matter.
November 10, 2008
The Dream
Hello, and welcome to our site.
I am 20 years old and currently attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a minor in business. I was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii and went to high school with The Chef. I love to sleep, eat, and play video games on my off time. I also enjoy building computers and have made 5 to date. Another passion I have in life is helping people in any way that I can.
While at first glance this may appear to be a food critique place, we hope that you do not dismiss it merely as two people trying to list the downfall of various restaurants. Instead, we do this for the love of food, and the enjoyment of sampling what the island has to offer. While doing this, we mentally and physically take note of each place and pass the knowledge on to you, the reader. Of course everyone has different tastes and likes when it comes to food, but we'd like to give you and idea of what to expect if you were to visit these restaurants. While we can't promise anything, we'd like to help you experience what we did simply by reading our blogs and viewing our pictures. That being said, our goals are simply this:
1. Experience what O'ahu has to offer in a culinary adventure.
2. Pass the knowledge on to our readers so they may experience everything as well.
We hope we surpass your expectations in what we hope to achieve and as we ourselves show you what we like and dislike about the restaurants around the island, we appreciate constructive criticism explaining what you like and dislike about our blogs.
We look forward to eating, posting, and informing in the future and would love to get feedback from our readers. Thanks again for taking time out of your days to read this!
I am 20 years old and currently attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a minor in business. I was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii and went to high school with The Chef. I love to sleep, eat, and play video games on my off time. I also enjoy building computers and have made 5 to date. Another passion I have in life is helping people in any way that I can.
While at first glance this may appear to be a food critique place, we hope that you do not dismiss it merely as two people trying to list the downfall of various restaurants. Instead, we do this for the love of food, and the enjoyment of sampling what the island has to offer. While doing this, we mentally and physically take note of each place and pass the knowledge on to you, the reader. Of course everyone has different tastes and likes when it comes to food, but we'd like to give you and idea of what to expect if you were to visit these restaurants. While we can't promise anything, we'd like to help you experience what we did simply by reading our blogs and viewing our pictures. That being said, our goals are simply this:
1. Experience what O'ahu has to offer in a culinary adventure.
2. Pass the knowledge on to our readers so they may experience everything as well.
We hope we surpass your expectations in what we hope to achieve and as we ourselves show you what we like and dislike about the restaurants around the island, we appreciate constructive criticism explaining what you like and dislike about our blogs.
We look forward to eating, posting, and informing in the future and would love to get feedback from our readers. Thanks again for taking time out of your days to read this!
An Introduction of Sorts
Aloha and welcome to the 808FoodScene blog page (soon to be 808FoodScene.net).
Although we are currently under construction, we encourage you, the reader, to spread the word about our up and coming blog. As this is our very first post, we feel that it is important that we give a brief overview of the purpose of this blog and a glimpse at the people making this blog possible.
-Our Goals-
808FoodScene is our attempt to chronicle the many flavors of O'ahu. Since the plantation days Hawai'i has been a melting pot of culture. And the biggest part of one’s culture is its food. Thus we have been graced with a unique style of cuisine. A fusion of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, European; the list goes on. I quote a local food legend, "Lucky you live Hawai'i". Yes, lucky we live Hawai’i. Nowhere else in the world will you find such a mix of flavors as you will find here in Hawai’i.
We at 808FoodScene go out in search of local eateries to give you, the reader, not only a few pictures and a review, but a sense of culture through the taste of our islands.
-An Introduction-
I’m “The Chef". I was born and raised in Hawai'i on the Island of O'ahu. I currently attend The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at KCC. I've been a self taught cook since the early age of 8. I grew up watching The Food Network. I am an Alton Brown fan and have learned most of my tricks from watching Good Eats since its premiere episode back in 1999. Since then, I have always been fascinated with food.
I would also like to note that my fellow colleague, “The Host”, could be called the catalyst in this venture. It was his idea to put pen to paper (or in this case; fingers to keyboard) and chronicle our efforts. Instead of writing an introduction for him, I will let him introduce himself as I feel that you will get a better sense of who he is through his writings.
-Upcoming Posts and News-
The Host will be putting up his self introduction.
We will be posting up our first reviews (Genki Sushi and Fresh Catch).
We will be moving to our new domain www.808foodscene.net shortly. We will keep you informed.
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