When it comes to authentic ramen here in Hawaii I feel like I'm on an epic food inspired adventure. Like every great adventure, there are times that the protagonist finds himself in a bit of a rut but always seems to make the best out of it. Walking into Sumo Ramen and Curry I felt like I was walking into a "rut" situation. The decor seemed somewhat cheap however the open kitchen made me feel right at home.
I was seated with a couple of friends during lunch and was handed a menu. The first thing that I noticed about the menu was that it was huge! The katsu curry and ramen combo is a classic and for the price seemed an excellent choice. Then my eyes landed on the one phrase that stole my heart and made my experience at Sumo Ramen and Curry complete... tonkotsu ramen.
I've mentioned in previous posts that I've been on the lookout for a restaurant that served tonkotsu ramen and here it was right under my nose in a restaurant that I've passed by countless times. It was settled. I ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen and a side of gyoza.
The gyoza was good but not great. It was steam-fried in the usual fashion yet the filling seemed to lack flavor. Truthfully I didn't much care about anything else because I knew that my ramen was on its way.
When the moment of truth arrived the only thing I could think about was the gigantic ladle in my bowl of ramen. I wasn't sure if the kitchen staff forgot to take their 3 oz ladle or if it was for consuming my bowl of ramen. After a minute or two I really didn't care. The rich broth was amazing and went well with the shoyu soaked egg and roast pork.
I ventured out of Sumo Ramen and Curry satisfied that I had overcome the rut and came away with a jewel. -- Oh and I hear their curry isn't bad either!
Sumo Ramen and Curry
Rating System: 1-2.5-5 (poor-average-excellent)
Service: 2.5
Food Quality: 2.25
Monetary Value: 3.75
Quality vs Quantity: Quantity (curry+ramen combo's are huge)
Overall: 2.8
2919 Kapiolanio Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96826
808-737-1868
April 22, 2010
April 21, 2010
Revisit: Fresh Catch Kaimuki
Over the years I've found that my love for cooking extends far beyond the kitchen and has taken root in other areas of my life. As a fisherman born and raised here in Hawaii I have had the privilege of catching a wide variety of tasty fish. Just like hunters who track a specific type of game, local fishermen must know where to go to catch specific types of fish. And just like hunting, fishing also has seasons allowing us only a short amount of time to catch fish that we otherwise would not be able to take home. Of course most of the time we come home empty handed which is why it is called "fishing" and not "catching".
You're probably asking yourself what I'm trying to convey at this point. My point is that when a chef looks to the source of their dish they find valuable information about what they are cooking that might have otherwise have been overlooked.
Case in point: the moana (many bar goatfish). The moana's favorite source of food is rock and sand crabs. This gives the moana a sweet crab-like taste that many local fishermen enjoy. As a chef you would want to take advantage of this knowledge. I personally would either stuff the fish with a crab mixture then bake and top with an aioli to be torched at the last minute or steam the fish and serve in a crab stock based miso soup. As a chef you want to know everything you can about your product and as a fisherman, you have a distinct advantage when it comes to seafood.
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Yesterday I decided to check back in on Fresh Catch to see what has changed.
I was relieved to find that my favorite styles of poke where still on the menu and that there were new creations that have been added to their line-up. If I were to suggest a handful of styles I would have to suggest the smoked tako, spicy hawaiian (limu ahi in spicy sauce), wasabi ahi and fireball ahi (very spicy. go with the less spicy stuff if you dont think you can handle). If you are feeling adventurous, there are a number of hard to find types of poke including korean-style top shell poke and spicy salmon depending on the day.
Although it was the poke that brought me back to Fresh Catch Kaimuki, it was the ahi katsu that will be bringing me back in the future. Although it isn't the seared sushi grade ahi katsu you might find "up the street" that will put a hole in your wallet (enough speculation on where I'm talking about) it is VERY good and is a large portion for only $10.25. The ahi katsu is topped with an aioli and a generous amount of furikake and would have to be one of the better fish dishes I have had in awhile (I've been trying to eat fish at least every other day for a month now). Now that I know that their ahi katsu is good I will have to come back to try more of their cooked menu.
For rating and full review click here.
Fresh Catch's Website.
You're probably asking yourself what I'm trying to convey at this point. My point is that when a chef looks to the source of their dish they find valuable information about what they are cooking that might have otherwise have been overlooked.
Case in point: the moana (many bar goatfish). The moana's favorite source of food is rock and sand crabs. This gives the moana a sweet crab-like taste that many local fishermen enjoy. As a chef you would want to take advantage of this knowledge. I personally would either stuff the fish with a crab mixture then bake and top with an aioli to be torched at the last minute or steam the fish and serve in a crab stock based miso soup. As a chef you want to know everything you can about your product and as a fisherman, you have a distinct advantage when it comes to seafood.
---------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday I decided to check back in on Fresh Catch to see what has changed.
I was relieved to find that my favorite styles of poke where still on the menu and that there were new creations that have been added to their line-up. If I were to suggest a handful of styles I would have to suggest the smoked tako, spicy hawaiian (limu ahi in spicy sauce), wasabi ahi and fireball ahi (very spicy. go with the less spicy stuff if you dont think you can handle). If you are feeling adventurous, there are a number of hard to find types of poke including korean-style top shell poke and spicy salmon depending on the day.
Although it was the poke that brought me back to Fresh Catch Kaimuki, it was the ahi katsu that will be bringing me back in the future. Although it isn't the seared sushi grade ahi katsu you might find "up the street" that will put a hole in your wallet (enough speculation on where I'm talking about) it is VERY good and is a large portion for only $10.25. The ahi katsu is topped with an aioli and a generous amount of furikake and would have to be one of the better fish dishes I have had in awhile (I've been trying to eat fish at least every other day for a month now). Now that I know that their ahi katsu is good I will have to come back to try more of their cooked menu.
For rating and full review click here.
Fresh Catch's Website.
April 1, 2010
The End-All Burger
I've been getting a lot of mixed review surrounding this questionable burger joint. Some say that the food served on its menu is pure genius and reflects contemporary tastes. Many agree that their burgers are, "A work of art. A masterpiece of burger construction." While on the other hand others feel that these over-dressed burgers take away from the pure taste that is so fondly recognized in angus beef. But why reflect on what other people think? I decided to look into this burger joint myself.
It was lunchtime and I expected the place to be packed but by no means was I prepared for such a staggering line of people (burger enthusiasts I presumed) that it pushed its way almost out the front door.
The decor was cheap yet strangely effective and people huddled around tables as this is an eat-in/eat-out restaurant. Being at the back of an immense line I had time to contemplate my plan of attack.
Aside from burgers the menu offered a wide range of sandwiches ranging from fish to chicken. I also noted that they served milkshakes so I knew that I had to order one of those. The fries. I've heard legends about this place's fries. Sung in epic prose by critics in much higher places I was practically dieing to get my hands on them. By this time there were only a couple of people in front of me so I decided on the classic burger, fries, milkshake combo. But what would I want on my burger? The time came and I decided. I walked up to the counter and ordered my, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun."
Happy April 1st.
-The Chef
It was lunchtime and I expected the place to be packed but by no means was I prepared for such a staggering line of people (burger enthusiasts I presumed) that it pushed its way almost out the front door.
The decor was cheap yet strangely effective and people huddled around tables as this is an eat-in/eat-out restaurant. Being at the back of an immense line I had time to contemplate my plan of attack.
Aside from burgers the menu offered a wide range of sandwiches ranging from fish to chicken. I also noted that they served milkshakes so I knew that I had to order one of those. The fries. I've heard legends about this place's fries. Sung in epic prose by critics in much higher places I was practically dieing to get my hands on them. By this time there were only a couple of people in front of me so I decided on the classic burger, fries, milkshake combo. But what would I want on my burger? The time came and I decided. I walked up to the counter and ordered my, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun."
Happy April 1st.
-The Chef
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