Delicious and Classy

Last week I had the opportunity to eat at a restaurant that not only had amazing food, it also had class - and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

The restaurant was Star Noodle and it's brand new to Maui.
Pictured above are the Steamed Pork Buns and the Singapore Noodles.

I''ll be honest- it's been nearly a week and I can't stop thinking about the Singapore Noodles. They were amazing. A-maz-ing. Vermicelli, chicken, shrimp and vegetables all covered in a curry-type sauce with delicately balanced flavors and a beautiful presentation to boot.

I've craved them since last week but I also can't stop thinking about the restaurant for another reason. I was there for a meeting that consisted of about 20 people. When we all sat down, the owner of Star Noodle introduced himself, his manager and his chef and then shared that he was going to donate all profits from the dinner to the Maui Food Bank. He then made his way around the table and shook hands with each of us individually.

I was bowled over. Delicious food and class? Too good to be true? Can they come in one package? Absolutely. Star Noodle is beautifully delicious and I have more respect for the restaurant than I can even write.

Even if the food hadn't been delicious, I would have returned purely to support such a wonderful restaurant. Fortunately the food was amazing so I'll definitely be back sooner than later.

Anyone had any good meals recently that they can't stop thinking about? Or how about an experience where a chef or restaurant donated food to a good cause?

Japanese Food

I'm headed to Japan next month *insert squee!* and I'm very excited for several reasons, one of them being the food. It's no surprise that I love Japanese food and I am so grateful to my friend Alisha for pointing out places to see in Tokyo and great delicacies to try.

This will be my first trip to Japan and I've purposely budgeted on hotels so that we could spend money on food. I often choose Japanese food over any other type of food and on our trip to Hilo last year, I was delighted with our find of Miyos - a fantastic Japanese restaurant overlooking the water.

I chose the dinner special of Shrimp and Veggie Tempura, Sesame Chicken, Agedashi Tofu, and Sashimi
And the hubby had the Chicken Terriaki Don Buri.
Both dishes were excellent!

Just thinking of the meal makes me excited for my trip to Japan. I already know there will be lots of pictures and lots of stories. The only thing I hesitate about trying is blowfish (Fugu). I really want to try it, but if it's not prepared right, it can cause death. A little scary but supposedly it's really delicious. Rather a tough decision. Hmm... I guess I'll let you guys know in March if I actually tried it!

Lime Curd Crepe with Raspberry

The picture above captures the perfect finale to an awesome evening. Three friends from college, tons of sushi and wine, and a lot of laughter, topped off by a trip to the local creperie, Cafe Des Amis. We thought the evening couldn't get any better, but there on the little white chalkboard was the daily special - crepes filled with lime curd and raspberry. *falls over*

I don't think I have ever tasted such a delectable treat. A soft crepe filled with tangy yet sweet lime curd and topped with a thick raspberry sauce. The flavor combination was absolutely divine and even now my mouth is watering as I type this.

Although we were full from dinner, together we finished off four crepes, leaving not even the slightest remnant at the end. Wait, there were only three girls and you ordered four crepes? My friends and I love to eat and we can truly appreciate a great dessert, especially one as amazing as this. :)

Are you going to eat that?

Other title choices for this post were: "I'm no Andrew Zimmern, but...," "How fresh is your fish?" and "Why is my dinner staring at me?"

I've never considered myself a very adventurous eater. In fact, I've been pretty picky throughout my life, turning down pasta if it was slightly overcooked, or the wrong macaroni shape (I know, I know. I've finally moved past that one). But recently, I've decided to step outside my comfort level and try new foods. There are limits to this of course, but I'm slowly getting there.

On a trip to Hilo a few weeks ago, we stopped at The Seaside Restaurant, known for its fresh fish. And how right the reputation was - the fish was caught no more than five feet from where we sat at our table. How could I turn down the opportunity to have the freshest fish I'd ever have in my life? I couldn't. And I didn't. :)

When the whole fish arrived, I found myself actually excited - unlike a fish meal I had a few years ago... Well, I didn't exactly have it. I ordered it and couldn't bring myself to eat it because it was staring at me. (they didn't tell me that was going to happen when I read the menu)

But my how things have changed. When my meal of pan-fried crispy Aholehole served with daikon-suri arrived at the table, I couldn't wait to dig in.
It was fantastic. The small round dish was filled daikon-suri and per the waiter's suggestion, I added soy sauce and dipped portions of the fish into it. Amazing!

I tried to be polite, as it was a nice restaurant, and use a fork and knife, but after a few minutes it was clear that the easiest way was just to eat with my hands. No one around seemed to mind and at the end of the night, only bones were left on my plate. I give the whole experience an A+.

Yep, I've come a long way from the Pokemon shaped macaroni I refused to eat ten years ago :)

It's no cup of noodles...

Growing up, ramen meant the packet of dried noodles that I dumped in hot water or poured water into a cup and waited. What a world I was missing out on. Fresh ramen is amazing.

On our recent trip to Oahu, we stopped at Goma Tei Ramen. We'd discovered this restaurant on a previous trip through the suggetions of Yelp and knew we would be back. When you have a meal this good, you can't help but go again.

I ordered the Chicken Tan Tan Ramen. This picture may be slightly deceiving as the bowl looks tiny but believe me, that spoon is huge as is the bowl. This is not a light meal that will make you hungry an hour later - this a full fledged ramen meal that will fill you up.
Beneath the sliced chicken is a copious amount of perfectly cooked noodles and vegetables - this restaurant doesn't skimp on anything. The broth bursts with a variety of flavors that I can't quite describe but take what you know of the instant ramen and multiply the flavor by ten. It also has a nice texture, letting you know that this is not some watered down meal. This is the real thing.

The waiters offer to fill your bowl with more broth as you eat in case you need more to go along with your remaining noodles and chicken. Wait, a restaurant that actually offers you a "refill" and doesn't charge? Oh yes. This place is that good. And the best part? When you leave, you are full, happy and only minus around $8 from your wallet.

It's Appetizing...

Last week the hubby and I visited Duke's at famous Waikiki Beach on Oahu. Nine times out of ten I order their Baja Fish Tacos (they are amazing and I highly recommend them). I'm always up for trying new restaurants and new dishes, but once I find something I love, I tend to stick with it. And Duke's fish tacos have been a mainstay of mine for a very long time.

However I pulled myself away from the delicious fish tacos and decided to venture out, trying two of their appetizers for dinner. I love appetizers and have been known to order a few of them in place of an entree at various restaurants. It's several little delights all in one and makes for a very fun meal.

First I ordered the Poke Rolls - Ahi and Maui onions, rolled in rice paper and sauteed. They were surprisingly wonderful! The warmth of the cooked rice paper with the cold ahi in the middle was a pleasant combination and the mustard sauce on the plate complimented the dish nicely. A definite winner!
The second appetizer was much larger than I expected and very filling - Crab and Macadamia Nut Wontons with creamcheese, served with a mustard plum sauce. A great dish, but definitely one to share. I'm also not a huge fan of fried foods and these were slightly heavier than what I had in mind, but still good.
Did I like the appetizers? Absolutely. Would I order them again? Of course. The next time I visit Duke's? Probably not. As much as I enjoyed my new meal choices, the fish tacos are calling me back. Old habits are hard to break. :)

Not what I had in mind, but...

Last night a friend and I headed out to our favorite sushi place, Jacques, for their happy hour sushi - 50% off all their roles. We've frequented the place a lot as the sushi is fantastic and when it's half off, well, it just can't be beat.

We stood outside, waiting for Jacques to open at 5. Their happy hour is only till 6 and the tables fill up quickly. As soon the doors opened, we grabbed a table and started to write down our choices on the order sheet.

The waitress came by, gave us water and said, "And you guys know we're not doing the half off sushi anymore, right?"
"Um, what?"
"Yeah, we stopped it a week ago."

I turned to my friend. We said not a word but just looked at each other for a few seconds before simultaneously picking up our purses and exiting the restaurant. Jacques has amazing sushi, but unless it is half off, the prices are a bit too high.

So what do you do when your dinner plans have been changed? Go for sugar. :)

We headed to a creperie, Cafe De Amis, just up the street. My friend chose a dinner crepe, but being that I have a bit of a sweet tooth (no big shocker), I ordered two dessert crepes as my dinner. Yep, you read that right. Two dessert crepes.On the left is the lime and Maui sugarcane crepe and the one on the right is bananas and Ghirardelli chocolate. I have to admit, I'm not a huge Ghirardelli fan ( I'm a Cabury's lover at heart) so I wouldn't order the chocolate one again, but the lime one was full of sugary goodness.

The crepes were great and a nice change, but I'm still bummed about Jacques. I don't know where we'll get our sushi fix from now on but I'm sure I'll figure it out. :) Stay tuned.

But it will hurt if I breathe...

Remember that cough syrup commercial in the late 80s, early 90s "Mommy, it will hurt if I swallow?" The theme of this Sunday was "It will hurt if I breathe." Why? Because I had eaten so much, that it literally hurt to breathe.

Why would I eat so much? Why would I throw away every ounce of exercise that week and consume massive amounts of calories? Because our favorite brunch was closing and I wanted to make sure I tasted every little morsel. How else do you really say goodbye to a wonderful meal, knowing you will never taste it again?

The brunch was located at the Maui Prince hotel. We'd celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and "just for the heck of it" Sunday mornings there. The staff was amazing, the food divine, and the champagne kept flowing. The staff was so attentive that the minute you took more than two sips of champagne, a server was there to top off your glass.
We hadn't been to the brunch since celebrating a friend's wedding in April, but this week an article in the local newspaper stated that the hotel was in trouble. I mentioned it to my husband and said that we should probably go to the brunch soon in case the hotel ended up closing.

Previously you had to call a few weeks in advance for a reservation, but this time just calling two days before, every seating time was open. Recession...

When we arrived, we were informed that it was indeed the last brunch and the hotel would most likely be closing their doors within the next month - Foreclosure sucks :(
Our view of the Makena coast from our table. And then the eating began.

The Prince had six stations in their buffet. Six delightful stations tempting me to try every little bite. Please note - I did not eat all of the items listed below, but I thought it would be fun to tell you everything they offered at the brunch.

Danishes, muffins, sweet breads, croissants served with tropical Maui jams and jellies. Freshly sliced pineapple, papaya and berries. Freshly squeezed orange juice and guava nectar.

Eggs benedict served on cornbread with Canadian bacon and a tomato chive hollandise. Eggs benedict with cornbread? Amazing!
French toast with sliced strawberries and powdered sugar served with maple, coconut and Maui strawberry syrup.
Apple crepes with Tahitian vanilla bean custard sauce.
Bacon and Portuguese sausage.

A chef stood ready to make you any kind of omelet including bay shrimp and caviar as ingredient choices.

Next an assortment of cheeses from around the world with lavosh, breads and rolls.

Carving station with boneless leg of lamb, marinated in garlic and herbs, served with Mango chutney and an oven-roasted herb-crusted prime rib of beef with au jus and creamy horseradish sauce.Assorted dim sum which included pot stickers, shrimp dumplings and char siu bao.

Fresh Hawaiian sashimi served with soy sauce, mustard soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.
Poke (a raw ahi dish) - which was the best we've had on the island.
Peel-n-eat shrimp, smoked salmon, snap-n-eat snow crab legs, and assorted sushi which included California roll, tuna roll and cucumber roll.

Selection of chef's composed salads with island grown and domestic mainland produce, prince Caesar salad bar with cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic croutons, kula greens with Hawaiian vinaigrette.

I can't recall all of the delicious salads they had at the brunch, as the menu didn't list them by name, but there was an amazing ahi nicoise salad, a snowcrab salad served with water chestnuts, a bean sprout and tofu salad, and a Kula tomato salad with shredded basil just to name a few. There was also a delightful one that had peas and peanuts that my husband really liked. Due to allergies, I didn't taste that one, but I'll take his word for it.
Wait, I'm not done yet. :)

Japanese Miso soup garnished with wakame, komaki fu and green onions.
Manhattan style seafood chowder with yukon gold potatoes and fresh herbs.
Pacific seafood medley in brandy cream sauce with oyster mushrooms.
Oyster beef with oriental vegetables, garnished with rock shrimp stir fry and kamboko.
Whole roasted herb crusted chicken with corn bread and sun dried cranberry.
Chef's pasta: Angel hair pasta topped with grilled shrimp and served in a tomato cream sauce. (this was fantastic and I'm still thinking about it).
Fresh seasonal vegetables and steamed Jasmine rice.
Makena Mashed potatoes with caramelized maui onions.

And of course, dessert. Cakes, pies, creme brulee, mousse,and my personal favorite - Bread pudding served with vanilla cream. OMG, it's the best bread pudding I have ever had. That's what definitely put me over the edge. Well, that and the coffee they served at the end of the meal.
Now, my husband likes food but he does not have the love for it that I do. So although he was full after the meal, he could breathe.
One of my plates. There's the Kula tomatos, the peel-n-eat shrimp, the ahi nicoise, the crab legs, sashimi, poke, sushi, ginger, the beansprout and tofu salad, and the snowcrab salad. Phew! I feel full just looking at that!

I know I shouldn't have eaten that much for many reasons, but after reading that menu, can you blame me? I wanted to send the Maui Prince Sunday Brunch out in style, a little token to show that I really appreciated it and a little note to my stomach to enjoy every bit.

But what about the cost? All that food plus unlimited champagne, an amazing view and live Hawaiian music? The mere price of $50 per person. In my opinion, a steal.

When we first discovered the brunch three years ago, we remarked that it was too good to be true. Funny how thoughts like that become reality.

ETA: I am thrilled to announce that as of October, the brunch has been brought back by the management of the newly named Makena Beach Resort and Spa. Yay!

Once upon a time...

In 2006, the hubby and I visited Italy. The trip was amazing and I often think back to the wonderful time we had, the museums, the culture, and of course the food. :)

This particular meal was enjoyed in the city of Florence after seeing the statue of David. Just looking at this photo takes me back to that moment and I can almost taste the Fusilli pasta covered with creamy pesto sauce and pine nuts, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and my husband's pizza - the thin crust perfectly toasted, just how I like it.

The meal was divine but unfortunately any pesto sauce I have tried since has failed in comparison. I would love to once again taste that creamy pesto...

The solution is a simple one. I'll just have to go back to Italy. :) Right...

Well, a girl can dream!

Don't Always Listen...

While walking along Waikiki Beach, I looked up and saw large glass windows at the top of a building which I assumed to be a restaurant.

We asked our concierge who informed us it was the Hanohano Room and was fine dining and we probably wouldn't be interested. I'm still not quite sure what he meant as I love food of all sorts, including fine dining. Do I not look like I would enjoy fine dining? Hmm...

Fortunately we didn't listen to him and headed to the Sheraton. The glass elevator on the side of the hotel was a fantastic way to ride to the 30th floor - reminded me of Charley and the Chocolate Factory.

Once we were inside the Hanohano Room, our view was of the entire Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head in the distance. I thought it was one of the coolest dining experiences before I even reached the table.
It wasn't quite dinner time so the hubby and I sat at a table in the winebar and enjoyed wine samplers while marveling at the view. We decided to pair one of their appetizers with our wine - ahi lollipops served with crispy rice and pickled vegetables. Fabulous!
This just goes to show, sometimes it's best to check it out for yourself and not listen to others.

A little Truck with Big Shrimp

If you have ever had the shrimp scampi from Giovanni's on the North Shore of Oahu then this place needs no introduction. True, it doesn't look classy and you sit on picnic benches eating off paper plates, but the moment you bite into that first shrimp, it becomes a Four Star meal.
A plate of 12 garlic shrimp served with two scoops of rice and a lemon. To say the shrimp are covered in garlic would be an understatement and crispy pieces of garlic even adorn the rice. This is not a meal for anyone having an important meeting the same day, or even the next day.
This place is a must-stop for us anytime we are on Oahu. But besides the fabulous meal out of a truck, perhaps even more ironic is the fact that I never liked shrimp. But a few years ago, my good friend Lindsey insisted I try Giovanni's and well, I've never looked back.

A Chain, But a Good Chain

While on vacation, I really try not to eat at chain restaurants as I want to discover the local delights the area has to offer.

But this particular morning on Oahu, I couldn't shake my craving for French Toast. And when we walked by the Cheesecake Factory, I decided it would be the place. And was I ever right!

French Toast Napoleon. Okay, seriously? DIVINE!!
Three slices of grilled brioche french toast stacked with strawberries, pecans and chantilly cream. And strawberries were throughout the stack, not just on the top. I don't think I have ever had better french toast!

In a Land Called Hanalei...

In Hanalei, Kauai, there is a restaurant called Tahiti Nui. From the outside, it looks like a place to grab a burger or pizza, but if that is the case, you will miss out on the most amazing fish plates!

For an appetizer, we dined on a panko crusted seared ono served with a type of teriyaki sauce. Delicious!
And the main course was the best ono I have ever had. Panko macademia nut crusted ono served with coconut cilantro lime sauce and a side of mashed potatoes. The sauce was very rich but it went with the ono perfectly.
This fantastic ono dish, which to me was the definition of gourmet, was under $15. An absolute steal! My only complaint is that I don't live nearby so I can't go there more often.

Finding a Gem...

We recently did some island hopping, and of course with travel, comes lots of food. :)

When we landed in Kauai, the hubby directed me to find somewhere for us to grab breakfast. I usually delight in finding a small cafe or restaurant to discover something new.

However, this particular morning, I was starving and pointed to the McDonald's. Shocking, I know. The reason being, we had awoke at 5:00am that day to catch our first of two flights to Kauai and didn't have time to eat. Being that it was now 10am, I was hungry and needed to eat. No food does not make me a happy girl.

Fortunately, my husband was smarter than that. He reminded me that we wouldn't be on Kauai for a long time and that finding new food was my joy and it would only take a few minutes to find somewhere unique. He was right. He handed me his iphone and thanks to Yelp, within minutes I had chosen Pono Market as our destination.
What a find! Not only was the staff exceptionally nice, but the food was the best local food we have ever had! We delighted in spicy tuna poke (sorry, no pic for this one - I was starving and dug right in).

And following that, devoured shoyu tuna poke (top left) , lomi lomi salmon (top right), and chicken lau lau (hubby had the pork lau lau).
If these names are unfamiliar to you, allow me to explain a little further but in a loose definition as exact recipes for these dishes vary greatly. Lau lau is a dish that consists of a meat, usually pork, wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed for about five hours. Can we say tender?

Lomi lomi salmon is diced salmon which is salted and mixed with chopped tomatoes and onions. And poke is made up of sliced pieces of raw ahi with onion, green onion, sesame seeds and shoyu (soy sauce).
The food was amazing and I can't believe I almost missed it for a McDonald's meal. If you're headed to Kauai, do not miss this place!

Sushi Time!

I absolutely love sushi. I could eat it everyday and not think twice about it. But I don't.

However, I do enjoy a good sushi dinner now and then and my recent experience was amazing. A local place serves wonderful sushi at a very good price, and is quickly climbing its way to being one of my top five restaurant choices. (not an easy thing to do)
This plate contains a rainbow roll, a shrimp tempura roll and a baked hamachi roll and all of them were delicious! Just looking at the picture makes me excited and I'm already thinking of going out for sushi again instead of cooking tonight... :)

A+ for Presentation

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Hali'imaile General Store which is a beautiful restaurant here on the island.

I almost always take pictures of my food, but I was so impressed with their presentation that I made the poor hubby wait several minutes until I was done.

This was their popcorn shrimp. It was served in a to-go container with popcorn coming out of it! Adorable!
And this was their calamari platter:
Look at the large squid shaped decoration! I believe it was made out of some type phyllo dough but I can't be sure. Ab-fab!

A+ Hali'imaile. Well done.

Dining Out

I love food - I think that's obvious. And I love dining out. As I mentioned in my profile, I carry a camera with me everywhere and take pictures of meals. My husband is accustomed to this and waits patiently as I take a picture of his food before he digs in.

We went out this week and the food was wonderful! It was a cafe-type restaurant that we pass all the time on our way home, but we had never eaten there.

Hubby had the Ono Fajitas which were delicious

and I had the Grilled Ahi Burrito. Yum!

The reason I take pictures is two fold. One, because if it is a good meal, I want to remember it. And two, I get ideas for future meals I will cook. For example, look at the Ono fajitas. I love how they folded the tortilla over and secured it with a toothpick so the V shape remains. I'm a sucker for attention to detail :)