Little Bites

So, I finally got the app I use to size my pictures to work. Sheesh!

Anyway, yesterday we tried The Grove Restaurant (33 Aulike Street, Kailua, Hawaii). There were two items that looked interesting on the internet, Brussels Sprout Salad and Bread Pudding.

Problem was the dinner menu was priced a little more than what we wanted to spend. The solution? The restaurant has a “happy hour” menu, they call “shady hour”. All items are five dollars.

Menu

We could try a few things to get a feel of the food. If we liked it, we could always plan and come back for dinner.

Shrimp Chips and Seafood Dip

Not bad. The shrimp chips were a little greasy. I think they have to go to Chinatown and learn from the chefs there how to make shrimp chips.

Kiawe Grilled Mushrooms with Garlic Butter

A very smoky taste. I liked this, The Cat, not so much.

Steamed Manila Clams

Sumida watercress, Nalo tomatoes, gremolata, and roasted garlic. There’s a whole head of garlic that the server squeezed into the sauce just before serving. No vampires here.

The Brussels Sprouts salad was not on the “shady hours” menu, but since we were here, we ordered it.

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

With crispy pancetta, mac nuts, cranberries, chèvre, and Dean’s Waimanalo honey Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Since this was from the regular menu, it was pricey. I liked it, but both of us thought it was overpriced for the quantity.

Dessert Menu

The desserts were decently priced. We shared the bread pudding.

Bread Pudding

This was The Cat’s favorite, both in quantity and taste. I think it was broiled just before serving, the top was a little burnt and crispy, The Cat’s favorite part.

I think the portions of the five dollar menu were scaled in relation to the price. All in all, not a real bargain, but a good way to try the food.

We might come back just for dessert.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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A Hit (sort of) and a Miss

As mentioned here and here, Saturday was kind of a busy day out of the house. We decided on Korean cheap eats, around the corner from The Cat’s office (Chodang Restaurant, 451 Piikoi Street, Honolulu, Hawaii).

I ordered my usual, bibimbap.

Bibimbap

I know, I know, it’s not in a stone pot, no crispy rice on the bottom. But for $4.99? I ain’t complaining (a side note: the stone pot or dolsot bibmbap at this place is almost triple the $4.99 price). Especially when the side dishes are included.

Banchan

It was “cheap eats” night after all.

The Cat went with a combo dinner, fried fish (yellow corvina) and tofu soup.

Fried Yellow Corvina

Tofu Soup

The fish was a little too salty (we didn’t know the fish was slightly salt preserved). And the soup was a little too spicy, The Cat forgot to order the soup mild.

So a hit (sort of) for The Mouse, and a miss (times two) for The Cat.

Total check amount was under $15.00 (before tax and tip).

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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The Cat Recommends

The Cat “found” two places recently that she wanted me to try. These two “finds” were born out of necessity. The first one is Lam’s Garden.

Menu Cover

It’s in the corner of a little strip mall outside of the Kahala Mall Complex. We’ve probably driven past the restaurant dozens, if not hundreds of times. The exterior doesn’t exactly scream at you to come and eat here (sorry, no photo, trust me).

One day a meeting took longer than expected and The Cat was starving. The food vendors at Kahala Mall didn’t appeal to The Cat. Out of desperation she tried Lam’s Garden. To her surprise, the food was decent and the portions were more than adequate. She ordered the choy sum with fish filet on rice, a lunch special (she forgot to take pictures). She especially liked that the lunch plate include a bowl of soup.

So The Cat sends me on an errand in the area. It’s lunch time and I decide to try Lam’s Garden.

Lunch Specials

As I am scanning the list, an item near the bottom of the menu catches my eye and starts calling to me like a siren song. Charsiu & Crispy Chicken on Rice!

Charsiu & Crispy Chicken on Rice

Ahh! Charsiu. The other red meat. Not Chashu. Mmmm! While I understand chashu and like it, charsiu is my first love.

The Cat was right, the serving was more than enough. In addition, there was a large amount of choi sum underneath the charsiu and chicken (a well-balanced meal). The chicken was fried and crispy, almost fall off the bone but still pretty moist and tender. The charsiu had a bit of fat on it (I prefer a little less fat), and it was tasty. A definite order again. While the socks stayed on, it was a very decent dish (the amount of food contributed to the  overall positive experience). I took a picture of the aftermath but as promised, I won’t post it.

Oh yeah, the bowl of soup wasn’t bad either.

Egg Drop Soup

Nothing fancy, chicken stock, dried mushrooms, a few frozen peas, and egg. A welcome addition for the cold weather.

The second recommendation is in the Ala Moana mall, Donburiya Dondon (Makai Market).

Sign

Another Sign

Recently, this has become The Cat’s regular lunch spot. She used to go somewhere else (which will remain unnamed) but because of a change in management, it became less attractive to The Cat. Plus, Donburiya Dondon started offering this.

Description

The Cat is developing an obsession (in a good way), with Japanese slow cooked pork broth.

Tonkotsu Ramen

She’s still trying to decide between the Paitan Ramen at Yotteko-Ya or the Tonkotsu Ramen here. I don’t think she’s ever going to make a decision. She likes both.

So were Christmas shopping yesterday and it gets to be around dinner time. The Cat wants me to try Donburiya Dondon (I think she just wanted the ramen).

BiBimBap Donburi

I dunno what I was thinking but the BiBimBap caught my eye (after ordering I wondered why I would order a Korean dish at a Japanese restaurant, go figure).

BiBimBap

A very decent rendition of BiBimBap. Lots of vegetables, crispy rice on the bottom (a must), and a balanced spicy bean sauce on the side to add to taste.

BiBimBap, Mixed

Good portion at a good price. The Cat made a good choice.

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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Eel, Not Eww

While The Cat was away (see previous post), The Mouse went to play.

A new restaurant recently opened that specializes in unagi.

Sign

Claim to Fame

The restaurant is so new, it hasn’t had its grand opening yet. Tried it last week. Ordered the unadon, a bowl of rice with a piece of unagi and sauce.

Unadon

I already sprinkled sansho (provided on the table) on my unagi before I took the picture, my bad. Also ordered umaki, egg roll with unagi.

Umaki

I learned to eat unagi a long time ago. This version is pretty close to the first time I tried it. Just enough sauce, broiled so that the edges are a bit crispy, but not too crisp. The unagi and egg, a good combination. Yes, the socks came off.

Definitely want to come back. Have to save some money though.  Currently, the restaurant uses unagi sourced from Taiwan, once they receive unagi sourced from Japan, the price may double. Sigh

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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Sunday Pictures

Sign

Farmer's Market

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The hat got in the way.

Coffee

Dr. Sun, the owner of Olakai, is a friend of The Cat’s. He gave us a bottle of pickled sea asparagus and a bottle of dried sea asparagus and ogo (in the interest of full disclosure).

Pickled Sea Asparagus

Savory Sea Sprinkle

Label

Sign

Bread Pudding and Haupia

The Cat thought this was one of the best bread pudding she’s had in a long time.

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Pot Roast Duck Noodle

Won Ton Soup (No Noodles) with Pork and Vegetables

Vegetables and Tofu, Curry Sauce (Not on the Menu)

The Cat doesn’t like oyster sauce. Our server, D, suggested curry sauce. A previous customer had requested curry sauce. Curry sauce it is. Sometimes it’s good to be a regular customer.

BTW, my computer is acting up again, time for a new one. So if the postings suddenly stop for awhile, you’ll know why. Be patient, thank you.

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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