Dim Sum!

This past weekend we had lunch with some of our favorite people, our Auntie M (not from the Wizard of Oz) and cousins P & B. (Wouldn’t be great if they named their child starting with the initial J? Alas, they didn’t.) Uhm, sorry. After some thought, dim sum at Jade Dynasty in the mall. Now you know why I was looking for restaurants that served noodles.

Snow Mountain Char Siu Buns

I think that’s what they were called. Steamed char siu buns with a crunch top. How they did it, I dunno. Something different yet familiar. As often happens with this group, scarfing started before pictures. I have to learn to take pictures faster.

Savory Steamed Mochi Rice

Imperial Taro Rolls with Meat

Again, the names could be slightly off. I wasn’t taking detailed notes. Too busy laughing (and eating).

Potstickers

I think made in-house. Definitely not the frozen type (too stuffed and juicy).

Garlic Eggplant

You may have noticed I posted the leftover before the fresh dish bass ackward I know.

Fried Beancurd Rolls

Stuffed Tofu

Bamboo Pith with Vegetables

Actually this was good, but my least favorite of the day. Not enough bamboo pith.

Braised E-Fu Noodles

Some of you may have guessed why we had to order noodles. If not, here’s a few clues, we’re Chinese (if not in blood, in spirit), and noodles is a symbol of long life.

Steamed Beef Balls

Like meat balls, not like bull’s balls. Hee hee. Mostly for P and The Mouse, we have to keep up our Neanderthal heritage.

Dynasty Mini Malasadas

Nothing like Leonard’s Bakery or Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop, but for Chinese-made, they represented well.

Egg Tarts

There were a couple more dishes, but, like the picture of the egg tarts and someothers, I was not fast enough. Sigh.

At the end of the meal, one of the managers serranaded us with singing that could compete with any of those talent shows on TV. Hee hee.

As always with this group. Laugh hard, eat harder. Healthy eating at its best.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Fusion

Meeting with chefs P & p tonight (along with The Cat), trying to get a business plan out for them. Dinner was my suggestion, Angelo Pietro (1585 Kapiolani Boulevard). One of the first Italian/Japanese pasta restaurants on the islands. Yes, another Kapiolani Boulevard  eatery.

This was the menu that had the nattō and bacon pasta, so The Mouse was pretty excited to eat here. This restaurant is also one of the first restaurants to introduce asian salad dressings.

Salad Dressings

To try, ordered two salads:

Tofu Salad

Rainbow Salad

The ginger dressing went well with the tofu salad, the original and sesame and miso dressings went well with the rainbow salad (which was strings of raw potato, carrots, and turnips). The Cat’s business partner and the chefs were not too fond of tofu nor the raw potato, that’s okay, more for me.

There were two dishes that I wanted to try off the menu, natto and bacon, and pickled mustard greens (takana) and bacon. Asked if they could do a natto and takana pasta if I sacrificed the bacon. They agreed.

Natto and Takana Pasta

Pasta topped with natto, takana, nori (dried seaweed), and crispy won ton strips. I know, me not  taking bacon, but I was interested in the other flavors. Not to worry, it won’t happen  too often (so mark your calendar).

I thought it was good. Just as good as my homemade version (see here). One sock off. The pasta needed  just a tad bit more moisture, so  a shake of the sesame ginger dressing and it’s all good.

Not sure if The Cat’s business partner or the chefs will return, but I will.

Pasta with Asian ingredients. Not sure I would call it fusion, definitely food without borders.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Oodles …

Of Noodles.

Participated in a focus group that lasted until late. Dinner of soup noodles at Sunflower Cafe (1157 Maunakea Street, Honolulu, Hawaii). We used to frequent this place quite often, but the location, especially at night, is a little spooky (not ghost spooky, wrong side of the tracks spooky).

Anyway, The Cat ordered roast duck noodle (she forgot to substitute look funn).

Roast Duck Soup Noodles

The Mouse had trouble making up his mind, either won ton noodles or char siu noodles. Asked if they could do a combo, they did.

Won Ton and Char Siu Soup Noodles

The Cat forgot how good this place is. Hopefully we can become regulars again, just not night time.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Everything …

including the kitchen sink … almost.

I’ve been looking for restaurants that serve noodles lately. Came across a pasta restaurant that does “Japanese influenced” pasta dishes. One in particular caught my attention, bacon and natto (fermented soy beans) pasta. Ohh! Two of my favorite foods, in one dish.

So for lunch today, I kinda went overboard.

Natto Pasta

Vermicelli

Natto

Bacon

and then I added …

Sardines

Shiso leaves (green)

Shiso furikake (red)

Romaine lettuce

and Sumac

(salt and pepper to taste of course)

Mix everything up and scarf.

I don’t consider it fusion cooking, more like bachelor cooking (throwing whatever together and hope for the best). Best eaten when The Cat is not home =^..^=. This was very very good. A definite do again. Both socks off.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Sunrise Pasta

Another meal which I did not pay for, someone else did. This time the choice was Longhi’s Ala Moana. It was a toss-up between a fritatta or Charlie’s Sunrise Pasta. I went with the pasta.

From the menu: “Linguine tossed with eggs, Italian sausage, tomatoes, garlic, basil, Parmesan and ricotta cheese, served with garlic toast.”

Sunrise Pasta

My brain must’ve been a little rattled by the lack of food (it was past second breakfast), based on the description, I was sort of expecting more of a carbonara sauce (in hindsight, if it was going to be carbonara, I guess they would have said carbonara, duh!).

It turns out, the eggs were scrambled, which resulted in a less saucy, drier pasta dish . Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was envisioning. I thought less Italian, more fried saimin. It was just okay, sock stayed securely on.

The taste was good, the texture was weird (just my opinion), not  “smooth”, a little “gritty” (I think the ricotta also contributed to the dish’s lumpy texture). Good to try though.

Eat well.

The Mouse

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