Cleaning Out the Camera

Don’t mind me, just clearing out the memory from the camera. New pictures of places I’ve already posted about before. First up is here.

Took our Dr. friend (Dr. B) out just to “chew the fat” (less literal, more figurative). 😀

Chicken Jook (Rice Soup)

Pot Roast, Mushrooms, Broccoli Salad, Penne Pasta, Filet of Sole Mediterranean-Style, Hand Roll Sushi (Spicy Tuna and Avocado, Maki Sushi

Shabu Shabu Vegetables with Sesame Sauce

Filet of Sole, Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura

I’m temporarily fixated on here for their weekend lunches. The last two times, we went on Sunday, featuring rice porridge. I was curious about Saturday, which features steamed rice. This past weekend, I tried the Saturday lunch.

Multi-Grained Rice with Beans

Rice with Condiments

Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry, Japanese-Style

Salad with Crispies

Fried Shrimp

These were so crispy, I ate all of the shrimp, tail too.

"Dessert Bar"

Roasted ground soy bean flour (kinako), kanten jelly and sesame seed mochi rice cubes, sugar syrup, and azukibeans.

Kanten and Mochi Rice Cubes Close Up

Okay, curiosity satisfied, on to the next fixation. 🙂

Enjoy. Oh yeah, Happy Halloween!

The Mouse

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From Scratch

Last Friday, we got invited to eat jiaozi. A Chinese language teacher, MX, we met wanted us to see the apartment she recently moved into. Friends say that her jiaozi is the best on the island. Come to find out she makes the jiaozi wrappers from scratch (flour, water, you get the idea), not store or noodle factory bought. She’s particular about the flour too (her preference is flour produced in Korea, not anyplace else). Wow. I wouldn’t be surprised if she said she grew her own vegetables and raised the pig. 😀

She pulled out the stops. I noticed that Chinese-style hospitality is to provide more food than guests can consume. That way, guests don’t leave hungry, a major faux pas.

Hot Sour Soup

Steamed Chicken

MX hand carried this clay pot from China (it’s a Yunan specialty). The chicken was flavored simply with ginger and goji berries, moist and flavorful.

Now to the main event.

Boiled Jiaozi

Filled with pork and Napa cabbage, mild tasting, the socks were beginning to come off.

Pan Fried Jiaozi (aka Potstickers)

MX filled half with pork and chives, the other half filled with pork and hui xiang. MX didn’t know the English name, The Cat never heard of it. MX ran to her computer, I hauled out my iPhone (the wonders of technology), and came to the conclusion hui xiang is fennel leaves.

Jiaozi (Pork and Fennel Leaves)

Something new for me. Funny, MX didn’t know that the fennel bulb could be used, I didn’t know fennel leaves could be used this way. I always saw fennel leaves on salmon as a garnish.

The pan-fried potstickers had more pungent tastes (with chives and fennel leaves) than the boiled ones. Together though the flavors perfectly balanced and complimented each other (the socks flew off).

An awesome meal.

MX made the table look pretty.

Place Setting

One last picture, one of her decorations is Chinese tea service that I thought was interesting.

Chinese Tea Service

True to Chinese hospitality, we went home with a bag full of jiaozi.

Xie xie MX. Wonderful evening. Happy house-warming.

BTW here’s a link to her blog.

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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A Preview of Things to Come

I’ve been looking for this for a long, long time.

I can’t wait to cook this.

😛

I’m so excited. 😛 😀

Stay tuned.

The Mouse 🙂

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Veggies

The scale has been heading in the wrong direction lately, I think it’s telling me I’ve been eating too much fried rice (bad scale, naughty scale). Time to balance out with more vegetables.

Stir-Fried Cabbage and Bell Peppers

For lunch the other day, cabbage and bell peppers. I like bell peppers, bell peppers don’t like The Cat. I have to eat it when The Cat is not around.

Stir-Fried Napa Cabbage, Ground Pork, and Preserved Chinese Olives

The ground pork and preserved Chinese olives were re-purposed from the leftovers from Moon Garden the other day (see prior post).

Stir-Fried Shanghai Cabbage, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Fried Bean Curd

My contribution to a pot-luck dinner with friends.

Cucumber "Banchan"

My other contribution to the pot-luck. Cucumbers, ginger, chili pepper, sugar, and salt.

I’m feeling less “fluffy”. 😉

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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Reaching for Excellence

So a funny thing happened to our cousins, P&B, on their flight over here. B gets into a conversation with her row mate, N, and they end up talking with each other for the whole flight about dis, dat, and da oddah stuff (lots ’bout wea fo grindz).

Turns out, N helps her friends out at a lounge once a week. She invited them to visit and lucky us we get to go too.

Sign

I didn’t know what “Imua” meant. The word is part of Kamehameha School’s logo. A quick search on the school’s website turns up this information:

In the Hawaiian language, the word I Mua means “to move forward” or “to move ahead” toward a goal. I Mua is also used to signify loyalty to all things Kamehameha or to express a deep commitment to support a feeling, an idea, a person or a cause.

I Mua is additionally used as the “team yell” for Kamehameha athletic teams. I Mua is Kamehameha’s way of saying “go for it,” or “go for broke!”

An illustrious name for any business. Actually, the lounge embodies Imua on several levels. When we first entered there is a general vibe of hospitality (even more so since P&B knew N). But I felt it was like walking into the backyard of an auntie and uncle where everyone is treated like family (related or not). Very inviting, check your egos at the door.

Now for the important part (for me anyway), the food. Imua’s is known for their porkchop (as verified by Yelp reviewers). So we had to try (it’s the rule, one I’m happy to comply with).

Porkchop

The porkchop is grilled and sliced into bite sized pieces then smothered (in a good way), in a sauce of shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach. This was GOOD (not only did the socks come off, they just plain disappeared). One of the best porkchop … EVER. The smokiness from the grilling along with the sauce, winnahz! I only wish I had a bowl of white rice to finish the gravy.

Ahi Roll

Tuna and vegetables, wrapped in nori, dipped in panko batter, and deep-fried. We couldn’t grind this fast enough. Perfectly cooked, hot outside and still cool on the inside. Awesome sauce. Even the salad dressing was really good. Another signature dish (in my opinion). Even The Cat, who tries to stay away from fried foods approved (four paws and tail).

The Cat and B needed vegetables, Raspberry walnut salad.

Raspberry Walnut Salad

Fresh raspberries, praline walnuts, feta cheese, balsamic dressing (I think). Wow.

Last but not least.

Fried Rice

Portuguese sausage, bacon, and another meat (sorry, I wasn’t taking notes, too busy grinding), fried eggs, kamaboko, and green onions. What could go wrong? Absolutely nothing. Another winnahz.

Add to that the hospitality of the owner G and the musical styling of Ka Momi, an excellent night indeed.

I think the owner G aptly named his lounge a commitment to excellence in all aspects of the business. Congratulations and mahalo! I Mua!

Good to meet you too N! Mahalo.

Definitely will be back.

Enjoy.

The Mouse

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