Eating Through The Menu

This past weekend went back to Chez Kenzo. A number of menu item that intrigued me. It is the rare occasion that I want to try many items on a menu. Usually I focus on one or two things and kind of stick with them if they’re good.

This go round, it was the Chicken Yuzu Bao Buns.

Chicken Yuzu Bao Buns

Sautéed chicken, cucumber, tomato, shiso leaves. Served with homemade bao sauce and citrus (yuzu) pepper sauce.

Detail Shot

Yum. Socks off. Chicken, crispy exterior, tender interior. Hosin-like sauce lightly brushed on the bun.

The kicker was the citrus pepper sauce.

Yuzu Pepper Sauce

As far as I can tell, yuzu pulp with Japanese version of ground Szechuan peppers. Pretty Awesome.

With a side of thick cut fries.

Fries

Yes!

Truthfully, there were minor oops in the execution of the buns, the buns themselves weren’t steamed long enough, the vegetables were too thick for me to make a nice “package” bao. But the whole made up for the slight flaws of the parts.

Mentioned before, I wanna try the menchi katsu burger, the various Japanese inspired pastas, uni, ume, mentaiko, and the all important natto!

Can’t wait.

Now if  they only did a pork belly bun … one can only dream. 🙂

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Pictures

Catching up. What I’ve been doing (eating-wise).

Sign

(1451 S. King Street, Honolulu, Hawai’i) A Japanese-Italian-Local place (sort of new-ish) I’ve wanted to try. On their menu, uni pasta, natto pasta, and a menchi-katsu burger. But I got distracted.

Jaja Nasu

Fried eggplant topped with black bean ground pork sauce. Pretty yum. think Ma-po eggplant

Rice

Side Salad

Came with rice and a side salad. Eggplant could have been a tad spicier but a minor point. Dressing on the salad was winners too.

Must go back to try more (there’s a Japanese pumpkin, bacon, and garlic dish that sounds yummy too).

Sign

New-ish gelato place (1142 12th Avenue, Honolulu, Hawai’i). Started out mobile, recently opened a brick and mortar. Forgot my lactose pills. 😦

Had to settle for a sorbetto

Sorbetto

Only in Hawai’i

Pretty awesome. Must go back with a boat load of pills. 🙂

Coffee Hour Food

Bi-weekly office meeting. Food hosted by a round robin of different sections of the office.

This time, fried rice, scrambled eggs, banana bread and poi donuts (from Kamehameha Bakery). Lucky live Hawai’i 🙂

Finally, lunch with the cuz’s. They’re heading back home for a little bit (think snow birds, kinda). They were heading to Hakone for dinner so wanted something “light”.

Gave Baci Bistro in Kailua a shot (30 Aulike St, Kailua, Hawai’i). Decided to do the Italian “kiss” not the Japanese “bad karma” (sorry, bad joke). 🙂

Both cuz’s had Caesar salad. While I like Caesar salad, kind of, this caught my eye.

Insalata de Melanzane

Don’t ask me to pronounce it, I dunno.

From the menu “Pate of eggplant, tomato, garlic, and onion, served on grilled eggplant. Not bad, the pate was more like cold ratatouille-ish (chunky) but the flavors were there. Plus who can walk away from eggplant? Apparently the cuz P.

Panino di Vegetali

Grilled vegetable sandwich. Again, not bad, thought it was supposed to be pressed and grilled (panini), maybe something got lost in translation. Still pretty good.

That lunch was pure vegetarian, not to worry, The Mouse is not turning to the darkside, just there was no pork belly on the menu. 🙂

Getting ready to heading for the bus stop soon. Catch you later. 🙂

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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First Paycheck

Took Aunty M and the cuz’s P&B out for dinner last week. Thought we’d share The Mouse’s first paycheck. Although still only a temp job, the duration is a little longer, and the pay rate is “decent”.

Since all of them have frequent eater cards at Kincaid’s, Kincaid’s it is.

Aunty M’s Steamed Clams

Cuz P’s Lamb Osso Buco

Cuz P’s French Onion Soup

The Cat’s Crusted Mahi

Tasted better the next day.

The Mouse’s Pea Salad

With bacon!

The Mouse’s Burger

With ‘shrooms and bacon!

For some reason, forgot to take a picture of Cuz’s B food (must not have been interesting, just kidding!). 🙂

In the end, shared an order of their famous Burnt Creme.

Burnt Creme

A Bite of Key Lime Pie

The Cat wanted to try. The server brought over “a bite” (no charge). Happy Cat.

Thanks to the aunt and the cuzs for their morale butt kicking.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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The Cat’s Progress

More Sunday experiments by The Cat.

The Kitchen Sink

Tomato, eggs, tofu, basil, and Chinese parsley.

Stir Fried Arrowroot

More basil and Chinese parsley.

Fried Tofu

Black Bone Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Over pasta.

She thought all of the dishes were fail. She hasn’t gotten the seasoning acumen wired yet. Took me awhile too. Not really fails more like practice opportunities.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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Green Eggs and Ham

No joke.

Green Eggs and Ham

Breakfast at the church yesterday. Actually more like green eggs and Canadian bacon, but let’s not be trivial. An homage to St Patrick and Dr. Seuss. 🙂

Have a happy and safe St. Paddy’s day. Drink a green beer for me will ya. Thanks.

Enjoy. Eat well.

The Mouse

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