Baby backs coated in house rub, flame broiled and baked with honey mango BBQ glaze. Happy hour $9.95
Don the Beachcomber, Kailua-Kona HI
I’m a huge fan of BBQ ribs! These babybacks tasted good but not amazing! I wish they were a little more tender, but since they were slathered in delicious BBQ sauce I didn’t mind too much, hehe.
Decorative gate at the Hulihee Palace, Ali’i Drive.
“Bulgogi” beef, Hawaiian poke and Ka’lua pork. $16.95
Huggo’s on the Rocks, Kailua-Kona HI
Mmm, this was SO good and filling! I also liked the root vegetable chips that came with it. They were hearty and helped cut a lot of the saltiness from the proteins. I will say that my least favorite pupu was the Ka’lua pork. It was a bit on the dry side. Noms overall!
Huggo’s menu cover.
Oceanside view from our table.
Grilled pork sausage. 4 pcs $4.50
Izakaya Takonoki, Honolulu HI
This was not the pork sausage I expected when I ordered this. I’ve had kurobuta sausage at other restaurants and they were always more substantial and meaty. The tiny sausages we received are the kind you find vacuum-packed at Asian markets looking pink and squishy. I didn’t enjoy this, and the mustard didn’t help very much.
Sausage tree (Kigelia africana, Bignoniaceae), Fort DeRussy Beach Park.
With cabbage salad, rice, miso soup, Japanese pickle, and choice of special sauce. $19
Kimukatsu, Honolulu HI
This kimukatsu flavor was pretty good, but a little greasy again. I really enjoyed the dipping sauce and the Japanese pickles were delicious and totally assuaged my salt cravings. The miso soup also had strips of fried tofu in it which was tasty!
Cabbage salad.
Steamed rice.
Miso soup.
Japanese pickles.
Salt and spring onion sauce.
Tea. Complimentary
Lollipop plant or golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea, Acanthaceae), Ainahau Triangle Park.
Kalua pig, teriyaki chicken, fish, purple yam, noodles, pickled vegetables, salad, braised greens, etc.
Ali’i Luau, Laie HI
During my previous trips to Hawaii, I somehow managed to avoid attending a “cheesy” luau. Well, I made it my mission to finally go to one of these popular tourist attractions during this visit and what better place to attend one than at the Polynesian Cultural Center! Their website advertises the Ali’i Luau as Hawaii’s “Most Authentic Luau”, but I’m still not convinced of its authenticity after sitting through it. It seemed pretty cheesy to me. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the experience and the chance to check a Hawaiian luau off my bucket list. The food was ok as buffet food goes, and the entertainment was enjoyable. I don’t think I’d do it again, but I would still recommend it for those who haven’t tried it.
Taro roll. This was pretty good, especially slathered in butter, lol!
Entrance to the luau.
The dining area.
Luau entertainment. The show was actually pretty long with many dancers. The little kid dancers were SO cute to watch!
With cabbage salad, rice, miso soup, Japanese pickle, and choice of special sauce. $19
Kimukatsu, Honolulu HI
This was the first time I’d ever tried kimukatsu, and it was very tasty! It’s made with thinly sliced pork cutlet stacked into 25 layers, covered in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried for 8 minutes. It sounded intriguing so I had to try it. It thought it was really flavorful and tender, but it was a little on the greasy side probably because they fry it on a low temperature. The set is quite large so I was definitely full afterward.
Large bowl of cabbage salad for the table.
Steamed rice.
Miso soup.
Japanese pickles.
Ume shiso ponzu sauce.
Asahi draft. $5.50
Tahitian dancers, Canoe Pageant, Polynesian Cultural Center, Laie.
Trotter croquettes, smoked beef tongue, house sausage, flat-iron, roasted garlic, salsa verde, grilled ciabatta. $25
Salt Kitchen and Tasting Bar, Honolulu HI
Mmm, this was heaven on a plate for a meat-lover like me! I think the smoked beef tongue was my favorite! It was SO tender and had a great texture and flavor, noms! The trotter croquettes were also really fun. I wish the pic would’ve come out better since this dish was so yummy.
“Brothers In Valor” Memorial, Fort DeRussy. Honoring World War II veterans.
Ezogiku’s signature and most popular ramen. Topped with charsiu pork, fishcake, and green onion. $8.75
Ezogiku, Honolulu HI
Mmm, this totally hit the spot! I was craving carbs and salt and this delivered on both. The restaurant was packed during lunch so we had to wait for a counter seat to open up. Glad we did because the ramen was pretty good!
Combo with gyoza. $2.25
“Aloha Welcome to Hawaii” sign at Honolulu International Airport.
Summer rolls. Steamed shrimp and pork, rice vermicelli, bean sprouts, red leaf lettuce, cilantro and mint wrapped in rice paper served with peanut sauce. $8.50
Zadin, San Francisco CA
Being the little piggy that I am, I enjoyed that these summer rolls came with both shrimp and pork inside! In gnereal, I’d also have to say that I was impressed with all their sauces. Go Zadin!
Marble stairs, US Customhouse, Battery Street.
Served with arugula and olive oil. Family style supper $46 per person
Staple and Fancy, Seattle WA
You would think that this much fat would feel gross in your mouth or taste gross – not true! This was frickin’ delicious and the texture was fabulous. SO much flavor!
International Fountain, Seattle Center.
Half size charcuterie plate with 3 items, served with cornichons. I chose Zoe’s Meats salami (air dried pork salami made in Seattle), jambon cru serrano (air cured ham from the Spanish Pyrenees), and pate albigeois (country-stly pork pate). $7
Le Pichet, Seattle WA
Mmm, I love charcuterie plates! This was really good and I think the pate was my favorite. So simple, so delicious!
Baguette and butter. Complimentary
Schubert Sonata, 1992, Mark di Suvero, Olympic Sculpture Park. Painted and unpainted steel.
Pork belly, honey lacquer, shaved apple. Summer prix-fixe menu $38
Tinto, Palm Springs CA
Duck confit, serrano ham, black cherry, la peral spread.
Montaditos are delicious bites on slices of baguette. These were very tasty and had very different flavors. I liked the pork belly montadito a little better, perhaps because the duck montadito was a bit on the salty side.
Pretty flower box, E Tahquitz Canyon Way.
Vittle Monster 