Fried spam and sushi rice wrapped in nori. $2.65
Island Gourmet Markets, Waikoloa HI
Mmm… So salty, carby, fatty and delicious. I could eat a pile of these! Bless the person who invented this spectacular snack. 🙂
Sunset at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort.
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.
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.
BBQ beef, fried boneless chicken, fried mahi mahi, rice and coleslaw. $7.75
Rainbow Drive-In, Honolulu HI
This tasted great, but the fish and chicken were a little greasy. The breading they use on the chicken tasted amazing though – SO much flavor! I also liked the slaw becuase it was on the sweet and vinegary side.
Diet Coke. Regular $1.40
This place is very popular and always has a line in front. Overall, I thought the food was pretty tasty and very affordable!
2 eggs over easy, 2 beef patties, brown gravy, rice and macaroni salad. $7
Rainbow Drive-In, Honolulu HI
This loco moco was delicious, and cheap! The macaroni salad was perfect and hit the spot. I was surprised that this was less heavy than the loco moco we get on the mainland. Noms!
Slush. $1.75
This was a little too sweet for me, but I like the consistency of it.
Waikiki Beach with Diamondhead in the background.
Shaken Beef. Cubes of angus filet mignon, wok-seared medium rare with onions and garlic. Served on a bed of mixed greens, brown rice, and topped with yam fries. $20
Zadin, San Francisco CA
I don’t know why I expect every version of Shaking Beef to be good! This was ok, but the beef was a little tough. Oh well, the search continues…
Anything Goes musical poster, Golden Gate Theatre.
Prawns lightly fried and tossed in a caramelized garlic chili sauce. Served on a bed of coconut scented rice and garnished with a pea shoot mango salad. $19
Zadin, San Francisco CA
This was flavorful, but definitely over-sauced. I love me some sauce, but these poor prawns were drowned in it and totally got lost. The pea shoot and mango salad was very tasty though.
Parrot wind/yard decoration, Cole Valley.
Chicken Cilicia, Grecian spinach and feta, Levant sandwich, and Lule kebab (lamb meatball) over rice pilaf. Served with cup of curry cauliflower soup, hummus, fruit and cheese. $13.50
La Mediterranee, San Francisco CA
Damn, this plate was certainly a value! And all the components were really yummy, expect maybe the levant sandwich because it was a little dry for me. This was enough food to feed two people though especially after having had an appetizer.
San Francisco Federal Building at dawn, 7th Street.
Served with whole pinto beans, salad, rice and tortillas. $10.95
Cancun Sabor Mexicano, Berkeley CA
Wow, that’s a lot of meat! It was a little on the tough side, but it certainly had plenty of flavor. And the salsa bar works wonders, hehe!
Seasoned skewer marinated bbq pork with tamarind sauce and steamed broccoli. Lunch special served with jasmine steamed rice, egg roll, soup, and salad with peanut sauce. $7.95
Thai Lotus, Reno NV
The lunch specials at Thai Lotus are such an amazing value! You get a lot of yummy food for very little. The pork had great flavor, but they could have been a bit more tender. Besides that, I had no complaints.
Yellow seep monkey flowers (Mimulus guttatus, Scrophulariaceae), Mount Rose Summit Trail.
Sauteed chicken, eggplant, onion, jalapeno, bell pepper and basil. Lunch special served with jasmine steamed rice, egg roll, soup, and salad with peanut sauce. $6.95
Thai Lotus, Reno NV
I didn’t know it at the time, but this was going to be one of the best meals we had in Reno. Now I don’t wanna talk smack about Thai Lotus because their food was decent, but that’s just really sad for Reno!
Egg drop soup.
Egg roll.
Side salad.
Steamed jasmine rice.
Stewed oxtail in peanut soup, with Chinese long beans, eggplant, and bok choy. $12.95
Tastebuds, San Bruno CA
Hmm, this wasn’t my favorite preparation of this dish. I think the peanut stew was thicker than I prefer and there wasn’t enough oxtail. A bit disappointing.
Steamed rice. $1.75
Bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste) is a condiment typically served with this dish. It’s super salty and I enjoy it, but it’s definitely an acquired taste.
Vittle Monster 