Tag Archives: cream puff

Yakiniku Hiroshi

Posted in Oahu by

A hidden gem in Hawaii, this restaurant offers delicious meat varieties from Japan and the US for a wonderful yakiniku experience. We were able to call 30 minutes ahead and book reservations. The restaurant was not packed or loud so you get to enjoy your meal in peace. A personal touch to the restaurant were the walls, which are signed by famous people and past customers.

You have the option to order each cut of meat individually or from a set course. They have two course options: gold ($60/person) or premium ($123/person). We ordered the gold option and had no regrets. 

The meal begins with kimchee (pickled cabbage), nori (seaweed), pickled sides (carrots, radishes, spinach, and bean sprouts), and salad. The house made salad was light and refreshing with the apples

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Next came the juicy USDA prime ribeye.

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The beef tongue was a thicker cut than I have had before but it was delicious.

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The blue shrimp is cooked in a garlic butter sauce in a copper pot. If you cook it wrong, the staff will come over and correct the cooking method.

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I LOVED their deep fried garlic. I even requested to box what I couldn’t finish to take home with me.

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On the left is the toro kalbi (short rib) and on the right is the skirt steak. The skirt steak was juicy, tender and full of umami.  Overall, all the meat just melted in your mouth. 

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The meal ended with frozen cream puffs, but at this point, I was too full to enjoy these. 

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This meal was definitely worth $60/ person. 

(339 Royal Hawaiian Ave #2, Honolulu, HI 96815)

Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory

Studio Ghibli and My Neighbor Totoro fans can now fawn over Totoro cream puffs. Yes, a Totoro cream puff factory does indeed exist! It was opened in 2008 by Shirohige, also known as white bread in Japanese. Sources says this factory is also owned by the Miyazaki family. Hayao Miyazaki is the founder of Studio Ghibli and director of My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki also created a pig nosed animation of Shirohige, the baker.

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This will also be the cutest place you visit. The inside is adorned with everything Totoro and Studio Ghibli. Even the bathroom has a Totoro smiling at you. Sadly, I forgot to take pictures.

You can buy your Totoro cream puffs downstairs if you choose to consume them later. If you choose to eat them there, there is a cafe upstairs. However, they do require each person to buy one drink minimum.

The flavors are seasonal and are indicated by the type of decoration Totoro adorns.

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I got the strawberry cream (pink flower) and matcha green tea custard (yellow hat). My favorite was the strawberry cream because there were chunks of fresh strawberry in it.

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Hello my neighbor Totoro! 🙂

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The factory is located in Setagaya, about a 20 min train ride from Tokyo. When you get out the Setagaya station, make a right. Pass Lawson and make another right into the neighbor and follow the path until you reach Shirohige’s.

(5 Chome-3-1 Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tōkyō-to 155-0033, Japan)

Hop Chou a la Creme in Shinsaibashi

Posted in Osaka by

Next to Dotonbori is Osaka’s shopping mecca Shinsaibashi. You can easily get lost in the never ending row of stores selling clothes, souvenirs, and jewelry. Beware of the hordes of tourists. I was expecting the tourists to be in Tokyo but soon learned they were all in Shinsaibashi.

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Lured by the sweet fresh out of the oven smell of a cream puff, I stopped at the Hop Chou a la Creme stall for a chocolate cream puff filled with matcha custard. The shell was crispy and the matcha cream was sweet and delicious.

(3-12-3 Minamisenba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture)