Tag Archives: must go

Kona Abalone

Posted in Oahu by

While trying to kill time before our flight back, at Ala Moana Center, we came across Kona Abalone. The Ezo abalone

(Japanese Northern) strain are raised in an aquafarm on the Big Island near the shores of Kona. The mollusks are fed a diet of patented algae and water sourced from the deep Pacific Ocean. The abalone is shipped to Japan and the US for chefs at top-end restaurants.

Generally sold at the KCC Farmers Market in Honolulu, they opened shop at the Ala Moana Center Malakai Food Court. Abalone is sold in various forms and varieties here. You can find them raw, grilled, or in rice bowls. If you’re not sure what you would like, ask for samples.

I was eager to try the abalone sashimi ($15) and was not disappointed. It was chewy but you can taste the fresh quality of the abalone.

Of the grilled varieties, I tried the butter, garlic, parsley grilled abalone. The garlic was strong but I LOVE garlic so I was very delighted with this.

(1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814)

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)

Fresh Catch

Posted in Oahu by

Hawaii was the first place I tried poke. I haven’t been able to find a place in the states that makes it just as good. So when I came back to Hawaii, I was excited for more poke. Fresh Catch just blew the poke game out of the water. If you’re on the hunt for the best poke, look no further. The fish is fresh, and the marinades will delight your taste buds. None of them are too salty or sweet. Sold by weight, buy as much as your heart desires.

The tuna was the perfect savory balance to the salmon’s sweet marinade.

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Mmm…mmm…good! I want more!

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(3109 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816)

ad hoc + addendum

Posted in Napa Valley by

A summer favorite of mine is Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc Addendum. Open only in spring and summer from Thursday to Saturday 11 am to 2 pm, they serve boxed versions of Ad Hoc’s critically acclaimed fried chicken. It’s also a great alternative to try Ad Hoc if you can’t make it to their dinner only seating.

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The BBQ pork ribs falls off the bone easily. I love their moist cornbread. You won’t find it anywhere else. Thomas Keller sure knows how to make southern comfort food.

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When I came last summer, they only offered a boxed version of the fried chicken. They now offer a BUCKET of chicken. Fried chicken lovers, rejoice! Seasoned with salt and sprigs of fresh rosemary, this is the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. It’s moist and packed with flavor.

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Look for Addendum at the picnic area behind Ad Hoc.

(6476 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599)

patisserie Sadaharu Aoki

Despite having traveled to Paris before, I never heard of patisserie Sadaharu Aoki until now. Aoki was born in Tokyo but moved to Paris to learn the art of French baking. He opened his own shop in Paris before expanding in his homeland. I give him an A+++ for mastering French baking. Above is the matcha eclair incorporating the French pastry with his Japanese background. The eclair is filled with a matcha custard and topped with a matcha ganache. Aoki did a wonderful job in bringing out the true matcha flavor. It was so supremely divine that to this day, I still dream of having another bite.

Look out for it at the Shinjuku Isetan on level B1F.

The location I went to was Japan〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku 新宿3-14-1, but there are plenty of other locations in Tokyo. See the map below.

Mentsu-Dan (東京麵通团)

If you’re a noodle lover like me, I highly recommend Mentsu-Dan. The fresh handmade noodles will elevate your udon standards. The noodles are chewy and have the perfect bite. I haven’t been able to appreciate udon anywhere else after this. Being the tourist I am and willingness to try new things, I ordered natto with a fresh egg. I soon learned natto was fermented soy beans. I don’t recommend this unless you are a fan of fermented soy beans. It was difficult for me to overcome the fermented flavor despite how great the noodles were. I recommend the beef udon with broth instead. The beef is yummy, and the broth is clear and easy on the taste buds.

After you get your udon, head over to the tempura area where you can select from the vast varieties of tempura. I got the squash, katsu and squid. Overall, the freshness of the noodles makes this a must go when in Tokyo.

(7 Chome-9-15 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan)

Arashiyama Monkey Park

Posted in Kyoto by

Arashiyama monkey park is a park like no other. Fun for kids, teenagers, and adults.

It was my favorite Japan experience.

To get to the heart of the park, you have to hike up steep and sometimes broken terrain. Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and bring water as the trail is mostly in the sun.

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After 20 minutes of strenuous uphill, you will forget about the hike once you spot the free roaming Japanese macaque monkeys.

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At the top, there is a feeding hut, which is the only place you are allowed to feed the monkeys. If you feed them outside the hut, they can become aggressive.

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For 100 yen, you can buy a bag of peanuts or apples to feed the monkeys.

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The fatty on the left kept stuffing his mouth with peanuts until he became a chubby bunny. I was shocked to see the monkeys knew to reach their hand out for more food.

Outside of the feeding hut, the monkeys roam around freely. However, you are not allowed to make eye contact with the monkeys or touch them.

This little guy was my favorite. 

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Instead of asking for food, he decided to hunt for his own.

Peace out homies. It’s naptime. Fun fact: The monkeys have red faces due to the blood rushing to their face.

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Last but not least, don’t forget to turn around and enjoy the gorgeous view of Kyoto.

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Admission: 400 yen

(Japan〒616-0007 京都府京都市西京区嵐山元録山町８)

Tsurugyu (蔓牛)

Posted in Osaka by

Kobe beef refers to the Tajima strain of wagyu beef, therefore, only wagyu from Kobe, Japan can be called kobe.

Tsurugyu is known for its grade A Kobe beef. This place is amazing melt in your mouth goodness. Be ready to drool over the following epic food. 

Placing the hot, fiery coals to grill the luscious meat. 

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The most delicious cow tongue, which is then dipped in lemon, salt and pepper dipping sauce.

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Two cuts of rib eye steak full of natural umami. 

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Close up natural beauty shot.

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Melt in your mouth kalbi (short rib).

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Marinated belly goodness.

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Cold handmade noodle soup.

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To end the meal, they provided an ume (plum) tea and matcha green tea.

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Overall, this was the best meal I had in Japan.

We were lucky and got to sit at the counter and watch the chef prepare the meat. He also kept an eye on us to ensure we didn’t overcook any of the precious meat, which was fine with me since I believe the chef knows all. All of the beef was rich and melted in your mouth. Each cut of meat had a special dipping sauce, so it was swapped out with every cut of meat. All of this cost about 60 USD per person, which is cheap for kobe wagyu. A must try when in Osaka.

(3 Chome-5-14 KawarayamachiChuo Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 542-0066Japan)

Endo Sushi

Posted in Osaka by

A little unknown secret is Endo Sushi, located in Osaka’s fish market. There is approximately only a 10 min wait. The place is small and they will seat you with strangers at the same table. They offer 5 different sushi sets options for ¥1050 each. Each set comes with 5 pieces if nigiri.

I got two sets. The first set came with kani (boiled crab), akagai (arc shell), hotate-bashira (scallop), toro, and tachiuo (hairtail). I looooved the sweetness of the scallop.

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My next set came with ika (squid), ikura (salmon roe),

sayori (halfbeak), toro, and sake (salmon). I chose this one because I’m a fan of halfbeak. Overall, the fish was super fresh and sweet.

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There are no individual soy sauce plates. It is custom to brush the soy sauce from the communal bowl onto your sushi. If you want miso soup, you can order it as a side.

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(1 Chome Noda, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan)

bills Sydney

While researching for a brunch place, the name bills Sydney, a famous Australian brunch place that has made its way to Tokyo, kept popping up. We decided to give it a try. Our first attempt was unsuccessful. We arrived at 10 am and they told us to come back at 1 pm. The wait was THAT long.

The next day, we tried to go again and only had to wait 20 minutes for a table. Not knowing what the to expect, we were in for a surprise. The food was AMAZING!

Sweet corn fritters, roast tomato, spinach, bacon and avocado salsa– The corn was naturally sweet and perfectly seasoned. I had to stop myself from gobbling it all up at once.

Ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter– The fluffiest pancakes ever! Heavenly and not overly sweet. I can’t wait to try to recreate these. Or travel to have these again.

Tip: You can make reservations in advance. It’s located on the top floor of Tokyu Plaza.

(Tokyu Plaza, Omotesando Harajuku 7F, 4-30-3 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001)

If you can’t go to Japan to try these amazing hotcakes but happen to be in Hawaii, check out their Oahu location. (280 Beach Walk, Honolulu, HI 96815)