all you have to do is open the bag and take out the bread basket. Do this carefully, as the animals may appear motionless, however animals tend to play dead. its their survival instinct. they cant help it.

this is the bread basket that the animals prefer to sit on. its quite soft and cushiony. i tested it out. no wonder they like it. it also tastes pretty good too.

once you open the bag and situate the bread basket on the plate, all you have to do is wait and the journey begins…

and then before you know it, there they are! happy and smiling and ready to be eaten!

have you ever seen such a cute bunch of baked goods before?

you can also buy the animals individually (tong and tray style) as well as other assorted yummy pastries. the pre-bagged honolulu zoo was sitting on a shelf to the right of the cash register at the beretania store.

now go get your own!  there are two Watanabe Bakery locations:

So I went to Vegas thinking I was going to eat the most awesomess food ever, and I did… But I forgot to take pictures most of the time. What and idiot. I was so hungry when we got to those establishments, that I ate either half the burger, and realized I needed to take a picture, or took a picture then was so much into the food, that I forgot to take more pictures.

HA 8 – 10:35pm-7am
On the way to Vegas, my super awesome Aunty Hippo paid for my First Class upgrade…. I was uber excited for the awesome First Class food and Free Alcohol.

When I first got in, they gave the complimentary Sham-pain, as well as the menu for the in-flight meal. As I was going through it, I was utterly disappointed. It had a white bean soup with banana sour cream puree, ham and turkey sandwich, macaroni salad, and some kind of pie. This in comparison to last year, when they had a choice of salad, braised short-ribs, coconut shrimp, variety of cheeses, and a dessert.  I was really taken aback by this, and I immediately texted my GF Hippo the tragedy that was about to unfold….  She texted me back that I should look forward to the warmed nuts they sever (macadamia, cashew (my favorite), almonds).  That calmed me down, until they passed this out:

Well folks, it’s official.  We are definitely in a recession.  The warmed nuts on flights going to Vegas have been replaced by prepackaged pretzels.  Bad move Hawaiian Air.

Ok, I’m not picky, but seriously… Isn’t this First Class?

Food came, and turns out the banana soup concoction was probably one of the best soups I ever ate…  EVER!  Here’s the picture taken from my super awesome 3.2 MP camera.

Hawaiian Air First Class Eats – 2 stars (out of 100)

Soup with Banana Puree – 96.3 stars (out of 100)

Saturday.. Aka Day after Flyday:

Lunch time baby!  My GF Hippo, who couldn’t come because she was too busy playing doctor, always raves of a so called “Burger Bar,” so I was off to find this magical place of meat.

Well, we found it in the Mandalay Bay Hotel shops, and turns out it’s owned by Hubert Keller..  One of the cooler guys on Top Chef Masters.  This place is like “The Counter” or “Burgers on the Edge”, but on Roids…  They got all these expensive additions, like Foie Gras and truffles.  Here’s a link, in case you want to see the menu and pictures.

http://www.usmenuguide.com/burgerbarmenu.htm

Seems the menu keeps changing because we had the Huber Keller burger, which was buffalo, bleu cheese, spinach, and caramelized onions.

All I can say is OMG…  At $22, it was definitely worth it.  The burger was moist, and cooked to medium perfection, and the heese coupled with the vegetables added so much flavor and texture to the burger.  I want it now.  If you’re heading to Vegas, especially from Hawaii, check it out cause there’s nothing like it here.

Sunday Night Buffet at the Bellagio

You know, I had this buffet before, but I don’t remember being satisfied with the selection…  This trip redeemed it’s reputation of one of the top buffets in Vegas.  Here’s an example of “I remembered to take pictures, but forgot to keep taking pictures.”  I had four plates, but took only one.  They had so many choices, I can’t recount them…  But here is plate #2, the meats.  Quail, Kobe Beef, Prime Rib, Leg of Lamb, Duck Leg, Mushroom Ravioli with Truffle Essence.  Damn!  That right there was worth the $30.  Some other memorable items were Steak Tartare and King Crab Legs.

“And that’s all I got to say about that.”

Peace,

HHH_SN

whats a nice girl supposed to do?

"limited edition"...it gets me every time...

Anyway, the last time i tried the limited edition oreos, they were the mint creme and they were so delish. i told kelly about them, who shares my love for all things mint, and she was pregnant at the time, and devoured the entire package in one day.

maybe if it was double stuff...

 i hear a lot of beeping right now, so i am pretty limited on descriptive words..i guess its ok if you like strawberry milkshakes…but i wish that there was more fantastic taste.

verdict: in this case, i will share.

They’re located on Kalakaua Avenue (actually more off of Fern Street, more on this later) just Mauka of Kapiolani Blvd.  Here’s how you get there, if you’re headed towards Waikiki on Kalakaua Ave, you’d take a left on Fern Street just before Kapiolani Blvd and then you’ll see Pho Bistro on the left along with a small parking lot next to it.  Parking!!  I love places that have their own parking lot.

Here's the front of the restaurant. Even though their address is 1694-C Kalakaua Avenue, they're actually facing Fern Street. Their phone number is 808-949-2727. Their hours are Mon-Sat 10:30am - 9:30pm and Sun 11am-8pm.

A parking lot next to the restaurant! What luck!!

OH DAMN YOU BLACK CAT!!

The inside is a bit darker than I'd prefer but the place is clean and the server is efficient, friendly, and a bit loud as he calls out orders and greets visitors.

The table has the normal condiments you'd expect

I ordered the Pho Combination. I believe the price was around $8.50. The broth was excellent, the meat was generous, and it was packed with noodles. It was nicely layered in flavors and had a depth that few places achieve.

Here's another photo of Cowcow's Phenomenal pho. Isn't it glorious??

Phuong ordered the Vermicelli with Grilled Pork (Bun Thit Nuong). It was around $8. This was AWESOME! The photo speaks for itself. The grilled pork was full of flavor, the bowl was overflowing, the vegetables along with the sauce were perfect. Loved it!!

Do yourself a flavor (hah hah) and try out Pho Bistro 2.  It is oh so good and just writing this post makes me want to go again and again and again and again and again

The concept is pretty simple – grab a cup, fill up your yogurt from the several different flavors, add toppings galore (chocolate, fruit, candy, cereal, just about anything!), bring it to the counter and weigh it, pay for it, and enjoy.

We visited them soon after they had first opened several weeks ago, the place is beautiful inside and decorated very nicely.  They were nice enough to let us take a lot of photos too!

They're located at 43 Oneawa St #101 in Kailua and their phone number is 808-263-3368.

The inside is bright, colorful, and beautiful

Fill It, Top It, Weigh It

So many toppings to choose from!! And it is all up to you, dangerous

Toppings toppings toppings

Here's the fresh fruit and other various toppings. Bananas, blueberries, fruit jelly, lychee, and kiwi just to name a few!

Here’s our creations.

Chocolate Indulgence

More Chocolate Indulgence (my dad and nephew really love chocolate)

And finally my lovely wife Rebecca's creation which I call Becky's Fruit Medley.

Overall everything was great and I wish Yogurt Mama the best of luck in Kailua!  So far when we drive by it, it seems to be bustling which is a good sign.  Try them out and let us know what you think!  It sure beats having to drive all the way to the other side to get your yogurt fix!

My wife Bella and I were doing our thang on Saturday, that is, looking to score.  Score some cheap library books at the Kailua library that is!  (Yes, we are DAMNED COOL, don’t you forget it).  Why don’t we BORROW books from the library you ask?  Borrowing is for losers!  Plus I always forget to return the books and the fines are HUGE at the library.  HUGE.

So that’s how we ended up in the mean streets of Kailua, at the library, in the Friends of the Library room they have where books can be bought for something ridiculous like 25 cents.  We bought tons of books!  After all that book shopping, we loaded up the trunk and decided we should eat somewhere.

We had recently eaten at CPK, Morning Brew, and all the normal players in Kailua.  We wanted something different!  

“My love, why can’t we eat at Formaggios?” Bella asked.

“I don’t feel like eating at Formaggios, my dearest”, I replied.

“What about if I should pay?” Bella asked.

“Formaggios sounds like a great idea!” I swooned.

Formaggios is a great neighborhood place to eat.  It isn’t cheap, but then again, neither am I.  hah hah.  We had never eaten there for lunch so it was a perfect opportunity to check them out.

Their Kailua location is located at 305 Hahani Street.  Their phone number is 808-263-2633.  Hours: Sun- 11am-11pm, Mon-Thurs 11:30am – 11pm, and Fri-Sat 11:30am – 1:00am.  We arrived there just as they opened so were one of the first people there.

The restaurant is beautiful and cozy. They've managed to combine elements of sophistication while keeping it looking casual.

We couldn't resist ordering freshly brewed coffee. $2.79

I think I must have drank like 4 cups. Coffee is the best isn't it?

We decided to split two sandwiches. This one is the Three Kings Panini - $12.99. Pastrami, prosciutto, and Italian beechwood ham topped with whole grained mustard and gruyere cheese. OH BABY.

This sandwich is the Grilled Vegetable Panini $12.99. Zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, onions, havarti cheese, and pesto mayo.

Both sandwiches were INCREDIBLE!  The bread is so delicious and everything had the right amount of flavor with that awesome cheesy gooeyness from being warm.  The salads were also very fresh with a very delicious dressing.

It was everything I had hoped and dreamed it would be!

There's something about the presentation and lighting here that makes everything look so special and delicious. What a great lunch!!

Drop by Formaggio’s in Kailua someday, you won’t be disappointed!  Their menu is pretty varied and has some things that are very expensive, but you can’t go wrong with the sandwiches.  You can order them with side salads like we did, or instead get shoestring fries (which are also very delicious).

Recently I went to Ryan’s in Ward Center, a restaurant I had not been to since, well, the 90’s. My friend said we should order the pea salad, which didn’t excite me too much. Even though it did have bacon. Wow! I guess now I know why their pea salad is one of their signature dishes. I could have eaten 10 plates of pea salad. It is so simple, so addicting. I mean, I thought it was so simple.

A google search for “pea salad and Ryan’s and Hawaii” will bring up a few questions seeking the recipe, some reviews, and even a few recipes that make reference to their pea salad. There are some recipes that call for rinsing the peas in hot water, and some that call for simply mixing the peas in frozen. Some use mayo, some use sour cream, some use a combination. One really interesting pea salad recipe called for rinsed Smokehouse almonds. One called for yellow curry. I knew that this was not getting me close to Ryan’s amazing pea salad. But I had to start somewhere.

This is my first attempt at pea salad. I thought this would be my baseline, super simple salad to which I could add small variables: one bag petite peas, half can waterchestnuts, 6 slices crispy, crumbled bacon, diced red onion, spoon of mayo, spoon of sour cream, salt, and pepper. So far I have made it three times and it has been gone in a mere matter of two days–for just me! I have not yet tried out the variables, except mixing in frozen or rinsing with water. So far, I like rinsing in cool water and draining. Though I’m holding off on conclusions, I’m guessing that there is simply something magical about bacon and mayo. Add anything to that, and it’s bound to be tasty.

Still, I am questing. Or maybe just wondering if anyone wants to go to Ryan’s to order 10 plates of pea salad.

I had remembered a place in Kailua that we had passed several times called Uahi Island Grill.  It looked kind of gourmet looking somehow so we figured we’d give it a shot.  So my wife Kalani, myself, and my parents found ourselves sitting on the small table they had inside.  Most customers are takeout because they only have 2 or 3 tables at most.

They're located at 307 Uluniu Street in sunny Kailua, HI. Mon,Wed,Thur,Fri - 10:30am-8:00pm; Tue - 10:30am-2:30pm; Sat - 11:30am-7:00pm. Their phone number is 808-266-4646

I was pleasantly surprised at the menu!  This was not your ordinary fast food plate lunch kinda place.   They had stuff on their menu like seared ahi, grilled shrimp, kalua pork with kale, garlic ahi, red curry grilled fish, and tamarind tofu.  Interesting. 

Their menu board

Nice green interior and the place was spotless

They even had a motto on their menus which said “Our mission at Uahi Island Grill is to provide the Kailua community and beyond with fresh Island flavors using wholesome, house-made products.  We will also strive to minimize our environmental impact by using locally grown produce whenever possible, and take out containers and utensils made from biodegradable plant fibers”.  I like seeing places that take their existence seriously.

Here’s what we ended up getting.

Tamarind Tofu - Stir-fried tofu and vegetables in a sweet, tangy tamarind sauce - $8

Garlic Ahi - Fresh island ahi pan-fried with garlic flour served with teriyaki butter sauce. I think this was $10 but it says "Market Price" on the menu.

Black Bean Shrimp - Shrimp sauteed in a Chinese baclk bean sauce - $10

Seared Ahi with Ponzu Vinaigrette - $9

I got a little taste of everything and it was delicious!  I had ordered the Seared Ahi and especially liked it, the pieces of ahi were very fresh and tender. 

If you’re in the Kailua neighborhood, stop on by and try them out.  You’ll pay more than a standard plate lunch, but what you get is fresh good tasting food that you won’t feel guilty about eating.  I think it is worth it to pay a little extra for something special!

The Counter is located at Kahala Mall at 4211 Waialae Avenue E-1.  Their phone number is 808-739-5100 and their fax is 808-739-5102.  They have a website at http://thecounterburger.com and an email address kahala@thecounterburger.com.  Who ever thought that a restaurant had its own email address??

Their hours are Mon-Thurs – 11:00am – 10:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:00am – 11:00pm, and Sunday 11:00am – 9:00pm.  I like those hours cause you never know when you’re going to be in the mood for a gourmet burger!  I can totally see myself at 10pm going, “You know.  I could really use a gourmet burger.” 

We arrived to find the place PACKED with people. 

Look at all these people waiting to get their hands on some beef!

I noticed people were grabbing clipboards and filling out something on a paper so I did as sheep do and got my own clipboard.  

Let's see... Type of meat: cow of course! Size: 1 lb baby!! Choose a Cheese: Cheddar! Toppings: Dill Pickle Chips, Grilled Onions, Roasted Red Peppers, and Tomatoes. Choose a Sauce: Southwest Caesar. Bun: Hamburger Bun. And of course my name and email address.

I’m salivating like Pavlov’s dogs as I’m writing this post!  Oh oh I can’t wait to describe the burger.

So after like a 10-15 minute wait, we were seated inside.

The inside was bustling with servers walking all over the place and families and couples all munching on burgers and french fries and other delicious things. They have a fully stocked bar and the place is nicely decorated. For a recent opening, the place really ran well and I could see that the servers were all trained well. They were cheerful and quick to ask if we needed anything.

A server came by and we gave them our checklist for the burger and ordered some french fries.  Just as the waitress walked away I noticed some other servers carrying plates of half sweet potato fries/half regular fries.  OH MY GOSH, I had to have it.  We quickly flagged down another server and asked them if it was too late to change our order to a half/half order and they happily obliged.

In no time at all, a BIG plate of french fries/sweet potato fries arrived.

Look at that!! Doesn't it look delicious? They were AWESOME fries and were $5.50. Reminiscent of McDonald's french fries and the sweet potato fries were also crunchy, sweet, and delicious. They were a perfect match! It came with a side sauce that I thought was pretty good but I preferred mine with regular ketchup. The plate of fries was so big there was no way we were going to be able to finish it between the two fo us. NO WAY AT ALL.

Ahh who am I kidding. We killed all of it. I even scooped up the remaining little pieces AFTER this photo was taken.

Our burger arrived with a grand entrance. We had ordered the 1 lb burger and decided to split it. For some reason, they said they could not cut the burger themselves but they gave us a knife so we could cut it ourselves. To be honest, the burger looked a bit lonely all by itself on the plate. The burger was $13.95.

Here is half the burger. Cooked to perfection. COME TO DADDY. Does anyone else find it disurbing that my name is cowcow and I love hamburgers?

I got to tell you something and it is very important.  Listen carefully.  THIS BURGER WAS PERHAPS ONE OF THE BEST BURGERS I’VE EVER HAD.  I’ve had some good burgers in my time.  Murder Burger in Northern California, Nation’s Giant Burger in Northern California, Fatburger, In-n-Out, etc.  This burger was sooooooo goood.  I think we picked the perfect toppings!!  It definitely blew anything we’ve ever had in Hawaii in terms of burger comparisons. 

I think the only thing we would’ve done differently is ordered two separate 1/4 pound burgers instead of splitting one 1 pound burger.  Somehow eating half a burger, even a 1 lb burger makes you feel like you’re not getting your fair share!  It’s like the person who is asked whether he wants his pizza sliced in 6 or 12 slices.  “Oh 6 please, I couldn’t possibly eat 12 slices.”  HAH HAH so poetically true, isn’t it?   We were still slightly hungry after our visit, but truth be told, we’re almost always a little hungry.

Anyways, if you don’t mind spending a bit more money than usual on a burger, I’d definitely highly recommend The Counter.  Bertha and I thoroughly LOVE-LOVE-LOVED it and we are looking forward to another visit!

I was away on a business trip in the mainland and now i’m studying for an exam but I got LOTS of stuff to post.  I’d guess like 7 different places! 

Just you wait!  I hope to get some of these out in the next couple of weeks, so hang tight!

cowcow