Deck on Haili's Hawaiian Foods - Hawaii Restaurant Review

This is a review that I’ve been working on for a little awhile. I wanted to make sure that I truly captured what I wanted to say because it’s a place that will always be special to me. See, three weeks ago (April 23 to be exact), I got married. When we were discussing our plans, we knew that we wanted to get married in Hawaii. When we decided that we wanted to do traditional luau food for the reception, there was only one option: Haili’s Hawaiian Food.

Haili’s is a family owned restaurant, and my wife has known the family for many years. They recently moved their restaurant to Kaimuki, and they cater events such as ours. Prior to the wedding, I had eaten Hawaiian food before, but never from Haili’s. I was assured, however, that it would be the best that I’ve ever had. And the food for the event? Well, our menu consisted of Chicken Long Rice, Lomi Salmon, Squid Luau, Ahi Poke, Kalua Pork, Sweet Potatoes, Haupia, and of course, Pineapple and Poi.

On your wedding day, there is a lot going on. There is the ceremony and pictures and talking to people that have traveled in. It’s pretty easy for the food to get overlooked, or for you to not have time to eat it. But we were determined not to let that happen. After the ceremony and a quick round of pictures, we led the way to the serving line where I filled my plate with as much as I could, knowing I would probably not be able to make it back for seconds.

I decided to start with the chicken long rice, and it was fantastic. A little salty, but still with a great texture and a very nice chicken flavor. A solid way to start the meal. I followed that up with the Lomi Salmon. I had tried to make this once a long time ago, and I can tell you it wasn’t anywhere close. The salmon was finely diced, and mixed in with the tomatoes. The flavors played off each other, balancing the whole thing out. I don’t know how else to describe it other than delicious.

It was at this point that I turned to the two things that had me the most excited, the Poke and Kalua Pork. These were things that I’d had before, so if this was going to be the best Hawaiian food ever, then these two would have to shine. And shine they did. The poke was incredible. I learned that this version of the poke is only made by one of the owners, and only she has the recipe. The fish was absolutely perfect, with a blend of seasoning and seaweed that added a very nice crunch. The flavor just explodes in your mouth and you barely finish the first bite before the next one comes racing in. My mouth starts watering just thinking back to those flavors. And the pork? I don’t know if there are words. The pork was so tender and so succulent. It just melted in my mouth. I’ve had a fair amount of Kalua pork in my trips to Hawaii, but I can’t remember anything like this.

A lot of that night is a blur, but I absolutely remember the food, and so do many of our guests. The pork is still getting rave reviews every time we talk to anyone that went to the wedding. One of my friends was describing a filet mignon and lobster macaroni that he’s planning on for his wedding and finished with “it was almost as good as the pork at your wedding”. My family who is from the great state of Wyoming, and doesn’t have access to that type of food, was blown away, excited that they decided to remove their self-imposed boycott of eating raw fish (well, most of them).

While it is true that the nature of the event where I had Haili’s Hawaiian Food for the first time could skew my opinion a little, this is one area where you can trust me. Do yourself a favor next time you are in Hawaii and stop by Haili’s for lunch. Or if you are in Hawaii reading this, I hope that you’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the incredible food at Haili’s. This will forever be the measuring stick for all Hawaiian food that I eat.

Final Verdict – 5 Stars (you knew it was coming)

Deck on Himalayan Kitchen - Honolulu Restaurant Review - REPOST

I'm reposting this blog due to some of the comments.  While I don't mind negative feedback to my writing, the blatant profanity is not necessary.  Please feel free to comment, just keep it clean.

Last night we were in Kaimuki again, debating on what we wanted to do for dinner. We started with Korean, then thought Italian, before I noticed a sign for the Himalayan Kitchen. I have come to really like Indian food, and thought that this would be something that we could all enjoy. So, we walked up the stairs, got a table for 6 and sat down to dinner.

The ambiance of the Himalayan Kitchen is good. There is some outdoor seating available, but for cooler nights, there is indoor as well. We were a little unfortunate in that we were caught right in the cross breeze, and my chair was sitting on a weekend floorboard that I thought could collapse at any minute. The waiter stopped by almost immediately and asked if we wanted an appetizer. We ordered both the Keema Naan (lamb) and the Himalayan Naan (chicken). He left without taking out drink orders, which I found a little odd.

After a few minutes a second server arrived. She asked if we were ready to order, which we were. We had decided to order a few dishes family style for the table. We were also able to finally place our drink order, a Sprite, 2 cups of Chai tea, and 2 waters. I had asked for a beer and was told it's a BYOB place. Not really a big deal, and one of the things that I do like about many Hawaiian restaurants. This is something to be aware of if you are dining out. I have yet to figure out how to identify these restaurants, but they do exist.

It wasn't much longer and our Naan arrived. With the stuffed naan was a green sauce which I thought was a mint chutney type sauce that I'm used to having. So, I grabbed a slice of the naan, dipped it into the sauce and took a bit. The first thing I noticed was that the sauce was cilantro based, rather than mint which threw me off a little. The second thing I noticed was that there was not much of a filling. The lamb naan seemed to have a little onion while the chicken one apparently had chicken and spinach in it, though I really couldn't discern either.

After we ate the naan, two of the drinks finally arrived. We were told at this point that they had run out of black tea, so were unable to make the second tea. I'm not sure how this happens in an Indian restaurant, especially with tea which does keep for more than a couple days. But, we let it go, and continued to have a pleasant conversation over waters awaiting our entrees.

For dinner, we had selected Saag Paneer, Chicken Curry, Chicken Bhuna, Lamb Biryani and some more plain naan. When the dishes arrived, we began dishing things out. After a few bites, I would say that we ended up going two for four. This isn't a bad day if you are playing baseball, but for dining out, it is kind of a bummer. On the positive side were the Chicken Bhuna and the Lamb Biryani. The Chicken Bhuna contained hearty amounts of shredded chicken in a nice garlic cream sauce. In the Lamb Biryani was a combination of lamb, peas, cashews and raisins in basmati rice. Both dishes were pretty good from a flavor standpoint and quite enjoyable. They were the dishes that once they made the rounds, I went back for seconds. My only complaint would have been that they skimped a bit on the lamb, and that the cashews were cooked a little too long so they lost all crunch.

On the negative side would be the Saag Paneer and the Chicken Curry. The Chicken Curry was pretty good from a flavor perspective, but was lacking in one ingredient; chicken. We had to cut a couple chunks in half just so everyone at the table could have a bit. And the curry was ok, with a little bit of a kick, but nothing that really wowed me. And the Saag Paneer just wasn't good, which was doubly bad because I had assured the table "You can't go wrong with Saag Paneer". It looked like totally pureed baby peas, and kind of tasted like it too. The cheese taste was totally lost, and the flavor was somewhere between bland and bitter, just not pleasant at all. Additionally, there was a little problem with the naan. It seemed like every bite I took had a really obvious burnt taste. And for a table of 5 adults, we were given a small bowl of rice that barely made it around the table once.

From a people perspective, the meal was quite good. We were able to spend time with friends and family that we have not seen in a while. From a food perspective, it just wasn't that great. Starting with understuffed naan and running out of black tea to a flavorless Saag Paneer and empty rice bowl, the food was underwhelming to say the least. I've had some really good Indian/Himalayan food, and this just wasn't it.

Final Verdict - 2 stars

Deck on Zippy's - Hawaii Restaurant Review

This morning was supposed to be my ritual visit to Boot's and Kimo's out in Kailua; quite possibly my favorite breakfast place not just on the island, but in the country.  But, unfortunately due to a couple of circumstances beyond my control, I just wasn't able to pull it off (a combination of a long line and having to pick someone up at the airport).  So, it was on to plan B, Zippy's on Vineyard.

Zippy's is something of a Hawaiian institution.  There are nearly 30 restaurants scattered throughout the islands serving Hawaiian plate lunch.  And for me, this Zippy's is a little more special than your average restaurant; it was the first place Jennifer took me to eat when I came to Hawaii for the first time almost 4 years ago.  Zippy's was my exposure to the two scoops of rice and mac salad that are synonymous with plate lunch, as well as a Sprunch and Loco Moco.

For this trip, I was still thinking breakfast, but unfortunately it is only served until 10:30, and we didn't make it until almost 11.  So, I decided to go for one of my favorites; the chicken katsu plate lunch.  Chicken Katsu is a thin, breaded filet of chicken served with a katsu sauce that is somewhere between hoisin and barbeque sauce.  The chicken was actually very good, pretty moist with a nice crunch being provided by the breading.  I did try a bite without the katsu sauce, and it was pretty bland.  The sauce definitely pulls everything together.  Other than that, the rice and mac salad were pretty much as expected, though the mac salad had a bit less mayo (and hence a little less flavor) than the Rainbow Drive In from a couple of days earlier.  The portion size was also a bit smaller at Zippy's.

Overall, Zippy's delivered exactly what I was expecting, a good Hawaiian meal at a reasonable price.  Was the food amazingly delicious?  No, but it was definitely flavorful and good.  Would I go back?  Absolutely.  It definitely delivers on it's promise, and if I just need something quick and Hawaiian, Zippy's is the place to go.  Not to mention that appeal that it will always hold as my first Hawaiian food experience.

Final Verdict:  3 stars

Deck on Bogart's - Hawaii Restaurant Review

When in Hawaii, breakfast is pretty much my favorite meal of the day.  There are just so many delicious foods that I don't usually make, and often can't find back home.  Not to mention the Kona coffee which is my absolutely favorite (I actually order it online so I can have it in Seattle).  So, when we decided to meet some friends for breakfast, I was excited.

Continuing our run of Kaimuki restaurants, we decided to go to Bogart's Cafe and Espresso Bar.  It's a small little place on Monsarrat, not far from the zoo, beach, and Rainbow Drive In.  It's in a little shopping complex that has about a half dozen stores.  Inside there is seating for about 20, with additional seating outside.  We walked in and grabbed a table, then turned to place our order.  The menu is quite extensive with breakfast and lunch items.  After scanning the menu I decided on banana pancakes with a side of Portuguese sausage and a cup of coffee.  All told, about $11, which I paid in cash as Bogart's does not accept credit cards.

After getting my cup of coffee, I returned to the table and took my first sip.  For anyone that's had Kona coffee, you know just how smooth and delicious it is.  Even when the weather is 80 and sunny, it definitely hit the spot.  After about 15 minutes, breakfast arrived.  The Portuguese sausage was the first thing I went for.  This is sausage is possibly my favorite sausage, but one that I can only find in one place in Seattle, Uwajimaya in the International District.  It is a spicy, full flavored sausage that is the perfect accompaniment to eggs and rice, or in this case, pancakes.  And this particular sausage was cooked perfectly, very juicy and tender.  Absolutely delicious.

Once finishing the first couple pieces of sausage, it was on to the pancakes.  The stack of pancakes consisted of three pancakes that were the size of the plate that they were served on, and it wasn't a saucer.  When I went to put syrup on them, I was actually concerned that if it went off the side of the pancakes, it would wind up spilling all over the table.  So, I was careful to only put it on my first couple bites.  Cutting into the pancakes, it was obvious that they were going to be good.  They had just the right amount of give to let you know that they would be light and fluffy.  And the flavor was just excellent.  The banana was not overwhelming at all.  I ended up working my way through about two-thirds of the stack before I had to call it quits, knowing that there was so much more food to eat throughout the day.  But, without a doubt, this was exactly the way to kick start the morning.



Final Verdict - 4 Stars

Deck on Rainbow Drive In - Hawaii Restaurant Review

When I think about Hawaii, certain things come to mind; sun, beach, palm trees, relaxation, and simple, but usually delicious food.  Today I embark on a week in Hawaii that will undoubtedly trigger a few blog posts.  And one of the nicest things about my food travels in Hawaii is that I spend most of my time with locals.  That means a lot of great restaurants that the traditional Hawaii tourist is not eating at.  And today, that was definitely the case as our lunch stop was the Rainbow Drive In located in Honolulu. 

The Rainbow Drive In is a simple building, located on a side street not too far from the beaches of Waikiki in an area called Kaimuki.  The Drive In has been around for over 45 years, and a lot of the ambiance and decor feels like it is still the original.  It is the type of place that writes its daily specials on a white board, has a menu board that is straight out of the 70s, and a few old picnic tables outside (there is no dine-in option...for those from Seattle, think Dick's Drive In).  It's only a few minutes walk from the beach, and a place the surfers come strolling up to after a day on the waves.  And it all just works.

This wasn't my first trip to the Rainbow Drive In, so I was prepared.  I knew exactly what I wanted; a plate lunch.  The only trick is which one?  I debated quickly between the cutlet and the curry, deciding on the pork cutlet.  One thing to note is that you have to pay attention to the menu as certain dishes are only available on certain days.  After not more than 5 minutes, our order was called, and we picked up our lunches and headed to the beach to enjoy them.

Like all plate lunches that I've had in Hawaii, they aren't lacking in quantity of food.  Inside the box were three thin, breaded cutlets smothered in gravy, two big scoops of rice and a scoop of mac salad (steamed white rice and mac salad are plate lunch staples).  The gravy was a very nice, curry based gravy that was very flavorful.  The pork was nice and moist, as well as pretty tender.  I did have to use a knife to cut it, but that owed as much to the fact that I was eating out of a cardboard box perched on my lap, than anything else.  As for the mac salad, well, it's mac salad; one of those things that as long as it has a fair amount of mayo and cooked macaroni, it's pretty difficult to mess up.

In the end, it was exactly what I was expecting.  A very healthy portion of good tasting comfort food.  This is what I've come to expect when I think of lunch in Hawaii.  For those traveling to Hawaii, that are near Waikiki, do yourself a favor.  Take a few minutes to walk away from the shops and the restaurants targeted to the "tourists", and enjoy a lunch of real Hawaiian food.

Final Verdict - 3.5 Stars