Big City Diner Breakfast

This morning was a lazy morning.  We were too lazy to cook breakfast so we went out.  We went to Big City Diner in Kaimuki.  It's a great place to go for breakfast, they are pretty fast and the service is great.
It's located in Kaimuki on Waialae Ave. across from Larry's Napa Auto Parts.  They are open 7 days a weekand a great place to have a meal and catch some sports on TV.  Parking is behind the building in the public parking area.  It is paid parking and is fairly cheap although the parking lot can get filled pretty fast.  You may have to go around the parking lot a few times but once you find a parking stall, it will be worth it.

Healthy Big Breakfast

I usually try to eat a somewhat healthy breakfast but this morning was a really healthy breakfast.  I've never tried it but it was pretty good.  The healthy big breakfast consists of scrambled egg whites, a grilled gardenburger, steamed brown rice, and whole wheat toast.  The gardenburger had a grainy texture and was a bit dry but I guess it was expected for something healthy.  It was good though.  The egg whites were fluffy and quite filling. 






Famous Big Breakfast

This meal is quite big so my wife and son shared it.  This is their usual breakfast here.  It comes with 3 locally grown eggs any way you choose with a choice of link sausage, bacon or country-style ham for one price or your choice of homemade corned beef hash, hamburger patty, spam, or portuguese sausage for another price.  This is the Big Breakfast with corned beef hash.  The corned beef hash was great.  It had big pieces of corned beef and potatoes.  There's nothing like homemade corned beef hash.  It was very filling because they both couldnt finish it all. 




Big City Diner Kaimuki is a great place to have a meal anytime of the day, even late at night.  There are lots to choose from on the menu and the service is great and friendly. 

Overall, I give Big City Diner Kaimuki 3 3/4 stars.

Dinner's Served

Last night was another night of a home cooked meal from the Honpa Hongwangi Hawaii Betsuin Cook Book #2.  It may only be chow fun but this was a meal in its self.  This recipe was actually easy to cook.  The hard part was all the prep work like chopping all the ingredients, that's why I prepped the night before.  This was my first attempt at making chow fun. 

Home made Chow Fun

This was very tasty considering the only seasoning ingredients was 1T. of oyster sauce and 2t. of salt.  The noodles were a little wet and slightly overcooked.  I guess I didn't drain the noodles enough.  Next time I know what to do better. 



Close up view

As you can see there was a lot to go around for just the three of us.  My son normally likes chow fun but somehow he didn't like mine.  I guess it wasn't to his liking.  Maybe it was too wet, not like Fukuya's chow fun.  Thats alright, there's more for me and the wife.   



Ono Hot Kim Chee

I like this brand of Kim Chee because it doesn't have any MSG in it.  I usually mix both in a bottle.  It's hot but enjoyable.  Try it out.




Home cooked meals are always the best. 

I give my first attempt of Chow Fun 3 1/2 stars.  If you want the recipe let me know.

Beef Tomato...It's what's for dinner

This is my first post of a home made meal.  Tonight I made Beef Tomato.  I have been in the mood of making meals from the Honpa Honwanji Hawaii Betsuin cook books.  They have a total of 6 books I believe.  The cook books have been around for a long time.  The recipes are fairly easy and they don't take long to make. 

Beef Tomato

This beef tomato dish was very good.  Luckily I didn't overcook the meat.  The celery, bell pepper, and onions were soft but still hard enough to add some crunch.  I used vine ripened tomatoes because that's what my wife bought, which I might add was very good.  Add this to some hot "Haole" rice (half white and half brown) and this was a meal thoroughly enjoyed. 


I give my Beef Tomato dish 4 stars.

Manoa Grand Ballroom

We went to a 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday at the Japanese Cultural Center Manoa Grand Ballroom.  The Japanese Cultural Center is located in Mo'ili'ili area on S. Beretania St. right across from the new Longs Drug Store.  The food is catered by Marian's Catering.  I haven't had food from Marian's Catering in a long time and I do remember that the food is good.  I was looking forward to eating food from Marian's Catering again and I was not disappointed. 

Sorry but the pictures were not that great since I didn't have much time to take the pictures so they're not closeups. 





Chinese Chicken Salad and Macaroni Salad

 The chinese chicken salad was great.  There was just enough dressing added.  The only junk part was that we were in the last row called to eat so there was not too much won ton chips to go with the salad but it was just as good without it.  I'm not much of a macaroni salad eater but I had to try it.  It was ok, with not too much mayonnaise.


  


Fruit Salad And Watercress Salad

 Fruits are always good and not one fruit was a bad one.  Watercress salad with bean sprouts and carrots.  These two salads were a refreshing addition to the entire meal.

Rice and Fried Chicken

Rice is a given and normal staple of Hawaii buffets.  The fried chicken was not dry but pretty moist.  It's too bad I can't eat chicken skin because this chicken skin was very crunchy.  Ahh what a waste.





Fried Noodles

Marian's fried noodles is always great.  With lots of chinese parsley and vegetables, these noodles were the BOMB.





Sweet Sour Spareribs

Everytime I eat sweet sour spareribs, I always look for the ones without the bones.  I was not disappointed because there was lots without bone.  The spareribs were tender and not hard or dry.  

Seafood Bisque and Teriyaki Beef

The seafood bisque was AWESOME with lots of shrimp and scallop and the creamy sauce was very flavorful.  The teriyaki beef was very tender and juicy and cooked just right, slightly meadium/medium rare.    



Teriyaki Beef and Dinner Rolls

Dinner rolls are always great with a buffet.  These rolls were very soft and not dry like some places.  



My Plate

As you can see from my plate, I took a little of everything to try them all out.  When it comes to buffets, there is no holding back.  I finished this plate and more.  The food was great but the company and evening celebrating was even better.




If you ever get invited to a party at the Manoa Grand Ballroom, you will try the food from Marian's Catering and you will not be disappointed.   



I give the Manoa Grand Ballroom catered food 4 stars.



Another Frosty day in the City

It's another frosty day in the city.  This time we went out with my in-laws.  We just love this place.  It's becoming one of our favorite places for dessert.  The family that runs the business is really friendly.  My son even got a balloon and a transformer toy from them. 

Pineapple

 My father in law tried the Pineapple.  It is one of their popular flavors.  He says the flavor was not strong and it was very good.





Lilikoi

My wife's grandma and aunty tried the Lilikoi.  I tried it also and the lilikoi flavor was not too sweet or too tart.  It was just right.  The strawberries, mochi, and fruit balls make it even a more refreshing taste.


Green Tea

My wife and I shared the Green Tea.  We didnt even have a chance to try the chocolate wafer because our son devoured it before we got a chance to try it.  Luckily he didn't like the green tea flavor or else maybe we wouldn't get a chance to try that either.  It was nice and smooth tasting. 



Chocolate

This is our son's dessert.  Boy does he love chocolate.  This was a small size and he practically ate the whole thing except for maybe 3 scoops. 

Chocolate Haupia

My mother in law tried the Chocolate Haupia.  I only got a shot of the Haupia side but if you look at my other blog of FrostCity, you can see another photo of the chocolate side.  She said that it was very light and refreshing.  She really enjoyed it. 





I highly recommend you try FrostCity.  You will NOT be disappointed. 

I give FrostCity 5 stars.

More to eat at Shirokiya

Went to Ala Moana Shopping Center to shop around and eat dinner.  Since Shirokiya expanded their eating area, we decided to try it out.  There are lots to choose from to eat and a lot of tables to eat upstairs and downstairs.  Upstairs is exclusively for food now. 

Shrimp Fry Bento

There is so much food to choose from and I wasn't too hungry so I decided to try something that I haven't tried before.  This is from the the Korean food area.  The shrimp was pretty good.  Good enough that the only part left was the heads,  The zucchini tempura was cooked just how I like it, a little firm on the inside.  The Korean pancake was filled with lots of green onion.  All in all, this shrimp bento was satisfying. 


Ika Rings

My wife had some ika rings along with the dish below.  She loves her ika.  This okazu had a bit more included but she started eating before I had a chance to take the picture.  The ika is deep fried so it is a bit oily but what deep fried dish isn't.  It wasn't chewy but firm like it should be.


Miso Onigiri

As you can see she already started eating but I did catch the other musubi whole.  She loves her onigiri style musubis.  I tired it and it was pretty good.  Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Not pictured was the other of her dish, tofu patties.  She says it was good.  I guess so since she ate it all even before I got a chence to take the picture of it.  She says it tasted more like a hash patty than a tofu patty.

Wakame Ramen

This was my son's dinner.  Boy does he love his noodles.  He ate everything except the char siu and sprouts.  He eats his noodles like a true Japanese.  Slurp slurp slurp.  Makes you want to try it because it sounds so good. 




If you haven't checked out the new expanded eating area in Shirokiya, you must.  I'm sure there is something to eat that will please anyone. 


Overall- Shirokiya eating area and foods is a 3 and 3/4 star experience.

Check out their website too.  http://www.shirokiya.com/

Sea Life Park

My son and I spent the day at Sea Life Park today.  I was forced to eat lunch there since I didn't pack any lunch for us.  If I can remember, it was the first time ever eating at the Cafe.  They have your basic hamburgers and french fries along with what we ordered below. 

Chicken Tenders

This was my son's lunch as usual.  It is 3 fairly big pieces of chicken tenders along with french fries.  This was a combo meal (drink not included with combo).  The chicken was pretty good actually.  Better than I expected it to be.  It was quite a lot for him as he could only eat 2 tenders.  Chicken Tenders combo = $8.99.





Fish and Chips

Here you have 2 pieces of fish and french fries.  This is one of their "Specialties"  I just hope it wasn't any old sickly fish from the Big Fish Tank hahaha.  The fish batter was a little oily but the fish was moist inside.  If you are hungry, then this won't do it for you.  Luckily my son didn't eat all his chicken, so I had a little more to eat and fill myself up.  Fish and Chips combo (drink not included with combo) = $7.99.





Eating at the Seal Life Park Cafe was fast and breezy.  If you ever visit Sea Life Park and want to eat in their upscale open eating area, check them out.  Its a good family eating place.

I give the Sea Life Park Cafe 3 Stars.

 

Night out with the family

It's Tuesday night and it's family dinner night.  My in-laws decided to go out to eat tonight.  Decisions decisions where to eat.  My in-laws decided to eat at Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant.  There are two locations.  One in Aiea and the other in the Ala Moana area.  We went to the one located near Ala Moana Shopping Center.  In Japanese, Nabe means "Cooking or Hot Pot"

We have eaten here before and it is great.  It's always good to come again because you can try so many different dishes.  The service is always excellent and the ambiance is relaxing.  The parking is behind the building and is pay to park.  The only junk part of the parking is that the stalls are fairly small.  Come early if you want to park in the lot.  Reservations is recommended. 

Miso Chanko Nabe Dashi on the top & Ginger Nabe Dashi on the bottom

I had the Ginger Nabe.  It was the first time trying it and let me say, I was not disappointed.  I was hoping that the ginger flavor wouldn't be too strong and I was pleased that it wasn't.  My wife had the Miso Chanko Nabe.  The miso flavor was not strong but mild and not too salty.

Ingredients for the Miso Chanko Nabe

The Miso Chanko Nabe comes with 16 different ingredients which are Chinese cabbage, Bok Choy, Enoki and Shiitake Mushrooms, Tofu, Kuzukiri, Abura Age, Chives, Gobo, Chicken, Berkshire Pork, Sausage,Scallops, Shrimp, Salmon, and their homemade Tsukune Meatballs.  It also comes with rice and ramen noodles.  Their homemade meatballs is what's inside the hollowed out bamboo. 



Ingredients for the Ginger Nabe

The Ginger Nabe come s with chicken, Chinese cabbage, Bok Choy, Enoki and Shiitake mushrooms, Tofu, Kuzukiri, Abura Age, Chives,Gobo, Chinese Parsley, Sausage, Scallops, Shrimp, and their homemade Tsukune Meatballs.  It also comes with rice and ramen noodles. 

Another View of the Ginger Nabe ingredients

Just another view of the Ginger Nabe ingredients but with a view of what was under the meatballs.
 

Ingredients cooking in the dashi w/steam

 All the ingredients cooking in the separate dashi.  Looks good huh.  Making you hungry yet?



Ingredients cooking in dashi w/o steam

All done cooking.  Now it's time to eat.  Sorry I dont have a picture of the ramen noodles.  I was hungry and forgot to take a picture of it but it comes in a small bowl and is about a small hanful size portion.  Just the right size to fill you up and complete the meal.    



Udon Noodles and Rice

My son is a picky eater so this is all he ate.  Udon noodles with the miso dashi and rice.  Unfortunately he didn't eat this but he ate my noodles because he liked the ginger dashi instead.  I guess I had to eat his leftovers.  That's ok because the udon noodles were just as good as my ramen noodles.




If you are in the mood for cooking your own food in a "Hot Pot", give Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant a try.  I guarantee you will not be disappointed.  Check out their website for yourself  @ http://www.ichirikinabe.com/


Overall I give Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant 4 Stars.