The Greek Marina

We've eaten here once before, but it was too good to pass up. Plus, we were near the area.

Ambiance:
A quaint place, this restaurant has both inside and outside dining options. We elected to sit inside. Casual dining, and the ability to bring your own drinks, this place is a winner! (And there's no corkage fee)

Service:
Though it looked like the restaurant was short-staffed, they were really quick with our orders, and friendly all the while. All three of the wait-staff really hustled. (And there's no corkage fee)

Food:
We ordered calamari for our appetizer, and moussaka and the veggie plate for our entrees.

• Calamari: Though it was fried, the squid-to-batter ratio was better than the competition. Far more squid than batter. The dipping sauce had a more Greek feel. It looked like a creamy sauce with paprika on top.
• Moussaka: This entree was like a Greek version of shepherd's pie--ground beef, and eggplant, topped with béchamel cream. Whatever that is. In any case, it was good.
• Veggie Plate: The plate consisted of "grape leaves, falafel served with salad and pita Hummus, Baba Ghanouj" [link].
• Wine: We bought the wine from the Foodland across the way. It was Italian, and was an 85% Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Savignon, and 5% Merlot. It was good.

Value:
It was a little on the pricey side, so it's not in our budget to come here regularly. However, the food is delicious and a nice little splurge. Moderation is key.

Overall:
A great restaurant with delicious food. We'll definitely come here again if we're ever in the Hawaii Kai area.

Chinatown Series: Little Village Noodle House (Take Two)

We've already done a review on this restaurant, but since we enjoy it so much we decided to stop by again last night. Just a quick overview of the food this time. Everything else remained the same! See our previous review for the additional info.


Food:

• Lettuce Wrap: We tried to order a half-order, but unfortunately it's not allowed. We ended up getting 8 pieces of iceberg lettuce with a plate of filling (mostly meat, shiitake and other chopped up veggies) and plum sauce. The crispiness of the lettuce went well with the warm, salty filling.
• Lamb Stew Hot Pot: This was the surprise of the night. So delicious! Definitely one of our new favorites. The portion of lamb was quite generous and the meat itself was so tender that it fell of the bone. The broth was heavenly, rich with flavor. The vegetables, won bok, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and shiitake mushrooms, complemented the dish very nicely.
• Tofu w/Bamboo Fungus: Our favorite dish. We keep coming back to it every time. So good!
• Egg Fu Yong: For newbies, this dish is a good way to transition into eating Chinese food. Basically a large omelette with vegetables. Pretty good.

We're never disappointed with Little Village. Every experience is a positive one. No MSG, high-quality ingredients, dishes prepared with a skilled hand...absolutely nothing but praise for this wonderful restaurant!

Chinatown Series: Vietnam Cafe Pho Saigon

The promise of hot pot was an enticement for us to check this restaurant out. Once we arrived, however, the multitude of items intrigued us, and the hot pot was saved for another day. 


Ambiance:
The restaurant looked like a typical Chinese restaurant, but it looked like they added some Vietnamese flair. Not to mention the nearly completed self-serve frozen yogurt stand, complete with two flavors: durian and vanilla. Imagine a Chinese restaurant with a Yogurtland on the side.


Service:
It looked like it was just a mom and pop running the restaurant. Lucky for us, it wasn't crowded.


Food:
We ordered beef pho and (since they were out of duck) chicken rice soup.

• Beef Pho: It was like most other beef pho we've had. Nothing particularly unique stood out to us, though the portions were on the smaller side. If the weary traveler is famished, we recommend the large portion.
• Chicken Rice Soup: Another pretty standard dish, with not too much pizazz, though there were onion crisps! It had a real home-style vibe: simple and soothing.

Value:
For the amount of food, it was a reasonable deal. Though it was relatively cheap, the possibility of MSG may deter some from trying it.


Overall:
It was a good experience in the Chinatown saga, but because of the multitude of restaurants, we may not be back to this one for a while.

Chinatown Series: Brasserie Du Vin

Okay, so this restaurant was a bit of a splurge, but since we went to celebrate a birthday, it was worth it. It is located across the street from the Hawaii Theatre's box office, and reservations aren't required. Seating can be either indoors or out.

Ambiance:

A very open and breezy atmosphere (even indoors), this restaurant has the feel of a french restaurant. Long, but narrow. We decided to sit near the entrance to the courtyard. We sat on park benches.

Service:

The waiter we had did a good job at selling the wine--he knew the accents to the different wines we asked about, and did a thorough job of educating us. He had a nifty handheld device that connected to the network, and placed our orders that way. Cool for techies.

Food:

Cheese: we had four different types of cheese. Though the name escapes the mind at the moment, they were all delicious. We had cheese from goat, sheep, and cow. With the cheese, we also had two types of wine.

Wine: we had two different types of wine. One of the "new world" and one of the "old world." The new world wine came from Napa valley (I think), and was a Merlot. The old world wine came from Italy, and it was our favourite.

One of our entrees was a broiled salmon on bed of lentils and apple wood smoked bacon. It was delicious.

The other entree we had was roasted duck on a bed of lettuce, with a mandarin orange dressing. It was also delicious.

Value:

Now for the ugly, and we're going to be honest: the bill came out to around $100. However, for the right occasion, it's worth it. Our experience at Brasserie Du Vin was a special one and one that we'll remember for some time. Remember, moderation is key!

Overall: 

A fun experience, but not for everyday. We'd come back for some cheese and wine, but maybe skip the entree next time.

Chinatown Series: Summer Frappe

Here begins our Chinatown series! Just so happens that we've been eating out a lot in Chinatown. Hope you enjoy our dining experiences as much as we did!

We were killing some time before Slow Friday in Chinatown and looking for a small snack to eat when we came across Summer Frappe. At first we were going to pass it by, but we're so glad we didn't!

Ambiance:

A small shop with barely enough room for two tables, Summer Frappe is not for the claustrophobic. However, the interior was cutely decorated and it was nice to see the fresh fruits used for the drinks on display.

Service:

The guy who made our drinks was friendly and personable. Our drinks and food were made in a timely manner. No complaints here!

Food:

• Mango and orange smoothie: Absolutely delicious and perfect on a summer afternoon. There were no powders used to make this drink. They use real fruits here and it makes a world of difference. Would drink this every day if possible. 
• Thai iced tea: Pretty good. They ran out of tapioca balls, so different bubbles were added. The bubbles were fruity and not a good taste match for the Thai iced tea. 
• Summer rolls: So good! Unlike many of the summer rolls we've had at other Vietnamese restaurants, these summer rolls were heavy on the lettuce and lighter on the noodles. Summer rolls are pretty much one of the most deeelicious foods on the planet anyway, but Summer Frappe makes them on a whole different level.

Value:

Our snack came out to a little over $10. A little pricey for drinks and summer rolls, but with the amount of fresh fruit used in the smoothie, it was worth every penny.

Overall:

A great place for healthy but delicious drinks made with real fruit. So good! If only it were located a little closer to home...

Ono Korean BBQ/Sushi

We stopped at Ono Korean BBQ/Sushi for a quick meal before seeing Fiddler on the Roof at Chaminade this weekend.

Ambiance:
A typical take-out style restaurant. Looks almost like a Yummy's BBQ on the inside. We were lucky, beating the crowd by a few minutes. 


Service:
Since this restaurant isn't a sit-down restaurant, there is not much to mention about the service. The food did take a bit longer to come out than we expected, but still didn't have to wait too long. The woman who prepared our food was pretty friendly. No complaints. 


Food:

• Udon, salmon and ahi nigiri combo: The nigiri was alright for the price, but the udon was very salty. 
• Spicy ahi don: Pretty standard, but what made this dish stand out was the fact that the ahi pieces were really big. The portion was also quite generous. Beware: this spicy ahi don has a lot more kick than the spicy ahi at Genki.

Value:
The bill came out to less than $20. Not bad. FYI: this place is cash only.


Overall:
Average. Nothing too stellar, but if you want to eat Korean food and sushi in the same restaurant, this is the place for you.

Kit N Kitchen

This weekend, we tried Kit N Kitchen, a small restaurant located near UH. There was an ad in the newspaper promoting their $20 four course meal. It sounded promising, so we decided to check it out.

Ambiance:
Looked as if they were trying very hard to look artsy, but ended up going a bit overboard. Otherwise, not too bad. (It seems that they buy their dishes from Walmart: our friend has the same water cups at his house).

Service:
The servers were very friendly, but friendliness doesn't serve you water. Just kidding...mostly. The service was haphazard at best. One of the waiters was new, so it was forgivable. We ended up spending two hours in the restaurant.

Food:
We started off with soup or salad:

• Milano Tomato Soup: a pretty standard tomato soup. Looked like it was made from fresh veggies. Also appreciated that they didn't try to go too fancy.
  
• Salad: A small salad with a ginger dressing. Came with daikon, corn, carrots and cucumber. The daikon added an interesting zing.

Next up, the appetizers:

• Escargot Wellington: basically, snails in puff pastry. Wasn't as buttery as other escargot, a welcome surprise. Other than that, pretty standard.
• Beef Chimichurri: thin slices of beef covered in LOTS of garlic. Very tender, cooked on the rare side.
• Garlic Basil Shrimp: standard, yet again. Two pieces of shrimp with a bit of pesto on it.

Entrees:

• Pepper Rack of Lamb: two very small pieces of lamb. To call it a rack would be a bit of an understatement. Came with a mound of rice and a disproportionate amount of sauce to meat. Sauce was overpowering to the lamb. Just ok. Tasted more like beef than lamb, and as if it were something made by a cafeteria. On the plus side, the cab sav made it wash down a bit easier.
  
• Pan-fried Basil Salmon: Alright. The salmon wasn't overdone, though it was on the drier side. Got this dish with noodles. Like the lamb, found the noodles to be a bit heavy on the sauce. Very rich. In addition, the side of mushrooms were a lot saltier than the rest of the dish. Chardonnay was alright.

Dessert:
Let's get this straight. We don't usually like to order dessert with our meals. But we ordered anyway since it was part of the deal.

• Sundae: a small scoop of ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
• Chocolate cake: tasted like a Costco cake.

Value:
A good promotion and for $20, lived up to expectations. A little on the generic side, but if we were going for something higher quality, we'd have to pay a lot more.

Overall:
Offering upper-end foods for a reasonable price. Caters well to the college crowd.

Camellia Pearl Kai

This is one of our favorite Korean restaurants. Located near Champa Thai in Pearl Kai, Camelia is perfect for those in the Aiea/Pearl City area.

Ambiance:
This is a very casual restaurant. Be prepared to smell like grilled meat since yakiniku is one of the menu options.

Service:
Outstanding. It's what keeps us coming back again and again. The two waitresses that work here feel like family. They have such a good memory that they remembered who we were and what we ordered. They even remembered how we suffered from the spiciness of the kim chee jun kol and let us order it more mild the next time we came. Very friendly and hardworking.

Food:
What's nice about Camellia is that the side dishes are different every time. We've had kim chee, broccoli, iriko (not sure what the Korean equivalent is called), fishcake, beansprouts, potatoes, and more. Even better, our waitress kept offering us more vegetables!

• Kim chee jun kol: soup for two. It's like a mini hot pot served on a burner. Sooo spicy and sooo good. Definitely clears the sinuses. It comes in a dark red broth with kim chee, tofu, bits of beef, mandoo and long rice. We've gotten this three times so far and it has never disappointed.

Value:
An excellent value. With an abundance of side dishes and more than enough soup, we always leave Camellia with a happy stomach and an equally happy wallet. Tip included, we spent a little over $30.

Overall:
A wonderful place to dine. Camellia has it all: wonderful service, delicious food, and affordable prices. Check it out!

Eastern Paradise

An Eastern Chinese restaurant, located at the corner of King Street and Keeaumoku Street, a tasty find, a splendid treat.

Ambiance:
An odd mix of Chinese decor, and a supplemental Korean menu page, this restaurant sang of conversations in Japanese. We've been to a northern Chinese restaurant before, and this had a similar menu.

Service:
We went at a somewhat busy time, but the waiters and waitresses were friendly and helpful. When trying to figure out what to eat, the waitress suggested we try this or that; the house specialties were this and this; sorry, but it's not in season. Friendly. We were in for a surprise, though.

Food:
At the suggestion of our waitress, we got the hot and sour soup, the fried garlic fish, and the black bean noodles.

• Hot and sour soup: More variety than what we're used to, this hot and sour soup tasted more like an egg drop soup with black pepper, and a hint of sour. The variety included shrimp, beef, egg, seaweed, and many other ingredients. Not too hot; not too sour. Just right.
  
• Fried garlic fish: It was a bit too fried and battered for our tastes.
• Black bean noodles: It was a bit too oily for our taste. But it wasn't too salty, and the noodles were nice.

Value:
A rather prime location, the price per entree was a bit more than an average Chinese restaurant, but the variety in each of the plates was a nice touch. It was good, but we'd pay a little less than the price on the menu. The total, for the three plates and tip, came out to about forty dollars.

Overall:
A bit pricey.

Happy pi day!

Yum Yum Restaurant

Located in Salt Lake Shopping Center, Yum Yum touts itself as a Chinese and Thai restaurant. We were craving Chinese food, but we found that their menu was almost exclusively Thai.

Ambiance:
Not bad. The configuration was a little confusing because we had to head to the middle of the restaurant to be seated. The interior of the restaurant looked like it was a Chinese restaurant converted into a Thai restaurant.

Service:
Good. The servers were friendly and timely.

Food:

• Tom yum soup with tofu: It tasted like that moment right before the sun rises in the morning. Dawn. Dawn, as in the dishwashing soap. When the soup came out of the kitchen piping hot, the flavor of soap wasn't that noticeable. However, as it cooled, the soapy flavor became more apparent. Not the perfect way to start dinner, but thankfully the rest of the meal tasted less...like Dawn.
  
• Stir fried eggplant with tofu: Good. Very tasty. The taste was similar to szechuan-style eggplant, but with thai basil.
  
• Stir fried long rice with egg: Interesting. Not something we'd usually order, but pretty good. Simple. Seems like a breakfast food with the bits of scrambled egg.

As with most Thai restaurants, rice had to be ordered separately.

Value:
The dishes were surprisingly affordable, more so than at other Thai restaurants. For the three dishes, we spent a little over $20. They didn't skimp on the portion size either.

Overall:
With the exception of the soup, the food at Yum Yum lived up to the restaurant's name. A great place to go for cheap Thai food.

Jimbo Restaurant

Located on King St., before McCully, this noodle shop is hard to find.

The layout of the restaurant is similar to the ingredients in the dishes--simple.

Ambiance:
It was as if you opened the door, and stepped into a noodle shop in Japan. Quaint, simple, and busy (but not too busy).

Service:
The service was quick. To the point. Punctual. Good.

Food:
We had the bean curd cold udon, and the ume cold udon. Good choices for a hot day.

• Bean Curd Cold Udon: The taste was in the dipping sauce. The dish came with wakame, bean curd, green onions, chiso, and udon. The udon was chewy, with just the right amount of firmness. The portion was a little on the smaller side, so we would recommend getting the larger portion.
• Ume Cold Udon: The dish was similar to the bean curd cold udon, except it came with ume instead of bean curd.

Value:
Though we could have made the meal ourselves for half the price, this was a convenient and quick stop en route to a greater cause: the great aloha run.

Overall:
Compared to other noodle shops, this one was average. It was pricey, but it was a simple and refreshing meal.

Champa Thai

We stopped by Champa Thai, which is located in Pearl Kai Shopping Center (across from Pearlridge), after spending the morning at the Oahu Urban Garden.

Ambiance:
The interior of Champa Thai is very nicely decorated. It would be the perfect place to take someone on a first date. Though we came on a weekday, we were a little surprised to see the restaurant so packed. It seems to be the favorite of many military personnel.

Service:
Good service. Our orders were taken quickly, our waters refilled frequently, and our food prepared in a timely manner. We were delivered the wrong dish, but the waitress caught herself just before setting the food on the table. (Shucks, we were hoping for a free dish). Other than that, no complaints.

Food:

• Mee Krob: We ordered this as our appetizer. Described as "crispy noodles with bean sprouts tossed in a sweet sauce and topped with green onions," we found that was exactly what it was. The texture of the noodles was unique: light, almost like shrimp chips in noodle form. The sweet sauce tasted pretty much like sweet sour sauce. The portion was VERY generous and we were getting a little full even before the entree came.
• Green Curried Vegetables: A pretty standard curry with an assortment of vegetables.
  
• Sweet and Sour Tofu: We were a little amused because the vegetables in our two entrees were nearly exactly alike. Nevertheless, the flavors were completely different.
  
• Brown rice: every bit as delicious as white rice. White rice is softer, but this brown rice had a heartier, more subtly nutty flavor. Not at all overpowering with the dishes we ordered.

Value:
Prices are pretty standard. We paid a little over $25 with tip. The portions were large enough that we were stuffed at the end.

Overall:
This place is popular for a reason. There aren't many Thai restaurants in the Aiea/Pearl City area, and the food here is quite tasty. Can't wait to eat here again!

Pho Viet

Pho Viet is a little restaurant located in the Aiea Town Square, which is across the Aiea Bowling Alley. We decided to stop here after doing the Great Aloha Run, for a light lunch.

Ambiance:
Okay, this place isn't the greatest when it comes to ambiance, but in a small place like this, it is easy to relax. Trust me, after the Great Aloha Run, being comfortable was the most important thing. It also helps that it didn't feel too awkward eating out in running attire. The restaurant was fairly busy at around 11, perhaps because it was President's Day.

Service:
We've been to Pho Viet a few times now and it seems as if there's only one waitress for the entire restaurant. Nevertheless, she was attentive. Our order was taken on time and our food was delivered quickly. No complaints here! (FYI: don't wait for the bill. Pay up front instead)

Food:
The portions at Pho Viet are slightly smaller than what most restaurants offer, but more than enough for lunch.

• Lemongrass Tofu with Vermicelli: Lemon grass chicken is awesome, but lemongrass tofu is just as tasty. The tofu is lightly fried and coated with a bit of chili and served over vermicelli. What's really nice is that under the noodles are more vegetables. The lettuce and mint add to the refreshing quality of this dish. The only complaint is that there were no pickled carrots and daikon to garnish.
  
• Soft Noodle with Tofu: A very simple dish. Skinny noodles covered in a light gravy with bits of fried tofu. Pretty good!

Value:
Eating at Pho Viet is very affordable. We spent around $20 for lunch and came out feeling re-energized and ready to run another 8 miles. Just kidding. But really, try this place. It's very good!

Overall:
Pho Viet is one restaurant that we keep coming to again and again. Perfect for anyone looking for good Vietnamese food in Aiea!

Little Village Noodle House

Located in Chinatown across The Actor's Group, Little Village Noodle House is one of many Chinese restaurants in the area, yet it stands out in many little ways. For one, the restaurant has it's own parking lot for their customers. For another, the dishes are slightly more pricey and are smaller than average, yet they offer an array of food. For vegetarians, their menu offering is a delight.

Ambiance:
Little Village is a cutely decorated restaurant and very nicely kept. It is particularly nice how the daily specials are listed on a chalkboard written neatly above the kitchen area, where it is easy for most people to see. It seems to be the favorite of many, since every time we've come here (even on weekdays) the restaurant is bustling. Despite the popularity of the restaurant, we've never had a hard time being seated, even without reservations.

Service:
The service has always been excellent here. The servers do not seem to be assigned to any particular area; rather, they work together. They do their utmost to make sure that the customer is satisfied. This was on display during the last time we came. We were seated next to a couple who was dissatisfied with their dish. The man told the server that he wanted them to re-cook the shrimp in a very specific manner. With unerring grace, the server apologized and sent the food back. When he took the food back to the man, he asked if the shrimp was to his taste. It was not, and the food was sent back yet again. Though the food ended up not to the man's taste in the end, the server showed unfailing concern that the man be satisfied.

In our case, the servers are always friendly. They don't make us feel guilty about asking for more rice and there is always someone around to ask for more.

Food:
We ordered three dishes: tofu with bamboo fungus, choy sum with black mushroom, and shoyu tofu with leek and chili.

• Tofu with bamboo fungus: We get this dish nearly every time we come here. It's one of those dishes that is difficult to find anywhere else. In concept, it is very simple. Fried tofu, bamboo fungus (which looks almost disturbingly like those rubber finger tips used in offices to flip through paper), Chinese peas, and bits of garlic. That's all. But somehow so very delicious.
  
• Choy sum with black mushroom: A very pretty dish! It was one of the daily specials. Came on a bed of choy sum with large shiitake mushrooms on top. The portion size was generous and the dish was overall very tasty.
• Shoyu tofu with leek and chili: We ordered this dish almost on a whim and had no idea what to expect. What a pleasant surprise. Firm tofu sliced thinly with slices of leek. Having never tried leek, it was surprising to find that it tastes like an onion, but much milder. The texture is pleasantly tender. Couldn't stop eating this one. Just don't eat the chili. It's extremely hot, as one of us found out.

On a side note, the food also seems to be less greasy and salty overall.

Value:
Though the portions are a little smaller than average and the prices are higher than at most Chinese restaurants, Little Village is a must for those looking for high quality Chinese food. It is wonderfully vegetarian-friendly. Our meal came out to around $30, but we had enough leftovers for one of us to take for lunch the next day.

Overall:
One of our favorite Chinese restaurants. The service is excellent and the food is heavenly. If you're ever in Chinatown and overwhelmed with the sheer number of restaurants, give this place a try! You won't regret it.

Utage

February is Vegetarian month for one of us, so we will be featuring restaurants offering vegetarian options. First up is Utage, a restaurant serving Okinawan and Japanese food. This restaurant is a favorite of many of our acquaintances, especially those of Okinawan heritage.

Ambiance:
The interior of the restaurant is nicely kept and the booths were quite comfortable. We had to wait around 20 minutes for the five of us since the restaurant was packed. Since we went on a Friday night at around 7:00, it wasn't too much of a surprise. The other time we've been here, there has also been a small waiting time. A very popular place to dine.

Service:
Good. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. Though she probably had many customers to wait on, she didn't make us feel rushed. Our food came out in a timely manner.

Food:
Utage's meals come with soup or salad, fruit punch, hot/iced tea or coffee, and dessert.

• Goya (bittermelon), Tofu and Eggs: Called champuru, or stir-fry, the goya dish is supposed to come with a choice of pork, chicken, spam, bacon, tuna or shoyu pork. However, since one of our reviewers goes vegetarian in February, he opted to substitute meat for more tofu. Bittermelon is not for everyone, though bittermelon lovers who can't cook it because their families refuse to eat it will be pleased to see this item on the menu. Besides the bitter taste, the dish is quite tasty.
• Okinawan Miso Soup (Pork, Tofu, Egg and Vegetables): Okay, this is not exactly vegetarian, but it was too good to pass up. With the exception of the pork, which was a little dry, the soup is absolutely delicious. The broth is a little sweeter than traditional Japanese miso soup, but also less salty. The tofu, egg and vegetables perfectly complement one another. Soothing and not too fatty.
  
• Dessert: We both had jello with whipped cream. A nice little treat for those who enjoy an after meal sweet.
  

Value:
Because each entree comes as a complete meal, it seems like a really good deal. If you think about it, most Japanese restaurants offer complementary soup/salad and tea anyway. Very smart move by Utage to make their meals seem a better value. Nevertheless, since our meal came out to a little over $20 for the two of us, it was still an extremely affordable meal.

Overall:
Utage is the perfect place for those who are looking for food outside of the standard Japanese fare. Okinawan food is distinctly different from Japanese food and it's a pity that there aren't more places offering this type of cuisine. The food is absolutely delicious and we'll definitely come back again.

Tadashi Japanese Cuisine

Located in the busy Pearl Kai Shopping Center, Tadashi is one of many locally-based restaurants in that complex. For those living on the west side, is one of the best places to go to satisfy a sushi craving. We went with two of our friends on a weekend night and were able to be seated without reservations, though the restaurant was near capacity.

Ambiance:
A nicely kept, yet somewhat typical Japanese restaurant setting. The seating was a little too cafeteria-like for my taste, especially for the price of the dishes.

Service:
Our waitress might have been new because she was frequently confused. She was pretty pleasant nonetheless and servers came around frequently to refill our water and tea.

Food:
We ordered the edomae and deluxe chirashi. It came with miso soup, soba, and tsukemono.

• Edomae: Described as "seven pieces assorted nigiri with four tekkyu maki and tamago," the edomae set was standard sushi, yet good. We're actually not sure if our waitress gave us the wrong set because it didn't seem to be what the menu described. Hopefully we weren't overcharged!
  
• Deluxe Chirashi: Assorted sashimi over sushi rice. Yum! Arranged in a compact bento box, this dish was deceptively large and more than enough for one person. Nice pieces of fish (salmon, ahi, etc.), tako and egg.
  

Drinks:

• Plum wine: So dangerously sweet. It's easy to forget that this plum wine contains alcohol. Definitely gave a pleasant buzz. Definitely not for those who dislike "girly" drinks.
  
• Otokoyama: Came chilled. On the drier side and not for everyone. A split decision.

Value:
We definitely splurged a bit by going to Tadashi. The bill came out to around $50 for the two of us. However, we emerged pleasantly warmed by our drinks and comfortably full from a delicious sushi meal. No regrets.

Overall:
For those living in Pearl City/Aiea, Tadashi is the place to go for sushi a step above Genki and Kuru Kuru. We'll be back!

Hata Restaurant

Local Japanese food at its best, Hata is a small, feel-at-home restaurant. Walk through the doors (be careful to watch your step), and be transported to a decades-past atmosphere. Seating is limited; this time, we were lucky. There were two tables available. Towards the end of our meal, a party of six came in, and the room was full. Located on King Street and a little ways down from Punahou Street (just across the street from Zippy's), Hata's is hard to find, but a gem once found.

Ambiance:
For those who are used to lush carpeting, track lighting, and fine cutlery, this restaurant is a few notches down from that. Maybe more than a few. Reminiscent of a family-owned crack-seed shop, though the ambiance is homely, the food is heavenly.

Service:
Because of a small area, the waitresses were very attentive to the patrons. Our waters were constantly refilled (and so was the rice).

Food:
We ordered Yosenabe and the seasonal fish chiri (Opakapaka). It came with okara and tsukemono.

• Yosenabe: This was our second time we ordered it, and compared to the first time, it had considerably less seafood. While the first time had salmon, butterfish, shrimp, crab, and other fish parts, this time around was more land-based: a lot of chicken pieces were added tot he mix, and there wasn't any butterfish. Though changed, the Yosenabe was still a winner.
• Opakapaka Chiri: The description on the menu said the soup base was light. Though it was light, it did not compromise on the taste. A simple dish--Opakapaka, won bok, bamboo shoots, and konbu--soothing, and deliciously healthy.

Value:
Our bill, with the tip, was around thirty dollars. For good Japanese food, this was a great value. It filled us up just right, though some may find the portions small. If it be any added value, there's free refills on the rice.

Overall:
This place, recommended by coach Murakami, is a winner.

Mini Garden Orient & Vegetarian Cuisine

We were craving some hot pot and, after seeing the long line outside of Sweet Home Cafe, decided to stop at Mini Garden, which is located on Beretania St near Champion's Malasadas.

Ambiance:
An average-sized Chinese restaurant at a blink-and-you'll-miss-it location. The interior is brightly lit and inviting. We went on a weekday and it was not too crowded.

Service:
The servers are straight-forward, but fairly friendly. The food came out quickly. It was nice not having to wait a long time for our food since we were very hungry!

Food:
We ordered two platters: seafood and pork/beef.

• Seafood: featured a good variety, including shrimp, a type of white fish, scallops, ika, and clams. The fish was tender and did not dry out even when we overcooked it.
  
• Pork and beef: super thin slices of pork and beef.
  

Both platters came with a separate plate of won bok, lettuce, bok choy, tofu, udon, shiitake, kabocha, and a dumpling. The vegetables really rounded out the meal and added extra flavor to the broth.

We dipped our food in a variety of sauces. We're not really sure what they were, but enjoyed each sauce nonetheless.

Value:
Our bill came out to a little over $40, including tip. The seafood platter was a little pricey at a little under $20, but a nice little splurge. When one of us, who will remain unnamed, goes vegetarian next month, we will be sure to order the vegetable plate.

Overall:
A perfect way to satisfy our hot pot craving, especially since it was a little chilly this week. A healthy and fun experience. Highly recommended.

Go Shi Go

Located across the street from Wal-Mart on Keeaumoku Street, this noodle shop captures the ambiance of age-old tradition. Go Shi Go prides itself in its homemade noodles. Each day--a new day--a new variety of noodle.

Ambiance:
A cozy shop, be sure to get there early to avoid the queue. We got there around 6:00, and, by the time we left, it was crowded.

Service:
The food came in a reasonable amount of time, and the waitress (a one person team) was very friendly. However, because of the influx of customers, trying to pay for the bill was time-consuming.

Food:
We ate two varieties of cold noodle udon: Hiyashi Chuka Udon, and Natto Udon.

• Hiyashi Chuka Udon: Deelicious. It was refreshing, and a nice complement to the Natto Udon. It consisted of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, chicken, wakame, half of a hard-boiled egg, and a pleasant dressing-sauce of sesame seeds and vinegar.
  
• Natto Udon: If you like slime, this dish is for you. Natto, yamaimo (mountain yam/tororo), soft-boiled egg, bonito flakes, and a garden of green onions. The soup base didn't overwhelm the overall taste, and allowed the other ingredients to shine.

The noodles were slightly thinner than what is served at other restaurants, and had a fresher taste--more resilient texture.

Value:
Our bill, with the tip, was in the mid-twenties. Not bad for homemade noodles.

Overall Impression:
With the exception of the slower service in the later half of our meal, we enjoyed Go Shi Go. A quaint place that makes its own noodles, I can tip my hat to that.

House of Dragon

Tonight we tried House of Dragon, a small, hidden Chinese restaurant located in Pearl City next to Chuck E. Cheese and Longs.

Ambiance:
A typical Chinese restaurant. We came around 6:00 and it was pretty empty for a Saturday.

Service:
Waitresses were courteous and the food came within ten minutes. They were also attentive, refilling our water frequently. No complaints here!

Food:
We ordered three dishes: hot and sour soup, braised vegetables, and beef with sweet and sour cabbage. Each dish was delicious and the portions were large enough to feed three or four people. Unlike the food at many Chinese restaurants, the food wasn't too salty.

• Hot and sour soup: tasty, with little bits of tofu, bamboo shoots, egg and chili pepper.
• Braised vegetables: the highlight of the night. Came on a sizzling platter with choi sum, baby corn, won bok, Chinese peas, mushrooms, shiitake, and rice noodles.
  
• Beef with sweet and sour cabbage: crisp pieces of cabbage with tender beef made this dish a winner. Great for people who like more cabbage than beef.

Value:
Our bill came out to a little under $30. Though the portion of rice was generous, it was pretty pricey for the two of us at over $3.

Overall impression:
We'd definitely go here again. The waitresses were friendly, the food was delivered quickly and was delicious. A pretty good deal!