Lunch @ Town

After hearing so much rave about a small upscale restaurant in Kaimuki, I finally decided to dine at Town. Located on the corner of 9th and Waialae, many people may overlook this being a restaurant. Town features seating indoors and outdoors with doors and windows wide open allowing the breeze to flow in. The outside of the restaurant features a small herb garden full of different herbs that they use for their cooking. The inside features a very urban look to the restaurant with odd shaped pieces and mirrors on the walls. It also features a full bar.

Herb Garden
Wall Decorations
Dining room
The concept of the restaurant is all based around sustainability. They pride themselves on using local, fresh ingredients and organic whenever possible. Something notable is that they even try to go "green" too by recycling their old menus into coasters for beverages. I have a huge amount of respect for chef/owner Ed Kenney to focus around sustainability. Not is it extremely hard to think of new menu items everyday, it takes a great amount of dedication.

Lunch Menu
The menu for lunch showcased salads, sandwiches and light entrees. The first thing that caught my eye was that the prices are incredibly reasonable. Sandwiches and salads were between seven to ten dollars and entrees around thirteen. My dining partner acknowledged that the menu was a bit hard to read. They list the major ingredients in each dish so it's a bit confusing to some. Even though it was only me and my diner, we ordered up a storm like usual.

To start off our meal we decided on a bowl of the soup of the day, Tomato. I also decided to order their TOWN Lemonade.

Tomato Soup($6) and Town Lemonade($4)
Notice the coaster
Notice the bright green color to them Lemonade, it made me feel like i was drinking a Limeade or even Green River. Notice the use of their previous menus as coasters. The Lemonade was extremely refreshing and tangy which I loved.

Tomato Soup ($6)
The Tomato Soup was extremely rich and tasted like eating a fresh Tomato. It was served with a dollop of Basil Pesto which made the soup more flavorful with each bite. The only problem i had with the Soup was that I wish it was served a bit hotter. The Soup was served a bit lukewarm.

Pesto in the soup
Before our next course came out, the chef gave us a little gift since I was a culinary student. We were given two pieces of homemade Kulolo. Kulolo is basically taro, coconut milk and sugar. This was my first time eating it and it was delectable. It felt like i was eating a slightly sweet Sponge Cake.

Kulolo!
Closeup!
Our next course came out shortly after we finished our little delectable bites. It was a Chicken Liver Bahn Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) with French Fries. Recently I've been a huge fan of Bahn Mis, frequently eating them at Bale. The mix of Meat with Pickled Vegetables and Cilantro is bliss for me. This particular Bahn Mi is made with house made Chicken Liver Pate, Pickled Carrots and Daikon and Ciccioli. The only question i had about it was; What is Ciccioli? After doing some research (google), it's basically a process where they dry and age fatty pieces of pork. This added a fatty and salty component to the Sandwich that made the Pate more flavorful.

Chicken Liver and Ciccioli Bahn Mi($9)
Close up of the Ciccioli
The French Fries that were served with this Sandwich deserves it's own paragraph because these are the BEST fries i have ever eaten. Every piece was crispy yet soft on the inside and the flavor of the Fries was out of this world. They were fried with pieces of Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme and it gave it such a great depth of flavor that made me speechless as I indulged. I don't even know what to write about them anymore, just go eat them now. Why are you still reading? GO EAT.

Best French Fries EVER
For the next course we had a Pan Seared Opah with Local Vegetables and a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette. I'm not a very big fish person but this was nice. It was a prime showcase on the direction that Chef Ed Kenney wanted. He used fresh local ingredients and created a wonderful dish out of it. My only criticism was that the Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette; Where was it? I didn't really taste anything of it so that was disappointing.

Opah with Local Veggies($15)
Opah with Local Veggies($15)
Perfectly Cooked!
Our last entree was a House Made Pasta with Pancetta, Hakurei Turnips, Poblano Peppers and Tomatoes. It was a very nice choice of ingredients tossed with Tomato Sauce and perfectly cooked Pasta. My first couple of bites were a little bland but when i ate the small thick pieces of Pancetta, it brought the salty element that was needed. Eating the Pasta as a whole felt like it was a nice mix of Italian and Mexican flavors.

House Made Pasta($14)
Rustic and Wonderful!
Tender!

To make our dining experience perfect we ordered a trio of desserts. Buttermilk Pannacotta, Liliko'i - Citrus Tart and Grapefruit - Campari Sorbet, doesn't that trio just sound great! The Buttermilk Pannacotta was served with a Honey drizzle and fresh grapes. Tart, creamy and sweet with the honey made this extremely delicious. Pannacottas and Custards are usually a little heavy for me but this was actually light and refreshing.

Buttermilk Pannacotta($7)
Delicate!

The Liliko'i - Citrus Tart was another refreshing dessert we ordered. The filling it self was light and fluffy and had this amazing tart taste to it. I really enjoyed eating this dessert because I'm a huge fan of eating tart desserts.

Liliko'i - Citrus Tart ($7)
Light and Fluffy!
Lastly we have the Grapefruit - Campari Sorbet. Again another ingredient that i'm not to knowledgeable of, Campari. It's actually an alcohol that's made from infusing different bitter herbs and aromatics. Just reading that gave me an understanding of why this Sorbet had such a bright Grapefruit flavor. This was my favorite dessert out of the three because it was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

Grapefruit - Campari Sorbet($4)
Overall i was extremely happy with the meal i had at Town. From the mixed reviews I heard from many colleagues I was more satisfied then I could be. Definitely recommend this to anyone. Reasonable prices, fresh delicious food and a great atmosphere.

3435 Waialae Avenue #103
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
(808)735-5900

Taste: 4.5
Appearance: 4.5
Location: 4
Value: 4
Overall: 4.25
*Based on a 5 point scoring system with 1 being Not So Good and 5 being Great*]

-Chef B

Breakfast @ Cinnamon's

First off I just want to apologize for the lack of updates in the past 2 months. I've been extremely busy with school finishing for the semester and work. So without anymore fuss here's a new blog!


Located a block away from Kailua Zippy's is Cinnamon's a well known breakfast eatery. The very casual restaurant features dining inside and outside. The inside of the restaurant provides a very cozy and homey ambiance.


Probably not the best picture to showcase their inside dining area but I don't think people like to be photographed. As you can see they have an nice indoor gazebo with a few tables inside.

I went with my friend and his dad and we ordered quite a feast. About 5 different items that we shared and we were full. To start I ordered a bowl of their Portuguese Bean Soup. Supposedly it's award winning.

Portuguese Bean Soup
Thick pieces of Ham Hock and Portuguese Sausage with a tangy, salty Tomato Broth. Unfortunately this was a miss for me. It came out lukewarm which made me incredible sad. For me it was also a little more tang then i'm used too. Compared to Zippy's Portuguese Bean Soup (Which is one of the best IMO), this doesn't shine.

As a group we decided to share all of our food. We ordered; Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict, Loco Moco with Sauteed Onion and Mushroom Gravy, Hawaiian Omelet and Red Velvet Pancakes. The food came out shortly after my soup and it was quite a feast.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict ($13.25)
Hollandaise is a sauce that is basically Egg Yolks and Clarified Butter however, a lot of restaurants that serve this can't get it right. Cinnamon's does this amazing! The Sauce is Creamy, Buttery, Velvety and has a great tang that makes it incredible. As for the Crab Cake, it's made with Lump Crab Meat so you can break into it and get nice pieces of Crab. It's very delicate and well seasoned. The ONLY flaw that there was to this plate was that the poached egg was overcooked. The yolk was cooked through and couldn't provide that "Yolky Goodness" that you just want to slobber up.

Hawaiian Omelet ($11.25)
Picture yourself at a Luau; watching hula, drinking Mai Tai's and eating a plethora of Hawaiian Food. If you take the dancing and drinking away, that's basically what you get in this omelet. Kalua Pig, LauLau (Even the Butterfish) and Lomi Lomi Salmon are basically what you get in this omelet. It's three Eggs and served "Local Style" meaning they mix it with the eggs rather then folding in between.

This is what i mean by "Local Scramble"
I really enjoyed this omelet. Although my friend felt it was a bit bland which it was, I thought it still had that "Hawaiian Taste" and a lot of it!

Loco Moco with Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms ($9.25 + $2.25)
Every component in a Loco Moco determines how good it is. From the Patty all the way to the Gravy, everything matters. This Loco Moco would've scored great in my books but the problem was the Rice. The Rice was a bit hard and either a bit overcooked or to little water used. Everything else however was delicious. The Gravy mixed with the Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms was flavorful while it was smothered on top of the juicy Hamburger Patty.

Red Velvet Pancakes ($9.95)
Whoohooo this was the reason why I wanted to come to Cinnamon's. These are really good Pancakes but at the same time they are a workout. These are thick and heavy and oh so delicious. Red, Chocolate Hinted Pancakes with Syrup that tasted like the Frosting on a Red Velvet Cake! What more could you ask for. One of my favorite cakes turned into a breakfast item makes me turn into a little kid. However, I warn you, don't eat this alone. It's called a panCAKE for a reason. It's more cake then anything and it honestly felt like i was eating a whole cake the whole time (not that's a bad thing).

Dense....

I live in Ward and that journey to Kailua was well worth the trip (and gas) to eat a breakfast. Definitely going to come back here and try their other specialties such as; Guava Chiffon Pancakes, Kalua Pork Eggs Benedict and some of their lunch items. I want to wish the crew at Cinnamon's congratulations on their 25th Anniversary!!!

Cinnamon's
315 Uluniu Street
(808)-261-8724
Open Daily: 7am - 2pm

Taste: 4.25
Appearance: 4.25
Location: 3.5
Value: 4
Overall: 4
*Based on a 5 point scoring system with 1 being Not So Good and 5 being Great*]

-Chef B

Customizable!: The Counter

Located in the Kahala Mall Shopping Center, The Counter is there for you when you're craving a burger. With diners being able to choose whatever goes in their burger, there are thousands of different end products. They offer three different patty options; Beef, Turkey and Veggie. I've tried them all and i enjoy them, especially the Veggie which most people would think would be too great. On this day though, my friend and I chose to go with beef.

Regular and Sweet Potato Fries
Personally, I'm not a huge "fry guy" but I am in love with these Sweet Potato Fries. They are served with Horseradish Mayo but if you ever go to The Counter, ask for BBQ Sauce because it tastes that much better with it. The best thing I like about these Fries are that they are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. They pack this savory and sweet flavor with each bite. Oh my goodness, I think I'm going to buy some before work.

Pointless Close Up Picture
I just Love these fries! Definitely something you want to try when you eat here.

Customizable Burger
This was my friend's creation. He chose 2/3 Pound Beef Patty on Whole Wheat Bun with Lettuce Blend, Tomatoes, Hard Boiled Eggs, Caramelized Onions and Feta Cheese. Yeah I know, he is a weird guy...Boiled eggs??? Anyways, obviously this was going to be a huge burger, 2/3 Pounds of Beef and all those toppings!

So tall
Yeah, it was tall. A nice thing to know about The Counter is that when you order a 1/3 or a 2/3 or even a whole Pound patty, they give you that weight AFTER cooking. Naturally meat looses it's weight after it's been cooked and you get warned with little writings that say "*Weight before cooking*". However at The Counter it says "*Weight after cooking".

Cross View, Medium Rare!
Something Unique about The Counter is that they use 100% Naturally Raised Angus Beef. Meaning they are fed on a vegetarian diet with no added hormones. Trust me, you can taste a difference. The best part about this having this quality of product is that you're welcome to order your burgers anyway you want it cooked. I recommend that you order your burger how you would want your steak. It feels like you're eating a steak and it's extremely juicy.

My Customizable Burger
I also went with the 2/3 Pound Beef Patty on Whole Wheat Bun with Pepperconcinis, Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Sprouts, Carmelized Onions and Bleu Cheese. Along with these toppings i chose a Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette. The burger was extremely delicious .

Top View of the Burger

Cross View

Close up!!

Look at that juice!
I firmly believe that this is one of the Best Burger places in Hawaii. Compared to the other Customizable burger places, this tops. If you ever come to The Counter, I suggest getting either the Beef or the Vegetarian Patty, both are my favorite. And of course you HAVE to try the Sweet Potato fries!

The Counter Kahala
4211 Waialae Avenue E-1
Honolulu HI 96816
808 739 5100

Sunday - Thursday: 11am - 9pm
Friday - Saturday: 11am - 10pm

Taste: 4.5
Appearance: 4
Location: 4.5
Value: 4
Overall: 4.25
*Based on a 5 point scoring system with 1 being Not So Good and 5 being Great*]

-Chef B
*PS* Credit given to tastyisland for first picture.

Munchie Mondays: Sugoi!

SUGOI!!!! Meaning "Awesome" in the Japanese language, this is definitely what i say after every time i eat at Sugoi. Located in the shopping center with the Dillingham DMV, it's in a prime location with Honolulu Community College being right across the street. They offer a huge menu featuring Breakfast, Bentos, Plate Lunches and Catering. Huge portions, good prices and good company, lets start this blog!

Feast for two!

Now, I know what you're thinking, how the heck did two people eat all that food?!? Well we didn't, she had to take her food home. To be completely honest though, what you're looking at is two plates of food with a side order of toss greens. I ordered a 3 choice mixed plate including Spicy Garlic Chicken, Pork Cutlet and Hamburger Steak. And now that she doesn't mind me saying her actual name, Danielle had a two choice with Mochiko Chicken and Garlic Ahi. all of that food plus drinks and the side order was around twenty dollars, a reasonable price to pay for all that food.

Mochiko Chicken
Quite possibly the best "Non Nori Wrapped" Mochiko Chicken that I've had. The Chicken was delectable being very soft and moist with a crisp outside. The light dredging of the Mochiko Flour added a slight sweetness making it an enjoyable experience to eat. Unlike a lot of other restaurants that serve Mochiko Chicken that's heavy due to over marinating or battering, this Chicken was light.

Garlic Ahi
When you order the Garlic Ahi, you have a choice of either Regular Garlic Sauce or Spicy Garlic Sauce. The grilled piece of Ahi already comes with sauce on it but they also serve a small cup of it too. The Fish was tender, juicy and was lovely with the garlic sauce. We both agreed that we didn't need to put any extra sauce because it was flavorful as is.

Pork Cutlet
Thin cuts of Breaded Pork with a Mushroom Gravy, doesn't that just sound good? Well it was!! By far the best Pork Cutlet I've ever had, granted I've never really had much. The Pork itself was extremely tender while the Mushroom Gravy just added another depth of flavor with each bite.

Hamburger Steak
Personally, the best kind of Hamburger Steak you can serve are fresh, homemade, non frozen kind that you would normally find at fast food restaurants. This Hamburger Steak was homemade and tasted great. I wish i took a picture of the inside but i ate it to fast! The thick patty was juicy and well seasoned. It was served with Sautéed Onions and Brown Gravy.

Spicy Garlic Chicken
Sugoi's signature dish, the Garlic Chicken. Before Sugoi was opened, the place that was known for Garlic Chicken was Mitsuken, and i loved it there. I would wake up early before school just to order it. However, ever since i found out about Sugoi, i never looked back. Today i decided to eat it with their Spicy Garlic Sauce and it was just the right amount of heat. The Chicken itself was perfectly cooked and extremely juicy. The only thing i didn't like about this was that sometimes you would get this huge piece of fat and that didn't make me happy.

Macaroni Salad

Toss Salad
Basic plate lunch side dishes. The Toss Salad is served with a Papaya Seed Dressing. I found the Mac Salad good but it was a bit heavy for me.

Overall, Sugoi is a great restaurant to eat at with a great location. Along with their signature dish, Garlic Chicken, they also serve a lot of local favorites along with breakfast! I recommend everyone to try Sugoi when they have time on their hands.

Oh, as a little delight for readers, i provide a video of my friend on Cheap Eats while eating at Sugoi. I was actually there too and got them to tape my friend Aaron. Enjoy! Click here for video

Sugoi Bento and Catering
1286 Kalani St. #B-106
Phone: (808) 841-7984

Monday - Thursday: 8AM - 3PM
Friday - Saturday: 8AM - 5PM
Sunday: Catering Only!

Taste: 4.5
Appearance: 4
Location: 4.5
Value: 4
Overall: 4.25
*Based on a 5 point scoring system with 1 being Not So Good and 5 being Great*]

-Chef B
*PS* Credit given to tastyisland for first picture.