The Adventures of Tin-Tin

Honolulu, HI--Side Street Inn

We had dinner here on our last night in Honolulu. Even though my digestive system was dying from all the fatty greasy food I was eating all week, I had to save some room for the famous fried pork chops and fried rice at Side Street Inn. Roy Yamaguchi (Roy's) celebrated his birthday here and it's famous for being a local spors bar where celebrity chefs hang out. That being said, how bad could it be?

The fried pork chops were simple but so juicy and crispy. And the fried rice had some dashi, green onions, char siu and bits of linguica. It was very tasty and unlike any fried rice I have ever had. This was some serious Asian-style comfort food. All that was missing was a fried egg but I didn't mind. I had enough cholesterol issues that night.

I heard the mother of the owner (Colin Nishida) still makes the wontons by hand. These were actually my favorite that night. Served with a little hot mustard which I mixed with some soy sauce, I couldn't get enough.

Then when we got home, the Hawaii episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations featured Side Street Inn. I had no idea they had so many different types of food there! I missed out and went straight for the fried food. Apparently they have all sorts of Chinese food, fried chicken and other tasty treats. I think I just looked at the menu and zeroed in on the pork chops and fried rice (and fried wontons). I will definitely be back for more.

SIDE STREET INN

1225 Hopaka St
Honolulu, HI 96814

(808) 591-0253   

Honolulu, HI--3660 on the Rise

I had heard so many good things about Chef Russell Siu and his innovative use of local ingredients at 3660 on the Rise.  One of my favorite dishes was the ahi katsu. Wrapped in nori, deep-fried and served with a wasabi gingery buttery sauce--the dish incorporated very familiar Asian flavors but in combinations and textures I had never experienced before.

One of the other treats of the night was an entree which had a trio of chicken, filet mignon, and maybe more ahi? I can't remember. What I do remember is that I LOVED IT!

This was one of the more memorable meals of my life. I get so dramatic sometimes... :)

3660 on the Rise

3660 Waialae Ave Frnt
Honolulu, HI 96816

(808) 737-1177   

Honolulu, HI--Beard Papa

I used to feel compelled to go to a McDonald's whenever I was travelling far from home. It was cool to see what was the same and what was different. I don't go to McDonald's that much anymore, but I couldn't really pass up trying the breakfast sandwiches at Beard Papa. Sure, we have a couple Beard Papas in the Bay Area, but I don't think any of them have sandwiches.

We tried the portuguese sausage sandwich and the bacon sandwich as well. I think they forgot to heat up the sausage sandwich because the cheese was cold. :( The bacon sandwich was excellent though. It was like a crossaint sandwich.

They also had egg salad, chicken and some other sandwiches and snacks. The classic vanilla cream puff remains my favorite.

Beard Papa

227 Lewers St., Suite 126

Honolulu, HI, 96815

(808) 926-8247

 

Honolulu, HI--Eggs N' Things

J and I recently made a trip to Honolulu to scope out the ceremony and reception venues. While we were there, we made sure to stop by some foodie haunts. One of our first stops was Eggs N' Things. This place is super popular...especially with Japanese tourists. I had pancakes on my mind...

And I got em! The banana pancakes were sooo tasty and fluffy. I was humming Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes song the entire time.

They had an assortment of tropical syrups. My favorite was the coconut.

We also tried their omelettes--which you can get with a side of rice. I didn't order vienna sausages, spam or corned beef hash but I saw that others did. Hawaii is so filipino friendly! :)

Eggs n Things

1911 Kalakaua Ave

Honolulu, HI, 96815

(808) 949-0820

   

The Gourmet Ghetto

Today we had a mini-adventure through Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto--a little piece of Shattuck Avenue that has some really fantastic places to eat.

Our first stop was The Cheeseboard Collective. I was a bit intimidated by all the people waiting for cheese. Everyone seemed to know what they wanted and how they were going to get it. I knew neither.

After frequenting their sister bakery, Arizmendi, I figured the pizza was somewhere behind the counter. I was so wrong! It was in a different storefront a few feet down the street. The pizzas were already hot and ready since they only make one kind of pizza per day. Today's pizza was pistachio, roasted cauliflower, roasted onions, mozzarella onions, montalban cheese, garlic olive oil and Italian parsley. I figured a vegetarian pizza would be tasty, but this one blew my mind. Maybe it was the montalban cheese...maybe it was the pistachios.

We also went to Poulet, a French deli. I needed some ice cream because my throat hurt so I bought a tiny serving of Hagen Daz. Then the bread pudding caught my eye. The bread pudding was eggy and sweet. Some parts tasted caramelly almost like a cannele! I loved it.

We did not order chicken at Poulet even though this place is chicken-themed (and probably famous for chicken)--the main reason being that we were still stuffed from the bacon cheeseburger we shared at Barney's down the street. They use Niman Ranch beef, if that means anything to you. I don't always notice the difference, but here I could tell the beef tasted beefy. And the bacon...Oh bacon--glorious bacon!

On the way back to our car, I decided to get some cheese at the Cheeseboard. Afterall, that is what they are famous for, right? I picked up a card from the counter (you don't take a number to be waited on, you take a playing card) and I got a joker. SWEET! I was next because jokers just show their card to the clerk and cut in front of everyone. I waited patiently for someone to finish waiting on their customers (I estimated about 20 people packed in that tiny space vying for some attention from the cheesemongers). Then I said "HELLO! I GOT A JOKER!!!!" The lady behind the counter who heard me seemed more excited that I did when she yelled "YAY! We got a joker!!!" It was the yellowy nasty looking playing card if you're wondering.

After watching Ratatouille I had to try the mimolette which I saw scribbled on the big chalkboard. The lady scurried around checking every shelf and all the fridges. She asked me how I heard about it and I said "The rat in that Disney movie 'Ratatouille' mentioned it and I saw it on the board." She smirked.

Mimollete tastes like a very strong nutty parmesan but looks like a canteloupe.

I also asked for a camembert. I did not know what I was in for. They had several kinds and she let me try them all! I love that woman. The first one was mild but had a strange after taste. The second one I liked much more because it was pungent but the after taste was much more pleasant. The third one smacked me in the mouth and said "take that! WHIIEEEEFFF" and i could taste it the rest of the day. I opted for the second one which was nice and gooey.

The nice lady at the Cheeseboard gave me the box for the camembert, too. Me loves cheese acoutrements.

 

Arcadia--Michael Mina's Modern American Steakhouse

A little over a year ago, J proposed to me at Limon in San Francisco. To celebrate the anniversary of our engagement, we decided to stay closer to home and have dinner at Michael Mina's restaurant in San Jose--Arcadia. I don't have pictures because I am an idiot and I hardly ever bring my camera with me anymore so words will have to suffice.

We shared the foie gras sliders (extravagant!). J ordered a 20 oz cowboy ribeye steak with classic whipped potatoes and creamed spinach (actually only ordered the spinach but the whipped potatoes were a happy accident). And I had the lobster pot pie in a truffle cream sauce. I had to! Even though I have never seen pot pie go for over $60, I believe it was worth every dollar. It was soooooo wonderful. The pastry was so buttery and crisp and the lobster was tender and sweet. The truffle cream sauce wasn't too overpowering the way some truffle sauces can be. The presentation is part of the fun. Our waiter brought out the copper pot with the pastry top and started arranging the lobster, but he noticed the lobster needed a few more minutes so he plated it in the back. I first saw them plating the lobster pot pie on Giada's Weekend Getaways when she went to Michael Mina's restaurant in San Francisco. Somebody actually videotaped the lobster pot pie being plated...

For dessert we had the napoleon creme brulee with a strawberry gelee and almond cake.

Last time we went there, we shared a squash/pumpkin bisque, lobster corn dogs with creme fraiche, a whole fried chicken with truffled mac and cheese and some really awesome fresh bread (a trio of olive, sourdough and mini-french baguette).

Pittsburgh, PA--the Food!!!

I've neglected my blog. Yes, it's true. But I had good reason. Besides the usual excuses about work being hectic, I went to Pittsburgh, PA for six days to meet my future in-laws and see what/who made my J who he is today.

 

We got to try the famous Primanti Bros sandwich. It is made with super light and fluffy Italian bread--a staple it seems in these parts. And yes, that is a fat stack of french fries and coleslaw in that cheesesteak sandwich. It is the #2 most popular thing on the menu!

The #1 thing on the menu is beer...

Another famous sandwich I had was Wholey's fish sandwich. J said he got to eat these sandwiches as a youngster...

Simple yet so good. Crispy fried fish filets, soft bread and lots of tartar sauce.

The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company was a foodie find if I ever saw one. Look at all that cheese!

The highlight of the trip for me was having some authentic pierogies. Pierogies Plus was featured on Food Nation with Bobby Flay and is famous in the area. It was so hard to find but so worth the trouble!

It may not look like much in this picture, but these were the best potato cheese pierogies I have ever had in my life! They were smothered in butter and soft sweet onions.

 

I had a lot of fun but I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of Pittsburgh's foodie scene.

Mission Pie

While we were working our way through Carnival last Sunday, we passed by Mission Pie. J had heard so many good things about Mission Pie on Yelp that we had to stop by before we left. I was a little skeptical because I had been so disappointed with another pie shop in San Francisco. But Mission Pie proved me wrong! Still stuffed from our brunch at Foreign Cinema, we took a bunch of pies home.

We had the strawberry gallette which tasted like an ultra-luxurious Nutri-Grain bar.

We also tried a slice of sweet potato pie which was topped with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream. This was heavenly. Not too sweet and it reminded me of Christmas the way so many tasty foods do.

The walnut tartlets were also very good. I have only had pecan pie before so I thought walnuts would be weird but they weren't at all.

Also on the menu was Mystipies' Chicken and Mushroom Pie. I think it was the best version of chicken pot pie I had ever had. The filling was creamy and flavorful while the crust was perfectly flaky and tender at the same time. It's South African cooking, which I still don't know anything about. At this point, all I know is that I need more Mystipies.

I wish I took time out to take a picture of the filling, but honestly the minute it came out of the oven I devoured it.

 

I can't talk about Mission Pie without mentioning Pie Ranch, the non-profit organization that teaches urbanites about food, agriculture and sustainability. It makes me feel good that by having Mission Pie around, the community is gaining something other than weight.

MISSION PIE

2901 Mission St
(between 25th St & 26th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 282-1500

www.pieranch.org 

Brunch at Foreign Cinema

J took me to Foreign Cinema in San Francisco for brunch last Sunday to celebrate. According to San Francisco magazine, this is where Chez Panisse has their annual holiday party. It's also always voted best outdoor dining because you can sit outside and watch old movies while you have dinner. That day was cold and so we opted to sit inside. After maneuvering through the Mission District's Carnival parade, we finally got to the restaurant. All the chaos going on outside just made me appreciate the calm cool bustle of the restaurant. To make a long story short, the food was great. The omelette was PERFECT. The Dungeness Crab Croque Monsieur will blow your mind. And the granitas were a refreshing end to a very rich and flavorful meal.

Clockwise starting from the top left: coffee and bread; a miyagi and a kumamota oyster from Point Reyes; a mimosa, Champagne omelette with golden chanterelles, crème fraiche, fontina, crispy potatoes; a bloody mary; Dungeness crab Croque Monsieur; blood orange and pineapple granitas; asparagus frittata.

I hope to return for dinner someday on a warm night, but I do have to be realistic. Mark Twain once wrote: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." I am willing to bet that he was in the Sunset district.

FOREIGN CINEMA

2534 Mission Street
(between 21st St & 22nd St)
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 367-4432

www.foreigncinema.com

Dinner at Bouchon in the Napa Valley

J surprised me Sunday morning with reservations that night at Bouchon, the bistro created by Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame. I was very excited to go since I had never been to Napa and I had also never eaten at a Thomas Keller restaurant. It is said that he wanted Bouchon to be the place he could go to after cooking at the French Laundry all day. Bouchon was also listed as one of America's Top Tables of 1999 by Gourmet Magazine. Pretty impressive, so we had high expectations.

FYI, there is also a Bouchon Cookbook but I haven't had the chance to thumb through it because it is pretty hefty and at most bookstores it is bound in plastic. Hmph!

The cookbook may look snooty, but the restaurant itself is very casual. There were many people dining around us in shorts and sandals. I like that the walls were dark and had that classic brasserie look. The bar looked very interesting, but we came for the food.

For starters, we got the Beignets de Brandade de Morue which is cod with tomato confit and fried sage. It was delicious! The outside was crisp and light and served as the perfect foil to the inside which was smooth and savory. The tomato confit also added another level of flavor since it was sweet and tart like a slow roasted tomato. Fried sage is always awesome.

 

I ordered the Croque Madame, which was described as a toasted ham and cheese sandwich on brioche with a fried egg and mornay sauce. It was served with a massive pile of french fries. The croque monsieur (croque madame without an egg) is probably my favorite sandwich in the whole world. I am very particular about how I like it (lots of melted gruyere on top and throughout, thick bechamel and thin sliced ham on sliced white bread). I had never ordered a croque madame at a restaurant and this was different than what I expected. Definitely more elegant. And every bite was buttery and delicious. I especially appreciated the amount of butter they put on the brioche. Thanks, guys! How'd you know I love butter?

J ordered the Steak Frites which was described as a pan-seared flat-iron steak with maitre d'hotel butter and french fries. It was fantastic. I had never had a flat-iron steak that was so thick and juicy. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn it was filet mignon. The steak was topped with a mixture of sweet roasted shallots/onions and then a huge pat of herbed butter. Toppling over the steak was an even bigger mountain of french fries.

And if that wasn't enough, we wanted to try the Macaroni au Gratin. It was just as I expected--creamy, rich and satisfying especially with the crunchy topping.

Then for dessert we split the pot de creme which was butterscotch flavored that day. It was so light and rich at the same time if you know what I mean. I could've eaten that dessert forever.

All in all, I really enjoyed my experience at Bouchon. I was looking forward to trying the Boudin Noir after looking at the online menu, but it wasn't on the regular menu that day. Also, sitting from our table we didn't see that it was one of the specials. On top of that, the waitress didn't mention it. Hmph! Well, I guess I will have to go back and try it next time.

BOUCHON

6534 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-8037

www.bouchonbistro.com

 

We also stopped by Bouchon's bakery before dinner.

I highly recommend the caramel macarons, the chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate bouchons, the cheese danish and the chocolate creme cookie. Not that I actually ate all of that in one sitting. Ahem.

BOUCHON BAKERY

6540 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-1565   

Here's an interesting tidbit: Have you ever seen the movie "Spanglish" starring Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni and Penelope Cruz? Adam Sandler's celebrity-chef character is based on Thomas Keller. On the DVD, Thomas Keller gives the recipe for his "Perfect Sandwich" which Adam Sandler makes in the movie. I made it and I have to say it really is the perfect sandwich--especially if you like eggs the way I do.