Category Archives: Foodie Finds

Kauai Pasta, Best Italian Restaurant on Kauai

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

 

Fettuccine Alfredo w/ A’akukui Ranch beef meatballs & Foccacia bread

Steve accidently discovered Kauai Pasta  in Lihue one day while he was driving around, killing time before a seminar.  This quaint, modern bistro is oddly placed off the Kuhio Hwy next to random businesses and local eateries and can be easily missed. 

The food here is unexpectedly excellent! Kauai Pasta uses fresh quality ingredients, sauces, dressings, and desserts are made daily, and the menu is diverse and affordable. 

The next time Steve and I went to Kauai we headed directly to Kauai Pasta right from the airport to grab lunch.  The lunch menu serves Italian inspired appetizers, salads, paninis, and pasta.  Check out photos from our lunch and try not to drool!

 

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Posted in Best Of, Foodie Finds, For the Foodies

Nachos, Shogunai Tacos Style

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

photo courtesy of www.shogunaitacos.com

I can always depend on a food truck to be in the Ward Avenue area parked right next to Sports Authority during the weekday lunch hour for my hunger pains, and one Monday around 12:30 pm was no exception.  Shogunai Tacos truck was parked there that particular day, and after hearing some great reviews on the truck I was excited to sample their food.  On the starving side, I quickly scanned their short menu of fusion tacos, but my eyes honed in on the Shogunai Nachos. 

After a couple minutes of waiting, a generous portion of crunchy homemade chips, shredded pork, tomatoes, olives, jalepenos, cheese, and sour cream was given to me for about $7.  My eyes popped open by the size and volume of the mass of nachos, and I proceeded to my car for a chow-fest. 

Overall, the nachos were dynamite! The combination of all the decadent ingredients made for one nice bowl of goodness.  The pork was a little on the salty side and the chips were a bit greasy, but it’s technically junk food, so guess I can’t complain right? For about $7, I think that this was an awesome deal! I would definitely order it again, but maybe share it, so I don’t go have to go immediately to the gym and work out from the calorie over load.

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Posted in Foodie Finds, For the Foodies

The Red Velvet Pancakes at Cinnamon’s Restaurant

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

Cinnamon’s Restaurant in Kailua has been around since 1985 serving wholesome breakfast and lunch.  I finally made it their after hearing over and over again that their RED VELVET PANCAKES were to die for. 

My first trip to Cinnamon’s was a pleasant one.  I wasn’t too impressed with the old fashioned decor and old furniture in the dining area, but the extremely perky and friendly waitress made up for it.  My mom and I ordered a Veggie Eggs Benedict ($12.25) and an order of 2 Red Velvet Pancakes ($6.25) to share. 

We were very hungry for our late breakfast and didn’t have any trouble finishing both plates.  The Veggie Benedict was an average tasting dish and a little on the pricey side for the amount of food on the plate.  The dish wasn’t much to brag about, and the hash browns were on the dry side.  I probably wouldn’t order that dish again.

However, the main event: moist, fluffy, delicious Red Velvet Pancakes covered in frosting did not disappoint! I do love red velvet cake, and these pancakes are basically a really good red velvet cake in the form of a short stack.  I now understand what the hype was all about and will definitely be returning for another stack.

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Posted in Foodie Finds, For the Foodies

The Hottest Salsa on Oahu is at El Palenque

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

In my opinion, El Palenque in Wahiawa has some of the best Mexican food on the island.  The food there is truly authentic Mexican and everything I’ve tried is delicious.  They have the tastiest Spanish rice, wonderfully juicy meats, amazing sauces, and the hottest salsa ever!

El Palenque's Salsa

Holy chillies! When you order your meal in house you will get a complimentary basket of chips and the hottest salsa you will ever eat! This salsa is lined with jalapenos and other chillies.  This will make spicy lovers celebrate and mild lovers cry.  The salsa is super fresh and a little goes a long way.  I love to eat it with my meal in tiny bites while I blot the sweat off my forehead. 

The only downfall about El Palenque is the restaurant is only 6 tiny tables and has sub-par ambience, and when I say ambience I am referring to their dirty looking walls, floors, old furniture, dozens of snap shot photos of patrons, and bad Mexican decor on the walls.  Despite the atmosphere, anytime I am in the Wahiawa area you will find me sitting at one of those iffy tables or grabbing some take-out.  More reviews on El Palenque’s food to come…

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Posted in Foodie Finds, For the Foodies

Photos from Far Niente Wine Tour September 2011

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Taryn Wong
Napa

This gallery contains 15 photos.

We were fortunate to visit Napa Valley this fall and take a tour of the Nickel and Nickel winery Far Niente.  This tour was very special with only a few people on the tour, a vintage car collection, organic garden, and … Continue reading →

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Garlic Lovers, Next Stop Keeaumoku Supermarket

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

I am a garlic lover and put fresh garlic in every dish I cook.  I recently learned a little garlic secret (well not so secret),  PEELED GARLIC!!  I was getting my Korean cold noodle fix the other day and afterwards wandered into Keeaumoku Supermarket and stumbled upon a huge bag of fresh peeled garlic for just under $3!  I was in awe because just one bulb of garlic at the grocery store can run you about $2. 

I know you can buy peeled garlic by the tubs at Costco, but the produce at Costco isn’t as fresh as I would sometimes like it to be, and the peeled garlic in Chinatown, Don Quijote, and little Korean markets like Keeaumoku Supermarket is a lot better.

I was very impressed by Keeaumoku Supermarket’s huge bag, which looked like about 6 huge bulbs of garlic.  The garlic cloves were super fresh and cooking with the peeled cloves made life so much easier.  Calling all garlic lovers, please don’t ever peel your own garlic again or over pay for unpeeled bulbs at the regular grocery store!!

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Posted in Around Town, Foodie Finds, For the Foodies, Hidden Gems

Kualoa Ranch Now Sells Grass-Fed Beef

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Taryn Wong| 1 Comment

Lately, I’ve been buying grass-fed beef when possible and just found out that Kualoa Ranch sells 100% grass-fed beef.  This is awesome because Kualoa is only about 10 minutes away from my house, we get to eat a healthier product, and also help support this local east side ranch. 

Photo courtesy of www.kualoa.com

 Kualoa Ranch cattle are raised on a 4,000 acre property and free to roam a 1,500 acre pasture.  The herd is primarily made up of a cross between Angus, Brangus, and Hereford stock. The grass-fed cattle produces leaner cuts of meat, which is lower in fat.  The production process takes place completely in Hawai’i. The cattle are slaughtered at an FDA inspected slaughterhouse in Campbell Industrial Park and processed at Wong’s Meat Market.

To buy some meat, all you have to do is stop by Kualoa Ranch’s restaurant.  Kualoa offers ribeye, t-bone, teri beef, and ground beef.  The meat is available on a first come first serve basis.  You can even go online ahead of time and reserve your meat. 

The last time I went to Kualoa I picked up a portion of ground beef, sold in a 2 pound pack for only $8.00.  This price is cheaper than the grass-fed ground beef that I buy at Safeway or Costco.  In the past couple weeks I made two great batches of Bolognese sauce and have to say I loved the quality and taste of the meat.  Grass-fed does have less fat and can be on the tougher side, but a with the help of a longer simmer, my meat sauce was tender and delicious. 

The next time I take the beagles to Kualoa park, I will be stopping by the Ranch to see what other cuts of beef are available for me to buy.  It’s nice to see ”fresh farm, direct to customer” beef is available in my neighborhood.

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Posted in Around Town, Foodie Finds, For the Foodies, Hidden Gems

Hash House A Go Go, Las Vegas

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Taryn Wong| Leave a comment

Sage Fried Chicken Benedict, photo courtesy of www.hashhouseagogo.com

Next time you visit Las Vegas you have to try my favorite breakfast place Hash House A Go Go. I’ve been there only two times for breakfast, but I can’t wait to go back. HHAGG is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner and has three locations in Las Vegas and one location in San Diego, California.

Famous for it’s “twisted” gourmet comfort food and enormous portions, HHAGG is unlike any restaurant I have ever been to. HHAGG has won countless food awards and even appeared on Food Network’s Man vs. Food. Not only is their food ridiculously good, but they believe in excitement, entertainment, and excellent service in their dining experience. Last time I was there the staff was dressed in “roaring 1920′s” outfits and there was a Dj near the entrance playing mainstream house music that was piped through out the restaurant, all this at 10:30 am.

The breakfast and brunch menu is a mix of breakfast favorites like egg dishes, pancakes/waffles, bacon, along with burgers, quesadillas, salads, fried chicken, and meatloaf. Each dish is enough for two or three, made with quality ingredients, and is a one of a kind dish that will keep you coming back again and again.

For example, dishes like the Favorite Scramble with house smoked salmon, basil pesto, fresh tomato and melted brie cheese served with mashed potatoes or crispy potatoes and a biscuit, the Sage Fried Chicken stacked with famous bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks, or the Griddled HH meatloaf & 2 eggs served with mashed potatoes, fruit & biscuit.

The only bad thing about coming here is it’s so damn hard to figure out what to order! Last time Steve and I were there we ordered the Farm Benedict, Andy’s sage fried chicken w/ fresh spinach, hardwood smoked bacon, market tomato, griddled mozzarella, chipotle cream and scrambled eggs atop a huge split biscuit and mashed potatoes ($15.95). If that wasn’t enough we got a Chocolate snickers bread pudding ($8.95) that was the size of the log of firewood!

The standouts on the plate were the TWO fried chicken breasts with an extra crispy coating, soft and homemade biscuits, and chipotle cream sauce that weakened my knees. The combination of above on the my plate was literally the best thing to hit my tongue. The Chocolate bread pudding was chocolate lover’s heaven. The homemade bread pudding was served with a huge portion of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate sauce.

HHAGG will be a regular stop for me and Steve during our Las Vegas visits. For those who are staying on the Las Vegas strip HHAGG just opened a new location in the Imperial Palace. HHAGG is for big eaters only, so dieters stay clear. I can’t wait to go back and try another fabulous dish. To check out their menu, pictures, and locations visit HHAGG online.

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Posted in Foodie Finds, For the Foodies, Jet Setting, The U.S. of A.