Even though I’d requested the small portion, this was still a pretty well-packed container.  (What I’d ordered last time isn’t offered in the small platter size unfortunately!) 

Close up of the chicken.  The chicken was very tender, soft, succulent, eliminating any fears of dryness I’d had before ordering.  However, it was slightly mildly flavored, a bit more kick would have been nice… to be honest, it tasted like soy sauce with a touch of sweetness added (not honey… but a sweetener, perhaps sugar? maybe maple syrup?).  Not that big of a deal and for sure something I can easily make at home. 

Yvo says: I still like L&L and will be back from time to time to try the other Hawaiian offerings!
recommended

© Feisty Foodie for The Feisty Foodie, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

L&L has been on my to-try list for ages, but let’s face it – if there’s anything you should have realized about me & this blog by now, it’s that restaurants get put on that list and stay there practically forever unless a friend wants to eat there.  (This is mostly because despite what people may think… I really don’t go out to eat often at all, and I don’t spend a lot of my paycheck, especially on eating out.  Yeah, I know!  I just don’t.)  Most of the places I visit are with friends – eating is a social activity – nay, the social activity in which I engage on a regular basis.  Anyway, because I recently sort of stopped bentoing (and my wallet FEELS it badly…) – school was kicking my butt and whatnot – I found myself Tweeting for lunch recommendations in the Financial District.  (I know, I said I wouldn’t give into the trend, but you know what? So many food-media-moguls/respected icons Tweet, it’s like, I just want to follow them so I know what they’re eating!)  Luckily, hebrewschool responded “What about L&L?” and that was it for me.  Hawaiian food, which is still relatively new to me, in Manhattan?  ‘k! 

(My first and only experience with this type of Hawaiian food before)

I had to order spam musubi just to see how good it was!

Freshly made, which was a nice touch, but the rice seemed a bit too hot as it was hard to hold and was quickly softening the seaweed.  So I ate it fast.  It was good!!! a teensy bit too much rice (because I’m not keen on rice, though), but the spam was nicely fried and had a good amount of sauce to flavor everything.  Mmm, I could go for another one of these right now.  (I think this was $1.30?)

Next up, my plate lunch of kalua pork ($7.99) with two scoops of rice, a scoop of mac salad (see next pic), and salad.  I overheard someone after me asking for two scoops of mac salad instead of two scoops of rice, and wished I’d thought to ask the same.  Except… well, once I started eating this deliciously soft meat, I realized that delicious and soft it was, but a touch too salty… even for me.  (I tend to like things salty/aggressively seasoned.)  It was yummy, but I found myself eating way more rice than I normally do. 

There’s the mac salad!  It was really good.  Mmm, yummy mac goodness.  But look at all that food!  There’s no way I could finish it all, that’s a monster pile of meat (yes, that’s all meat, there wasn’t anything buoying it up or anything).  So I ate all the salads (green and mac), a little less than half the rice, maybe 1/4 of the meat? 1/3? and packed it all into the container the spam musubi came in – I could barely close it, that’s how much I still had.  Pretty ridiculous for like $8something (including tax).  I went up to the counter to get a plastic bag, and I didn’t even have to ask, she saw me and knew.  That was really cool and psychic of her. 

(Also, I wound up taking the leftovers, heating them up in a skillet, adding some frozen corn [because that's what I had, I would have added mixed veggies if I hadn't just finished them] and scrambling some eggs into the middle, for a kalua-pork-fried-rice.  It was delicious and I even put it into bento.  I think this stretched to three meals for me, and I’m not exactly a light eater.)

Yvo says: I’m really glad this is a bit of a walk for me from work, else I would find myself here all the time, pigging out on the deliciously soft kalua pork, adding on some spam musubis and chowing down.  The prices are extremely reasonable, even more so given the quantity of food they give you.  Yeah, it was a lil salty, but the rice fixes that up, and I’m totally eager to go back and try other things on the menu. 
recommended

© Feisty Foodie for The Feisty Foodie, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: BBQ, Cheap Eats, Pork

You should all know about my bento obsession.  Maybe you think it’s just another food blog for me to show off what I’m eating.  But I assure you, a good $500 on bentos, accessories, food items, etc. later, this isn’t just a whim.  This is a lifestyle choice that I’ve made and have been adhering to for over a year.  I am happy to say that most of the weight I’ve lost has stayed off (although ummm the past 2 weeks of eating has caught up and I’ve gained a couple back… damn it!), too!  Anyway, what’s this got to do with Honu’s Island Grinds & Bar?  EVERYTHING. 

See, I got into bento through a long convoluted story with its myriad reasons, which includes a bento blogger special to my heart, and special to pretty much anyone in the bento blog world.  BIGGIE.  Her site made bento so accessible to someone like me who does not have kids, has no interest in making chara-ben or bento with characters on it, or food art.  Someone who just wants a nutritious, delicious lunch every day and wants ideas on how to do those things or how to make them to the best of her ability instead of just packing random crap in a box.  It’s awesome and if you haven’t been, you should check it out, it’ll probably get you into bento, too. 

But enough fangirl gushing.  You still don’t know what Honu’s has to do with bento, Biggie, me.  Well, a few months ago, I’d commented on her site and mentioned I’d be in the Bay Area for a week.  I never imagined she’d email me and ask if I wanted to meet up and do a bento-shopping excursion!!!  I about fainted with shock and excitement.  Seriously.  I was giddy with delight and I went and told everyone who would even remotely understand what this meant to me that I was going to meet Biggie – and she had offered to show me around her regular bento haunts!!!  Ahhh so awesomely kind and cool of her. 

And so she did, and it was AWESOME.  I had a fantastic time and it was really great shopping with someone who knew so much about everything.  I was totally blown away by her fluent Japanese – reading package labels and explaining things to me, chatting with shop owners, and just her attention to detail, her knowledge of stores’ intimate details, it was truly amazing.  I rarely get to bento shop with anyone, especially in such wonderfully bento-packed stores, and to hear her expertise - to just be near it and absorb the way she thought as she examined things and the pros and cons of each bento… well, it was really damn cool.

So seriously now, enough with the gushing (and if you really want more details on our shopping trip, feel free to email me to ask; I didn’t take that many pictures and don’t plan on really reviewing any of the places we went, though I did review Kukje in a different capacity last year).  Of course, shopping makes me hungry, and as a thank you to Biggie for the most excellent day of shopping, I took her out for lunch.  Sort of.  I mean, she helped pick the place because I wasn’t that familiar with the area – I have places I like, but then I wanted to try something new, too.  After a lot of debate, we wound up at Honu’s, a Hawaiian place in Japantown (our last shopping stop).  I’d never had Hawaiian before.

***this is half each of one order of Spam musubi and Kimchi Spam musubi

I also never had Spam musubi before, so it was quickly decided we would split two orders - one of regular Spam musubi ($2.50), and one of Spam-chee musubi (kimchi Spam musubi, $3.50).  I was really excited to try this because so many people talk about it, I wondered if I would indeed like it.  (Ok, that’s a lie.  I was pretty sure I’d like it, even though I was hesitant over Spam, because the flavors described – glazing the Spam with a teriyaki-like sauce?, a meaty chewy Spam piece, possibly vinegary sushi rice as a foil to the salty-sweetness of the other ingredients, and nori to hold it all together?… it totally sounds like something I like.)  I guess I wondered more if I could get over it being Spam and enjoy it.  (That’s a stupid question.  I eat lots of things that I’m not really keen on what they actually are, and wind up enjoying them.  HAHAHAHA I’m a pig and an idiot!)

I first tried the regular Spam musubi.  The Spam itself was intensely flavored, meaty, dense and springy, with a good teriyaki flavor to it and a bit of a counter with the furikake sprinkled within.  The seaweed wasn’t crispy, but easily bitten through (which, to me, was a good thing), but the plain rice was super mushy and a bit disappointing.  I admit, however, that the rice didn’t really strike a chord with me as it did with Biggie, who told me (after I’d tried it and had formed my own opinion, so as not to sway me) that it was horribly distracting.  I think she actually felt somewhat responsible that my first Spam musubi experience wasn’t the best possible, but not to worry, I found it really quite tasty and unlike anything I’ve eaten before.  I decided that as good as I thought it was with the bad rice (and there was a LOT of rice), I would probably adore this if it was made properly.  Win! 

I’m not a huge fan of kimchi, usually it’s too spicy for me, though this was tempered by the bland/mushy/plain rice.  The kimchi was alright with the Spam, but I am pretty sure I’d prefer plain Spam musubi for now.  Until I get tired of it, that is.  There was so much rice in the total of one musubi, I think I could have made an entire meal out of just one musubi – I wound up picking out the Spam meat to just eat and leaving half the rice of the half there =X  Hope Biggie wasn’t too grossed out, it’s a bad habit of mine to only eat the protein portion of anything when I’m getting full.

Brilliant and kind she is, for Biggie offered wisely, so that I might sample a wider variety of Hawaiian food, to split everything we ordered in half.  AWESOME.  This first dish is their Guava Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken, $8.95. 

Close up of the chicken.  Unfortunately, we both agreed this dish was a bit overcooked and dry, despite it being dark meat.  The sauce was very flavorful, but not much of it had penetrated the meat.  I wonder if it had been freshly cooked, would it have been tastier?  Very unfortunate because the menu’s description (click on above picture for larger view) sounded absolutely scrumptious.  In fact, I might try to make this myself sometime! 

Kalua pig and cabbage ($9.95).  I was so happy when this arrived to see that it was similar to pulled pork in appearance, but without BBQ sauce.  You know how much I love pulled pork right? 

Oh my gosh, I am in love.  This might replace BBQ pulled pork as my favorite pork ever.  Nahhh, who am I kidding, I love BBQ too much for that.  But the succulence, the tenderness and the absolute juiciness of this dish was out of this world.  Of course, if you look closely, a large part of that is due to the FAT glistening and coating each piece of pork, but I am going to pretend it’s the natural moisture from the cabbage that’s doing that.  But my gosh, each forkful just melted in my mouth, my eager and fat mouth just waiting to stuff more into my pie hole… Holy deliciousness Batman!  Where have you been all my life?!  *swoon*  (Thankfully, I’ve always known there was a Hawaiian place near my office, but never went… so now I have a total reason to go… I can only hope their version is as good as or better than this one!)  I can’t get over how delicately flavored this was yet not bland, how soft and incredible.  This isn’t good for my waistline!  Well, the Hawaiian place “near” my office is still a 20 minute walk, so I think I may survive this.  Maybe.

I didn’t touch the rice on the plate, knowing it was the same mushy rice.  Plus, I’m just not a super carbs person… although if you mix them with mayo, I’m usually all over that like white on rice.  No wait, mayo on macaroni… or potatoes.  Interestingly, the “salad” with our plate lunches was macaroni potato salad, though I didn’t see nor taste much potato.  It was alright, nothing too special that I remember it much. 

Yvo says: Haha, next year, when I’m back in the area and once again bento-stalking, I mean, shopping, I would almost certainly enjoy coming back here (there are a lot of restaurants in the area, and there is a high possibility I’d rather take a risk and try something new versus eating something I’ve already had; that’s just how I am, I love trying new things).  The service was friendly, the place was very casual and laid-back, and it wasn’t crowded at all around 1pm when we went.  The prices aren’t bad, either (total cost, with a generous tip, came to $40, for the above food plus two diet Cokes).  An excellent introduction to Hawaiian food.  Thanks again, Biggie!!! (And I’m totally going to try to make that pork at home myself if I can’t find a good version.)
recommended

SF 2k8, previously:
Bi-Rite Creamery
King of Thai Noodle House
House of Prime Rib
New Asia
Ghirardelli Square
In-n-Out
The Country Way
Joe’s Cable Car

© Feisty Foodie for The Feisty Foodie, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chicken, Pork

Since I’ve reviewed this place so many times before, I’m just going to share pictures of the dishes and general comments quickly. 

My coworker’s dim sum sampler – lobster potsticker (which he liked a lot), seared ahi tuna, and Hawaiian rib

My other coworker, Debbie Downer, wound up ordering everything I did.  Quote “This way, you see, I don’t have to wait for Yvo to take pictures before I eat!!  Brilliant”!  (She was joking, but still a very valid point…)
Mongolian BBQ chicken salad – very tasty, a lot of food (the picture belies the height of the dish) and the pecans added a special something to the dish.

Orzo’s Macadamia nut crushed mahimahi, chive mashed potatoes with lobster butter and asparagus; though I’ve had this dish and quite enjoyed it (see other reviews), he wasn’t as pleased as I’d always been with it.

The dish I come to Roy’s for, over and over and over again… they change the accompaniments occasionally but it is always…
Misoyaki butterfish, this time with baby bokchoy, forbidden rice, and wasabi-ginger cream.
I love love love the softness of this fish (aka sablefish aka black cod), with the sweet soy glaze and then the salty burst of salmon roe… just absolutely wonderful.  Orzo was extremely jealous, especially after we gave him a bite to try.
DD “This is brilliant…”

banana something or other- Orzo ordered this to be different, and failed yet again to choose the best dish… (there were only two to choose from for dessert)

DD and I both got the financier “chocolate pound cake” and found this dish absolutely delightful.  The waiter explained that this was a finger food, we were meant to dip the cake into the accompanying chocolate sauce; the cake was dense, moist and just right for dipping in the chocolate.  Not that sweet but with a definite edge of sweetness- in fact, I think they may have brushed the outside with a sugar mixture and heated it, so it almost had a very light “shell” of sugar on the outside.  So good.

As always, highly recommended.  I really like this place.

© Feisty Foodie for The Feisty Foodie, 2007. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

My huge endorsement for Roy’s is that this is the 5th time I’ve been to any Roy’s nationwide, with a strong desire to go to the flagship, original in Hawaii as well.  My first time was in San Francisco, which marked the first time I’d had a molten chocolate lava cake (or a chocolate souffle, or a warm chocolate cake, whatever the heck you call it, it is the same: a chocolate cake in individual portion that when you break open, chocolate flows); the next three times were in NYC, twice for Summer Restaurant Week (the first time in 2004 for dinner, the second time in 2005 for lunch), and the fourth and final time was this year with my best friend, purposefully the week before Restaurant Week.

Basically, I don’t really need to tell you that I like this place, despite its status as, well, a chain.  The menu that changes daily and the super fresh fish regardless of where we’re eating (specifically, hello, ARIZONA, which is in the middle of a desert!!) endears this place to me.  (Insane girl that I am, I now need to make a trip to morimoto nyc (check the archives, there are three separate posts dedicated to this place and it’s only been open since February 06) because as my all time favorite restaurant, I can’t have been to another place more times!!!  Um.. anyway.)

I took a trip to Phoenix, AZ last week and before I left, I asked my closet-foodie boss if he had any recommendations.  To my surprise, he mentioned having gone to Roy’s while out there, and said he enjoyed it more than the Roy’s he’d been to in Hawaii (there are 3 or 4 Roy’s in Hawaii state- each on a different island, so it makes total sense).  This put Roy’s on my radar, especially since the day before, I’d been on Miss Beancurd’s site and she’d mentioned Roy’s in NYC as on her To-Eat list.

On top of which, I hadn’t been able to find too many interesting places to eat during my internet searches, so when we got there, I decided to chance it and go for Roy’s.  Why not?  Expense account dining is always fun!

Much to my surprise, there were three Roy’s listed under AZ- one in Phoenix (Desert Ridge), one in Chandler and one in Scottsdale.  A quick call to the concierge informed me that the Scottsdale location was closest, and a reservation for 7:30 was made.

A brief note: I wasn’t pleased when we arrived 5 minutes early for our reservation and made to wait at the bar for 15 minutes.  I had to get up and hunt down the hostess who cheerily informed me that she was just about to go get us.  Riiiight.  Then, at the end of our meal, we requested a cab be called (you can’t just hail taxis in Phoenix), and it took 45 minutes for them to realize the cab had picked up the wrong people so they needed to call another cab.  Oh well.  But now, on to the food pr0n!!!

crabcake appetizer: yummy as usual, though not the best ever, still very good. my dining companion said it was a bit too mushy for her liking, and not lump crabmeat, to her disappointment.

lobster potsticker: my dining companion’s choice.  it tasted like a seafood pancake/dumpling at dimsum, but not in a good way.  it was tasty, but not as good as the price might suggest.  order elsewhere instead, if you must.

tuna ahi poke: this was by far my favorite appetizer of the night and my first time having it.  basically just fresh tuna, chopped up and mixed with some avocado, maybe some other things, we ate it so quickly I couldn’t tell you exactly what went into it, though I know plenty of people who say this dish is easy and quick to make but impressive to behold.  the flying fish roe on top was a nice salty complement, and the wasabi touched sauce on the edges worked nicely but even plain, the whole dish was just delish.  my dining companion and I dogged this.  DEFINITELY order this when you go.  (and the chili glazed rock shrimp if they have it that day)

macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi with lobster butter sauce.  what can I say, my dining companion adores lobster.  this dish was, as expected, delicious and well-received (it’s a dish I recommend over and over again to whomever goes to Roy’s with me).

misoyaki butterfish: seriously, if you read my last review, I mention having this dish in a trio, smaller portion sized and how I’d go back to order the regular entree of it.  so I did.  and it was everything I remembered and better, since it was more.  I was not disappointed by the fish, though the veggies underneath were alright and the rice too sticky- too much water when they made it- but not major complaints.  I was very pleased with my entree.

Hawaiian upside-down pineapple cake: I would guess this dessert is MUCH better in Hawaii, where friends who’ve gone before have told me that fresh pineapple brings a whole new meaning to… fresh pineapple.  um. yeah.  the cake was good, warm and moist, delicious in its own right, though I couldn’t sample the toasted coconut sorbet properly (I’m allergic to coconut, and the server apologized profusely when she saw we didn’t eat it [she asked if it was alright] and I confessed my allergy; she said she would have brought us something else on the side if she’d known. she was SO NICE.).  I say all this despite not being fond of cooked/hot fruit, so take that as you will.  also- this dessert has not been on the menu when I’ve been at the Roy’s in NYC, but it also requires ordering at the start of dinner in order that the kitchen is given enough time to make it.



molten chocolate souffle with vanilla bean ice cream: their signature dessert, you must order this when you order your dinner so that it is prepared in time.  I think this is my favorite molten chocolate cake from all the restaurants.  it’s got the right amount of chocolate ooze, the right fluff/dense proportions and the ice cream always complements nicely.  the raspberry sauce doesn’t do anything for me (I’m also allergic to raspberries) but it’s something I have to order everytime I go to Roy’s.

Yvo says: Yeah, go here.  Don’t worry about the price because they’re not that bad.  If you do worry so much, here’s a 20% off your entire bill (except drinks/tax/tip) coupon.  I really like this place and its consistency; though I haven’t liked all of the food I’ve tried (the lobster potstickers weren’t exactly a hit with me, but they are what they are), they are very consistent with the quality, the ambiance is always nice, service is good and overall, it’s just a great restaurant.  It’s worth what you pay.
highly recommended

© Feisty Foodie for The Feisty Foodie, 2006. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: