SF 2k8, Day 4: Lunch – Honu’s Island Grinds & Bar

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