Renee, where to next?

Everything I ate in Hawaii

Arriving in Hawaii felt surreal. Happiness was just exuding from me. I was so happy to not just be there but to see my friends after what felt like forever. Friends that share the same passions as you do are gems that should be cherished and I personally love all my friends dearly, just as much as I love food. For this trip I wasn’t seeking out locally made food as a priority. I wanted food you could eat any where that had local influences or locally sourced ingredients.

On arrival my friends and I scanned through a suggested list of restaurants our hotel concierge provided and we then made reservations. As the days progressed plans did change a bit and some reservations were changed or canceled, but the most important thing is that no matter what, we were never hungry on this trip. From hotel food to fast food chains to casual dining restaurants. We had a taste of it all.

My first night in Hawaii we visited a restaurant called Eating Place. Its located at the International Market Place and reservations can be booked on Google. This was my first and favorite dining experience of this trip. In all honesty I think our waiter created such a welcoming atmosphere that made us all feel relaxed and informed about what we could order. He explained different menu options and gave such great suggestions. His first recommendation was the pineapple martini, made with their local coconut rum and garnished with pineapples soaked in the same coconut rum. If I could have that martini again right this moment I would be elated. the flavors were really balanced. The rum was not overpowering and blended well with the accompanying flavors.

We ordered two starters to share among us, Chicken Spring Rolls and the Mongolian Baby Back Ribs. Like a lot of restaurants on the island Asian influenced meals and flavors were a common thread. The spring rolls were crispy and the filling had a great combination of vegetables and chicken, but the star of the show was the sauce that accompanied the rolls. It was tangy with a small hint of ginger and sweet. It left the best lingering taste on your lips after each bite. Now, let’s talk about those baby back ribs. All I can say is dripping in flavor and slid right of the bone tender. I think I liked those ribs just a little more than I liked my main course.

Next lets move on to our main course selections. I had the Plantation Lobster Pallea. I think I have become a pallea babe since I first had it at Bravo in Wuhan. If I see a seafood pallea on the menu it’s going to be hard to pass up I must say. This one however, had not only seafood but chorizo sausage. Hello, how could I turn that down? It was an immediate yes for me. The seasons complimented this meal in ways that made me think about when would I ever be able to make something this delectable for myself? I think I need a trip to Spain to try a pallea there to seal my existence as a true pallea babe. One thing to note though is that if you aren’t a person that likes your rice wet or on the softer side, this meal probably won’t give you all the feels it gave me.

My friends had the Mahi Mahi made how you like. The restaurant gives you the option to select a fish and have it prepared how you’d like with a sauce of your choice. She got the ginger vinaigrette and I must say that was the perfect pairing for the fish. I had a bite and the best part for me was the small bits of ginger that were included. The burst of flavor in the roof of your mouth and on your tongue really helped to bring out the flavors of the Mahi Mahi, which is generally light in flavor. Our other order was a steak accompanied with mashed potatoes and grilled smashed brussels sprouts. The sprouts had a good char and helped to balance out the creamy flavor of the mashed potatoes that complimented the steak well.

Our waiter returned after our main course to suggest dessert. All he had to say was cheesecake and I was ready to order. We all decided to order the blueberry cheesecake and share among the table. It came topped with a strawberry and a lemon sauce glazed on top. One thing I must commend this restaurant for is how they balance flavors. No one flavor was too overpowering, and this cheesecake was just that, balanced. It was creamy and not too sweet, with the tartness from the glaze pairing well with the sweetness of the cake and the slight bitterness you got from the Oreo crust. Yes, I loved and enjoyed this dessert and would definitely order it again.

Next we move on to a quick lunch I had at the Cheesecake Factory. Yes my dear people we had Cheesecake Factory while in Hawaii. After a day of shopping we were tired and hungry and it was right there. I had the smoke house burger, nothing too special or fancy. It did its job and satisfied my hunger. My friend ordered a Piña Colada that was served in pineapple and I just had to take a picture of it. When in Hawaii I guess you buy eccentric drinks that are on theme with the island. Just like all other Cheesecake Factories the portions were large and I could not finish my meal, but it was good I must admit. I enjoyed every bite.

On what was I think our fourth day we went on an island tour. Our lunch stop was at a local spot called Fuji’s Shrimp. Lunch was included in our tour fee and we received a menu to select from. I ordered the butter garlic shrimp, but they also had tempura shrimp, lemon pepper, spicy garlic and even a chicken option for those who don’t eat seafood and a vegetable noodle option for the vegetarians. My butter garlic shrimp was juicy and cooked perfectly. I ate every bite and thought to myself, Renee you did great selecting this from the menu. I was very pleased to say the least. At our last stop on the island tour we visited the Dole pineapple farm where we tried Dole whip for the first time and bought a garlic parmesan covered corn on the cob.

On my second night we made reservations for a restaurant called Herringbone, located in the same market place as Eating Place. We didn’t do starters here because we were not very hungry. We really just ordered our main course and was gifted some ‘gelato’ for dessert, because our waitress was so busy and not very attentive. The menu was limited because we arrived at about 9 p.m. Two of us ordered the Surf and Turf and one got the Potato Crusted Tuna.

To sum up this dining experience I would say I was disappointed. Maybe my selection was off for the night, I could have ordered something else. Nonetheless, my Surf and Turf was like a one note song, that lacked melody and tempo. The entire meal was just heavy. The beef was braised in the oven, so it wasn’t cooked to a preferred temperature. I also did’t like the cut of beef used at all. I don’t know the particular cut but it had a gelatinous part that ran through it and I didn’t like the texture of it at all. All the sauces on the plate were creamy or heavy in flavor and the same went for the mash that accompanied the protein. I didn’t finish the meal.

However, it seemed the Potato Crusted Tuna was a hit.It was paired with sautéed spinach and polenta. The polenta I was told was creamy and had hints of coconut milk and was flavored well with salt and pepper. It was also balanced out with a caper sauce with flavors of lemon and clarified butter. It’s safe to say I was jealous of this meal. But at least you will know to select the tuna if you ever visit Herringbone.

A meal at the beach is always a yes. Sun, sea, drinks and a meal? Yes, please. We drove to the Kailua beach where we dined at the Hua Tree beachfront restaurant. Though its connected to a hotel non-guests are allowed to dine as well. After being seated we ordered some drinks. I opted for a guava infused mimosa, perfect for the beach weather. Refreshing and light on the alcohol.

The star of the show was the Sesame Crusted Fish Sandwich I ordered. I am not generally one to order a fish sandwich but I was intrigued and wanted to try something new. I loved it. Everything about it was great. the textures, the sauces and the bun just complimented the fish splendidly. For some it may be a little on the slightly saltier side but for me I love a little salty. I ate it all then I was ready to bask in the sun and frolic in the ocean.

A day by the pool equaled to an order of a burger and some French fries. The burger I ordered was The Here and Now burger. A wagyu patty paired with fried mozzarella, tomato jam, kale, arugula and an aioli. A tasty burger with good quality beef. It was juicy and I was a big fan of the fried mozzarella. Topped with a beautiful pool and ocean view, what more could I have asked for.

Our final night was spent at the Paradise Cove Luau. We drove there from our hotel and it was an experience I recommend everyone to have when in Hawaii. Before the main show there were two mini shows and one demonstrated how they prepared a whole pig by burying it in the ground. We saw them remove the pig that would later be the pulled pork on our plates from the ground. That was a cool touch to presenting a meal. After the mini shows we were asked to visit the buffet in groups. The buffet had a variety of options and I stacked my plate. I had the braised chicken, pulled pork, coconut rice, macaroni salad, a Hawaiian roll and some garden salad to but some freshness on the plate. Each bite was flavorful, not overly seasoned and if you felt your meal was under seasoned they provided small packs of salt and pepper. It was the best way to end this trip to Hawaii.

I can’t wait to return and visit another island and dig into some more delectable treats. Stay tuned for the next post, lets see where I end up next.