season's eatings part II: waimea / high & low

THE HIGH: We celebrated Christmas on the 26th at Merriman's because they were closed on the 25th. Merriman's is one of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii. I love the laid back atmosphere, the farm to table philosophy, the warm service and of course the food. It was especially nice to share it with my parents, my sister Gayle, my bro-in-law Don and my two nephews, Shane and Troy.

After a round of drinks, homemade bread and salad (mixed greens with big island chevre w/ a simple balsamic vinaigrette) I was presented with my entree. This time I got the duo of wok-charred ahi and steak with herbed compound butter along with Loeffler sweet corn and white/black rice. Excellent as always. Of course we had dessert. I forgot what we had but it was mighty tas-tee.

THE LOW: While driving home to the Hilo side of the Big Island, we stopped at Kamuela Deli for lunch. A local plate lunch place that after a night of somewhat fancier food sounded really good to eat simpler food.

Troy scarfing on a beef stew plate.

When in doubt, get da saimin.

Dad and his spam omelette wit da two scoops. No foget da shoyu on da top!

Waimea country.

kin waaaaaaaahhh!

After the New Year's Eve gorge fest at the Tsuda's. I woke up on January 1st with a craving for something clean that would settle my stomach and immediately thought of Kin Wah and their Hong Kong style shrimp won ton mein. My dad and I haven't had this dish since the early 90's so we were more than game to drive out to Kaneohe to savor once again, perfection in a bowl.

And here it is! THE bowl of perfection. Eight plump morsels of ground pork and shrimp swimming in a oh-so tasty broth with egg noodles (al-dente of course) and a couple of slightly bitter mustard cabbage leaves to offset the salty broth.

Mom ordered the Gon Lon Mein. Still piled high with bright red char siu and a dash of sesame seeds as I remember. A few spoonfuls of shoyu-mustard over it and you are good to go.

Dad at-one with his soup noodles. Happy Birthday Dad!

Caught Mom in a moment of Gon Lo Mein bliss!

season's eatings part I: hilo / xmas eve day

Bleary eyed from jetlag, I needed an iced doppio ASAP so I drove to Starbucks at the Prince Kuhio Mall and stood in line. I took my grande and sat outside facing an incredibly clear, blue-skyed morning with a picture-postcard view of Mauna Kea. I took a a deep breath and took it all in: the warm weather, local people sitting next to me talking story, birds chirping and light tradewinds blowing. Hard to believe a week ago I was in Paris, Germany, Amsterdam and frigid NYC. As amazing as those places are. Hilo is just as amazing. I was home.

Of course, I needed to get lunch so I bopped on by to Kawamoto's Okazu-ya.

Surprisingly there was no long line, so I had to figure out quickly what I wanted.

Hmmm... hash, shoyu pork, Korean chicken wings, nori chicken, cone sushi, spam musubi, maki sushi, plain musubi, shoyu chicken, chicken long rice (da shoyu kine), noodles.... etc!

two kinds of fish (mahi, ono) prepared two different ways (breaded, tempura), shrimp tempura, pork tofu, sweet potato tempura, nishime.

Sorry I don't have a pic of my plate but I think I was too excited to eat it I forgot to photograph it. Next time. By the way the ono wuz ono!

tasty beginnings

It all starts here. My first post to a new blog, of a new year, of a new decade.

It ALSO started here. 45 years ago as a child. As long as I can remember I always liked to eat. From primal need to cultural touchstone to pure joy—food has played a profound role in who I have become as a person as well as where I have come from. Just look how happy I am eating my shave ice at the Honolulu Zoo with my mom, my sister (far left) and my cousin (far right) in 1967. It wasn't only the shave ice that made me smile from ear to ear but where I was and who I was with. Okay, maybe it was the sugary sweet "shtrawbarry" syrup over refreshingly, fine shaved ice that made me smile so wide. 


BUT isn't it true that food always tastes better when you share it with people? It's the common ingredient that adds "flavor" and "depth" to any meal no matter how fancy or how simple, expensive or cheap, decadent or healthy. IT is what makes food taste good and makes meals memorable.


Enjoy the blog and I would love to hear from you all.