Travel Archives - Page 2 of 5

A Tale of Two Pancakes and Sushi

By threejamigos | May 20, 2019 | Comments 2 comments

Nothing beats coming home. Though we had a blast on our trip to Korea and Japan, it always feels good to open the front door, drop the bags and sleep in my OWN bed! Aaaaahhhh, bliss.

What else is nice, hmmmmmm

HOME COOKING

Yep, time to get back in my kitchen and make a mess. I envisioned our first day back, a big pot of rice soup (congee), kick up our feet, and flip on the telly to catch up with the Warriors and Sharks.

But before going home we spent our last day in Japan running around Osaka looking for early morning sushi, soufflé pancakes and Michelin starred Instant Ramen. We went 2 for 3, couldn’t find the Instant Ramen which was just as well since I couldn’t fit much more in my suitcase anyway.

Breakfast of Champions

At 6:30 am we found ourselves sitting in a small sushi place at the Osaka Fish Market, Endo Sushi. Surprisingly, we were not alone nor the first ones there. To make it easy, there is a set menu of sushi flights. Each flight focus was different, shellfish, fish, tuna. Fresh and delicious we ordered a set each, then another, then another to share. Not a bad way to start the day.

My Happy Place

From there we headed back to town. It was only 8:30. Yes, enough time to find soufflé pancakes, the current rage. So we head to Happy Pancake which doesn’t open until 10AM. First in line baby, uh-huh. The perks of getting up early.

Happy Pancakes with butter and syrup. Number two on the bucket list, checked off.

Light, fluffy, souffle-like, and EGGY. Now, this might be your cup of tea…but for me, they were just way too eggy tasting, reminded me of a French omelet. Y’all, if I wanted eggs, I would have ordered eggs. I hear there is a joint in Stonestown in San Francisco, and after a three-hour wait, you can try them…Me? Nah. I want real pancakes.

When we finally made it home, top on my breakfast bucket list (or due to my screwed up time-clock, dinner bucket list), PANCAKES of course. I pulled out my current favorite cookbook, A Common Table by Cynthia Chen McTernan of the blog Two Red Bowls and flipped to her recipe for Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes.

Her little tweak is genius. Using half all-purpose flour and half sweet rice flour, you end up with a light fluffy pancake with a nice, subtle, chew or elasticity and a tiny hint of that rice/mochi flavor. It’s not eggy. It’s pancakey! I love it. It’s delicious. If you are a fan of the latest rage..mochi donuts and muffins, you’ll love these griddlecakes.

It’s an easy batter to whip up. I did stray from the recipe a bit. I decided to whip the egg white and gently fold it into batter. The recipe calls for just adding in the unbeaten egg white, but whipping the whites hopefully, adds air and lightness to the batter so I took the extra step.

Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients just to incorporate.

Whip egg white until soft peaks and gently fold into batter

CHEAT tip: Use an ice cream scoop to dole out the batter.

If you use a non-stick pan, you won’t need oil or butter on your pan.

These babies are so badass. You need to try them. If you don’t have sweet rice flour, use 100% AP flour, you’ll get perfectly respectable traditional pancakes but really, get yourself some sweet rice flour. You’ll thank me, plus you now have rice flour to make her delicious Peanut Butter Mochi.

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Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Butttermilk Mochi Pancakes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Servings 3

Ingredients

1/2 cup 63gm all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 70gm sweet rice flour like Mochiko Blue Star
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg separated
1/2 cup Greek yogurt whole yogurt
1/2 cup milk of your choice I used 2%, I also warmed the milk before combining milk, butter and egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled, plus more for the pan and for serving
maple syrup or syrup of your choice for serving

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Separate egg, reserve egg yolk in small bowl. Place egg white in a medium small bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed.
Add the egg yolk, yogurt, milk, and melted butter, and stir until just incorporated.
Gently fold egg white into batter.
Heat a 10-inch or 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium flame until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the pan. Lightly grease the skillet with butter (or flavorless vegetable oil), or if using a non-stick pan, forego greasing.
Use a measuring cup or a large ice cream scoop to drop 1/4 cup batter onto the pan.
When the edges of the pancake look dry and bubbles begin to form in the center, approximately 2 minutes, flip and cook on the second side until lightly golden, 1 to 2 more minutes.
Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter. If desired, use an ovenproof plate (or a metal rack on a baking sheeand place the finished pancakes in the oven on its lowest heat setting to keep them warm while you cook the rest.
Serve immediately, with butter and maple syrup.

Notes

Add rice flour to your pancakes for a delightful twist! The rice flour adds a bit of elasticity and flavor while the pancake is still tender and fluffy. The best of both worlds for these mochi pancakes!

Time Flies: A Look Back at Nashville

By threejamigos | April 4, 2019 | Comments 3 comments

It’s hard to believe it has almost been a year since the twins graduated from college! It feels like it was just a couple of weeks ago we were making our mad dash from Nashville to Houston to make both graduations! And yet I know it has been a while because I miss both cities and feel like I should be planning a trip back to each one. I might just have to do that.

A friend asked me for dining recommendations in Nashville. Looking back I realize I missed a couple of spots that were definite favorites on our visits to the Music City.

Stroll down Broadway both during the day and the night. It’s the tale of two cities. Noisy, honky-tonk vibe by night, historic walking friendly district by day. During the day, take a stroll on the riverfront, visit Ryman Auditorium or the Johnny Cash Museum. By night, enjoy live music and shenanigans at the many bars on the street. It’s lively and a lot of fun.

Close to Vandy, you would invariably find us stopping at these 3 places at least once during a trip. Friendly, noisy, always a good time.

Hattie B’s Hot Fried Chicken

Dessert Anyone? Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Hillsboro near campus and in 12 South

A must for our Vandy Family, Desano Pizza. Noisy, fun, great pie, definitely tasted better with friends.

Previous visits to Nashville! All things Southern-Classic Nashville Eats and Nash-Ville Nash-Ville, My Kinda Town

Wanna blow a wad? Try Sean Brock’s Husk. I miss Nashville and our Vandy Family.

Weekend at Jamie’s (Eat, Walk, Laugh in Minneapolis)

By threejamigos | March 31, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

I headed out to Minneapolis last weekend to see my girl. MISSED her so much I dropped everything I was doing, hopped on a plane and got out there. Really, what a good mom…through wet and snow and chilly temps, I went to visit my girl.

Did I mention she had tickets to Ali Wong?

Not a factor AT ALL. Nope, not at all.

I am still laughing a week later. She was HILARIOUS. For those wondering who is Ali Wong? She is a comedian, writes for Fresh Off the Boat, and has a couple of Netflix specials under her belt. A little rude, sometimes crude (ok, more than sometimes) but so damn funny. Ironic she is from the Bay Area but I went all the way to Minneapolis to see her, go figure.

I arrived in the afternoon so I had a couple of hours to kill before Jamie got home from work. Luckily, Minneapolis is a very easy city to get around. I took the light rail from the airport to Jamie’s house, 20 minutes to the US Bank Stadium which is right across the street from her AND less than 3 dollars for the ride!

How did I fill the hours pre and post Ali Wong? Lucky for me the weather was warm and balmy on the Minneapolis winter scale, about 30 degrees, perfect. I raided Jamie’s fridge, found a delicious chicken and mushroom soup and then headed out to walk the neighborhood.

If you ever get the chance to visit Minneapolis. Go. It’s a great city, very walkable, great art, awesome food, and a friendly Midwest vibe. A five-minute walk from her apartment took me to the river path and the Mill City Museum. My favorite for all things flour.

Worked up an appetite on my walk (just an excuse) and as soon as Jamie arrived home, we headed out for dinner.

Spoon and Stable, walking distance, delicious food. We started with a cheese plate (of course) and ended with dessert. In between? Squid Ink Pasta, Grilled Octopus, Creamed Spinach with those infamous Cheese Curds-I’m in dairy heaven…needless to say, we decided we needed to walk home too.

Ended with a delicious Buttermilk Panna Cotta.

Saturday found us hunting for a pop-up event at Lowry’s Meat Co. Two Guys, Chris and Yia, of Union Kitchen Mn, making delicious Hmong food in the Twin Cities. Today’s menu featured Khoa Poon, a Laotian bowl of comfort made with chicken, curry, coconut milk, lemongrass and a bunch of herbs-cilantro, mint, and basil. On top of the noodles sits an array of veggies-cabbage, radishes, sprouts and fried shallots. OMG, freakin’ delicious! Their second offering, Duck Pho, the slices of duck literally melted in my mouth, so good. It was so delicious I didn’t want to share with Jamie! Chris and Yia are cooking, sharing, and teaching folks all about Hmong food and culture. They’ll be “poppin up” @ #sociableciderwerks every week, check them out.

I love Minneapolis, just like Houston, it has become a melting pot of people and cultures. This is the America I envision, people from everywhere working hard, exchanging ideas, sharing their lives, food, culture, putting their unique stamp on America. I had the best bowl of pho ever and the most amazing bbq all in one day in Houston. Yep, that Houston-Houston, TEXAS. My next trip to Minneapolis we are going for Somali food. I can’t wait.

I still dream about this bowl of Khao Poon…so good.

Great Lakes = Lotsa Duck dishes. Damn good duck, that’s for sure.

Yia, one half of the Union Kitchen Team! I’m a noodle nerd groupie, what can I say. Addendum: I’m really excited for them, they are featured on Episode 3 of United Shades of America on CNN with W. Kama Bell ( I plan to watch when I get home from Japan).

Needing desperately to walk off lunch, we headed to The Minneapolis Institute of Art A wondrous exhibit “Sunken Treasures of Egypt” had us mesmerized.

This tablet stands at least 3 feet high. So impressive…until I found out it was a tax bill! Great art scene in Minneapolis, don’t miss it. Somethings stand the test of time…convoluted, BIG tax codes.

Our walk home from the Ali Wong Show gave us an excuse to cruise for food so we stopped at a Japanese joint right down the block from Jamie’s, Zen Box Izakaya. Their Kimchi Ramen is off the hook as is their grilled yellowtail collar.

Sunday morning: Study time

With a Korean language test looming on Monday when I return home, Jamie and I headed to her favorite bagel joint Rise for a breakfast bagel and coffee (lots of it) and study time.

On the way to Rise, the walk wouldn’t be complete without passing MTM. I know, many of you are thinking what? (Check it out on You-Tube) But, for those of you old enough to remember, I’m sure you are smiling right now, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Who can turn the world on with her smile…Go, visit Minneapolis, you’ll have a great time.

Bok Bok, Batch…of Three Cup Chicken

By threejamigos | February 12, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Gung hay fat choy! Happy Lunar New Year! This is the Year of the Pig and in celebration of this, I spent the last week in Hong Kong with my boys-PIGGIN’ out. It has been years since I have been in Hong Kong and with Jordan living in nearby Korea, we decided a rendezvous was in order.
I walked off the plane and took a deep breath and instantly knew I was back in Asia. The scent that wafted through the air and surrounded me immediately transported me back to my first visit to Hong Kong so many years ago. An amalgam of daily life, food, incense, years of humanity all rolled into one.

Before I regale you with our travels in Hong Kong…let me tell you about our flight. It’s been a while since I have been on a flight that lasts 14 hours. AUUUGH! I don’t care if you are in First Class, Business, or Economy…it’s a LONG time to be cooped up in a plane. I did manage to catch 40 winks, watch a couple of movies, and pick through multiple cafeteria-like meals. The highlight was a bowl of instant ramen on the last leg of our journey. By then even the K-Movie I was watching knew how I felt.

One of the meal selections was Three Cup Chicken. I knew of this classic Taiwanese dish but have never had it. This peaked my curiosity so I made a mental note to try this dish when I got home.

A day of vegging out to get over my jet lag and I was ready to hunt down the recipe for Three Cup Chicken. The first thing I noticed was, though called 3 cup chicken, most recipes did not use those proportions. Thank goodness since that is a lot of sesame oil.

I decided on a mash-up from two of my go-to blogs, The Woks of Life and No Recipes. You can use bone-in pieces like chicken wings but the next time I think I will try boneless thighs. This dish is easy to prepare and lands on the dinner table in minutes…my kind of dish.

The soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine form the braising liquid but the addition of garlic, ginger and Thai basil really sets this dish apart. No wonder it’s a classic that has stood the test of time. One recipe called for a touch of sugar, sounded good, so I included it. If you like spice, throw in 1-2 Thai chili peppers for good measure.

The aromatics are heated in oil before adding the chicken. Brown the chicken and add the braising sauce. Simmer, turning the pieces occasionally. The sauce will reduce and coat the chicken creating a deep caramel color. Can you say yum? Finish with the basil and green onions. Be generous with your basil it adds a ton of flavor to the dish.

The chicken is browned in the ginger, garlic infused oil.

Isn’t that a lovely color? Serve with steamed rice and veggies. The perfect meal.

So delicious. Don’t tell Cathay Pacific, but this version of 3 Cup Chicken is so much better than theirs!

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San Bei Ji(三杯鷄), or Three Cup Chicken

Taiwanese dish made by cooking chicken with sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword 3 Cup Chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 4

Calories 460kcal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 inch piece ginger sliced then julienned
6-8 cloves of garlic lightly crushed, but left whole
1 thai chili seeded and sliced crosswise optional
1.25 pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs sub: 1.5 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine mijiu or shaoxing
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves only
1-2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat a large pan or wok until hot. Add the peanut oil then ginger and garlic (and chili if using). Fry until fragrant, but don't let it brown.
Add the chicken in a single layer, skin-side down and fry until the skin is well browned.
Flip the chicken over, and then add the rice wine, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar.
Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender, flipping the chicken over a few times as it cooks.
Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Reduce the liquid into a thick sauce.
Add the Thai basil leaves and toss to coat.
Serve with rice.

Roadtrip Los Gatos to Minnesota

By threejamigos | August 17, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Well, they have graduated! While Jordan relaxes this summer before heading off to Korea, The hubster and I moved Jamie to Minneapolis. Yep, Minneapolis, the “polar” opposite of Houston weather-wise. We hopped in her ALL-WHEEL DRIVE car and took to the road. We only had a week which included driving and moving her into her new apartment.

Two and a half days later, 30 hours of sitting in a car, we arrived in Minneapolis. We did manage a few strategic pitstops.

First Stop- Truckee FOR COFFEE I don’t leave home without my Klean Kanteen, I don’t drive without my coffee, period.

Next stop Salt Lake City! We have been there before so this was a quick stop for food. Found a hole-in-the-wall One More Noodle House that hit the spot after a long drive. Handmade noodles were delicious and texturally pretty spot on. We tried their Eggplant and Pork noodles and House Beef Noodle Soup. Nothing fancy but homey, filling, comfort food.

Next stop South Dakota!

Drive, drive, stop…Everyone said “meh” I thought it was kinda cool..Welcome to Mount Rushmore

Drive, drive, drive through…Worth the detour, even when you are “Running on Empty“. Luckily there was a gas station right as we were leaving the Badlands

Welcome to the Badlands, eerily beautiful.

Are we there yet?

No.

The Corn Palace, really..as corny as this may sound..the murals are entirely made of corn and the theme changes annually. Why I don’t live in South Dakota.

Finally, I am skipping, Sioux Falls, and Mankato…it was a blur anyways …Minneapolis here we come!

La-La Means I Love You LA

By threejamigos | June 9, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

I recently made a quick trip to Los Angeles to celebrate my Aunt’s birthday. I spent ten years in LA, going to school and then working before heading back to the Bay Area. Auntie Ada was my SoCal Mom and a big reason I lived in the Los Feliz-Silverlake area. Being a stone’s throw away from a warm smile and a delicious home-cooked meal was huge for a kid living away from home for the first time. I loved living in Silverlake, it reminded me a lot of San Francisco and the East Bay. Bordered by Echo Park, Griffith Park, Downtown-Chinatown, and Glendale the vibe is definitely urban, reminiscent of the funky, edgy mixed neighborhoods of Oakland present day.

With a couple of hours to kill before dinner, I decided to visit my old haunts. My first stop was Hillhurst Avenue, a little shopping area I use to frequent. My favorite shop on Hillhurst was a tiny bakery called La Conversacion. I would stop by in the morning for one of their delicious croissants, flaky buttery fresh out of the oven. Delicious. I Googled it and found they had moved to West Hollywood where they can still be found. Ahh, next trip. I stopped at Yuca’s, a tiny taco shack, one of the few places I recognized. A cute little shop on Hillhurst, Mise-En Place, was ground zero for my cookware and kitchen gadget addiction. Sadly for me but happily for the pocketbook, the store is now gone.

I headed Downtown to check out Grand Central Market. Back in my student days, the market was a place to get produce, meats and food reasonably priced. Fast forward a whole lotta years, and it has been transformed into a trendy, neon, foodie mecca. From cheap eats like Villa Moreliana, Mixed Carnitas Tacos (all things porkalicious) to Clark Street Bakery (ah-mazing avocado toast and heavenly breads) there is something to nosh on for everyone.

My favorites…

Yep, an entire avocado in each order of toast…

Do not miss the Buko Pie at Sari Sari Store a coconut pie I’m still dreaming about, fresh young coconut pieces, creamy custard, and flaky pie crust. If you haven’t tried Filipino food yet- GO, try one of their rice bowls or noodle dishes BUT LEAVE ROOM FOR THE PIE.

And the tacos at Villa Moreliana, a heaping mound of mixed carnitas (every conceivable part of a pig), steaming hot corn tortillas, salsa-your choice along with pickled onions and cilantro. FOR A MERE BUCK SEVENTY-FIVE A TACO. Go NOW to the Grand Central Market.

Head across the street from the market and climb the stairs of the historic Angel’s Flight or take the tram itself to a great view of the City of Angels.

Did I mention dinner? South Pasadena Oak Tree Inn, yep a delicious 9-course Chinese meal to finish the day.

So many places, so little time…LA I’ll be back…soon.

Maui Eats-Bringing it Home with the Down Home (Part 3)

By threejamigos | April 7, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

I took a little detour before finishing my Maui post, but have finally circled back. The best for last-down home local joints! Though I didn’t hit as many joints as I would have liked, Southwest Airlines is launching flights to Hawaii with $ incentives….hmmm, a girl can dream.

Two days on Maui and I still hadn’t had any Poke. There must be a law against that. Luckily after our whale watching trip in Lahaina, I made a beeline to the local Foodland Supermarket just down the street. Time to load up on the local flavors. I headed to the seafood counter, where I found a dizzying array of poke. I opted for the line caught ahi (off that morning’s boat) and a spicy tuna poke. ONOLICIOUS.

Mission accomplished, poke in hand I head to the SPAM aisle. I know what you are thinking,”excuse me, SPAM aisle”? The Spam section is ginormous. SPAM comes in a ridiculous number of flavors, most of which are hard to find back home. My favorite is Tocino, a Filipino sausage that is sweet and salty and delicious. Hmmm, I really should get my obligatory “mom went to Hawaii and all I got was this can of SPAM” gifts to bring home.

I picked up the cutest recyclable grocery bags at the checkout counter. Each bag is decorated with cartoon drawings of rice balls, sushi and local island foods plus I got 5% off on my purchase for buying the bags. How cool is that? I also picked up island cookies, crunchy shortbread-like cookies with macadamia nuts…I’m a sucker for shortbread. Poke, SPAM, cookies, and recyclable bags, I head out a happy camper.

The other Lahaina must stop is Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice. Never leave Hawaii without having Shave Ice, really. This is not your run of the mill grape, cherry, root beer on ice that will chip your teeth. Its finely shaved ice, with amazing island flavors-Lilikoi, lychee, mango, passion fruit, with extras including ice cream, sweetened condensed milk (snow cap) and red beans (Azuki). The perfect dessert for an island paradise.

For breakfast head over to local joint 808 Grindz Cafe. I confess I didn’ go to 808 on Maui, but their sister restaurant of the same name on the Big Island. I had the pork belly fried rice that is “make you wanna slap your mama” good. The Banana Mac Pancakes with their special Mac-nilla Sweet Cream Sauce were da bomb. Down home island food doesn’t get any better.

For local food that’s gone upscale check out Aloha Mixed Plate, it faces the beach so try to go at Sunset. Drinks while watching the sunset and the waves, a plate of pupus. I could get used to island life.

On good authority other places to check out that sadly, I did not get to try personally…

Sam Sato’s for breakfast and lunch. Get the Dry Mein. Noodles sans soup. Local joint.

Da Kitchen Don’t take my word for it, President Obama’s choice. Two words-SPAM MUSUBI Repeat it, commit it to memory.

Don’t forget Sheldon’s casual eateries that I covered in Maui post #2, Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop and Tin Roof. Ono, ono, ono.

Aloha from Underneath The Banyan Tree!

Maui-Wowie Hmmm-No, Sorry Talking About the Food (part 1)

By threejamigos | April 7, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Now don’t be jealous. I just spent four fabulous days on Maui. I don’t want you to think this was all play and no work. We were on a mission. Yes, an important one. My friend Pam celebrating a milestone birthday [?]0, the first number being hidden to protect the innocent (that would be me) has declared this year the Year of Pam. Yes, 365 days of yeah, its my birthday, what are we doing? Where should we go? First on the birthday bucket list, a trip to Maui, a surprise concocted by her hubby (take note boys). Being the good friend, I decided to accompany her. I know, tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

It has been years since I have been to Maui. The last time I was a starving student. Fine dining then meant hitting the happy hours at various restaurants along the beachfront where a drink came with a buffet of delicious island pupus. Hole in the Walls for plate lunch (two scoop rice, macaroni salad and choice of protein) and McDonald’s were staples, easy on the budget and stomach. Island twists to the Mickey D’s menu included Portuguese Eggs and Rice, Saimin, Spam and Eggs, and lilikoi or passion fruit pies. A definite plus.

But this is many years later, there will be no McDonalds on this trip. Is that progress?

Let’s get this party started. Upon arrival, we headed to the beach by way of the bar where we had Mai Tais to toast the birthday girl.

Our days pretty much followed this routine:

Wake up: What’s for breakfast?

Head to the beach.

While sitting on the beach think about: What’s for lunch?

Back to the beach.

Sitting on the Beach: What’s for dinner?

Dinner our first night was at Monkeypod Kitchen, Merriman’s casual outpost on Maui. The vibe is breezy, relaxing and fun. We started with the Lobster Deviled Eggs, yum and washed it down with more Mai Tais. I wanted the raw bar but alas they were sold out. How does this happen on an island surrounded by ocean? Oh well, so I chose the next best thing, pasta. I know, whaat? Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms, Kale and Ricotta

It was DELICIOUS. The gnocchi were soft little pillows of dough that paired well with the mushrooms and kale. Simply prepared and so good.

A walk on the beach after dinner with thoughts of…

….What’s for breakfast?

We hit Napili Bay with thoughts of kayaking and snorkeling. But first breakfast. At the top of the Bay sits a casual eatery, the Sea Horse Restaurant with fantastic views and a mean bowl of fried rice. Da Kitchen Sink Fried Rice was filled with shrimp, Portuguese sausage and flavored with aromatics like ginger and onions. Located in a tourist enclave it was never the less reasonable and relaxing. We could see the whales in the Bay as we enjoyed our meal.

I took a brief respite from eating to go to a concert by Henry Kapono and Friends. I love Hawaiian music and jumped at the chance to enjoy some amazing guitar work and vocals. Sitting there singing along to Cecilio and Kapono favorites from back in the day made me happy, happy, happy. If you don’t get to a concert, almost every bar or restaurant has live music, most of it island style, a perfect way to finish an evening.

Sailin’ by C&K, enjoy!

Dinner our last night in Maui found us at Merriman’s in Kapalua. Ironically, Hubby and I ate at the original Merriman’s years ago on the Big Island. Merriman’s has come along way from the quaint original place. This one is absolutely gorgeous, a spacious open-air restaurant with a spectacular view of the ocean. Perfect place to enjoy cocktails at Sunset..except for the overcast weather and wind during our visit..oh well.

I picked the short straw that night and ordered a very unimaginative appetizer sampler. I also ordered their housemade Cavatelli with Hirabara Farms Swiss Chard, Hamakua Mushrooms, Truffle Oil, House-Made Ricotta which more than made up for the appetizer. As beautiful as this place is it felt like a slick operation that had lost its soul to corporate efficiencies.

In fairness, the rest of our party enjoyed their meals. The fresh fish of the day was a big hit. Service was perfunctory at best (hmm, automatic tipping for a party of six), but those views!

I don’t want you to think all we did was eat and drink. Walking on the beach, hikes, a tiny bit of shopping and whale watching highlighted our brief stay. Paradise found.

Humpbacks migrate to Maui regularly. Waters in the islands of Maui County average only 300 ft. providing, safe, protected waters free of predators (such as Orca). The perfect “kiddie pool” for nurturing newborn calves.

Aloha!

The Sheldon Trifecta (Maui Eats Part 2)

By threejamigos | March 19, 2018 | Comments 2 comments

Are you a fan of Top Chef?

For those of you who are, go ahead and skip to the next paragraph.

For those of you who aren’t…shame on you! Just kidding. Hubby and I love this show and have been watching it religiously since it first came on the air. Taking advantage of the popularity of reality TV land competition, Bravo came up with a show pitting cooks against each other. Think of it as Survivor for Chefs. Thirteen Chefs battle it out for weeks until “there can be only one”.

Every week a new cooking challenge results in the elimination of one of the chefs by a panel of judges. The judges include Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons and a rotation of guest chefs. They and the guest chefs are all rock stars in the culinary world.

The Real Hunger Games

This isn’t your cook me something yummy and may the best dish win. This is, make me a Michelin meal out of ingredients you find in a gasoline station mini-mart or the office vending machine.

My favorite episode is restaurant wars. They divide into teams, come up with a concept, build a dining space to match the concept and menu, and boom make it happen on a limited budget of both time and money. Needless to say, it’s quite entertaining.

One of my all-time favorite contestants is Sheldon Simeon from Hawaii. Sheldon is the classic island boy, laid back, and cooks straight from the heart. His grandmother served as his inspiration. His food roots, Asian/Filipino/Hawaiian home cooking with a twist that elevates simple to sublime. I jumped on Team Sheldon early and was totally bummed when he did not win. He went home to the islands back to Star Noodle on Maui.

So, of course, it became my mission on this trip to eat at there.

Put Star Noodle on your Maui bucket list.

The food is delicious, it is down-home comfort food that starts with impeccable ingredients and finishes with a contemporary flair. The chicken wings were sweet, salty, spicy, crispy, and light. The garlic noodles are simple but packed with flavor. If you like pork belly…get the Pinoy version of Bacon & Eggs, sizzling chunks of pure porky goodness with a perfectly cooked 6-minute egg that oozes over the pork, yum. Elvis would be jealous.

The malasadas, come to the table as little pillowy bites of sweetness accompanied by chocolate and caramel sauces. If Leonard’s malasadas had hipster kids, these would be it. Ironically I thought the ramen was just ok, but then again I’m from Cali y’all where good ramen can be found everywhere.

Halfway between Kaanapali and the Maui Airport, sits Leoda’s Kitchen & Pie Shop. It’s across from the beach off of Honoapi’ilani Hwy (try to say that 10 times real fast) in an unassuming strip, if you blink, you will miss it. On my way to a Henry Kapono and Friends concert, I made a pitstop at Leoda’s. I chose the banana cream pie, Island Lime Pie, and 2 savory hand pies.

Bananas for Banana Cream Pie

The standout was the banana cream pie. Yum. The hand pies had too much crust and not enough filling. I LOVE crust so this was surprising me, wishing for a bit more filling. I kept the banana cream pie to share with the birthday girl.

So there we were Pam, Randi, and me sitting on the lanai overlooking the beach, eating pie, fresh mangoes, and papayas, sipping on our morning coffee-paradise found.

Checked out Henry of Cecilio & Kapono. One of the best-known musical duets from the islands, folk meets island music. While my friends were dining at Roy’s I was enjoying the music of Henry Kapono which immediately transported me back in time to my first visit to the islands.

On the way to the airport…because I can never get enough island grindz, we stopped at Tin Roof. We were fifth in line before the joint opened. Might have been first if we hadn’t stopped for gas..just sayin’. Tin Roof is Sheldon’s casual eatery, actually, it’s strictly take-out. There is a bench in front but that’s where everyone sits waiting to get in. Life’s 1st world island problems…

The star of Tin Roof is the bowls. Poke’, Pork Belly, Mochiko Chicken. You can choose to have the mains with rice or garlic noodles. I liked the poke bowl the best. The food here is fresh and flavorful, broke da mouth not the bank good. He has these vegan-like dessert Pono Pies that for me were just meh. I’d rather head out for shaved ice at Ululani’s instead.

All I can say is so many places to eat, so little time….my review of Sheldon’s eats was totally objective and professional…I am not at all starstruck and I offer proof.

HOLY JUMPING CATFISH, SHELDON WAS AT TIN ROOF!!!! So I asked to take one photo, yeah..I’m a groupie.