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Hawai`i Chocolate Festival not so sweet |
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| I was excited to hear about the Dole Cannery event on February 26th, so marked my calendar for the countdown. Wow, Chocolate is one of my favorite food groups, along with Bacon !
I forgot to order my ticket at $20 online, so gladly paid the $25 at the door. The entry fee gave you ten “sample tastings” at the vendors’ booths. Entering the exhibit hall I saw a few booths up front, then notice a huge line at Choco le’a tucked into the corner. Hmm… long line of people waiting = good stuff! |
 Choco l'ea Chocoliciousness! |
| These folks had a terrific display and were so friendly! Owner Colins Kawai started making chocolates as a hobby and everybody loved them so much that he went into full production. I had to try several, so gave up three of my ten “tastes’ for three luscious truffles. | |
 Tiki's Shooters!
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Wandering around I spied several booths with sliver size samples… no Scrooge Samples for me, I want to actually get a taste! So I strolled among the vendors until I spied Tiki’s Grill and Bar ! Hmm…I’ve eaten dinner there, held special events there, but…Chocolate? Lo and behold, shot glasses of delectable Mocha Mousse appeared before me. I should have had two!
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A new kid coming to town is Ricard Chocolat, of New York. Chocolatier to such trendy types as Versachi and the Ritz, his truffles are little works of art. Had to buy a box for a treat for later. I think they will be at the Hyatt in Waikiki soon. Want more chocorazzii pics?  Richard's Bon Bons The Expo was to run from 12-5PM, but by 2:30 many vendors were out of samples. Rather disappointing as I had arrived around 1:30. I tried a few vendors that were indifferent if not downright rude to the people waiting in line; not going to spend my tastes there! I had three tastes left, so I went back to Choco le’a. These folks are that good and nice, I spent six out of my ten tastes at their truffle table! All in all the experience was ok, but not as professionally done as other similar events I’ve attended. Most of the samples were chintzy… and you should never run out of samples that early into the show. And there were several empty booths, the vendors never even showed up. Also, there were very few places to sit down which was not fun with my two artificial hips. Or for Mom’s with kids. Or anybody that wanted to sit down, actually. Would I go to another event if they put one on? Maybe. It was really overpriced for what it was. But I have selective amnesia when it comes to Chocolate experiences. And Bacon.  Do not taunt the Chocolate Fairies! Aloha,
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Tag-Archive for ◊ food ◊
Hey, I’m talkin’ Deli, heah! |
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| Yes. Deli. Real Deli Food. I’m from New York and when I moved to Hawaii in 1990 one of the first things I asked was “Where’s a good Deli?” No. As much as I love Safeway, it ain’t Deli.
I’m talking big honkin’ Reuben Sandwiches dripping with sauerkraut & Thousand Island. I’m talkin’ good coleslaw, not a gooey mess o’ mayo with shredded cabbage & carrots, elementary school lunch style. And Pickles. Real Pickles in a jar on the table to nosh on while you wait for your order. |
 YESSSSSSSS! |
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| We used to have Brent’s in Kailua, which was the real deal. But when they closed Oahu was a Deli Desert. Until the owners of Brent’s hooked up with the owners of Round Table Pizza and Giovanni Pastrami was born! No deli case for meats & stuff, and the pickles leave a bit to be desired for real pickleliciousness, but the prepared menu is fab!
To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to sample the whole menu, but my vote for the best Reuben in Honolulu goes here…and they are HUGE! Definitely take a friend and share! |
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 Giovanni Pastrami Welcomes you!
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Giovanni Pastrami is known around town as the go-to Sports Bar. But not your average dive Sports Bar…the deluxe Italianate glass, Peruvian tile floors and refined hardwood interior screams quality and a pleasing environment to relax in and enjoy the game. Or Games as the case may be, I lost count at 17 HD plasma TVs around the room. So if you want to watch golf while the rest of the gang is into soccer, it’s all good!
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The open floor plan around the bar is ideal for groups to enjoy in a networking meeting or club event. I recently attended one of Gina Salvador’s Networking 808 luncheons there and it was packed! Check out my Flickr Set here.
 Thirsty? What? You’re live here and don’t like to go into Waikiki? *MEH* Get over your local selves; it’s all changed with the Outrigger Beach Walk area! Validated parking with a receipt from one of the businesses will give you hours of enjoyment without the steep parking price tag you may find elsewhere in Waikiki. I’ll see youze guys there, alright?
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I’m Dreaming about EATing… |
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| Pinch me, I’m awake! And it’s no dream: heavenly food at reasonable prices, lots of parking and close to Downtown Honolulu. Where? Why, EAT Honolulu, of course!
This little gem is tucked away in the Gentry Design Center on Nimitz Highway in the neighborhood known as Iwilei. Many think this area came to be as a result of Dole Cannery opening in 1907 to process pineapple, but the locale has a bit more of a colorful history.
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 Salt 'N Peppah Pears Shakers, so cute! |
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| Once Dole Cannery closed, the industrial area fell into disrepair and was rescued from demolition by a developer by the name of Tom Gentry, who took the front part of the Cannery and created the Center to lease to interior designers, furniture showrooms and contractors. | |
 The Chef's Table private room
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EAT is located in the front of the building just inside the entrance. Husband and wife owners Chef David and Sommelier Jocelyn Passani are the third owners of a restaurant in this space and destined to be the most successful. They are a unique catering company with a breakfast and lunch Café Monday through Friday: be sure to check out their Chef’s Table Room for private parties. I do! Great food at great prices abound and Daily Specials are tweeted by @eathonolulu |
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If you’re not a Tweeter, you can join their email list and get the specials sent right to your inbox. Some junkies, such as myself, get both so as not to miss a single delicious bite! I have to say my favorite (well, right now, this instant…I may change my mind) is the Honey Smoked Bacon Gorgonzola Burger, cooked rare. Unlike other wimpy, namby -pamby establishments, Chef Dave doesn’t require a waiver to cook ‘em like you love ‘em. Rare. Rawr! And I love his Tomato Bisque. I never liked Tomato Soup before because all my Mom ever served was Campbell’s, but this is to drool for!  *Drool* So check EAT out next time you’re in Town. Yummmm… Bacon… Happy Eating,
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Chow, bella! |
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I’m going to confess there are some foods, and food venues, that I have steered away from with a vengeance. Past experiences left me swearing I would NEVER, EVER, chow down these regrettable decisions again. What are these epicurean experiences that I shunned, you ask? Pizza. And Food Trucks.
*GASP* How could I not like pizza? That is practically un-American! Well, the town I grew up in, Schenectady, NY,
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 *UGH* Bad Pizza! |
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| had to have the worst pizza on the planet. Half cooked bread dough by the slice, smothered in a can of tomato sauce, dusted with cheap plastic cheese and embellished with pools of oily matter reflecting off its nebulous surface. I honestly thought you had to blot the grease off of pizza with a paper napkin before you eat it. Like you have to take lobster out of its shell: you have to blot your pizza. If it happened to be upscale pizza you would get a few coins of hard red stuff described to me as “pepperoni”, dried out to the point that I’m convinced a dental office owned all the pizza joints in town because a cracked tooth was often inevitable. But they did float on the grease, like meaty little life rafts, so they were easy to pick off. | |
 Zpizza Ward
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So when Zpizza opened up at Ward Center I was skeptical at best. Drove by it every day for months on my way to work. Meh. Pizza. Well, along came a Tweetup and I was told they had salads, so I didn’t have to eat pizza. The resulting experience has changed my mind about pizza; at least Zpizza Pizza. Owner Karen brought out generous samples of fresh made, organic ingredient infused, little bits of Pizzaliciousness. |
| Zpizza is a franchise from California and Karen and Caesar took the plunge to open their first shop at Ward. Recently they opened a second one in Kailua, which makes it even easier for me to say “I’m too tired to cook dinner” (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) several times a week.
I have to admit I am hooked on the Pear Gorgonzola Rustica Pizza. To the point where I walk in the door, the staff knows what I want without me telling them. Should my first tattoo be a slice of the PGR? Perhaps… Follow @zpizzahawaii, they will follow you back and interact with your tweets. And check out some Pizza Pics here! |
 A slice of Heaven: homemade Garlic Sauce, fresh Basil & Tomato |
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Food Trucks. Roach Coaches. Yuck. Never having experienced anything from a truck growing up on the mainland other than the Good Humor Man and the Library Bookmobile, I was intrigued by all the Plate Lunch Wagons around town when I moved to Hawaii. And I swore all the trucks had to be owned by the same guy (not a Dentist) because the food was exactly the same no matter which truck I tried. Two scoops of dried out white rice with some sort of super salty, rawhide textured, sugar drenched Teriyaki sauce mystery meat or chicken and a scoop of mayonnaise flooded elbow noodles married to chopped up potato chunks known as Macaroni Salad. Or the omnipresent white rice, steam table hamburger patty and fried egg drenched in brown gravy known as “Loco Moco” , which I was convinced was ancient Hawaiian for “Hockey Puck with Macaroni Salad”. Since then I have discovered really yummy Loco Moco, but that is another tale.
 The Ono to Go Mobile, THE BEST FOOD TRUCK!!!
When all around entrepreneur Wedge Lee announced on Twitter he was starting a food truck I was thinking “Sheesh, I gotta try it to be polite because Wedge is a Twitter pal and I need to support his new business…”
Lo and behold, Ono To Go has proved to serve up superb restaurant quality food on wheels, using the finest and freshest ingredients. The menu varies every day and they are open from 11 am to 2:30 pm. But get there long before 2:30, because their food is so Onolicious, when they run out, they run out!  Lemon Herb Shrimp Plate Lemon Herb Shrimp, Pork Chops, Steak, Fish of the Day. All grilled up on premises and served with white or brown rice and THE WORLD’S BEST MAC SALAD!!! What did I say before about Mac Salad? This is in it’s own cosmic culinary league. Do not get between this girl and Ono to Go Mac Salad or you will experience the wrath of Bizzilla. And did I mention the fresh Poke? I’ve had some okay Poke. And some really not so okay Poke. You gotta try this okay dokey Poke! Not your average hokey Poke… Fresh Limu, Ahi, Kauai Sea Salt and Wedge’s secret magic spices make this another fave of mine. Take a peek at some grinds here!
Beyond the good food, Wedge makes sure you know the menu and where they are located via @onotogo on Twitter. Other food trucks try and get the word out, but they are inconsistent at best, often saying they will be at some location and never showing up or moving someplace else and not letting any one know. Way to lose a client, you other food truck fools, you! So that’s it. Turns out I do like Pizza if it’s Zpizza, and I will eat at a food truck if it’s Ono to Go. And you know what? I have yet to see a Good Humor truck or a Bookmobile since I’ve been in Hawaii. Hmm…Books and Ice Cream? Could be a new Food Truck Concept! “Read it and Eat”? Happy Eating,
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Caffinate Me! |
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I crave a good coffee. I have to bring my own to work because the Office Coffee Maker Fairy makes a cup so vile to my stomach that I cannot drink it, no matter how much I need the Jangle Juice. Some folks like it just fine, but my tummy screams “Acid Attack” every time I try it. So in defense of a good cuppa I’ve had to wander further from work to satisfy my cravings and find a nice place or two to relax.
We have a $tarbuck$ across the street that I frequent because it is close, and their Egg Salad Sandwiches are like Crack to me. But I must reveal two of my favorite places to grab coffee and a bit to eat that have two distinct personalities: Petals & Beans and ING Direct Café Waikiki. |
 Iced Mocha Yumnaz! Hey, it's 87 degrees out, CHILL! |
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 C'mon in! |
I love the ambiance of Petals & Beans! Owners Wanda and Dennis have created a luscious little oasis filled with gorgeous flowers and a myriad of tempting little gifts. Because this is not only a fabulous coffee bar but a Flower Shop as well. Perfect for meeting a few friends to relax and enjoy beautiful pastries with your caffination! Not really a full on lunch menu, more of a selection of tasty sweets to while away the afternoon with.
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 Stop and smell the flowers The gift selection changes seasonally and the large cooler is always full of beautiful blossoms on display. And they do wires as well: I just recently sent my Mom in Hilton Head a Christmas arrangement to brighten up her home. Park in the Hokua building and get your ticket as well as your existence validated! Check out some pics here. |
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 Coffee, please!
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For a different experience I head over to ING Café in Waikiki. They have a large facility for bigger gatherings of Coffee Hounds, as well as a conference room you can reserve through the Café. Located at the entrance to Waikiki, there is plenty of free parking for you and your friends, so the excuse of not visiting a Waikiki establishment because of no parking doesn’t work here, kids! |
| The cool thing about ING is that it’s a bank. Yep. An online bank providing checking, savings, loans and investing. All of the staff is on hand to help you open an account or manage your transactions, as well as making a mean cup of Java. |
 Relax on the Lanai |
The food at ING is more along the lines of hearty Breakfast and Lunch fare, all reasonably priced. My fave is “The Baconator”. I christened it that when I first experienced it’s puffy pastry goodness. I’ve been known to shed a few tears when they are out of this tasty bit of Baconlicoiusness. You can see more ING pics on my photoset.
 THE Baconator! Hands off, I'm not gonna share!
In addition to being a cool place to hang out, they have a very nice selection of must-haves; from coffee cups to bicycles and all sorts of items in between. I bought a backpack for a quick day trip to Hilo last year and it held everything I needed as a carry-on. Which reminds me: A vulture was boarding a plane with two dead raccoons. When he tried to put them in the overhead bin, the Flight Attendant said, “I’m sorry sir, only one carrion per passenger.” Ok. There is a reason why I’m a Realtor and not a Comedian… So go out there and try my nifty hangouts. You’d be surprised how good they are. I might even see you there! A hui ho,
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Let’s go to Chai’s Island Bistro! |
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Today we are headed for Aloha Tower Marketplace for a Mix It Up Hawaii Tweetup at Chai’s Island Bistro.Hosted by @NctrnlBst and @Melissa808, this series visits local business to learn about who they are and what they do and introducing people around the world to the things we love here in Hawaii!
The Marketplace was developed and the Tower was extensively renovated in 1994 and now serves as a main attraction for tourists and locals alike in downtown Honolulu. |
 Aloha Tower Welcomes you! |
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 Chai's Island Bistro |
When the Tower first opened on September 11, 1926, after five years of construction, the seven-ton clock was one of the largest in the United States as well as the biggest in the Territory of Hawaii. At 10 stories and 184 feet tall topped with a 40 foot flag pole, for four decades the Aloha Tower was the tallest structure in Hawaii. Serving as a docking area for the Matson Oceanliners of the era, visitors arrived to the Hawaiian Islands in droves to experience the exotic locale as well as hundreds of thousands of immigrants coming to Honolulu to labor on the plantations.
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| Walking up to Chai’s delightful locale you first see the outdoor dining patio and hear the distinct sounds of the waterfall…you KNOW you are in for a treat. The simply but elegantly appointed open dining room is bright and airy providing a perfect setting to showcase some of the finest food I have had here in Hawaii.@Chef_Chai joined us for a few minutes at the restaurant. We were excited to hear the good news that soon we can enjoy his food on @FlyHawaiian‘s first class international flights! Makes me want to get up and go somewhere just to eat!
Starting off with a tempting array of pupus to get the usual cast of suspects salivating, our intrepid Twitterers had to get the cameras out. We all agree that posing pics of what we are eating is a phenomenon unique to Twitterville, but one that bonds us together as Twits So lets look at the always perfect shots by @PHOTOlulu and @rickyli99 with sets here and here respectively. These guys are good!  Let's eat! @RickNakama is going for the minimalist approach w/ a shot of Ed’s homemade Ohia Blossom honey Waialua chocolate and peanut butter fudge. @johngarcia was one of the smart ones, he was to busy eating to take a lot of pics! @hnlmark was another smart guy focusing on the Duck Carpaccio Lotus Salad! |
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One of the fun things about our Tweetups is it’s always great to meet new twitter pals @dseohonolulu who is one of the founders of @ nonstophonolulu and @burajiru who was visiting from the mainland and found us! Lucky guy, he’s one of us now! And a spiffy photo set from him as well! *BWAHHAHA * |
 Some new unbearable Twitter friends! |
| And Moi? ( @biznaz ) I was clicking away trying to get some pics before the nom-nomming commenced!
Ok, gotta dig in on all this luscious food. Thank You Chef Chai! Aloha, Biz  Gotta go, my ride's here! |
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Hey Kids! Go inside and eat! |
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One of the things we like to do best in Hawaii is eat. A gathering of friends and family, a celebration, a contest… we can find some excuse to go for “Da Ono Kine Grinds”! A group of Twitterers have banded together, lead by the formidable organizational skills of @HawaiiIRL and @WaikikiBeachwlk, to undertake the daunting task of finding the best Loco Moco in Waikiki. |
 Hula Grill view in Waikiki. Lucky we live Hawaii! |
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What is “Loco Moco” you ask? A favorite local dish that originated in Hilo on the Big Island after World War II, it consists of a heap of white rice topped with a hamburger patty and a Sunnyside-up egg, and then smothered in gravy. Down Home Regional comfort food is found all over in every country on earth. Think Chicken Fried Steak, Matzo Ball Soup, Mac & Cheese… we all have our favorites we turn to. Some friends of mine on the Mainland think it sounds disgusting. But break the egg first then blend the burger, egg, rice, and gravy at each bite and you will know the true meaning of why people don’t care about clogged arteries. |
| Traditionally this has not been a high-end entrée in finer dining establishments, but rather a quick “Local Style Plate Lunch” often served out of the back of a food wagon as well as whipped up in Auntie’s kitchen for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. Recently some designer versions are coming on the scene featuring sirloin steak, Wagyu Beef and other better cuts of meat, good rice and eloquent styles of gravy. I have to admit that I had one Loco Moco years ago when I first came to Hawaii and thought I’d rather eat smothered shoe leather…it was NASTY! So it was with some trepidation I agreed to start on the path to Cholesterol Nirvana in Waikiki. And I’m happy to say I like the Loco Mocos I’ve tried so far; in fact each one gets better!
Plus I am getting a chance to explore really great places to eat I have previously sniffed at, turned my nose up and declared “Hmph! Tourist Trap!” I find myself now eating my words along with really superb food… So lets cruise to some Waikiki eateries and see what’s “Fo Grindz, Brah!” We start our adventure at Jimmy Buffet’s at the Beachcomber Hawaii. Located along the main drag of Kalakaua Ave., this funky interior design is not where you would hold an elegant candlelit dinner for two, but you are guaranteed a great time and awesome food at a reasonable price. Here are some shots from some of the Twitteratzzi in attendance: @PHOTOluluTV always takes great photos! My friend @tweetpea has a great Loco Moco Pic here. Our Pal @HawaiiIRL (one of the evil geniuses behind this “Thang”) has photos galore! And me @biznaz rounding up with my contribution. |
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Our next stop was the big kick-off event held at the Cheeseburger Beach Walk . This was the “get ready to rumble” competition where some local celeb contestants rose to the challenge of who could eat the most Loco Moco while blindfolded! Hilarity ensued…as well as some yummy snacks for us cheerleaders! Check out @c_chan808 whose got a great photoset here. @HawaiiIRL has to be a ninja, doing videos and great pics. Once again, @PHOTOluluTV is on top of the edibles with these pics! |
 Loco Moco Challenge And winning the prize for the poorest photos via the HTC G1 Phone: MOI! All those poor people that have to use the blur tool in Photoshop…I’m a contendah! (Cue “Rocky” theme song here) |
 Hula Grill brings it ON! |
*WHEW* I’m getting full! But it is my duty as a sworn sleuth on the path to Loco Moco Enlightenment that I press on to our third (but not final!) destination: Outrigger Reef Hotel’s Hula Grill. The Grill is also an avid Twitterrer so be sure to follow them @hulagrillwaiks.I was pleasantly surprised entering the restaurant; I had never been there before and was expecting the younger crowd rowdiness of their downstairs neighbor. What a great space up above Waikiki Beach, filled with beautiful Hawaiian antique furnishings and old school Waikiki memorabilia! |
| So here are sets from @PHOTOluluTV online here, And mine are here. I also put up some vids on my Neighbor Hood Crusin’ section of this blog. You will see why I am in Real Estate and not a professional videographer…
Well, I’m stuffed! Need to take some time off to digest all this great food and soak up the fun atmosphere of the restaurants I’ve visited so far. But the quest isn’t over yet! We still have more places to seek out the Holy Grail of Loco Moco over the next few weeks. I’ll be sure to keep y’all up to date. So, no matter where you live, get out there and find some local home grown favorite dishes that you may normally not even think about tasting, you may be pleasantly surprised! And in the process find some new locales to eat at that you had not tried before. Let’s hear it for Loco Moco! Aloha, Biz |
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