Monday, December 26, 2016

Piggy Smalls - CLOSED

Piggy Smalls is the 2nd restaurant by The Pig & The Lady. Most of the items on the menu are unique to Piggy Smalls but you'll find some popular favorites such as the Laotian Fried Chicken here as well. The restaurant is located in Ward Village next to Kakaako Kitchen. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. The patio seating is nice but there is a lot of foot traffic from people going in and out of the parking structure. The staff are friendly and they made good recommendations on what to order/try. They do not take reservations so I recommend going when they open to get the first seating.

For more information about Piggy Smalls, visit thepigandthelady.com/piggysmalls.

1200 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 777-3588

Hurricane Style Creamed Corn

Scallion Corn Cakes

L.F.C.

Loaded Baked Potato Beignets

Salad of Sprouting Seeds

Pho-strami

Milk & Honey

Sunday, November 20, 2016

MW - Restaurant Week 2016

MW Restaurant was offering a lunch and dinner menu. I saved the best for last so this was my final pick for restaurant week. They offered a 3-course dinner menu for $45. There were some supplemental items if you wanted to make you meal a bit more grand.

If you didn't make it out to restaurant week this year, I recommend putting this place on your list for next year.

For more information, visit www.restaurantweekhawaii.com/restaurant/mwrestaurant.

Chefs Appetizer Trio:
Pork and Foie Gras Wonton, Truffle Arancini, Lobster Vichyssoise
Steamed Opah

Ludovico Farms Chicken Roulade

Mountain View Farms Pork Ragout

Surf & Turf ($10 Supplemental)

Peanut Butter & Banana

“Affo-misu” Shave Ice

Strawberry Pop Tart ($5 supplemental)

Black Truffle Decadence ($15 supplemental)

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Roy's Waikiki - Restaurant Week 2016

Roy's Waikiki is offering a 3-course menu for $48. Each of the Roy's Hawaii restaurants on Oahu are offering a different menu for restaurant week so it's a good time to try one because you won't find some of these items on their regular menu.

For more information, visit www.restaurantweekhawaii.com/restaurant/roys-waikiki.

Maguro Tataki
Sesame Garlic Soy, Yuzu Aioli, Sizzling Ginger Relish

Cilantro Pesto Crusted Kauai Prawns
Peppercorn Crab Pappardelle, Manila Clams,
Nalo Baby Arugula, Grapefruit

Thai Garlic Pepper Glazed Hudson Valley Duck Breast
Coriander Sticky Rice, Szechuan Eggplant

Blueberry Ricotta Corn Bread Pudding
Blackberry Port Wine Reduction

Friday, November 11, 2016

Bakery & Table - CLOSED

The Bakery & Table is a combination of a restaurant, cafe, and bakery. The restaurant is on the 2nd level. They have tables indoors which overlooks the cafe and bakery area and there is a large patio which contains the seafood bar. I sat indoors which was better because it was raining the night I dined in. The lighting inside is a little dim but it's very spacious. I recommend coming with a group so you can try a bunch of items on the menu. Their portions are good for sharing. My favorite items were the rustica flatbread and carbonara. If you save room for dessert, you should try the cinnamon bread pudding. The staff will pour creme anglaise over a chocolate dome at your table and you can watch it melt and reveal the bread pudding. There aren't any restaurants on Oahu doing that cool trick yet so you definitely want to check it out.

The cafe is on the first level and it allows for a more casual dining experience during the lunch hour. The bakery is also on the first level and they offer a variety of freshly baked sweet and savory pastries. You can pick up and go or sit on one of the tables to enjoy your pastries. The cafe and bakery section closes around 5pm so be sure to go early for the best selection of pastries.

If you go for dinner, they only offer valet parking. You enter the lot on Piikoi Street. You can't access the building by car from South King Street because Piikoi is a one-way street. If you get lucky, you might be able to find street parking along Piikoi. I also recommend making a reservation before coming.

For more information about Bakery & Table, visit bakeryandtable.com.

938 Piikoi St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 592-7777

1/2 Dozen Oysters

Rustica Flatbread

Braised Boneless Shortribs

B&T Seafood Cream Pasta

Mentaiko Pasta

Carbonara

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Gomaichi Ramen

Gomaichi Ramen is known for their tan tan men. The ramen and other dishes like the ban ban ji chicken have always been consistently good over the years. They are located on Keeaumoku Street across from Walmart by Ala Moana Center. The portions are good and prices are reasonable. I usually come for lunch and I get seated right away. The food comes out quick.

This place is good for small groups. They have tables on the side that can seat up to 4 people and there is a counter in the middle. They don't offer any parking but there is street parking along Keeaumoku and Makaloa Streets.

For more information about Gomaichi Ramen, visit www.rikatorres.com/demo/gomaichi/index.html.

631 Keeaumoku St
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 951-6666

Ban Ban Ji Chicken

Gyoza

Sung Hon Men

Char Siu Shoyu Ramen


Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Eggs n Things

Eggs 'n Things is a popular brunch spot in Honolulu that is known for their pancakes, omelets, and crepes. Most of diners are Japanese but you'll see a few locals around. The portions were big for me but most people can probably finish an order by themselves. For breakfast food, the prices are pretty high but their pancakes tasted great. If you have a craving for pancakes in the evening, you should check this place out. The only thing I didn't like was the whip cream on top of all the desserts.

I recommend going to the flagship store because it's two levels. It's in Waikiki at 343 Saratoga Road; across from the Post Office. The flagship store has a gift shop on the ground level with Eggs 'n Things themed souvenirs and tropical flavored syrups. The dining area is on the second level; when your table is ready, the hostess escorts you up. Waikiki doesn't offer reasonable parking rates in the private lots and street parking is hard to find. If you have a car, go to their Ala Moana location instead.

For more information or to find an Eggs 'n Things near you, visit eggsnthings.com.

Ice Cream Waffle w/ Fresh Strawberries

Hawaiian Whipped Sampler


Sunday, September 11, 2016

Bernini Honolulu

If you are willing to spend a little more for good Italian food, Bernini Honolulu is a great spot to dine at. The inside of the restaurant is big but on the night I went, 3/4 of the restaurant was reserved for a private party. Even though it was busy, the staff was still attentive. Our water glasses were always filled and the timing of the dishes were perfect. We had a few minutes to rest and chat before the next dish came out. The food was always hot. The lighting is dim and the noise level can get loud but the taste of the food makes up for the negatives. I recommend getting their linguine, half chicken, and the pizzas (sorry, didn't get a photo). Their pizzas are thin and crispy.

The restaurant is located near Nordstrom. It is on the street you use to enter Ala Moana Center with a ramp that leads you to level 2 and level 3 of the parking lot. There are 8 parking spaces in front of the restaurant. Their parking lot can get tight if large cars are parked in it. It must be best to find a spot on the street. The street parking is free after 6pm. I also recommend making reservation in advanced. The dress code is business casual or dressy if you want to blend in with the other diners.

For more information about Bernini Honolulu, visit www.berninihonolulu.com.

1218 Waimanu St.
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-8400

Antipasto
(burrata, prosciutto, grilled eggplant w/ consomme gelee)

King Crab Linguine

Half Chicken "Al Forno"

Bernini Style Tiramisu

Mixed Berry Tart w/ Creme Fraiche

Monday, August 29, 2016

Foodland Farms Ala Moana

Foodland will be reopening in Ala Moana Center on Wednesday. I was invited to a preview of their new flagship store and got to try some of the new creations prepared by the in-house chefs. You can still buy groceries here but you'll also find some new things like a juice bar, shave ice stand, fresh mini donuts, thin crust pizzas, a grilling station, a poke island, and the R. Field Wine Company which offers wine by the glass and specialty beers on tap. HI Steaks, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and the Foodland Pharmacy are in here as well. There is a dining area that seats up to 100 people and offers complimentary wifi. The will call service can hold your groceries for you while you continue to shop around the mall. The interior decor and layout of this store is amazing and its worth checking out. If you like poke, get the truffle ahi poke because it's only available here.

For more information about Foodland Farms Ala Moana, visit www.foodland.com/alamoana.

Ala Moana Center
Ewa Wing, Street Level
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 949-5044

Truffle Ahi Poke

Margherita Pizza

Hawaiian Style Medianoche

Grilled Steak w/ Teriyaki Sauce from HI Steaks

Cheese from R. Field Wine Company

Prosciutto from R. Field Wine Company

Salami from R. Field Wine Company

Mini donuts tossed in Lilikoi Sugar



Thursday, August 25, 2016

Izakaya Naru

Izakaya Naru is known for their Okinawan dishes such as taco rice and homemade soba. Their specials change daily and the chefs make creative dishes. Some interesting daily specials I've tried in the past were Italian style poke and house-made smoked pistachios. If you like to drink, this place is good because they have a huge selection of alcohol and they stay open till 2AM. If you like food, this place is also good because the portions are small so you can try a bunch of different things. Their prices are reasonable and it's best to come with 2-4 people. Some dishes I recommend are the yukari seasoned fries, gyoza pizza, taco rice, okinawa soba, and shoyu pork spareribs. You must save room for dessert because the baguette stuffed with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with honey is amazing. 

They are located in Mo'ili'ili in the same complex as Glazer's Coffee and Sushi King. There is a parking lot but the lot gets full quick because it's shared with all the other businesses. There is street parking which is free after 6PM and you can also park in Puck's Alley. You might need to pay for Puck's Alley though. They are only open for dinner and the restaurant is small so call a few days in advanced to make a reservation.

For more information about Izayaka Naru, visit naru-honolulu.com.

2700 S King St.
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 951-0510

Yukari seasoned French Fries

Gyoza Pizza

Beef Tongue

Butter Sauteed Clams w/ Baguette

Taco Rice

Homemade Okinawa Soba w/ Shoyu Pork Spareribs

Baguette stuffed w/ Vanilla Ice Cream