Young's Kalbee

Young's Kal Bee in Aiea offers large portions of Korean food for a very reasonable price.  I found this restaurant on accident, while driving to eat sushi.

The Lunch Special and the Kalbee Special are winners.  I like how they give you heaping amounts of kimchi. I'm so glad to have found this restaurant!

It is small inside and not a fancy looking place, but the food is good.  It's very laid-back.

Kal Bee Special

Lunch Special

Kimchi

Soul - Honolulu, Hawaii

In 2011, Soul received a Hale Aina award for being one of the best restaurants in Hawaii.  After eating there a couple of days ago on a whim, I walked away knowing I would return again. 

Chicken and waffles in Hawaii?  Believe me.  It exists.  I was shocked, but more than happy to indulge in chicken and the most amazing waffles, smothered in a buttery maple syrup.  I would come back to eat the waffles and to try some of the other dishes, but I will be honest.  The chicken was greasy!  You might want to take some extra napkins to blot out the oil unless you get lucky and have the perfect fried chicken.

I also had jambalaya, which was full of seafood with the perfect amount of spice.  And of course, I've been a sweet tea addict since first trying it almost 10 years ago, so I knew I had to have a glass of it with my meal.  It was really great! 

If you are in the mood for southern/soul food or if you want to try something a little different, I would recommend trying Soul.  It's located at 3040 Waialae Avenue across from City Mill.  Parking is tight there and it may be tough to find, so good luck!

I can't say that I know what real southern food tastes like since I have heard that Soul is infused with pacific-rim flavors, but I did enjoy the food.  My first experience there has been positive so far and I would like to try the restaurant again. 

Coffee or Tea? Honolulu, Hawaii

Since starting graduate school, I have been obsessed with milk tea, a great late night drink that keeps me energized as I tackle my studies. 

One place I enjoy drinking milk tea is at Coffee or Tea?

Coffee or Tea? is a Taiwanese owned cafe that offers a variety of coffee and tea selections.  One of my favorite drinks is the Jasmine Green Tea Milk Tea, which I was obsessed with for a while.  I especially love to drink milk tea with tapioca pearls (bubbles) or with tea jelly.  There's nothing like tea jelly! 

There's also dessert for those of you with a sweet tooth.  There are some cakes, as well as shaved ice.  I love their shaved ice, especially the one that comes with tea jelly - of course. 

If you want to try a new tea place, I would recommend Coffee or Tea?  The cafe is located at McCully Shopping Center.  However, as a heads-up, it's a cash only kind of place.  Also, one of the cashiers has a strong personality that some may interpret as rude depending on one's culture, but try not to take it personally. 

It is a great place to enjoy coffee, tea, or simple desserts that will put a smile on your face, especially when you need a great drink to keep you relaxed and refreshed.

Ali'i Kai Catamaran - Honolulu, Hawaii

I can now cross off another "to do" on my 101 in 1001 list since I've now watched a sunrise and sunset in two interesting ways.

In Indonesia, I had a chance to watch the sunrise at Mount Bromo.  (Of course, I didn't see much since the clouds covered most of the sun, but it was an amazing experience).   In Hawaii, I saw the sunset on the Ali'i Kai Catamaran cruise in Honolulu, which was also spectacular.  
 
Although the tickets are as much as $73 dollars per person to have dinner on the Ali'i Kai Catamaran, I was able to take advantage of a great "buy one, get one free" discount.  It was the beginning of a beautiful day and an unforgettable night with friends and family. 

I have been on the Ali'i Kai Catamaran once before when I won free tickets during a work place party.  It was just as good then, as it is now.



From the window of the catamaran, one can see the beautiful view of Aloha Tower.  The view becomes even more incredible as the catamaran breaks away from the harbor and nears Diamond Head.

Before the sun sets, everyone is ushered to the buffet line. The buffet line looks much larger than it actually is and there aren't many selections, but the food is decent.  It's an all you can eat buffet, but be warned that the food is also taken away rather quickly to make room for the dancers who will use the space for the show that follows the dinner. 

There's also a delicious cheesecake for dessert to enjoy as the sun sets.  I loved the cheesecake.

There's also entertainment.  The dancers not only dance the hula, but show off dances from Tahiti and New Zealand.

During the performance, people are encouraged to dance.  It is one of the best parts of the catamaran cruise. One man, a Texan, was made fun of as he tried to dance the Tahitian hula.  Of course, it was all in fun and for great entertainment!

In the end, more than half the people on the catamaran danced.  It was a great night and a lot of fun.  I didn't want to get off the boat.

Morimoto Waikiki - Hawaii

In Honolulu, there are several well-known restaurants owned by top chefs such as Chef Mavro and Alan Wong.  Now, there is a new restaurant in town, which opened nearly 8 months ago, in the Waikiki Edition Hotel.  Morimoto Waikiki, owned be Iron Chef Morimoto, offers a number of tantalizing appetizers and main dishes, such as crispy rock shrimp tempura and tuna pizza, as well as seafood toban yaki and ishi yaki buri bop.  There are also cocktails available, as well as dessert.

At first, I was concerned about eating at Morimoto Waikiki.  I get nervous at fancy restaurants.  Second, I wasn't sure what to expect and hoped it would be worth the money.  The good news is that my fears were quickly quelled after stepping into the restaurant.  I loved the ambiance!  It did not feel uptight and stuffy in the restaurant, but extremely relaxing and clean.  You can watch food being prepared since it's an open kitchen.  The food was excellent too.  It was not only fresh, but tasty.  The service was also phenomenal. 

The only thing that felt slightly uncomfortable is sitting in the same booth with another couple.  The tables are only separated by 2 feet of space in the booth, so you are practically sitting next to someone you do not know.  However, once the food comes out, does it really matter? Also, not all of the seating is in a booth.  There are also open tables and even outdoor seating.

The first thing I tried is a White Lily cocktail to start things off.  I only had a virgin cocktail though since I'm allergic to alcohol (yes, really!), so maybe I should call it juice.  It was excellent juice though, which I'm dying to replicate.

Afterward, I indulged in the crispy rock shrimp tempura.  I would highly recommend this dish!  It is amazing, especially if you love fried food.  I also tried the tuna pizza, which is decent, although I don't think it is for everyone.  It has a thin crust, with thin slices of raw tuna topped with cilantro, half a grape tomato, a thin slice of jalapeno, olives, and some mayonnaise.  It it not a "pretty" dish to eat, but I thought it tasted good and I definitely don't have a problem digging in.

The other dishes I tried were seafood toban yaki and ishi yaki buri bop.  The first dish, the seafood toban yaki, is basically a seafood bouillabaisse with a miso sake flavor. The seafood is incredibly fresh and the broth light and simple.  It comes with slices of baguette.

I'm sorry the pictures are so dark!  I used my camera phone without realizing it would be this dark.

The other dish, the ishi yaki buri bop, is brought to the table in a hot stone dish.  There is rice inside the dish with some green vegetables, ferns, and slices of raw yellow fin tuna on top.  The fish is seared by the server who neatly prepares it, tossing the other ingredients together along with it, while seasoning the dish with a sesame soy sauce.  The server explains the process step-by-step, as you watch your food being prepared.

After enjoying the amazing food at Morimoto Waikiki, I was too full to eat anymore, even though I wanted to try the dessert.  I guess there is always next time!

In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by Morimoto Waikiki.  I have tried other fancy restaurants, which I did not enjoy as much.  However, this one I actually liked, while I also had a great time. 

I would recommend Morimoto Waikiki, especially for special occasions.

Kohnotorhi Restaurant - Honolulu, Hawaii

Kohnotori, a Japanese yakitori restaurant, is located at Puck's Alley near the University of Hawaii at Manoa Campus.  It is usually open late in the evening from 5 p.m. to midnight, except for on Friday and Saturday when it is open until 2 a.m.

Although I thought Kohnotori was excellent a few years ago, my most recent visit was less satisfying.  It didn't seem too busy, yet service was extremely slow.  Also, it seems quite expensive for the amount of food you receive.  I spent nearly $30.00 and felt like I had a snack.

Kohnotori might be a good place for you if you want to enjoy some great alcohol and a snack, while chatting all night with a friend or two.  But if you are in a rush, I wouldn't recommend you eat there unless you have the time to sit down.

I do believe in trying a place a second or third time to get a fair assessment.  However, at the moment, it isn't a place that I want to return to anytime soon. 

Gomatei Restaurant at Ward Center - Honolulu, Hawaii

During the week, I went to study with several of my classmates.  After studying intensely, some of us were starving and ready to eat an early lunch.  I know I was hungry!  I was also jittery from drinking coffee, so I knew I needed to eat soon.

We walked through Ward Center and found Gomatei.  I remember eating there years ago, but I wasn't sure what the food would be like since it had been so long. 

I liked the atmosphere in Gomatei.  It is a simple, clean and comfortable place to eat ramen noodles.  The wait staff is also incredibly friendly and attentive to customer needs.  In fact, the cashier didn't mind splitting our check, which is rare for many restaurants that find it quite bothersome. 

I ordered a gomatei vegetable ramen.  It has some interesting mushrooms inside and chopped vegetables, which I love.  But I don't think I'm a big fan of goma (sesame seeds) because I did not enjoy the roasted flavor in my ramen bowl.  My friend seemed to enjoy it, but I will have to try another dish there before making a final judgement about Gomatei.

The Cheesecake Factory - Waikiki, Hawaii

Last weekend, it was a birthday celebration!  My two friends and I went to the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki to have a good time.

When we got to the cheesecake factory, it was almost 8:30 p.m. and we discovered upon checking in that the wait time would be an hour and a half! It wasn't a problem for us though since we love to shop.  My favorite store of all, Forever 21, happens to be just next door!

After we finally sat down, we ordered our food.  The wait staff is incredibly busy though, so it can take a while to get served.  They work very hard to serve food to the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of customers daily.  I give them credit for being able to work there because I am sure it is exhausting!

It did take a while to get our food, but when you are with friends, time doesn't seem to matter much.  I was enjoying the food and having a great time.

When we finally received our food, I was stunned by the large portions!  I barely dented my pasta, which later turned out to be worth three meals once I took the leftovers home.  My other friend could not eat any of her food either.



My best friend completely indulged in her orange chicken dish at the the Cheesecake Factory though, later becoming nauseated by the amount of food she ate.  Although she's a skinny girl, she knows how to eat!  I'm glad she had a good time.

Before leaving the restaurant, we all shared a slice of cheesecake.  Although many say the food at the Cheesecake Factory is average, I thought it was excellent!  The food is good, as well as the cheesecake and I would definitely return.  However, it is not the place to go if you are on a time crunch!  I would recommend it for those who have time and are in the company of friends or family.

Don't forget to try the cheesecake!  There's so many choices to choose from that I know you'll find one to enjoy!

Boston's Pizza - Hawaii

The first time I ate at Boston's Pizza, I did not like it.  I remember my pizza being cold.  But today, I ate at Boston's Pizza for a second time and absolutely loved it.

What's the secret? You definitely have to order it hot and fresh.  It may be easier to purchase pizza that's already been made and ready to eat as displayed in the window, but it tastes much better when it is hot out of the oven.  Trust me.  There's no other way to eat pizza except when it has just been made.



I know. I should be eating healthy, but there are times when your body craves other things and you cannot help but eat whatever is in sight. For the last couple of days, I have had a ravenous hunger for food. When I'm full, I still want to eat. At times, this happens to me. I am pretty sure it is because I ran in the Great Aloha Run and need to eat extra calories to replenish my energy.  Either way, I feel completely satisfied after eating a ton of pizza tonight.

Now, it's back to studying.  I have papers to write and homework to complete before a hectic week of work.

Lanikai Juice - Kahala, Hawaii

Every Sunday, I will try to explore the outdoors or some type of sport to recharge myself for the upcoming week.  I want to take care of my health too, so I have been exercising and eating well. 

Yesterday, I came back from a peaceful hike at Makapu'u where I had a chance to walk and jog, while also observe the whales.  I love the feeling of living in the moment and taking in all that life has to offer.

After the hike,  I decided to go to Lanikai Juice, a place I have always wanted to try because they use local grown products and natural ingredients.  Lanikai Juice is across from Kahala Mall. It is extremely easy to find and I would recommend you try it because the juice there is excellent! The staff is also friendly and it is a comfortable place to sit down and have a drink.

I tried their "Ginger Ono" and it was really good!  There were so many smoothies to choose from, it took me a while to decide, but I was happy with what I had ordered.  I would love to try all of them!

If you are looking for a healthy option, try Lanikai Juice.

Angelo Pietro Restaurant - Honolulu, Hawaii

When I was a child, I remember eating at Angelo Pietro's.  I remember how delicious their pizza was and the raw potato salad too.  However, the second time I ate there, I ordered the most disgusting dish ever.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to return for a while, so I did not until this past week. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Angelo Pietro's, it is a Japanese-style Italian restaurant.  Although there's Italian food, it is influenced by Japanese taste buds. 

I was not sure how my third experience would be, but it turned out great!  I chose items I knew would be good, instead of creating my own meal.  Now, I want to return to Pietro's for more delicious food.

My favorite item there is the rainbow salad.  It is a raw potato salad with other vegetables, such as lettuce and tomatoes.  It is extremely healthy.  I would return to Pietro's just for the salad.

I also enjoy their pizza, but I did not love the meat lover's pizza as much.  It was a bit salty for me, but I am sure someone else out there would enjoy it.

The Shrimp Doria was excellent and it is an item I would recommend, especially if you want to try something new and a bit unusual.  It reminds me of a dish I used to eat at home.  It's such a modern Japanese food and it is one I would love to cook at home to enjoy.  It is similar to a casserole with rice, shrimp, mushrooms, cheese, and a creamy sauce.

I will definitely return to Angelo Pietro's to enjoy some of the other dishes on the menu.  The prices are quite reasonable and the food is excellent, as long as you choose the right thing for your taste buds.  I can't wait to return.

Pyramids Restaurant - Honolulu, Hawaii

For my 101 in 1001 list, I accomplished half of my goal, which is to try at least two Middle Eastern restaurants.  I have one more restaurant to go before I can cross this item off my list.  Of course, I would like to eat at more Middle Eastern restaurants, but two is a good goal to meet since there aren't many of these restaurants in Hawaii. 

I had such a great time eating at Pyramids, a restaurant located at 758 Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu, which offers a variety Middle Eastern food.  Although there is lunch buffet, I had dinner at Pyramids.  I hear there are Belly dancers during the evening too, but I did not see any when I went there, most likely because we arrived far too early for dinner. 

The restaurant may also appear to be a small, hole in the wall when looking in from the outside.  However, upon entering Pyramids, one may notice how spacious and unique the restaurant is inside.  There are interesting pieces of art on the walls and a good amount of space inside too.  It is clean inside and the servers are more than gracious, especially for those unfamiliar with Middle Eastern food.

For those of you intimidated by ethnic foods, you really should explore foods from around the world.  You may find incredible dishes that you never considered and you'll also learn to appreciate foods from other cultures too.

I found a favorite at Pyramids.  Baklava Walnut.  I also had a chance to try a number of other Middle Eastern appetizers and entrees, all which I would gladly indulge in again.  Here are some of the dishes available at Pyramids...

Most people can easily enjoy Middle Eastern food.  The hard part is figuring out what you are eating, which I wish I could explain to you in more detail.  For now, however, I hope these photos will suffice. 

After you are done eating, your bill is placed into a beautiful box.

For the most part, I enjoyed the food, especially the dessert.  I felt the restaurant was an interesting place to eat at and I look forward to trying my next Middle Eastern restaurant in the near future.

I hope you all have a chance to also try a restaurant outside of your comfort zone.  We sometimes grow familiar with what we are used to eating, but why not give a new restaurant a try?