ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
There are so many Japanese customers at Eggs 'N Things that the lady taking names at the door for the waiting list speaks fluent nihongo, though she’s obviously a local. In fact, when she handed me the hand-held pager, she gave me instructions in Japanese, obviously not noticing my USC T-shirt. The word was that there is... Continue Reading →
I’m not particularly a big fan of tonkatsu but I will eat it. I’m usually indifferent and, if given the opportunity, will normally order something else. But it is Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin’s specialty. In this land known for its love of chicken katsu, this Ginza-based restaurant has set up business in Honolulu. There is also a branch in... Continue Reading →
Ezogiku has a large, cult following in Japan of ramen connoisseurs. Since its Tokyo opening in 1968, it has served Sapporo-style ramen. As with any serious ramen shop, it makes its own soups from scratch. On top of that, Ezogiku makes its own miso paste for its signature miso ramen. Its production is confined to... Continue Reading →
Winds were whipping across Hawaii all week. As we approached the North Shore, located on the windward side of Oahu, I wondered if the famed big surf tides that draws serious surfers (and their fans) from all over the world would put on a good display today. In December of each year, there is a world-famous... Continue Reading →
I'm not a cream pie fan, with one exception. I much prefer fruit-filled pies, especially fresh (uncooked) marionberry or strawberry pie. Word was though that Ted's chocolate haupia cream pie was to die for. Since the bakery was on our route to Hale'iwa anyway, we made a dutiful stop here. This was a great pie.... Continue Reading →
Though originally from Australia, the macadamia nut here in the U.S. is associated with the Hawaiian Islands. Just look around the confection section of most supermarkets, and you're bound to find chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. Several species of the nut are toxic to humans unless specially treated, but the edible varieties are quite delicious, meaty and... Continue Reading →
You might have seen it on an episode of Lost, a stand-in for a temple in South Korea. It is the temple of Byodo-In, a half-size replica of its namesake in Uji, Japan, built in 998 AD and considered a national treasure and a UN World Heritage Site. The temple here is built mostly with... Continue Reading →
A spectacular way to get from Honolulu to windward Oahu is State Hwy 61 (Pali Highway) through a pass over the Ko'olau mountain range. There is an overlook near the ridge where you can get a sweeping view of the northeastern side of Oahu. The winds are strong up here, sometimes so strong that you... Continue Reading →
Serving since 1966, Zippy's is a fast-food chain restaurant that operates mainly on Oahu and has a reputation for having solid, if not memorable Hawaiian food. Our local Japanese supermarket in the Seattle area (Uwajimaya) carries its chilis in the freezer section. A friend of ours who has a condo in Waikiki tries to purchase... Continue Reading →
A hike through lush rainforest is the one to Manoa Falls, about 1½ miles from the bus stop to a viewing area of the falls. At the foot of the trailhead is a parking lot where a snack shop also was selling mosquito repellent. We decided to take our chances. As soon as we started... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 