Pechluck's blog

Brave Horse Tavern & Serious Biscuit, Spur in Seattle

I happen to be a fan of of the Tom Douglas Restaurants empire- at this point I've experienced the output of four of his twelve restaurants. I've tried Serious Pie pizza for lunch (delivered to the office I was visiting), the doughnuts of Dahlia Bakery, happy hour at Palace Kitchen, and a breakfast at Serious Biscuit. For another visit to Seattle recently, I revisited one place while increasing my total by visiting a new Tom Douglas concept. As before, I was not disappointed- it is quite dependable.

Previous eatings: doughnuts at Dahlia Bakery. Also, at Serious Biscuit, the fried chicken with Buttermilk Biscuit and tabasco black pepper gravy (both soothing me with its creaminess and making my tongue tingle with every bite). I added a smothering of Beecher's cheddar to mine, and that boneless hunk o chicken was juicy and extremely crispy, holding up to the generous drenching of gravy.

This time, I went to Brave Horse Tavern for their all day Sunday happy hour, and also for Serious Biscuit in the morning for a second breakfast visit. At Brave Horse Tavern, I tried their hand made pretzel with 3 of their spreads: beer cheddar fondue, sour cream and crispy onion, and smoked peanut butter and bacon. While half the table liked it the traditional way with the mustard on the table, I was a fan of the smoked peanut butter and bacon. The other two were ok but didn't leave much of an impression beyond that. On the other hand, it was a much different atmosphere at Brave horse then I had seen at the others which had been a bit more of an urban modernity feel. Brave Horse Tavern had a much more casual open feel, including big open tables like you would expect in Lucky Lab here in Portland or a brauhaus in Germany. Not sure whether it was because it was all day Sunday happy hour or not, but the other patrons leaned more towards late 20s to mid 30s and had a flirty vibe of comraderie and outgoing energy.

For breakfast the next day, I went with the other choice that had tempted me my first visit: their biscuit with truffled frittata, tomato caper relish, arugula  and I ordered that same  tabasco black pepper gravy on the side... wow, it came in a big mug for me to dunk my forkfuls. I don't like their biscuits enough to have them plain without gravy- they still seem a little dry and hard on the outside instead of flakey (although the inside is moist), probably because they aren't oven fresh, making it an ok but not particularly special. But, put that biscuit with all that other wonderful stuff they offer together though and I ate every single bite and stayed full and satisfied for most of the rest of the day. Just like the last time, this is a knife and fork kind of meal. 

Between these two visits to Tom Douglas restaurants was a fabulous dinner at Spur Gastropub. At first, when our table of 7 received our initial small plates of the Castlefranco Radicchio Salad with candied pecan, blue cheese, and sorrel and the Winter Beet Salad they have with buttermilk, caraway, and arugula, we were unimpressed, though at least the beet salad had a little surprise with the beet powder to add a bit of grit texture.The Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks with white bean, leek and guanciale or the Veal Sweetbreads with braised greens, squash and apple also were not memorable.

However, we were delighted with other dishes. The Sockeye Salmon Crostini ($4 each) with mascarpone, caper, and pickled shallot was a wonderful combination though only worth $1 per bite, if you nibbled. Yeah, these tasted wonderful but if you have to order 2-3 dishes per person and these dishes are already the price of a normal entree at a restaurant, your bill adds up- probably $50 a person along not counting drinks or dessert. Don't come in super hungry and wanting to get full quickly- you want to come to mostly converse and nibble your dinner as you go.

Each of these, and every single dish actually, was plated beautifully... too bad the extremely dark lighting of the restaurant made it difficult to appreciate (and capture). Some pin lighting just in the middle of the table to spotlight the food but still leave everyone in romatic candelight would have been a better compromise instead of having everyone peer at their food. Just by luck, later in the evening I happened to accidentally set my camera to "action" setting which ended up with the more intake of what light there was towards the end of these pictures- but those are definitely brighter then it was actually looking down at our table. 

Our favorite dishes, and I could have eaten it just all by myself (it was a dish that disappeared in minutes as we passed it around the table family style) included the Black Truffle Gnocchi  with baby turnip, parmesan, and greens that melted too quickly in decadance on your tongue, as did the perfectly cooked Wagyu Sirloin with rutabaga, pear and mustard. The Merguez Sausage with chick pea, harissa and tender herbs offered a bit of spark with its spicyness. The Pork Belly Sliders topped with celery root, apple and smoke (hey, that's what the menu lists) on soft buttery brioche also went down quite easily- we somehow found the room even as we were already getting filled up because it was so tasty. The Tagliatelle with duck egg, oyster mushroom and pine nut was an ok dish that is evidently popular and a regualr on the menu, but since it followed after the Black Truffle Gnocchi it couldn't quite measure up to that previous dish.

The three desserts were ordered were all good in different ways. The Parsnip, Banana, Coconut, sponge cake, crumble, ice cream was a tropical light respite from the dinner but I thought needed something else to balance it like a small touch of earthiness, maybe mint? I appreciated the play of textures here though. Meanwhile the Chocolate, Pistachio, Pear, sorbet, pudding cake, praline dessert offered the rich chocolate luxury. Finally, the Passion Fruit, Grapefruit, Fromage Blanc, custard, sorbet, streusel dessert plate cleansed and refreshed.

I would definitely try Spur again- the ones that were a hit were amazing, while others were meh- so I might do a little research next time to see what people highlight in reviews next time I visit. And, I'll come when it doesn't get dark so quickly so I can appreciate my food. I would also go with a group: the small plates concept they have going here is playful and modern, which tastewise sometimes paid off handsomely, and sometimes not in anything but posing as cool looking. So you want to up your chances of getting something great by ordering a lot of dishes- and also see my earlier comment about the price and pace.

I'm not sure why it's called a gastropub since their trendy cocktail list offered some interesting concoctions but there wasn't as much to choose from beer-wise, and the setup definitely is more of a cocktail and place then beer. Thankfully, this also meant the service was much smoother and polished then I might expect at a gastropub- thanks Jared! Overall, I would like to support their continue experimentation and pushing of the boundaries.

Tokyo Weekend: Sushi Dai

Sushi Dai- located right in the Tsukiji Fish Market area, the long line of people queuing for one of the mere dozen seats is a testament to their quality and is an easy way to identify it among the rest of the restaurants along these rows literally just across the parking lot from the Fish Market. Also, none of these places had English signs, so all I had to go off of was a picture of the front printed from my sister's photo album and the line of people to mark X is the spot. I wish I had printed out more photos so I could have shown the sushi chef their photos in retrospect. One of the things I definitely learned during my international trip is that I don't know how I can go back to living without the internet- I always felt uninformed and craved immediate access to information.

All the stool seats are right at the counter, with 3 sushi chefs working their magic directly from their expert nimble and quick hands to the raised counter you sit at (no plates!) with a quick verbal description in Japanese, Chinese, or English. It really is teeny tiny they have no other space- you have to put your belongings up on high shelves behind you like a school student because there is no place else- there is just enough room behind the stools for the lady to bring you soup. Once in a while a lady would come out to organize the line- some of us queue along a side street so as not to block the walkway, and then in front of the restaurant itself, in rows of 4 so that you get sorted into seatings as guests leave.

Everyone knows about the line and politely tries to turnover quickly so everyone can enjoy- there is a little chit chat as the chefs work but everyone is a foodie here and knows about the agonizing anticipation when in line, especially this day because it was winter and quite chilly. Every group had 1-2 people with their cameras out like I did so I wasn't embarrassed to pull mine out in front of the chefs either... and I'm so glad to have these photos to drool over and remember the experience.

After waiting in line for a couple hours (and that was after I got in line at 8:45am, a late start because I had to pack and check out, and I got lost... and then walked around for a while fascinated as I watched them wrap up business in the fish market), finally I made it in around 11am. Starting with the warm towel and hot green tea... looking at the beautiful cuts of fish in the case on my right, and the shrimp on the left, the radish is ready on the raised counter... the exact sushi chefs that I had seen pictured in baby J's pictures and in other internet sources.

And then the fantastic lunch commenced (you can get a set or omakase chef's choice, don't be stupid, get the omakase) with toro, so beautiful and fresh, followed by flounder, snapper, sea urchin, mackerel, red clam (still moving a little he placed it down before us), warm sweet egg block, horse mackerel, translucent baby shrimp, traditional maki sushi (with the seaweed wrap), marinated tuna, steamed sea eel, and then my choice of anything for the last piece- which I went with fatty tuna. Look how beautiful each piece is, and how thick the cut is... Every generous piece was so soft, cool but not so cold that any flavor was locked in the temperature or texture, and each slice of seafood was long (2 to3 to 4 inches!). The photos are ordered in the same order I received them during my lunch.

Several of the pieces came with the instruction to not use soy sauce because they had pre-marinated it or added their touches of flavor via lime juice or a sprinkle of salt already in crafting the seafood upon the slightly warm rice. I only used my soy sauce for the traditional maki rolls. Oishi! I was sad that these were so delicious that all they melted in my mouth so fast and then in seemingly no time it was already time to go.

Little did I know that my life would soon suck as I find out that my flight is cancelled back home. At least though, I got to have Sushi Dai before that all broke loose. I thought I knew what fresh sushi tasted like- but this was freaking unbelievable.

That's it for my world tour through Israel, Germany, China (Shenzhen) and Japan (Tokyo). Next stop- after a few days to try to readjust to the time, to Seattle for a quick overnight and workday.

Tokyo Weekend: Visits to Asukasa, Harajuku, Shibuya

The next morning I waded through the crowds cheering on the Tokyo Marathon to go to an area of the city called Asukasa. There, my goal was to see Kaminarimon Gate- bright red colored gate with its 100 kg (220 lb) lantern in the middle- as well as what was past its gate, Sensoji temple. The path to the temple from the gate is Nakamise Dori- a temple market pedestrian walkway lined on both sides with tiny stall after tiny stall, many owned by the same family for generations.

On my way to the main temple, I was drawn in by the bunnies and the cuteness of this one pink stall. They are selling some sort of treat on a stick...skewered sticky round balls rolled in some sort of powder that you had to eat all three at the same time because they were sorta glutinous. When I took my first bite I tried to just eat one ball and it stretched and popped some of the powder into the air onto my coat... and in the air and slight breeze towards other people. Oops. That's when I noticed how everyone else was eating by putting the whole thing in their mouth. For an additional 100 yen have some warm sweet sake too to wash down the powder.

More treats for sale on Nakamise dori, a pedestrian lane leading to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. Lots of local snacks and little things to buy. I wanted to try ningyo-yaki (red bean-filled buns moulded into various shapes using iron pans over a fire) but they came in too many pieces for me to buy and then find out I didn't like it. I did like watching them make it though- there were two stalls that I found showcasing the man pouring in the dough, adding the bean, and then pouring more dough on top and then placing on the small flames- he was super fast!

I did get what you see below, a bean paste filled sesame bun thing I ate... I guess it is called manju?

I'm a bit of a lemming when I'm exploring- there was a long line at one stall when I passed by, and then on the way back there still was a long line... so I got in line too for whatever treat this was. Famous meatball place apparently- and the fried meatball patty thing was very juicy and tasty. It was so juicy it dripped on my scarf a little bit as I was eating it nom nom nom nom nom

After visiting the temple, and then off to the Meiji shrine, I headed to Takeshita Dori, the teenage fashion street of Harajuku. After seeing several girls walking by me with crepes, and then a long line of crepe waiting peeps... yes, I got in line. I decided to go with the one in the first row third over- strawberry strawberry. I found out what it was called because someone else ordered it and the crepe guy called it out, fortunately... their plastic displays and posters had no discernible numbers to order with. I did do a double take on one type of offering though. Uh what, you put a whole cheesecake slice in there and then surround it with whipped cream!?

You would think after this that I would be sick of being in crowds, but I had another stop after a quick nap (and to rest my feet). When it got dark, I headed on the train to Shibuya Crossing, the nicknamed Times Square of Tokyo for both its busy traffic of commuters day and night and multiple bright screens flashing to advertise to them. After walking through the crosswalk in the herds a few times, I then spent 30 minutes wandering lost but admiring the many neon signage everywhere until I found my goal. I went to Coco Curry House for dinner where I got level 4 heat curry with chicken katsu and mushroom. Thanks for your tips baby J!

One more tip from baby J to explore... a Monday at Tsukiji Fish Market and delicious sashimi and sushi...

Tokyo Weekend: Visits to Shinjuku, Akihabara = Noodle Day

Breakfast hot dog? I'm not sure what is the fascination of hot dogs in buns (although the bread for their buns has a slightly sweet taste) as a breakfast pastry. I suppose it's just a different twist on breakfast sausage.

After a visit to TMG, I had a lunch of udon- I'm going for the one at the bottom row for 600 yen- because a sign in the plastic food window says their specialty is buckwheat noodle. One of the quirks of Japanese places is many have machines where you match what you saw in the picture or in the display of plastic foods to what you want to press to get a ticket for that dish which you just hand to your server or the counter. They never need to handle your money and you get to order as quickly as you decide (or go back to the machine for more). The tempura at this place wasn't as good as my business lunch, but eating the warm soba helped prepare me for the chilly weather of Tokyo that I would be walking through all day.

For dinner I was in the Akihabara area and saw two ramen places right next to each other. I had been anticipating ramen since the beginning of my trip. On the plane from Newark to Tel Aviv, they had individual players for each seat, and usually I like to watch foreign movies since I could get stuck on another plane and be forced to watch the US releases on a cabin screen, so might as well save those for later. One of the movies I watched was about a man trying to invent his own ramen recipe after inheriting his father's ramen cart, and the movie told their story simultaneously on their pursuit of delicious excellence. Then, in China, I had watched a whole NHK special on unique ramens. So I had to have it.

Inside both little tiny shops that only seated maybe a dozen people, it was packed elbow to elbow with all men on little stools on very little counterspace around the open ramen kitchen, so I walked around a bit more and then came back. I thought I saw a woman in there so stepped up in line. In retrospect maybe it was a guy with dyed reddish hair that was shoulder length. I could not quite slurp as loudly and well as my neighbor though and in retrospect I should tie my hair back, heh. I don't know how everyone around me was eating it so fast, it was so hot, but I was definitely conscious about the line waiting outside, and also that this was so delicious. It was the only time I had ramen during my visit, though I was tempted every single time I walked by a packed ramen bar. Oh well- yum tonkatsu ramen was still mine!

Next post: a Sunday full of snacks

Food Fotos during my work hours in Tokyo

Lunch on day 1, a highlight that brightened what was a hard work day that started with a 1am flight from Hong Kong to land in Narita at 6:20am (thanks / no thanks to a cancelled flight by Air China in Shenzhen earlier that day after holding us with no amenities and no information for more than 4 hours and I had to look up and suggest my own alternative flight to get here by morning). There at the Narita airport, there was a quick change into a suit and purchase of a foreigner's pass to catch the Narita Express to Shinagawa from 7:33-9:06 (I passed out there), a mad dash to drop off our suitcases while removing our work accessories and get back through the rush hour peoples to a train to the customer site by the time the 9:30 train door closes (we made it by like 7 seconds!). Of course it was also raining.

But this fresh lunch after that visit while relaxing in our booth by a window, our shoes put away in little wooden lockers in the front, and a convenient button on the table to call our waitress whenever we needed something, was a welcome breather. The tempura was surprisingly good- the batter was better then anything I've had in the US because of its lightness and it almost seemed baked instead of deep fried.

A drinking dinner that same evening included edamame, crispy pan fried dumplings, chicken wrapped around asparagus, tangy shrimp salad, seared scallops, and okonomiyaki that has noodles, aka a certain regional style, Hiroshima-style, as well as Asahi beer.

Another business lunch... The next day we went to a place that specialized in katsu. What I ordered for lunch was the 1200 yen tonkatsu dish with the traditional pork cutlet. My other American peer got the sampler for 1190 that included fried cheese- I had been tempted but went with the traditional. It was the best tonkatsu I have ever had: again the batter was light and crisp that was not oily at all while the pork cutlet was very juicy and perfectly cooked.

A snack while we type up our customer notes that last "work" evening: Takoyaki (Japanese Octopus Dumpling Balls), one with leek and one original flavor.

The last meal of the work week was full of grilled stuffs over charcoal; Kushiyaki-skewers based in a sweet soy based sauce (shitake mushrooms and chicken meatball tsukune); and Miyazaki style grilled chicken that comes out black to the table...

Next blog: the food from my days off of work.

Eating meats in Germany; Bread and cheese for breakfast in Israel and Germany

The beers are light and foamy fun in Germany- here I am having Krombacher my first evening in Frankfurt.  But, the fact they come in liters is ridiculous. I don't understand how people aren't constantly visiting the W.C.

The food in Germany was very heavy in meat and carbs- and the plates very large. My favorite dishes were:

At Goldenes Posthorn, in Nurnburg (a stop on the way to Munich from Frankfurt) we started with a bread basket which of course had pretzels. I just don't like pretzels very much though unless they are fresh and hot and doughy: usually the middle is the best part. However, another plus that I noticed during my days in Israel and Germany was the flavorful seedy bread: why don't we have more bread like this in the US?

How cool is this "appetizer plate" of pewter we each got the shape of a bell. You can also see we are enjoying Tucher beer yes, at lunch.The famous Nurenberg sausages, with a small side of horseradish, also came in a similar dish but it was heartshaped, aw. The sausages have been a delicacy since 1313 and are actually protected by EU law so they can only be produced here in this city. Per wikipedia, they are pork-based and typically seasoned with fresh marjoram which gives them their distinctive flavour.

They are traditionally grilled over a beechwood fire (which explains as soon as we walked through the door why the place smelled so wonderful- we saw the charcoal grill in the center later as we were leaving). They are served in sets of six, eight, 10 or 12 on a pewter plate (round but also frequently heart- or bell-shaped) with either sauerkraut or potato salad (though we didn't have this here as it as an appetizer), and accompanied by a dollop of horseradish or mustard. The mustard is in a little jar just out of the frame of the photo to the right. It was great with the Tucher beer (yes, beer at lunch- depending on the region in Germany, this might be expected by the customer to win their trust!)

The highlight though was the entree. Lunch entree was a braised beef cheek which was very falling apart tender in a rich wine sauce and the little bits of tart here or there from the pomegranate. Also on the plate are dumplings made out of bread (so it's a bit more like a doughy stuffing), and in the bowl next to it a sort of cheesy greens and rice. That sauce was so delicious.

My other favorite dish was the Roast pork from Bavarian production with crackling in natural gravy with Spaetzle egg noodles at Hofbrauhaus (enjoyed with a Dark Radler, which is their Dark Beer with lemonade- I was slightly beered out after a lot of mugs of Radeberger beer the previous two evenings during work dinners). I saw lots of crackling in the market but didn't get any until my last night in Germany, and the crackling was as wonderful as I had hoped for.

Did I mention how much I loved the seedy bread in Israel and Germany? Also, I cannot object to a breakfast buffet brimming with cheeses and meats. Below, you see the cheese offerings at the Dan Accadia in Israel (included in the room stay), and then the last two photos show the offerings at the Hotel Campo dei Fiori (included as part of room stay) with its location right next to the Viktualienmarkt in Munich.

I had no idea Israel was such a strong dairy producer... though I suppose there have been a lot of sheperds there for a long time, so they definitely have access to the raw goods. Best of all, it wasn't just pickled (feta) cheese- lots of fresh cheeses, and goat cheeses. Also in Israel I really liked that instead of the dryer baked goods you see at coffeeshops in the US, they offered bureka, a puff pastry stuffed with cheese or potato or spinach. I suppose it's sorta similar to a stuffed croissant, but the puff pastry is lighter and flakier. Though it probably uses just as much butter...

Next post follows me to Asia.

Star Noodle in Maui

Since we had rented beautiful oceanfront condos, we got take out from Star Noodle in Lahaina and brought it home to enjoy for our lunch while gazing at the clear blue ocean below our balcony and Molokai and Lanai in the short distance.

We put together quite a take out feast from this hidden in an industrial business complex joint. Appetizers included the Pohole Salad of Hana Fiddle Head Fern, Maui Onion, Ebi, Kombu; the Steamed Pressed Pork, Hoisin, Shiitake, and Cucumber Buns; and a Vietnamese Crepe filled with Shrimp, Pork, Bean Sprouts that you enjoy by further wrapping within large lettuce leaves.

Entrees sampled included the texturally fun Lahaina Fried Soup with Fat Chow Funn, Pork, Bean Sprouts; the slightly oily but yet can't stop eating the simple Garlic Noodles with fresh fried garlic, Garlic Oil, Dashi, Scallions; Miso Salmon charbroiled with Su-Miso sauce; and Ramen. There was more food, but that's what is photographed.

I only really wanted one souvenir from my visit- Foodland reusable tote bag. They have several designs to choose from- the one I yearned for was one that pictured Spam Musubi, and another picturing a bowl of Poke. And while you are at Foodland picking up these awesome bags, you have yet another chance at enjoying some poke while you're there in Hawaii!

Ono-ness in Kauai: Fish Express and more

It is a hole in the wall, but as soon as it's lunchtime, be prepared to be battling for a parking spot in this carryout only storefront with its tiny little lot for maybe half a dozen cars. I am definitely going back here to Fish Express again next time in Kauai. It's a bit farther away from the lovely beaches I saw as we drove up north to Princeville... but whatever, it's worth it.

Don't get distracted by the golden fried chicken or those bento boxes of various food packaged up ready for a quick grab and go. You want the little bit of each of the various poke and lobster salad if they have it or what else is behind the glass, and the fresh fish hot plates. You can stick with just the deli portion and make yourself a buffet out of their various cold offerings. But, choose your amounts carefully of each unless you can take it back to a fridge- I was so sad when I couldn't finish off the poke later for dinner because I couldn't eat all the buffet during lunch with the hot fish, and it didn't do well sitting in the car while we visited Waimea Canyon.

But take a merely priced at $8.95 fish special (it tastes just as good as the $25 entrees you would get at a sit down seafood restaurant) with you too, even as you get the poke buffet. They have 7 possible preparations for the cooked fish, and the exact fish that goes with each style depends on the day. You'll have to take it out to your car and drive away- we went to a Costco parking lot to enjoy, because then we could go wash our hands and use the restrooms afterward. And, that way you can discard your big cardbox box of takeout food (just like how Costco "boxes" your purchases as well) there. Also, maybe Costco is oddly really well marked on the map from the Dollar car rental magazine.

Below, see the Shrimp Scampi, Ono sauteed with garlic and herb butter, and Macadamia Nut Panko crusted Ahi with lilokoi dill sauce. That Macadamia Nut Panko Ahi was the best thing I ate during my vacation in Hawaii this time round.

As an honorable mention in Kauai yumminess, there was also dangerous fast driving in the dark to get to Puka Dog in Poipu before they closed. It was scary getting there in the dark streets while being speedy, but worth the misadventure as we bit into the freshly grilled hot dog. You select your choice of meat aka Polish Sausage or Veggie, followed by spice level of garlic lemon sauce, and then a tropical relish menu option (ranging from pineapple which is great with the spiciest level to mango, or starfruit, or coconut or banana) all squished into a bun that is not split but just has a hole to insert the selected hot dog and accompaniments so they are all swaddled by the bread for less mess. Cash Only... though I and the person before me ordered $50 worth of Puka Dog, so clearly these are not priced like your cheapie gas station dogs, nor should they be, and they are worth craving!

Finish up with dessert in that same shopping complex at Papalani Gelato, that offers gelato that is handmade and 1/3 less fat then ice cream, as well as sorbetto, and boasts local specialty flavors such as papalani pie, sesame crunch, lilokai, lychee, POG, and more.

Giovanni's, a Kahuku Shrimp Truck on Oahu

I'm not a huge fan of Waikiki- although I will admit to its convenience in hotel rates and lots of easy access without need for a car for shopping and food. But, the best food I've ever had on the island is up in the North Shore, at the various shrimp trucks in Kahuku. So get to it and rent that car when you are in Oahu.

Last time I went to Hawaii in 2008, I stopped at Romy's. I picked Romy's over the others at the time because it had a larger variety in its menu. This time in 2011 I tried out Giovanni's based on my sisters' friends' recommendations. Truthfully there were also a lot of support votes for Macky's, but it was out of our way based on other activities we planned so that's that. Hello Giovanni's! You could concievably map it out to visit 3 trucks in Kahuku (add in Romy's and also Fumi's) since they are close to each other and even on the same road, but Giovanni's is the first you'll come to as you drive up north. It is an unassuming white truck with signatures from visitors all over it, with a roofed wooden open dining area (the kind you might expect in a public park) right next to it.

As soon as we got there around 11, I leapt out of the car to order since there was no line... and 15 minutes later there would be one six people deep. Ha! We ordered one of each of the three flavors they offer: the simple lemon butter shrimp, the garlickly shrimp scampi, and the hot and spicy shrimp. Plan ahead and bring wet naps- you'll want those even though they do have a sink to wash up after peeling and eating. Our favorite of the three was the shrimp scampi. I also learned that my youngest sister, over the past 3 years, has become more masterful at peeling shrimp then I. I can't believe my motor skills are already slowing down.

What we didn't expect though is that there was also a sweet grilled corn stand along with the truck (and a few other open air "stores") which was the best thing I ate in Oahu this time. It lives up to its shrimp neighbor by also being extremely messy to eat, except instead of having super messy fingers you have a super messy face. The corn made me feel so much better about my reduced shrimp peeling level.

Seaside Restaurant, Hilo in Big Island Hawaii

For the holidays, I went to Hawaii. The first stop was Big Island, to visit Volcano Park, which left me staying at sleepy Hilo instead of the more busy and beautiful area of Kona. I've been to Big Island 3 times now, and each time I put Seaside Restaurant and also Cafe Pesto on my list, but never made it to either. Maybe the third time is the charm... well, at least to visit one of them.

We ended up at Seaside Restaurant. Seaside Restaurant has a long history and because of its heritage, you can expect some food that is styled in a nostalgic way- including asking whether you want a big scoop of white rice or a serving of buttered garlic sauce pasta with your fish, and those are your only choices. Yeah.

You should also know that you are going to be parking in a gravel lot and sitting in tables and chairs that you might recognize from banquet halls (hidden by tablecloth but still) from the 80s and 90s. The service is also remiscent of that, but it was dinner and dark and where else are we going after this but back to the hotel and bed anyway, so we relaxed and let it go- we had a late lunch earlier that day so weren't starving. If you are driving from staying by Hilo Bay, you will wonder if you are lost as you drive by various shipping docks and industrial storage areas to get here. As we waited for our food, I wondered how dated the good reviewed I had heard were.

The appetizers (calamari, clams, poke) and salty crab legs entree didn't make a strong impression- we didn't think they were anything special. If you're going to get Poke, might as well go to the local supermarket instead.

But, my entree of a macadamia nut pesto ahi was delicious- it looked like I had two fishes on my plate the serving was so generous, but I found some way to still eat it all. Also good was the other preparation of ahi that evening, Blackened with a cajun crust and seared to medium and served with tomato relish, wasabi aioli and a balsamic reduction, giving it a good balance of a bit of spice to tickle and acid.

Also tasty was the Miso Butterfish which had a much more delicate light flavor to showcase the freshness of the fish, while the Macadamia Nut crusted Mahimahi was ok but the wasabi sweet chili cream sauce the highlight of that dish. Seriously, why is there so much fish meat on each of these plates?

Seaside Restaurant's claim to deliciousness is that it is part of a fish farm, its structure literally surrounded by its fish farms. So coming here and ordering anything but a fish is silly. I give props to my brother for the beautiful food pornesque photos.