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In BBQ

Helena’s Hawaiian Food: Must Visit in Hawaii

Helena’s Hawaiian Foods in Honolulu is a must for locals and visitors since 1946. In 2000, the James Beard Foundation awarded Helena’s Hawaiian Food the Regional Classic Award, which is awesome. Everyone told me to come here, so we made it a mission to visit when we were here. They aren’t open Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, so you have to be aware of that before visiting.

We visited on a Friday morning and there were no line ups. We were seated promptly and given menus and water. The atmosphere is very casual and has the Hawaiian hospitality.

Menu

Kalua Pig

The kalua pig was shredded and it was deliciously smoked and had a lot of moisture as it is served with the drippings.

Poi

Poi is the stem of taro and a Polynesian staple. It is crushed and then left to ferment. We heard that most people don’t like the taste, but we had to try it for ourselves. The initial taste was good and earthy but then the sour taste from the fermentation lingered for a little bit. It was like eating kombucha.

Short Ribs Pipikaula Style

At first we didn’t order, but they insisted we order it as its one of the most popular items on the menu and we were glad we did. it was deliciously marinated and tender. So much flavour.

Fried Butterfish Collar

This was another must! Moist in the centre and super crisp. So damn addictive. I would highly recommend this too.

Haupia

Haupia is a traditional coconut milk-based Hawaiian dessert made, essentially a coconut pudding. It came served with raw onions. I tried it together but was a weird combination for myself. If you stick with just the haupia, you’ll be ok.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed Helena’s as the prices are good, food is tasty, and I liked the casual friendly vibe. My favourite items were the fried butterfish collar, short ribs, and kalua pig. If you’re in Honolulu, you need to make a stop here. Just remember to bring cash as it’s cash only.

We Rate Helena’s Hawaiian Cuisine: 

Address:
1240 N School St, Honolulu, HI

Website:
https://www.helenashawaiianfood.com/index.html

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In Brunch

Rhino Coffee House: Coffee and Donuts in Tofino, BC

A trip to Tofino isn’t complete without a little bit of morning indulgence at Rhino Coffee House. Food Network Chef Lynn Crawford made a visit a few years ago for her show – The Great Canadian Cookbook and I always remembered that I needed to add this to my eating list when I came back to Tofino. We came here on a Friday morning at 8am and there was a steady stream of customers.

The best combination here is a donut and a coffee. If you want something more savoury, they have wraps and sandwiches on the menu too.

There is a window so you can look inside where everything is made. Nothing was happening when we were here, but its nice to know its all done here.

If you want to have coffee in-house, you get to use their fun mugs that remind you at home because of all the retro mismatching mugs.

Our donuts were ready right away and we waited patiently for our lattes and cappuccinos to be ready.

Latte

The latte was great and there was some latte art on top. A good ratio of espresso and steamed milk to create this.

The Corelle cup really brought me back to my childhood as we had the matching plates.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut

A good simple donut with a light dusting of sugar and cinnamon. The base donut was good too.

Sour cream beer glaze

My favourite donut! It has a nice crunch to the exterior of the donut and the glaze was delicious. You must get it!

Breakfast Wrap

In this wrap is two scrambled eggs, bacon, braised beans, salsa, avocado, aged cheddar, spinach, and chipotle mayo. It is very filling for breakfast, but

Bro-Nut

This is the donut-sandwich you’ve been looking for. It has a fried egg, choice of bacon, ham or sausage, tomato, aged cheddar, lettuce, on a homemade savoury donut. I got bacon and it was essentially an amazing BLT donut sandwich. The donut went so well with it and it wasn’t sweet. I would totally have this again.

Take a taste of Rhino Coffee house with you

You can also purchase beans in store or online if you want to continue having the Rhino Coffee House experience at home. A ceramic mug, espresso beans and their dark roast made its way into my luggage.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved having breakfast here early in the morning. A coffee and donut are a must. The bro-nut and sour cream beer glaze donuts I would get again with a cup of coffee. If you’re in the area and need a quick casual breakfast, make a stop here.

Address:
430 Campbell St, Tofino, BC

Website: 
https://www.rhinocoffeehouse.com

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In British Columbia

Tim Hortons creates Timbits Bouquet for Mother’s Day weekend

This Mother’s Day, you can give a sweet surprise for Timbits lovers out there. It is available exclusively for Mother’s Day weekend on Saturday, May 12th and Sunday, May 13th starting at 8am each day and while supplies last. If you’re mom has a sweet tooth for Timbits, she’ll find this alternative a sweet touch outside of traditional flowers.

It’s not the first time fun delicious bouquets have been created in Canada. There have been ketchup chip roses and even fried chicken bouquets.

Each bouquet comes with a variety of 24 long-stemmed Timbits, wrapped and ready to give to mom. The Timbits Bouquets are available for $12.99 plus tax at participating Tim Hortons Restaurants. The bouquet includes flavours like chocolate glazed, old fashion glazed and sour cream glazed to name a few.

#TimbitsBouquet Contest

To spread the love on Mother’s Day even further, Tim Hortons is giving Canadians in three cities – Toronto, Calgary and Montreal – the chance to nominate a mom to get her very own Timbits Bouquet hand-delivered in an exclusive Tim Hortons Flower Truck just in time for Mother’s Day.

If you are live in the participating cities, you can nominate a mom by posting why she deserves her own Timbits Bouquet on Twitter or Instagram using #TimbitsBouquet between May 7th and 10th.

Website: http://www.timhortons.com/

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In Car

2019 Buick Envision: Sneak Peek

As consumers, it’s always great to see change driven by our feedback. The 2019 Buick Envision has a new design, performance and great technology features added to this small luxury SUV. At first glance, you notice the subtle difference in the sculpted front fascia, new grille and headlamps compared to previous models. The new 19-inch wheels provide an expressive and distinct profile as well.

As a consumer, I value safety and technology in an SUV. I can have confidence that myself or anyone else driving will be assisted by the car when our eyes can’t see obstructions in our blind spots or just anything that we’re not aware of.

Envision highlights

  • New nine-speed automatic transmission for 2.0L turbo models.
  • 2.0L turbo engine offers increased vehicle performance of 252 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine and transmission updates produce 0-60 mph acceleration just under a half-second quicker than the 2018 model.
  • Engine stop/start deactivation switch – a Buick first in North America.
  • Single rate brake booster for improved overall brake performance that requires less effort.
  • Flexibility to switch between Adaptive Cruise Control and conventional Cruise Control.
  • Enhanced visibility on Rear Vision Camera.
  • Improved hands-free microphone for better call quality and better voice recognition.
  • The seat heating system warms up quicker than on the previous model year.
  • Next-generation wireless charging with more power for fast and efficient charging including iPhone8/iPhoneX compatibility.
  • Lighting upgrades across all trims: HID headlights standard on 2.5L models, bi-functional LED headlamps on 2.0L turbo models and LED wing signature lights on every model.
  • In-vehicle air ionizer that helps eliminate odours, reduce bacteria and provide better air quality.

Standard features include Buick’s signature QuietTuning; 10 airbags, including side curtain and knee airbags; Rear Park Assist; and newly added Rear Seat Reminder. Available features include Surround Vision, Safety Alert Seat and Forward Automatic Braking, among others. Every Envision comes equipped with an 8-inch diagonal infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Autocompatibility, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, a limited trial of OnStar (including 3GB or 3 Months of data, whichever comes first) and access to the myBuick app at no additional cost.

The 2019 Envision goes on sale in the spring of 2018 and will be available in four trim levels starting at Preferred ($39,995), Essence ($43,995), Premium ($47,095) and Premium II ($50,995). Prices are inclusive of Destination Freight Charges and A/C tax.

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In product

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures with Pieces: Review

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures with Pieces has just been launched. Back in 2016, king-sized peanut butter cup stuffed with Reese’s Pieces launched in Canada and now the big cup has gone smaller. It’s not a bad thing as some people prefer just a small taste of chocolate.

Each mini Reese’s cup in individually wrapped, so its easy to share. It can go into your lunch bag as a small treat or fill up a big bowl in your living room for guests.

Once unwrapped, the Reese’s cup is so cute. You can eat this in one bite or two if you want to savour it.

Inside, you will find about 2 tiny Reese’s pieces that fit on the bottom of the cut, the peanut mixture on top and enrobed in milk chocolate. I really like this as the texture of the Reese’s pieces give a nice crunch as you bite down.

If you want to grab a bag, you can find this at most major grocery stores across Canada.

Website: https://www.hersheycanada.com/en/reese/

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In Tofino

Foraging and Crabbing in Tofino, BC

Going to Tofino is aways a joy driving down the winding roads of beautiful British Columbia and taking in the beautiful nature. What is equally on par is their fresh produce and innovative Pacific North West cusine. We spent a few days in Tofino driving in the 2018 Buick Regal and one of the highlights of the trip was getting first hand knowledge of crabbing and foraging in the backyard of Tofino.

Tofino is a small town on Vancouver Island known for their surfing, sightseeing, and eats as it faces the Pacific Ocean. It’s a popular spot for short vacations for locals. Even some celebrities have vacation homes here. What I love most is that there are no chain restaurants for miles. All you get is local dishes with local ingredients.

Chef Paul Moran of 1909 Kitchen inside the Tofino Resort + Marina took us for a crabbing and foraging tour. With all the items collected, Chef would create a few appetizers with what we collected.

Crabbing

We got into a boat after a safety tutorial and got out life jackets on. The night before, they put down a few crab traps in the close waters with some fish trimmings to lure them in.

As it is peak crabbing season, we took chances to pull up the traps, and it needed some arm strength to pull up those traps. It gave me a lot more respect for those who catch seafood. It’s hard work.

There are limitations on the size and amount of crabs we could collect as we were out here. Due diligence is done to ensure the sustainability of the seafood in the ocean. We collected 3 fresh beautiful crabs that would be turned into appetizers later in the day.

As we got our crabs, we headed into the woods to gather some more items.

Foraging in the Woods

Some may disregard some edible plants as weeds and I’m guilty of doing the same. We looked a few bushes and Chef Paul Moran was able to guide us through a few items and share with us their flavour profiles.

Spruce Buds

Spruce Buds are high in vitamin C and has a citrus flavour profile to them, which can replace lemon sometimes. Sometimes you can find these incorporated into cocktails, ice cream and beer.

Narrow-leaved Plantain

Narrow-leaved Plantain grows close to the ground in clusters. It can be used in teas or used as medicine for wounds and sores.

Elderflower

Elderflower has been a popular food trend for the last few years being turned into syrups for beverages for its floral taste.

Salmonberry Blossoms

Salmonberry Blossoms grows on the Pacific Coast due to the climate. Its bright pink/purple in colour and edible. If left on the bush, it will turn into a salmonberry.

Salal Blossom

 

Salal Blossom is sticky. It’s common to find this bush in BC. The indigenous peoples use this in their cooking.

Dandelion Buds

Dandelion Buds are edible. It’s gotten a bad reputation as dandelions grow in yards like crazy and even between cracks of cement. We were in search of the dandelion buds for the bittersweet flavour profile.

Bittercress

The last item we picked was bittercress, a wild version of watercress flowers. It has a taste similar to broccoli.

Now, that we have all 7 items, it was time to head to the kitchen to see how it gets turned into beautiful dishes.

 

From Nature to Kitchen

Chef Paul Moran made us a flatbread topped with the foraged ingredients.

After the base of the flatbread was cooked in the oven, he tore a bit of every item on top of the pizza.

The crisp flatbread, floral foraged greens, and the sweet salty cheese was delicious.

Lets not forget the crab we caught earlier. It was so fresh and sweet. You can really tell the quality and difference. I ate so much of like I was at a buffet. hahaha. Can’t get enough.

It was a fun afternoon following Chef Paul Moran gather all the ingredients and turn it into appetizers before dinner. Sometimes its good to go back to nature to see where food comes from and not underestimating whats growing in our natural wild forests.

Big thanks to Buick Canada for putting this fun activity together, Lucas Scarfone Photography for the photos, and Chef Paul Moran for the tour.

 

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In Hawaii

$1 Beer at Shirokiya Japan Village Walk in Honolulu

Inside Shirokiya Japan Village Walk on the bottom floor of Ala Moana Center is $1 beer all day. We were walking around around all morning and afternoon, so we decided to take a little break and sit down. To our discovery, they have $1 beer specials. We had no idea what type of beer they serve, but apparently it rotates. The day I was here, they had a lager from Primo Brewing Company, a Hawaiian beer company.

Just follow the signs and you’ll find the central bar with all the glasses and taps.

$1 Beer

This pale lager from Primo Brewing Company is very light and refreshing like a Pabst Blue Ribbon. It goes very well with the Japanese food in the Shirokiya Japan Village Walk, especially deep-fried foods. For $1, it’s not bad.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to make a special trip here just for $1 beer, but if you’re in the area, you can’t go wrong with the price.

Address:
1450 Ala Moana Blvd #1360, Honolulu, HI

Website: https://www.shirokiya.com/

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In Hawaii

Maguro Brothers: Sashimi, Poké bowls, and Sushi Bowls in Hawaii

Maguro Brothers Hawaii is a little shop inside Kekaulike Market in Honolulu. It’s a bit hard to find as you have to navigate your way through the market to find this stall. They are best known for their fresh sashimi and rice bowls. It is cash only, so make sure you have some with you.

Menu

Sashimi platter

We ordered the sashimi platter and they had various kinds, so we went with the $20 option that comes with 4 different sashimi. There was tako, hamachi, ahi and salmon. All of the sashimi was fresh and delicious, but it really depends where you come from. Being from the Vancouver, we really have a good variety of salmon, so I was more critical on their choice of salmon. Hamachi and the ahi were of course my favourites.

Their knife skills could have been a bit better or use a sharper knife, but now I’m just being picky.

Hawaiian Limu Ahi Poké Bowl

There is limu seaweed, salt, chili pepper, green onions, onion and sesame oil over rice. The delicious marinated mixture was really good. A little kick of heat with the chili peppers. I really like the limu seaweed as I’ve never had this before.

Chutoro Sushi Bowl

There are 6 pieces of chutoro, which is the cut of the tuna belly that is medium. It was really delicious over the sushi rice. There is also 2 pieces of tamago, ginger and wasabi.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the sushi bowls and poke bowls were delicious. I am so-so about the sashimi as I come from Vancouver, which has outstanding sashimi. If you are from a land-locked city, you’ll love what they have here.

We Rate Maguro Brothers: 

Address:
1039 Kekaulike St #113, Honolulu, HI

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In British Columbia

Farro Grain Bowl To Celebrate BC Veggies

One of the many staples in my pantry are tomatoes and grains. You’ll always see them in my kitchen since they’re very versatile and great in so many different dishes. I try my best to purchase local BC veggies whenever possible as it adds super fresh colour and nutrients to the meal.

Village Farms has a variety of tomatoes that grow right here in British Columbia – among them are Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, True Rebel Mix ®, Cherry No. 9 Fall in Love Again®, Lorabella Blossom®, and Cabernet Estate Reserve®. Each has its own unique taste but all of them are full of sweetness.

Lorabella Blossom® is bright orange and plump, full of sweet flavour, making it great right out of the box as a snack. Probably the sweetest out of the line up in my opinion.  If you’ve never had an orange tomato before, you’ll want to try this variety.

Cabernet Estate Reserve® is easily identifiable by its rich dark crimson colour, round shape and green stem. It is a great tomato if you want a beautiful presentation. It has a milder flavour, not as sweet as the Lorabella Blossom®, but would work well for roasting or incorporating in a sauce.

Cherry No. 9 Fall in Love Again® is similar to the Cabernet Estate Reserve® but it is smaller and vibrant in colour. You can incorporate this in salads where you eat the cherry tomatoes whole to keep the juicy fresh and sweet flavours intact. When you bite into this, there is a refreshing snap when you chew down.

Heavenly Villagio Marzano® is best known for its slightly elongated shape. It’s one of the most readily available tomatoes in the produce aisle in British Columbia. I use it a lot in making salads.

True Rebel Mix ® is stunning and contains a variety of cherry and grape tomatoes in each carton.  There are different shapes, colours and slight flavour profiles that work together in harmony. It’s a great way to see and taste tomatoes that you might not normally choose.

BC Greenhouse Veggie Days are here this week and you can even visit a few greenhouses to meet local growers and see local produce being grown like cucumbers, pepper, and lettuce.

With Village Farms as one of 42 greenhouse growers in the Lower Mainland, you can feel proud that this produce was grown right in British Columbia by people like Leesa who just might be your neighbour!

From the assortment of amazing local tomatoes I decided to make a Farro Grain Bowl using the Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes in celebration of BC Veggie Days.

Farro is an ancient grain with a nutty earthy flavour with good texture that would pair well with vegetables to add more bite. This grain is high in fiber, iron, magnesium and protein, which make it nutritious and great in any dish.

Check out this beautiful Farro grain bowl for a taste of Spring.

[tabs tab1=”Farro Grain Bowl”]

[tab id=1]

Makes 2 bowls
Ready in 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked Farro, rinsed
  • ½ Cucumber, sliced
  • ½ cup Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes
  • 1 cup Chickpeas
  • 1 cup Arugula
  • ½ Avocado, sliced
  • 1 Round Radish, sliced
  • 2 tablespoon Red Vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 5 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  1. Rinse and drain farro. Place in pot and all 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain any excess water. Let cool to room temperature.
  2. Start with a base of arugula in a bowl. Add farro, cucumber, chickpeas, round radishes, avocado, and Village Farms Heavenly Villagio Marzano®
  3. In a bowl, combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
  4. Pour dressing on top of bowl and enjoy.

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This blog post was sponsored by Village Farms but the opinions are all my own.

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In Food Carts

Fumi’s Kahuku Shimp: Butter Garlic Shrimp in Hawaii

Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp serves up freshly cooked shrimp adjacent to their farm. A lot of people frequent this stretch of highway for the variety of Kahuku shrimp sold by a lot of different food trucks. Giovanni’s is definitely the most popular option. Our tour guide took us to Fumi’s instead.

Seating Area

The seating area has rows of picnic tables to handle large amount of visitors.

Butter Garlic Shrimp

There are about 8 pieces of Kahuku Shimp, rice drench in the garlic butter sauce, pineapple and salad.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

This is similar to the butter garlic shrimp, but with their spicy sauce. I loved it as it has a spicy kick and has loads of delicious garlic. The shrimp aren’t really large, but they were fresh and sweet.

Final Thoughts

The meals were filling and if you come from a place that doesn’t have fresh shrimp available, you’ll love Kahuku shrimp from the source.

We rate Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp: 

Address:
56-777 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, HI

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In Hawaii

Aloha Circle Island Tour: Full Day Deluxe Circle Island Tour Review

We had 4 days in Honolulu, Hawaii and wanted a quick inexpensive tour to take us around the island of Oahu. I gravitated towards browsing on Groupon and stumbled upon the Full Day Deluxe Circle Island Tour by Aloha Circle Island Tour. It was 57% off plus an additional 20% from Groupon, so it was $52.80 before taxes. It has very good reviews, so we took a chance.

Purchasing the Groupon

Prior to purchasing, you should call them to ensure the dates you are looking for are available. When I called the date I had in mind was available and I can book over the phone, but they didn’t have the additional Groupon 20% discount, so as we were still on the phone, they waited patiently for me to purchase via Groupon. I provided them my confirmation code and they took my contact information. They will make sure you get an email and text as an official confirmation.

They will also mention their Pearl Harbour Tour, Ziplining and snorkeling tour, and the Dole Plantation Tour, but I said I wasn’t interested.

By the end of the call you should know the time and location for your pick up for the day of the tour you selected.

If you don’t want to call them, you can fill out a reservation form or use their live chat box on their website. I called because I wanted to get a hold of them right away.

Meeting Up

My meet up time was 7am at Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel and they told us to show up 10 minutes earlier.  As it is an early morning, make sure you have everything ready and packed. They want you to make sure you have:

  • towel
  • swimsuit
  • dry clothes
  • beach bag
  • sunglasses
  • sunscreen
  • camera (underwater case for your cellphone to capture snorkeling adventures)
  • cash

We saw the vehicle and Uncle Anthony welcomed us and everyone else on the tour. There was around 27 of us on the bus.

Diamond Head Beach Lookout

It was a weekend and there was a cycling and running competition happening, so they closed the roads to the Diamond Head Beach Lookout. We missed this stop but Uncle Anthony made it up to us by taking us to a few extra stops along the way.

Hawaii Kai Scenic Lookout

At this quick stop, took a few photos for East Honolulu and Koko Crater. This scenic poiint is on Kalanaianaole Highway.

As we stopped, we got a taste of Taro Doughnuts from Kamehameha Bakery.

Hanauma Bay

The views here were unbelievably beautiful. Uncle Anthony told us a little bit about the area.

7 Eleven

A hilarious stop here to grab some beer and snacks. 7 Eleven is definitely different from North America. There is a lot of Hawaiian food and Japanese influenced snacks.

Halona Blowhole

This natural structure is made of molten lava thousands of years ago. When waves crash into the crevices, it shoots water up in the air creating the blowhole.

Uncle Anthony sang us Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of Over The Rainbow.

Macadamia Nut Tropical Farm

At this stop, we can take a look at a local Macadamia Nut farm and see it grow from a flower to the nut. We can have as many macadamia nut samples, cups of Kona Coffee and got to crack out own nuts.

Chinaman’s Hat

We are now on Oahu’s windward coast. This geological formation looks like a hat from China, this the name. Across the street where we were stopped is Maui’s hook.

Kahuku Shrimp at Fumi’s

It’s not Giovanni’s, but they still have very fresh shrimp and the truck is located adjacent to their farm. The most popular items are butter garlic shrimp and spicy garlic shrimp. The prices are higher at $13, but it was worth it. Make sure you bring cash as this is additional.

Sea Turtle Beach (Alii beach)

We got ample time to snorkel at this stop. We picked up out gear and headed down to the beach. As I am not a swimmer, I picked up a life jacket just in case.

Others were prepared with snorkeling shoes as the rocks hurt the bottoms of your feet. Also a waterproof iPhone case is good so you can take pictures and record video under the water. Or a waterproof go-pro is great as there were 2 sea turtles spotted in the waters.

Fruit stand at Kahuku Land Farms

You will see lots of fresh tropical fruits and banana lumpia. A lot of people bought cut fruit to get a taste. The banana lumpia was delicious!

We tried pineapple with Li Hing Mui Powder, a salty dried plum powder.

Dole Pineapple Plantation

A short visit was made here and we grabbed some dole whip and walked around the area. There is no time for the maze or train ride, but we weren’t interested in those activities.

The thing to do is get some dole whip and look at how pineapples grow. Since pineapples aren’t grown in Hawaii for export, it’s really just a tourist attraction.

End of Tour

We got back to our hotel around 3:30pm. The traffic was light, so we were back way before 5pm. The tour was worth the price that we paid. It hits most of the stops around the island. Uncle Anthony was a great guide, very enthusiastic and funny. The only downside is that some people on the tour found cockroaches on the bus that made its way into their bags. None of that happened to us as we weren’t carrying any food with us. Other that that, we didn’t have any issues.

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In Hawaii

Ramen Nakamura: Over Hyped Oxtail Ramen in Honolulu

Ramen Nakamura is known for their oxtail ramen. We came right in the morning when they opened to avoid any line ups, plus we were up early due to the time difference. When you look on the internet, a lot of people say their oxtail ramen is really good, so we came to see if it live up the the hype.

Interior

There isn’t a lot of space inside, but most of the seating is around the counter.

Menu

Oxtail ramen

We ordered the combo and it comes with gyoza and fried rice. 3 items for $23, which was a bit pricey in our opinion since ramen shouldn’t be so expensive. Nonetheless, it does use oxtail, so that isn’t a cheap ingredient.

There is a good amount of oxtail in the bowl. The oxtail was tough and wasn’t fall off the bone as anticipated. It didn’t retain much of the broths flavour and needed a bit of effort to take the meat off. There was also quite a bit of harder fat around some pieces as you can see in the photo. The broth was light and packed full of vegetables that it didn’t compliment the oxtail very well.

I think it would have been better if it was a richer spicier dish, but the both of us though this dish was over hyped. We couldn’t order this again.

Gyoza

The gyoza were pan-fried and comes with 3 pieces for the combo. They tasted ok, but didn’t wow us. A pretty standard gyoza.

Fried Rice

The fried rice came in a mound and was good with bits of pork, egg, and green onions.

Hakata Tonkotu Ramen

This bowl of ramen was a lot better in my opinion. It was slightly milky but it could have had more depth of flavour. It was cheaper too at $11.50.

Final Thoughts

There was definitely too much hype with their oxtail ramen. It could have been better executed and the flavours and tenderness were missing. I wouldn’t come back as there are other good ramen restaurants in Waikiki like Hokkaido Ramen Santouka.

We Rate Ramen Nakamura: 

Address:
2141 Kalakaua Ave #1, Honolulu, HI

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In Cafe

Musubi Cafe Iyasume in Waikiki: Spam Musubi, Poke and Rice Bowls

Musubi Cafe Iyasume is one of the top restaurants to eat in Waikiki. Located under the Aqua Pacific Monarch Hotel is this little cafe serving up musubi, a popular snack and lunch food in Hawaii. It is made up of a slice of Spam on top of rice, wrapped with seaweed. It is inexpensive and tastes great. It’s hard to find good musubi in North America, so when visiting Hawaii, this is a must have.

Interior

The cafe is narrow. One side is the area to order and the other half is seating. There isn’t too many seats but it looked like most people were taking to go. We came here twice on our trip and the first time we ate in the shop and then the last one was back at the hotel. Both times it wasn’t too busy here are we came in the evening around dinner time.

Menu

The menu is large but you will find poke, onigiri, musubi, rice bowls, and bento boxes. Everything is under $10 which is great.

Ordering

When you put in your order, you get an electronic device that buzzes when your order is ready. Then you know when your food is ready.

Spam Musubi

The classic spam musubi has spam with a teriyaki glaze with rice and seaweed. Even with the big mound of rice, the saltiness of the spam and teriyaki sauce work well with all that rice. The texture and heat of the rice was spot on.

Eel, egg, shiso leaf and spam musubi

This is one of the more deluxe musubi was delectable toppings. I loved the eel as it had a great flavour and melts in your mouth.

Bacon, egg, avocado, and spam musubi

Mmmmm bacon. The avocado adds a creamy texture to the musubi, but this makes for a great breakfast.

If you’re out and about, you can grab them to go as it’s all wrapped up in plastic wrap.

Ahi Poke Bowl

The Ahi Poke Bowl is made of tuna, sesame oil, soy sauce, onion and a bed of rice. I thought it was pretty good and not overly marinated. It is a tad salty, so you’ll need to eat it with a bite of rice.

Mini Eel Bowl

The mini bowls are a good size. It has rice, sauce, two pieces of eel, and one piece of tamago. I really enjoyed it.

Final Thoughts

You’ll definitely want to come here for the musubi, but don’t forget about their other items on the menu. If you want something small as well, try their mini bowls. The eel bowls, curry bowls, and poke are good too.

We Rate Musubi Cafe: 

Address:
2427 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu, HI

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/musubicafeiyasume/

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In Cafe

Kai Coffee Hawaii: Artisan Hawaiian coffee in Waikiki

Kai Coffee Hawaii has locations in Oahu – Downtown and Waikiki. We came here as it was recommended for good local coffee. We went to the Waikiki location inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel. We were up early and needed a kick of caffeine before starting the day.

In the morning there was a constant line but didn’t take too long. There are a few seats in the shop and then a few more tables outside.

What I like about this location is that there is an indoor waterfall which makes the atmosphere serene.

Piccolo

Piccolo is a latte popular in Sydney Australia, which is an espresso shot topped with steamed milk. This is essentially a mini latte. It was strong but delicious.

Kona Extra Fancy Pour Over

My friend got their Kona Extra Fancy as a pour over. It takes a little longer to make, but it is worth it to make the fruit and chocolate aromas shine. I tried a bit and I usually don’t like black coffee, but it the acidity is very well balanced so it goes down smooth.

They sell the beans in stores too, but since it is 100% pure Kona coffee beans, it is a bit pricey. Then again, it is locally grown, harvested and roasted so you are paying more for those qualities.

Final Thoughts

Kai Coffee is a great stop in the morning and I liked the variety of coffees they offer rather than just the handful of typical drinks. I loved hearing the sounds of the artificial waterfall hitting water as we enjoyed our coffees.

We rate Kai Coffee Hawaii: 

Address:
2424 Kalakaua Ave #129, Honolulu, HI

Website:
https://kaicoffeehawaii.com/

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In Fast Food

McDonalds Hawaii: Taro Pie and Kona Iced Coffee Review

When in Hawaii, taking a trip to McDonalds to see new items that aren’t available in Canada is what I find so much fun. I saw that they had Kona Iced Coffee and Taro Pie for a limited time only, so we made a visit.

There are a few McDonalds located in Waikiki and Honolulu, so we went to the closest one to our hotel.

The Taro Pie has chunks of purple taro on the inside, which was slightly sweet. All the filling was encased inside their pie dough deep-fried to a golden brown. I was surprised that the exterior was different than the ones in North America. Maybe I haven’t had a pie in a long time but it felt more flakey.

Upon first bite, I was hooked on the pie. I shared it with my friend but I secretly wanted a few to myself. It was great to try and I would highly recommend this.

The Kona Iced Coffee is a good pairing as it is ice cold for the hot Hawaii weather. Great taste with a little bit of milk and sugar to pair with the taro pie.

Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/

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In Event

Eight Products To Look For In Grocery Stores Across Canada in 2018

I have to admit, I go grocery shopping about three times a week to see what is new on store shelves because stock does change quickly at the major grocery stores. I always like to keep an eye on what is happening in the snack aisles to give you all a glimpse of what is in Canadian stores. Grocery & Specialty Food West is a two-day conference and tradeshow held annually in Vancouver. I attend and get the inside scope.

Top 10 in Grocery for 2018

Grocery & Specialty Foods West included a Top 10 in Grocery judging session that featured local food experts who anonymously evaluated a series of products from the New Product Showcase, based on criteria such as: practicality, packaging, innovation and more. I was lucky to judge last year but was unable to make it this year due to prior commitments, but this is what was chosen in no particular order.

  • Best Convenience: Blue Dragon 3 Step Meal Kits  
  • Best Health/Wellness: Apple & Eve Vegan Protein Smoothie
  • Best Oil: Canada Golden-Pure Cold Pressed Camelina Oil  
  • Best Non-Food: CasuGrill
  • Best Refrigerated: Egg Bakes Crustless Quiche (Burnbrae Farms)
  • Best Condiment/Spread/Sauce: Fatso Hybrid Peanut Butter
  • Best Frozen: Monteli Cauliflower Thin Crust Pizza
  • Best Beverage: Partake Pale Ale
  • Best HABA: Sugar & Spice-Pink Sugar Body Lotion
  • Best Sustainable: World Centric Certified Compostable Party Plates

Foodology’s Grocery Picks for 2018

Given that they are so many products out there, here are some of my favourite products that are on store shelves or will be in the near future.

1. Heinz Burger Sauce, Heinz Hot & Spicy Aioli, Heinz Garlic Aioli

Last year we saw Heinz team up with McDonalds to create the Big Mac, McChicken and Filet-O-Fish Sauce for a limited time only. Unknown if they will bring those back, but Heinz is rolling out a burger sauce, hot & spicy Aioli and a garlic aioli which are all very tasty and would go great for any Summer BBQ this year.

2. Oreo O’s

Post is finally bringing back Oreo O’s after 10 years being absent on store shelves in North America. Previously, you could only get this in South Korea.

3. Spam

Besides original spam, less salt and less fat options, there are 4 other flavours bring introduced at different stores – Teriyaki, Mala, Bacon and Garlic. The best place to get your hands on these is at T&T Supermarket.

4. Heinz BBQ Sauce

Step aside ketchup, there are 3 new BBQ sauces in town – Texas, Memphis and Carolina. All with their unique flavour profile, I can see it being very versatile this summer as well, plus the design of the upside down bottle is great to get every bit out of the container.

5. Almond and Walnut Fortified Soy Beverage by Vegemil

This Korean beverage is delicious with its flavours of soy, almond and walnuts. If you are a fan of banana milk or black bran soy milk, you’ll enjoy this. Most likely, you will find thos at Korean Supermarkets like H-Mart or Hannam.

6. Takis

Takis slowly rolled into Canada in June 2017. Checkout what I wrote about their Fuego, Xplosion and Crunchy Fajita flavours. For 2018, they are releasing their Angry Burger. It has a zesty taste, but not spicy at all.

7. KitKat

Lots of new KitKat flavours have launched in Canada and here are all of them available in store shelves:

Luckily, I reviewed them all already, so you can check them all out.

8. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios

A great combination of flavours with chocolate, peanut butter and classic cheerios.

Thats my top 8 items to look out for in grocery stores across Canada. I’m super excited about them, so hopefully you get to see them in stores soon.

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In Dessert

Ciao Bella: Half Price Pasta on Monday and Tuesday

My coworkers love to eat, so I always have a good time visiting new restaurant and revisiting old ones. I haven’t been to Ciao Bella in years, so we went for some pasta and dessert. They have been on Denman Street in Vancouver for a long time just a few minutes away from Stanley Park and Robson Street.

They have weekly half price pasta on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Interior

The interior hasn’t changed a single bit after all these years. It seems to be stuck in time which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Even though it was past Christmas, there were still holiday decorations up.

Drinks

We started the night with some drinks. If there isn’t something you want on the menu, they can make it for you. One of my friends is picky, but they were able to make her a manhattan with margherita mix.

They can do caesars too and mocktails.

Menu

Complimentary Bread

Bread arrives at the table and you can dip it into some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Di Mari Pasta

This dish has baby shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, basil and button mushroom in a white wine sauce.

Carbonara

This has pancetta, egg yolk, garlic, parmesan cheese and cream. It’s a rich dish, but classic. So thats why I ordered it. It was cooked al dente and was good.

Linguini alla toni

In this pasta, you will find baby shrimp, calamari & capers in a white wine tomato basil cream sauce

Tiramisu

The tiramisu has layers of mascarpone, lady fingers, and coffee. It is topped with cocoa powder and drizzle of chocolate.

Final Thoughts

The food and service here is ok, but for 50% off pasta on Monday and Tuesday, it was worth it. On a regular night, its a bit expensive for what you get. There are lots of other Italian options in Vancouver

We Rate Ciao Bella: 

Address:
703 Denman St, Vancouver

Website: http://www.ciaobellavancouver.ca/

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In Bubble Tea

MYST Asian Fusion: New Dishes and Old Favourites

MYST Asian Fusion in Burnaby is a Taiwanese restaurant and they have recently revamped their menu to add even more dishes. We came to try a few of these new dishes. Since they have opened, this restaurant has been very busy at peak hours attracting people in the Lower Mainland.

Golden Sand Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk

This dish was delicious. The salty yolk is coated on the exterior, so its pretty yummy sucking on it.

Marinated Combo

Pork intestines, beef tripe, and beef tendon were the items my friend chose for this trio. I didn’t particularly like it since I’m not always a fan of organs.

Chinese Style Tea Smoked Duck

I love tea smoked duck and I still enjoyed it even if it was slightly over cooked. The smoked aroma just gets me every time.

MYST Deluxe Fried Rice

This fried rice is topped with pork floss, egg and a skewer of prawns. Delicious and easily shareable among the table or have it all to yourself.

Preserved cabbage, bamboo, green soy beans and sliced fish

I really enjoyed this dish since it has delicate dish, chew of the bean, and crunch of the bamboo. Healthy too. One of the favourite dishes of the night.

Sichuan dan dan noodle with spicy peanut sauce

This dish was so good. It had a little kick to the dish which was good as it pulled the dish together. I would order this again.

Assorted seafood spicy hot pot

This was really spicy. Because of the heat, it really numbs your mouth after a few bites. The fragrant aroma was there but it was a touch too spicy for me.. and everyone else at the table.

Steamed sliced fish with diced hot red peppers

It’s not as hot as it seems. The fish was very moist and delicious.

Myst assorted deep fried basket

If you like a diverse amount of fried item in one basket, this has squid tentacles, green beans, salt peppery chicken and black rice cake on top of shrimp crackers. Great item to share with a large group.

Myst deluxe feast platter

This is a bit different than the fried basket and it has fries, prawn chips, tiger prawn skewers, pineapple and sausage wrapped in bacon, and deep fried prawns.

Three Spice Chicken

I enjoyed this for the excessive amount of fried ginger and chicken. It would taste really good with a bowl of rice.

House special fried sliced noodle with beef

This is a very classic dish of any Chinese restaurant and it was good. The beef was tender and the noodles had a good bite to it.

Mango Shaved Ice

This mystical dessert was an exciting end to the meal. When the water hits the fdry ice, it’s quite a show. You’ll want to take pictures or even a video. When we went, it wasn’t mango season, so the mango wasn’t fresh. Now that it is in season, it will be super fresh.

Condensed milk thick toast

This was the last item to arrive at the table and it’s not as exciting as the shaved ice.

Final Thoughts

Myst continually adds new items to their menu and its good to see the variety especially if you come with a group with differing tastes. There’s always something for everyone here. Sometimes Myst can get very busy and parking can be a bit tough, but there is parking on the main road.

Address:
6400 Kingsway, Burnaby

Website:
http://www.myst6400.com/

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