Haute dog

The other day, we felt
like hot dogs so we dropped
in to Hank's in Kakaako.
It is only our third time here, but
the sausages (at least the ones
we had) are still crisp and
tasty.

We both opted for Hank's Frank.  So good.  Next time
I'll try Chorizo.
You can see I'm not very
adventuresome.
I liked mine because it wasn't overly bursting with hot, sour, spicy flavors, and the bun was soft. 

A couple of years back
we dined at a great  pop up
restaurant, "Pig and the Lady",
that was held at Hank's at night.

Looking out from one of
the counters.

Natto omelette, Walking with Penny

The other day I tried the
Natto and Cheddar Cheese
fluffy omelette at Chez
Kenzo's.  Very nice with a crisp white wine!

Of course, you have to like natto.  If you do, it is such a handy food to have around-very good with hot rice and on cold tofu.  I like it plain with mustard and soy sauce, but some like it with raw egg and green onions.
**
Late afternoon today, we walked in Ala Moana park along the pathways.  No VOG and clear, cool breezes.

Let's turn right instead
of going over the bridge.

We come to a pond, a bit dirty
and muddy.

Hmm.  Nothing much here..just some
ducks and Kolea (plovers)
which are wintering in
Hawaii.

Across the street on the
beach side are these old, flat, red
brick steps.

Brought Penny to the water, which
she didn't like, so she
just left her paw prints and
I carried her back to the
sidewalk.

There were schools of fish
in the shallows.  You could see them jumping
 and rippling the
calm waters.  Didn't see the
fishermen catching anything yet, though.
There was a picnic party nearby playing
  Polynesian music.  Not Hawaiian-I
couldn't recognize its origin.

Haleiwa Joe's (Kaneohe), Biwa

Okay.  I'm not one who likes volume
in my food--like a huge prime rib
on a big plate.
Then why Haleiwa Joe's (Kaneohe),
which everyone agrees serves big,
beautiful and delicious cuts
of beef.

Because I do love steak and
prime ribs too and was
curious.

We decided to get there
for their Happy Hour at
4:30, because it's first
come first served on their
Prime Rib dinners.

Joe's Tempura Crab Roll, with real crab meat appetizer.
     

Beautiful Koolau views.

Janie's Coconut crusted shrimp.
Very good.

My Aged hand cut NY
Steak.  So tender and
good with enough
left over for the puppy bag.
Jay and Isao waiting for
their Prime Ribs.

R digging in to his prime rib.
There was enough left over
to make sandwiches the next day
and keep Penny happy for many
dinners.  She loved the bone too.

Denise's Sticky Ribs.  They have
been to the Joe's in Haleiwa and
offered valuable advice.

Dessert.  Always room.
Janie and her Paradise Pie, me with  a Chocolate
Sundae, and Denise with her Baby Cake.

The restaurant was full on a Wednesday night.
I can see why.  Friendly service, beautiful views and
great food.  You have to come with your own
great company like we did, to make a memorable evening complete, though.
(See you at Naginata, ladies, and hopefully we can
work off some of those calories).

I feel rich today.  Janie brought some Kumquat (Biwa) branches with the fruit still clinging on them like little gold pendants.  Because we live in a Condo, it's wonderful working with real plants, cutting the stems, trimming the leaves, and eating the ripe biwa.  The

branches have a wonderful, subtle fragrance too.  Thank you , Janie and Isao,  for sharing with all of us the bounty from your yard.

Rerminiscing liquor bottles

    While resting to get rid of this flu (practically gone now), I noticed  things I don't usually do, like how dusty my little cocktail cart was.   

 So having nothing better to do, I started dusting it and
reconnected with some liquor bottles I had acquired in the past.

This Danish decanter of the Little Mermaid  was bought at the Mall, but I can't remember where -possibly Liberty House, which closed in 2001-or what I had put in it.   Maybe someday I'll
give it a taste.
 

R was given this lovely
Chinese liquor jar
commemorating the Japanese
Emperor's visit to China in
1992.

One side was the Great Wall
and Mt. Fuji on the other.

Some words celebrating
the occasion.

There's the Bols bottle (still unopened)

we got in Delft, Holland when R drove us through that country to see our friends in Enkhuizen in the North.                                       And the Jasper Wedgewood bottle from a Hong Kong duty free shop, also

still unopened.

And here is Ohara Shosuke san, who because of his love of
morning baths and sake and sleeping late, lost his fortune,  and became famous in the folk song "Aizu Bandaisan" of Fukushima Prefecture.
My mother bought this cute sake bottle on one of her trips to Japan.   It was always there ever since I can remember.

Well, besides doing a bit of reminiscing, I did at least get to dust the cart.

Speedy flu, Hidechan

        After feeling a bit chilled and tired thursday I had a sore throat during the night and woke up friday with an aching body and headache that made me nauseous.  It was like being seasick which made it hard to move.
    
    But as the day progressed my sore throat disappeared and the other  aches lessened.    R took me to the doctor (I still was a bit wobbly) who said I didn't have a fever nor coughing, but prescribed Tamiflu anyway, since it was the second day. (I did have a flu shot at the start of the season).
    

I thought Tamiflu was a
spray or shot.

 I slept all day saturday, with Penny curled up next to me.
She sensed something was 
different so she didn't beg to 
play.

  
  I can see why people in the old days used dogs as heating pads in their drafty cold homes.    Good thing I didn't have a fever or we would've steamed ourselves unconscious.


    Saturday R went to Hidechan's to take out dinner.   While waiting for his order,  he met Tod Fujiwara and his father.   They  had just returned from the Rose Bowl Parade where his father rode
in the float honoring the 442nd survivors.  He said it was so cold they had to leave the football game early.

   Tod (at Hikari Shiatsu) is who we go to when we need Shiatsu treatment; his energetic father is 97 and still drives, has wonderful posture, and loves to cook (he was a cook in the army and still makes a lot).

R got the grilled salmon for dinner so I put the
delicious Soki (sparerib) soup in the refrigerator for Sunday.
Sunday morning, as is usual with all Hidechan's soups,  it was clear of fat globules.
He takes pride,  Mrs. Hidechan once told us, in skimming his soups well.

       

Pudge's friend, Reef Lounge and VOG

Pudge's new friend.  Sometimes
when he's feeling neglected,
he will sleep cheek to cheek
with it.

Since we didn't have much
time
before we had to pick up
Penny at Aloha Dog,
we stopped in The Reef
Lounge of the Pince Hotel.
R could also watch the
Sony Open tournament.

R had the club sandwich and I
the tempura Fish (Cod) and Chips which were brought down from
the Prince Court's kitchen upstairs on a tablecloth covered cart.
They were nice and hot.  

Looking towards the
mountains-Tantalus.

We tried not to go outdoors
because of the VOG.
  The sky was
hazy again today because
of the bad VOG conditions.

Scratch and Chinatown

Today we went to Scratch;
Kitchen and Bake Shop,
on Smith Street.

A new restaurant, it serves
traditional American
food (Southern). View out onto a
Smith Street tattoo parlor.

Pat had the Creole Shrimp
and Grits.  Spicy smoked
sausage, hominy, fried
eggs, gravy.

Linda opted for
the Po Boy with
Smashed Potatoes.
Much like a Kalua
Pig sandwich.

My Smothered Biscuit sandwich was
a Chorizo patty, scrambled eggs and
smashed taters.  The smashed potatoes
were not mashed, like we thought they
would be, but baby potatoes
smashed and fried,  with crispy
skin and soft insides.

Good Illy coffee with
scones and a blueberry,
pear muffin.

After lunch, we walked around
Chinatown which was
getting ready for Chinese
New Years.

So many seeds!

Nice use of big fans as
curtains and decorations.

Bringing out freshly made shrimp
chips and packaging them.

Stores are beginning to look festive.