Hawaii trip, take two

Captain’s Log, Stardate 02.28.2007

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She’s Out of Control by Kristin Billerbeck
Two books in the Black Or White series by John Aubrey Anderson

Ono grinds . . .

Let’s talk about food. Because I must confess, that’s one of the primary reasons I go back to Hawaii as often as I can.

I have a list of foods I want to eat when I visit my parents. My husband is rather envious right about now because I’ve eaten some of his favorites, too.

I have to eat kalbi and meat chun (thin beef slices quick-fried in a light egg batter) at Dong Yang Inn, a hole-in-the-wall Korean BBQ diner. They serve massive portions and the food is fabulous. The kalbi is served over rice so the juices and marinade can make a sort of light gravy.

I had this on Saturday and considered calling Captain Caffeine to gloat, but my mom said that was too mean. However, I’m making it up to him because we’ll order some the night before I leave, freeze it, and send it through baggage in a Styrofoam cooler, just for him.

Ezogiku is a small restaurant that serves Sapporo ramen noodles. It’s to die for. They also make Japanese-style potstickers, called gyoza, which are very yummy.

My dad is going to make huli huli chicken for me on Saturday. It’s rotisserie chicken, slow-roasted (and smoked) over an open fire of mesquite wood. All dad puts on the chicken is Hawaiian salt, pepper, and paprika, but somehow the cooking method turns it into a mouthful of heaven. When it’s right off the fire, my family grabs the wings, which are crispy and delicious.

My family’s favorite sushi bar is Kabuki restaurant in Pearl City (right next to Ezogiku) because the sushi chefs are from Japan and my parents have gone so often they know each other. They talk and chat and have a good time.

Kua’aina makes the best hamburgers and French fries on the island, and I absolutely have to go there and indulge in a 2000+ calorie lunch. It is worth every single fat gram. Their burgers are generous and dripping, and their fries are shoestring-cut. I don’t think they’ve ever cleaned their fryer because the fries taste heavenly.

Dot’s is a small diner in my hometown that’s been around as long as I can remember. Their loco moco is incredible because they make their own hamburger patties with onion, bread, and egg mixed in (like meatloaf) and then smothered in their brown gravy. Captain Caffeine loves Dot’s, too.

Are you hungry now????

More Hawaii adventures later.