Killer Brownie Review

When I got an email asking if I wanted to get a sample of Killer Brownie, I did not hesitate to say yes!  

I received samples of Cookie Dough Brownie + Cookie with Caramel and Triple Chocolate Brownie with Caramel.

Each brownie is thick and rich and full of chocolate chips and caramel.  They were cut up into 4 servings so it's shareable.  Just looking at them I knew I was in for a treat.

Talk about indulgent!  It was decadence in every bite!

Unfortunately, as of this post, they do not ship to Hawaii nor are there locations that carry Killer Brownie in Hawaii, but they are working on it!

And I hope Hawaii shipping or availability happens soon, because the Killer Brownies really are some of the best brownies I've had in a long time!

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Visit Osaka: Rikuro's Cheesecake

You may have seen the "viral" Japanese Cheesecake, Rikuro's, all over social media, and the long line that is associated with it.  

I had no desire to stand in line at the main Namba location (there are other locations) or try the cheesecake to begin with (I'm more of a dense, rich, NY-style cheesecake kind of person), but my husband was curious.  One day we passed by the line and he was deterred.

But on another day, he decided to wait in line.  

There are two lines - one for fresh out of the oven, and another for those baked two hours ago.  As expected, the line for the fresh ones is longer.

When the cheesecakes come out of the oven, they ring a bell, and jiggle them for all to see.  

Rikuro's uses imported cream cheese from Denmark, and lines the bottom with raisins.  It is very, very light and indeed jiggly, but it was too egg-forward, in my opinion (even one of my kids said "it tastes like scrambled eggs").

I personally did not love it, but if you are one of those that likes to try all the viral things, or if you love Japanese cheesecake, give this a try!

Rikuro's Cheesecake
3 Chome-2-28 Namba, Chuo Ward

Osaka, 542-0076, Japan

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Side Street Inn ʻOhana Pack

After doing some shopping at Ala Moana Center, we decided to get take-out from Side Street Inn.

We opted to get the ʻOhana Pack, which includes: 

Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Signature Garlic Chicken

Signature Fried Rice

It feeds 4-5 people, and it fed our family of 5 easily, and we had some leftovers too!  

Everything was delicious - the chicken perfectly cooked with a nice, crispy skin; the pork chops were tasty, and the fried rice was very flavorful.  

One of my kids already requested we pick up food from Side Street Inn again!


Side Street Inn

1225 Hopaka St

Honolulu, HI 96814

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Yohei Sushi Kahala

 So, my husband surprised me with a reservation at Yohei Sushi Kahala for our anniversary — it’s the sister spot to the original Yohei Sushi in Kalihi, which is honestly my all-time fave sushi place. We brought the boys along for the fun, and it turned out to be such a great night!

We ordered a number of items to share: 7-piece nigiri sushi, ikura and ahi nigiri, salmon roll, seared salmon roll, chicken karaage, assorted tempura, and yes — even French fries for the kids (because, priorities). 

The kids got their own keiki meals, which looked just as good as the adult menu. 

What’s cool is you can get the keiki meals either as a set or just à la carte, so one kid went for the udon and salmon set, and the other got the udon and French fries. Both were happy!

The service was super friendly and felt really genuine — kind of like we were dining in Japan. Everything tasted fresh and delicious, and the vibe was relaxed but still special for our anniversary.

According to my son, "it was very good! Not like your average supermarket sushi or other places. This was very high quality. It wasn't dry, it was freshly made - very very fresh!"

We definitely want to come back for another special occasion. If you’re in Kahala and craving good sushi that’s family-friendly, Yohei Sushi Kahala is definitely worth checking out!

Take out is available. They also have private rooms and a sushi bar strictly reserved for their Omakase experience. For more information, visit their website. 

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YOHEI SUSHI KAHALA

4210 WAIALAE AVENUE (KUONO MARKETPLACE)

808-425-4143

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Another Breakfast Muffin Recipe

Here is another breakfast muffin recipe that is yummy and packed with nutrients:

Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 c vanilla soy milk
• 1 c old-fashioned oats
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1 c flour
• 1/4 c organic coconut sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/4 c chia seeds
• 1/4 c ground flax seeds
• 1 c chocolate chips
• 2 T protein powder (I used Truvani Banana Cinnamon)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine milk and oats.
• Mix in the sugar, egg, and oil.
• In a small separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
• Stir flour mixture into oatmeal mixture.
• Stir in the flax seed, chia seeds, chocolate chips, and protein powder.
• Pour batter into prepared muffin cups until they are 2/3 full.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

It's also perfect for afterschool snack or even dessert! 

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Another Ribbon Lei

We were in need of more lei, so I decided to try my hand at a different ribbon lei style after watching a reel by @yannyletters.

Unfortunately, the store I went to did not have the correct kind of satin ribbon, so I bought whatever I could find in the colors I needed (because I wasn't about to go to another store).

It was a lot of improvising, making do with the ribbons I had, and I also added kukui nut in between to take up space.

I think the lei turned out pretty decent with the ribbon types I used, but I'm going to stock up on the correct ribbons ahead of time to make a better ribbon petal lei for next graduation season. 

It definitely goes to show you that you can make lei with whatever you have on hand or can find, and as long as it is made with intent, the recipient will be appreciative.

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Mina's Fish House

I love to go to Mina's Fish House to celebrate special occasions. The view is so pretty, the food is delicious, and the service is amazing.

Amuse - Siu Mai

Garlic & Duck Fat French Fries

I absolutely love Mina's Signature Duck Fat Fries (which you can find at other establishments of Chef Michael Mina).  They come with three dipping sauces: Volcano Onion Ketchup, Dijonnaise, Tartar Sauce.  They are addicting!

Smoked Marlin and Maui Onion Dip

We were given this dip compliments of the house.  It was very tasty!

Soy-Glazed Pork Belly

Ono Tataki

Chili Miso Glazed Black Cod

I had the Black Cod, or Butterfish.  It had a pleasant kick to it from both the Chili Miso and the Garlic Wasabi Cream.  

Sesame Roasted Half Chicken

Charred Broccolini

Filet Mignon

SPAM Fried Rice

The SPAM Fried Rice was a meal in itself!  

Despite devouring nearly everything, we still made sure to get dessert. 

Dark Chocolate Mousse

The Dark Chocolate Mousse was my fave of the desserts - cocoa streusel, salted caramel, and Kona coffee ice cream.  Such a decadent treat!

Warm Malasadas

I'm not much of a Malasadas fan, but I loved these.  They were perfectly sized and had just the right amount of sugar - I didn't even need to add the caramel sauce or strawberry guava gel.  

Mango-Strawberry Shaved Ice

The Mango-Strawberry Shaved Ice was so refreshing!

The food was outstanding, and our server was Ryan, a Fish Sommelier, and he was awesome.  

It was another memorable dining experience at Mina's!

Mina's Fish House
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
92-1001 Olani St, Kapolei, HI 96707
(808) 679-0079

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