Paina Cafe

According to Wikipedia, Poke ¹ is a raw fish salad served as an appetizer or main course in local Hawaiian cuisine. The word Poke is Hawaiian for "section" or "to slice or cut,” and Poke is what I was craving this afternoon for lunch. So along with a friend, we set out to Paina Cafe in Ward Warehouse.

We were enticed by their "Poke Bowls." If you haven’t heard of them, it’s a bowl of white or brown sushi rice topped by your choice of hot or mild sauce and your choice of poke (Spicy Tuna, Shoyu Ahi or Hot Shoyu Ahi). For an additional charge you can include a few toppings such as Natto, Takuan or Kim Chee.

I had the large Poke Bowl with white sushi rice, hot sauce, hot shoyu ahi poke and topped with Taegu and Kim Chee. Sorry about the poor quality of the photos but the lighting wasn't ideal in that area. You'll just have to take my word that my lunch was ono and I found myself in a food coma.

My friend outdid me and went with their special "Hawaiian Poke Bowl." That's a large poke bowl but it also includes lomi lomi salmon and kalua pig. I definitely had the food envy after I saw it.

I like this place and I'd definitely go again for the quality of the food and for the selection. For those who aren't into raw fish, fear not since Paina Cafe isn't limited to just poke bowls. They have a very colorful menu that includes fresh salads, soups, sandwiches, fruit bowls, smoothies and plate lunches. You can view the entire menu at www.PainaCafe.com and while you're online, don't forget to follow them on Twitter @PainaCafe.

Paina Cafe

Ward Warehouse

1200 Ala Moana Blvd., #24

(Next to Town & Country Surf Shop)

356-2829

www.PainaCafe.com

Twitter: @PainaCafe

Hours:

Mon-Sat: 10am - 9pm

Sun: 10am - 6pm

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poke_%28Hawaii%29

Dean's Drive Inn

When I'm in the mood for a plate lunch on the Windward side, I used to think only of KJ's in Windward City Shopping Center.  Now, I think of two.  After seeing them featured on Cheap Eats (channel 8), I had to try this place, and I have no regrets.  

Unless you live in Kaneohe, you'll probably miss it on the first drive by.  It's located on Kamehameha Highway between Honda Windward and the Kaneohe Police Station in a little strip mall with very limited parking.

The hours are listed below.  Weekend warriors beware - they are closed on Saturdays but open on Sundays.  The fine print on the bottom warns diners that hours and days are subject to change, therefore, if you are making a special trip to Kaneohe to try this place, I would suggest calling ahead to make sure they're open.

The inside of the restaurant is colorful, but small.  There are only 5 tables.  But the tables turn around pretty quick, and since everything is made to order, by the time your food is ready, chances are you will have found a table.  

One of their signature items is the teriyaki beef.  This is no ordinary teriyaki beef.  It's more like teriyaki steak.  Regular plates come with your choice of white or brown rice, and your choice of homemade soup, mac salad, or tossed salad.

Here's a pic of the teriyaki beef up close:

Their other signature item is their ahi cakes with aioli sauce.  It was a winner and lived up to the hype.  Pictured here is a "mini" portion.

Look at the chunks of ahi!

We didn't save room for dessert, however, I've heard they're delicious.  

We are definitely coming here again, the only question is whether I'll try something different or stick to the signature items which did not disappoint.

Dean's Drive Inn

45-773 Kamehameha Highway

Kaneohe, HI

247-1300

Kuru Kuru Sushi

Besides Ramen, if there was one type of food I could eat every day of my life, it's Sushi. I love Sushi.  Now I'll be honest, I'm not the most adventurous sushi eater - you won't see me eating Uni, the kind that's still moving or even Natto. But I love my raw fish and if there's one place on the island that gives you a generous serving of it for the price, it's Kuru Kuru Sushi in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center.

Because of it's popularity, you'll want to go between lunch and dinner if you want to beat the crowd. Otherwise, be prepared for a short wait. Yes, it gets that crowded, but don't let me discourage you from going, you'll be well rewarded for your patience.

The format of the shop is similar to Genki with the moving conveyor belt but I've noticed that the pieces of fish are larger and the overall price of the dishes are a little cheaper. Plus, because the high volume of patrons, the turnover ratio of the plates are pretty high which translates to fresher dishes since they don't stay on the conveyor belt as long.

Look how big and fresh those pieces of fish look! Here's the Maguro...

The Sake aka Salmon...pretty big slabs...

Kuru Kuru also has a variety of specialty rolls that can be ordered off the menu if you don't see it on the conveyor belt. My two favorite dishes that I always end up getting is the Poke maki and the Spicy Tuna maki.

Kuru Kuru is not limited to sushi either, they have other dishes like soba, shumai, the fried shrimp or the chicken karaage just to name a few. The karaage was really good with the twist of lemon. I'd definitely order it again.

So the next time you're out in Aiea, you'll definitely have to put Kuru Kuru Sushi on your list as a dining option. It's pretty tasty here and although opinions may vary, most people that I know who have tried Kuru Kuru would choose this place over Genki. The only downside is that there is only one location!

Kuru Kuru Sushi
Pearl Kai Shopping Center
98-199 Kamehameha Highway
484-4596

Dole Plantation Family Fun Day

We took the family to the Dole Plantation Family Fun Day yesterday. We got there just after the 10am start time, and it was already very, very crowded and hot, but that didn't stop us from enjoying such a fun-filled event!

There were lots of vendors, games for keiki, food booths, and entertainment.

The first thing we did when we arrived was grab some free pineapple chunks that Dole staff dipped in a chocolate fountain.

Then we saw the Dole Pineapple Mascot! There were other characters there too--KC Waffle Dog, Elmo, Hello Kitty, and Stitch.

For Family Fun Day there were special prices for the Pineapple Express train, the Plantation Garden Tour, and the World's Largest Maze. We decided to take the boys on the Pineapple Express train.

It was a 20 minute ride, and we saw lots and lots of of pineapples and learned a lot about them too (most of which I don't remember).

Throughout the tour there were lots of different types of machinery that's used in the pineapple fields, as well as life-size cutouts of workers. We got a good view of the Tanada Reservoir.

We also saw a lot of other products that are grown (e.g. bananas, macadamia nuts, ginger, etc.).

After the train ride we made a quick stop at a koi pond. You could buy food pellets to feed them (we didn't buy any but a nice woman gave DS1 a pellet to throw in the pond).

They sure looked hungry!

And so were we!

On a regular day, you could visit the Plantation Grille located on premises, however, for Family Fun Day there were several food booths from which we got our lunches.

DS1 ate fried noodles--I tasted it and it was okay (don't remember what food booth it was from).

DH ate kalbi and bbq chicken--he said it was good (don't remember what food booth this was from either).
And I ate what I normally eat whenever I go to some farmers markets and other events--Pesto Pizza and Fried Zucchini from North Shore Farms! YUM!

The fried zucchini is coated with parmesan cheese. It's crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and simply delicious.

And the pizza is just as delicious. They grill the pizza so it's nice and crispy.

After lunch it was really, really hot. We decided it was almost time to go, but not before getting some Dole Whips!

You can get a Dole Whip in a cone, with toppings, and even in a pineapple bowl! I had an entertainment coupon to get up to two free cones with the purchase of two cones, and since I was only going to order three, I asked the woman behind me if she wanted a free cone. She was a tourist from Alabama visiting with her husband and she happily said "sure!"

We actually ended up getting the Dole Whip in regular bowls, since I thought it could get really messy, especially for DS1.

It was the first time I ever had a Dole Whip, and it was cool, smooth, and yummy. I actually couldn't even finish it. I think DS1 ate more of his Dole Whip than I did!

It was a perfect way to end our visit, and I can't wait until next year's Family Fun Day!

Dole Plantation: 64-1550 Kamehameha Highway Wahiawa, Oahu, HI 96786, 808-621-8408

Island Savings: The 2010 Entertainment Book has a coupon for "up to two free cones" with the purchase of two cones.

Ichiriki

I did not know what "Nabe" (pronounced Nah-bay) was until I visited Ichiriki for the first time. Ever since then, I have become a big fan of Nabe. Nabe is where you cook your ingredients in a flavored broth (not to be confused with shabu shabu, where you cook your ingredients in boiling water and then dip the cooked food in a flavored sauce). Ichiriki offers both Shabu Shabu and Nabe, but make no mistake, you want to come here for the Nabe, and nothing else.



The nice thing about Ichiriki is that they have these nabe pots with a divider down the middle, so that you can share a burner (but not the broth) with the person sitting across from you. Pictured below is the Ichiriki (shoyu) broth on the top, and miso broth on the bottom.



Half of the restaurant consists of regular tables, and the other half of the restaurant consists of a tatami room, but unlike traditional tatami rooms, there is a hole in the ground so that while you're sitting on the ground, you don't have to sit indian-style (you sit as though you're sitting on a chair).



Pictured below are the ingredients for the Ichiriki Nabe: Tsukune (a combo of chicken and pork that you scoop into small round balls), tofu, won bok, bok choy, enoki mushrooms, green onions, and your choice of chicken, beef, or pork slices.



If you go during lunch, you can add udon or ramen noodles (pictured) for a couple of bucks. At dinner time, it's included with your meal. Just keep this in mind because they don't ask you which noodles you want until you're almost done with your meal. We learned this the hard way at our first visit because after we stuffed ourselves with the food, broth, and rice, we barely had enough room for the noodles.



Here's what it looks like once all of your ingredients are added to the pot.



For dessert (if you have enough room), we like the strawberry shave ice with green tea ice cream. It may sound odd, but it actually tastes good. It comes with condensed milk and mochi balls. You can also order just regular strawberry shaved ice with vanilla ice cream or green tea shaved ice with green tea ice cream.



Ichiriki
501 Piikoi Street
(808) 589-2299
Reservations Recommended
Free parking in the back of the building (enter from Kona Street)

Anna Miller's Restaurant

One day we were in Aiea and on a tight schedule. We had to eat an early lunch (before 11am), so we headed to Anna Miller's Restaurant.

Open 24 hours a day and known for their fresh strawberry pies (which I have yet to try), it's always crowded no matter what time of day or night I happen to go there.

Even though we went there for lunch, I decided to have one of their breakfast specials (breakfast is served 24 hours a day).

Fried Rice Omelette with Hash Browns: The omelette was huge! Stuffed with tasty fried rice, cheese, tomatoes, and green onions, it was really good. I've actually had this several times before, and I can never finish it.

Chili Loco Moco: DH ordered the chili loco moco. It was such a huge bowl, and it looked really, really good (and according to DH it was).

The service is quick and friendly, and the prices are reasonable. I'm sure we'll be back many more times.

And maybe the next time I go there I'll save room for dessert so I can try their fresh pies...

Anna Miller's Restaurant, 98-115 Kaonohi St, Aiea, HI 96701, (808) 487-2421

Heights Drive In

The "lunch gang" at my former employer had a little disagreement as to which restaurant offered the best fried noodles. One guy said the Heights Drive In in the Aiea Medical Building has the best fried noodles. At the time I had never tried their fried noodles, but when he brought some in one day, I had to agree that it was really, really good and definitely some of the best fried noodles I've ever tasted.

Because we have doctors in the Aiea Medical Building, we always try to schedule our appointments around lunch or dinner so we can pick up the Boneless Chicken and Fried Noodles special.


I think for $7.50 it's a steal, and EVERYTHING, including the mac salad, is delicious (DH thinks they have the best mac salad). And they sure give A LOT of food! Underneath all of that chicken is a A LOT of fried noodles. I can never finish the plate. Well, I actually did finish it once, when I was pregnant...I ate the entire plate...

Heights Drive In offers a lot of other plate lunches (a long, long time ago I did try their chicken katsu, but I don't remember enjoying it all that much), so if you're in the area or you're craving really good fried noodles, check them out!

Heights Drive In, 99-128 Aiea Heights Dr. Aiea, HI 96701, (808) 487-8884

The Counter

If you're in the Kahala area and have a craving for a nice, juicy burger and crispy golden fries, look no further than the Counter in Kahala Mall. It's located a few doors down from Wholefoods on the mauka side of the mall.



The restaurant has lots of tables to accommodate guests, a separate take-out station, skateboards on the wall, and two TV sets for the sports enthusiasts.


You can select from a list of "signature burgers", or you can custom build your own by checking off your selections on a clipboard. First you choose your burger type (beef, veggie, turkey, or chicken), size, on a bun or on a salad, toppings, cheese, and sauce. Some toppings are included, some are extra.


The Counter offers french fries, sweet potato fries, and onion strings. We ordered the fifty-fifty - fries and onion strings.


In honor of the low-carb dieters, I selected a 1/3 lb beef burger in a bowl served on a bed of lettuce. Toppings: grilled pineapple, grilled onions, red peppers, and dried cranberries. Sauce - teriyaki.


The possibilities are endless at this build-your-own burger eatery. Come see for yourself why everyone's talking about the Counter. Take out is available.

The Counter, Kahala
4211 Waialae Avenue
739-5100

Tony Roma's

I know, Tony Roma's is a restaurant that can be found all over the world, but ever since I went there for the first time in 2006, it's been a favorite of ours! We went to the Tony Roma's in Aiea, which is actually the only Tony Roma's I've ever been to, after getting some shopping done at Pearlridge.

Complimentary Bread: The bread was good and the garlic butter spread was even better.

Chicken Jack & Bacon Sandwich: I ordered the chicken sandwich (of course). Although the chicken was a little dry, and the bacon wasn't as crispy as I usually like it, overall it was a good sandwich, and they sure gave a lot of fries! I ended up taking half of my sandwich and a whole bunch of fries home for dinner.


Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich: DH had the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich before and he enjoyed it again this time around!

Despite the restaurant not being that crowded, the service was rather slow. However, our server and everyone that helped us were all very friendly and accommodating. The prices were reasonable, and we'll definitely be heading to Tony Roma's again, especially after completing a survey online (based on information from our receipt) and receiving a code for $5 off our next visit ($15 minimum purchase).

Tony Roma's: 98-150 Kaonohi St., Aiea, HI 96701, 808-487-9911

Island Savings: $5 off $20, or $10 off $40 Minimum Purchase in the 2010 Hawaii Entertainment Book