JJ French Pastry & Bistro

If you have a sweet tooth, brace yourself when you walk into JJ French Pastry & Bistro!

Top right: Lilikoi Cheesecake; middle right: Cream Puff; bottom right: Chocolate Pyramid

Although JJ French Pastry & Bistro has an extensive menu offering everything from sandwiches and pizzas to seafood and poultry, we stopped in just for desserts.

Their Chocolate Pyramid is a best-seller, and it is very indulgent and rich.

The Lilikoi Cheesecake is also a popular item, and it was very, very delicious.

The Cream Puff is a popular items for kids, and my kids did indeed enjoy it.

I definitely hope to go back soon to try out their lunch or dinner menu.

And of course I'll indulge in more desserts!

JJ French Pastry & Bistro
3447 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 739-0993

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Rajanee Thai Cuisine

My husband and I love Thai food, and we recently had takeout from Rajanee Thai Cuisine.

Chicken Pad Thai

Chicken Chili Basil

Bangkok Night Noodles

Everything was tasty, but my favorite dish was the Chicken Pad Thai.

The Chicken Chili Basil was quite spicy, and my husband liked the Bangkok Night Noodles (garlic rice noodles with egg, chicken, scallions, romaine lettuce, and topped with fried shrimp) the best (the owner recommended it - it's one of the more popular dishes from the restaurant).

Rajanee Thai Cuisine is a very small restaurant - there are no tables inside so most people order takeout, however, there are some tables right outside the restaurant if you wish to eat there.

If you love Thai food as much as we do, be sure to check it out!

Rajanee Thai Cuisine
95-390 Kuahelani Ave; Ste 3C;
Mililani, HI 96789
(808) 853-4724

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L & L Hawaiian Barbecue's Saimin Burger

It's not the original "Ramen Burger," but it's priced less, it's quite tasty, and you don't have to wait hours in line to get one. I can't comment on how it compares to Keizo Shimamoto's Ramen Burger since I didn't get a chance to try it when he came to Honolulu, but I can say that L & L's saimin burger gets two thumbs up.

Available at select L & L Hawaiian Barbecue's in Hawaii and on the mainland. 

Go to hawaiianbarbecue.com for a list of locations currently offering the saimin burger. 

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Greek Marina

The first time I ever tried Greek food was in high school on a field trip, and I did not enjoy the food at all.

Times sure have changed, as Greek food is now one of my faves!

Our entire family recently went to Greek Marina, and turns out my kids love Greek food too!

Greek Style Fries with Garlic Mayo Sauce

Spanakopita

Gyros

Gyros Chicken

Chicken Souvlaki

 

We ordered fries since we were worried the boys wouldn't eat anything else, but surprisingly they tried and enjoyed a lot of the food!

The fries themselves were yummy with the garlic mayo sauce.

My boys LOVED the Spanakopita (what a great way to make them eat spinach!).

My husband loved his Gyros, which consisted of beef and lamb.

I had the Gyros Chicken, which was very tasty, and my kids shared the Chicken Souvlaki.

Everything was very delicious, including the salads that accompanied the meals.

Service was great and overall we had a terrific lunch!

Greek Marina
7192 Kalanianaole Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96825
(808) 396-8441

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Pancakes and Waffles

One Sunday we were headed to a particular restaurant, but due to road closures, we ended up at Pancakes and Waffles instead.

Korean Chicken

Banana Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Clubhouse Sandwich with Home Fries

It took a while for us to get our food, but the service was very friendly.

The food was great. My kids devoured the pancakes, and my husband really liked the Korean Chicken.

I had the Clubhouse Sandwich which was very filling. I thought the home fries were going to be more like "fries" than simply cut-up potatoes, but they were still tasty.

If I'm in the area I'll definitely try Pancakes and Waffles again, and maybe I'll try some of the breakfast items!

Pancakes and Waffles
1284 Kalani Street #D100
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 847-7770

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Via Gelato opens in Kaimuki

Via Gelato, which started out as a food truck and then as a vendor at farmers markets, is now a brick and mortar in Kaimuki. 

Owner Melissa Bow uses local ingredients and handmakes her gelato daily. Flavors change daily, keeping things fresh and interesting. Sandwiches and soups are also on the menu. 

Via Gelato

1142 12th Avenue

Honolulu, HI 96816

Twitter: @viagelato

Instagram: Viagelatohawaii

Website: viagelatohawaii.com

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Doraku Sushi - Kaka`ako

My friends and I recently celebrated the holidays (yes, we always celebrate in the beginning of the new year) at Doraku Sushi in Kaka`ako.

Dragon Roll

Doraku Tuna Tataki

Hamachi Carpaccio

Tofu Spinach Salad

Agedashi Tofu

Ginger Chicken Karaage

Japanese Style Garlic Steak

Misoyaki Butterfish

Eggplant Miso

Panko Crusted Hamachi

Spicy Lobster Roll

Golden Buddah Roll

Japanese Pudding

Green Tea Ice Cream Tempura

Banana Ice Cream Flambe

I ate the Ginger Karaage Chicken (my fave and one of Doraku's most popular items), the Agedashi Tofu, Eggplant Miso, and Tofu Spinach Salad.

Everything was delicious.  

For dessert I had the Banana Ice Cream Flambe, which I thought was pretty good.

Since I'm not a big sushi or seafood eater, I didn't try a lot of the other dishes, but the consensus was the food was really good.

Service was good as well, and overall it was a fun night filled with lots of great food and company!

Doraku Sushi 
1009 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814  
(808) 591-0101

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Verde Kaimuki

After a meeting in Kaimuki one weekend, our family went to lunch at Verde Kaimuki - a place that I've wanted to try for a while after seeing many photos of the food there from @koloheboy on Instagram.

Cheese Quesadilla

SoCal Burrito with Steak

Chicken Bacon Ranch Burrito

At Verde you can customize the burrito to your liking by choosing your tortilla, filling(s), and salsa.

My husband had the SoCal Burrito (the most popular burrito - filled with potatoes, cheese, and onions) in a Chile Tomato Tortilla with Salsa Verde.

I had the Chicken Bacon Ranch Burrito in a Flour Tortilla with Aguacate (avocado salsa).

The burritos are HUGE and my husband and I both agreed that they were very delicious.

The Quesadilla was a simple cheese quesadilla which my boys enjoyed.

Next time I go I think I'd want to get a burrito and "make it wet" (add their green chile sauce all over).

Verde Kaimuki
3607 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 737-4700

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Thomas & Friends: Spills & Thrills Coloring Sheet

 

Thomas & Friends: Spills & Thrills (Release date 3/4/14; SRP $14.98)
All aboard for Spills & Thrills with Thomas and his friends! The Island of Sodor is always bustling with activity, yet when the engines try to be "Really Useful" they often find themselves in some messy muddles! James tries to prove he's not afraid of the dark, or too vain to haul smelly fish, but when he pulls the night time Kipper Express he gets more than he bargained for! Stephen's need for speed, and Salty's need to impress, sends them both into some sticky, slippery situations. Hiro shows Diesel that nice engines do finish first and Sir Topham Hatt shows you can't cry over spilled milk...twice! It’s full steam ahead for Spills & Thrills on Sodor!

Episodes Include:
· “Away From the Sea”
· “The Smelly Kipper”
· “No More Mr. Nice Engine”
· “Gone Fishing”
· “Thomas’ Shortcut”
· “The Afternoon Tea Express”

DVD BONUS FEATURES
· Biff Bash Bosh Game
· Go Go Thomas Karaoke Music Video
· Guess Who? Puzzles
Click here to download a Spills & Thrills coloring sheet.

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Top 10 Washington Omiyage

One of the things I love about traveling is buying omiyage for friends and family (and myself).

On our trip to Seattle late last year I bought a bunch of Washington-made goodies, and you can find my list of Top 10 Washington Omiyage here on On the Itinerary.

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My Top 10 Breakfast Spots on Oahu

I LOVE breakfast.  I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day.

To find out my top 10 breakfast spots on Oahu, click here to read the post on On the Itinerary.

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Lunch Box by Pili Group

A friend of mine works at Hawaiian Airlines, and she was kind enough to invite me and other friends over to the headquarters to dine at Lunch Box by Pili Group.

Kampachi Fried Noodles

Burger

Fish Tacos

Tomato & Basil Panini with Chicken

Led by Pili Group's Mark Noguchi, one of Hawaii's most notable chefs, Lunch Box focuses on serving dishes using locally-sourced ingredients.

My meal, the Panini, was very, very delicious. 

Everyone else thought their dishes were good as well, but we also thought the portions were a bit on the small side for the prices we paid.

However, knowing that Lunch Box by Pili Group encourages Hawaii's food-sustainability and focuses on the use of fresh, local ingredients, I would gladly dine there again.

Lunch Box by Pili Group
3375 Koapaka St
Honolulu, HI 96819

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Saint Germain Bakery's Croissant Donut

In May of last year, Dominique Ansel debuted the Cronut in New York, which would end up on TIME Magazine's list of "25 Best Inventions of 2013".  People would wait in line for hours just to try the croissant-doughnut that retails for $5.00.

A few bakeries in Hawaii have tried to imitate the Cronut (which is a trademark).  Saint Germain at Ala Moana Center sells a "croissant donut" for $3.50. It basically tastes like a donut with custard filling. I've never tried the real Cronut, so I can't say whether it comes close to the real thing.  Now that I'm a mother of two newborns, it'll be a long time before I get a chance to visit New York again; who knows if the Cronut will be around when that time comes.

Saint Germain Bakery at Ala Moana Center (Ground Level, Makai near Forever 21)
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814

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RoboCop Review

 

Many popular movies from the 80s have been getting a reboot, such as RoboCop, which opens in theaters today.

Synopsis:
In RoboCop (PG-13), the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years, but have been forbidden for law enforcement in America. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit – is critically injured, OmniCorp sees their chance to build a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine.

My husband was fortunate receive complimentary tickets to an advance screening, and here is his review:

Despite having doubts about a reboot of Robocop, I found it to be quite an entertaining movie. 

Opening with an intriguing scene that takes place in 2028 Iraq, we see how robots are used to keep the peace by scanning every man, woman and child to determine if they are a potential threat. When they gun down a boy holding a knife, you are faced with the question that is at the center of RoboCop - can we rely on robots to be enforcers or do we need a human soul to make the right choices?

Back in the USA, people are against having robots police them. They are "robophobic," much to the chagrin of the CEO of Omnicorp, a company that makes these types of robots. He therefore tasks his top scientist with giving the public a compromise - a man inside a machine.

They find a cop who was almost killed by a car bomb and don him in the iconic RoboCop suit.  To make him a more effective cop, his brain is tweaked a bit to make him think less like a human and become more robotic in his behavior. Of course, this does not go over well with his family. These modifications are one of the more entertaining aspects of the movie.

The action scenes, on the other hand, were a little disappointing. There was often too much happening at once on the screen.  It felt as if I was watching someone else play a role-playing game on a giant TV.

However, I did enjoy RoboCop more than I expected, but I enjoyed it more for the for the thought-provoking ethical issues than for the action scenes.

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WW: View of Diamond Head from Magic Island

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Scoop of Paradise Factory - Waialua

Scoop of Paradise is my favorite ice cream shop on Oahu.  We'd normally go to the Haleiwa location, but we recently went to the newer Waialua location.

Kids Chocolate

Single Scoop Oreo 'N Mint Cream

Single Scoop Orange Blossom

I had the orange blossom ice cream, which was very, very delicious. 

 

All ice cream is homemade, and although a bit on the pricey side, serving sizes are huge, as you can see from the photos.

 

The Waialua location also serves sandwiches, soups, and pizzas, so I'll definitely be back again to try out their food.

 

Scoop of Paradise Factory

66-935 Kaukonahua Rd.
Waialua, Hawaii 96791

(808) 637-3020

 

 

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Rise and Shine Cafe

We don't eat out for breakfast very often, but one morning when the kids woke up later than usual we decided to dine out for breakfast at Rise & Shine Café.

Meat Lovers Omelet with Breakfast Potatoes

Breakfast Burrito

Mini Pancakes with Fresh Fruit

Kids Breakfast Plate with Rice, Scrambled Eggs, and Bacon



The food took a while to come out, but everything was good - the omelet was filling and tasty, and the breakfast potatoes had a little spicy kick.  My husband enjoyed the burrito, and my kids devoured their breakfasts.

Prices were reasonable and the service was great.

It was a nice way to start our day!

Rise and Shine Cafe 95-1057 Ainamakua Dr
Ste F-6
Mililani, HI 96789

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