Visit Kailua-Kona: Chubby's Diner

Chubby's Diner is a popular spot for local faves.  They have a pretty extensive menu to satisfy all sorts of cravings.  

Corn Dog Bites

Oxtail Spring Rolls

Pork Chops

Traditional Loco Moco

They also offer a Beyond Burger Loco Moco, as well as a Super Loco Moco, which includes your choice of 3 different meats!

Keiki Saimin

The Keiki Saimin is a deal at $9.99, and it's a pretty nice size portion.  The menu states that the broth is housemade, and the noodles are topped with egg, SPAM, char siu, and green onions.  It was the best thing I ate during my recent trip to Kona.  

They do have a Chubby's Saimin, which I assume is a bigger portion, that also has kamaboko and cabbage.  

Chubby's is a great spot for local eats!

 

Chubby's Diner
75-5591 Palani Rd
KBXtreme, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Read More

Taqueria El Ranchero

It's been a while since we've had food from Taqueria El Ranchero, but it's still just as good as I remembered.  

Taco Grande

You pick your choice of meat and beans for the tacos. 

Chicken Fajitas

The Chicken Fajitas were delish.  The chicken was seasoned well and really juicy.  It was mixed with bell peppers, zucchini, and onions.  It was accompanied by tortillas, Mexican rice, and your choice of beans to make for a very satisfying meal!

Tip - there is an online order option using DoorDash for pick-up, but the prices are inflated, so call-in your order instead.  

Taqueria El Ranchero
823 California Ave
Wahiawa, HI 96786
(808) 621-9000

Read More

Visit Hilo: Pete's Belly Bustazs

Pete's Belly Bustazs has popped up in my Google search results many times as an option for lunch in Hilo, but it was only recently did I finally try them, and it was for breakfast.

Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Sandwich

The sandwich was satisfying.  The bread was fluffy, and I liked the mayo dressing which really added to the sandwich, but I wished they used "normal" cut bacon vs the super thin cut.  

Gravy Burger

The burgers are housemade with grass-fed beef, and my friend was very impressed with the burger (he thought the gravy was just "okay").

Chili Bowl

Also made with grass-fed beef, my friend loved the chili bowl as well.  It was a hearty serving!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

They were offering Pumpkin Cheesecake as a special.  I do not know if it's made in-house or elsewhere, but it was light and yummy!

Definitely look forward to trying Pete's Belly Bustazs for lunch one day!

Take-out only!

Pete's Belly Bustazs

82 Puuhonu Way # 104
Hilo, HI 96720

Read More

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. 

____________________________________

YOHEI SUSHI KAHALA

4210 WAIALAE AVENUE (KUONO MARKETPLACE)

808-425-4143

Read More

Skybox Taphouse

We recently got takeout from Skybox Taphouse at the International Marketplace.

Skybox Taphouse offers a nice menu of sports bar type eats - pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and a nice selection of appetizers.
 

Fried Pickles

The Fried Pickles were addicting.  I loved the crunchy, coated sour pickles!  

Tenders & Fries

Chicken Tenders & Fries always satisfies.  I thought the chicken was tastier than the original waffle-battered strips I tried the last time.  

Fried Chicken Sandwich with Bacon

Wagyu Smash Burger

Aloha Pizza

We all enjoyed the food!

Skybox Taphouse
2330 Kalakaua Ave Suite 302

Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 378-8542

Read More

Visit Ohio: Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern

Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern is an Ohio-based chain with 21 locations in a few states.  We went to the location in Dayton Mall.  

Fried Pickles

I almost always order Fried Pickles if it's on the menu. These fried, beer-battered pickle spears hit the spot!

Sirloin Chili

I had a side of Sirloin Chili for my meal, and I absolutely loved it.  I love Cincinnati-style chili - it has a sweetness to it that I really enjoy. 

3-Way

You can get Cincinnati chili in a number of ways, and at Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern, they offered a 3-Way, which is basically spaghetti, chili, and cheese.

Bacon Burger

The food was great at this very family-friendly restaurant, and the server was friendly, but it seemed as if she was trying to usher us out quickly (the restaurant was not busy at all).  She just happened to give us the check at one point without saying anything, or asking us if we needed anything else, or even offering dessert!

I asked if she had a dessert menu, since we wanted dessert, and she rambled off three desserts, but I was a bit turned off at that point, so we decided to just pay the check and leave.  

Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern

Dayton Mall
2812 Miamisburg Centerville Rd

Dayton, OH 45459
 

Read More

Seven Brothers

I first went to Seven Brothers in Laie nearly 7 1/2 years ago, and I've been a fan ever since.  

I had to be in Laie for an event recently, and I didn't hesitate about where to go for dinner!  

Seven Brothers is known for their burgers, but since I don't eat a lot of beef, I went with the Grilled Cheese.  

I love how the bun is reversed and toasted!

Crazy Fries

The Crazy Fries is a must, with grilled onions, cheese, and house sauce.

Cheeseburger

Spencer Burger

The Spencer Burger was topped with grilled jalapeno, bacon, Swiss cheese, and onion rings.

Shem Burger

The Shem Burger was topped with guac, bacon, American cheese, and house sauce.

The food did not disappoint! Seven Brothers also offers salads and seafood plates if burgers are not your thing.

Seven Brothers
Laie Shopping Center

55-510 Kamehameha Hwy

Laie, HI 96762
(808) 744-6440

Read More

Visit London: Lockside Camden

We were looking for somewhere to eat at Camden Market, and after seeing all of the dining pods full of people (and messy), we decided to find a restaurant to sit down and eat in.  Lockside Camden was just a quick walk from where we were, so we found a seat, and proceeded to order.  

Cotswold Chicken Schnitzel

Pigs in Blanket

Short Rib Burger

Fish & Chips

Potato Croquettes

I shared a couple of appetizers - the Potato Croquettes and the Pigs in Blankets, with one of my kids.  They were okay - nothing extra special.

Everyone else enjoyed their meals, and if I went there again, I would order the Cotswold Chicken Schnitzel.  It looked so good!

Everything is done online, from ordering to payment, and you don't interact with any staff members with the exception of them bringing your food.  

The food did come out quick, and any interactions we did have with servers was pleasant.

Although the food at Lockside Camden wasn't extraordinary, it seemed like a very popular place for those who wanted a drink, and we appreciated the fact that we had somewhere clean to sit while eating our lunch.

Lockside Camden

75-89 Camden Lock Pl

London NW1 8AF, United Kingdom

Read More

September Specials at Zippy's

Thank you to our sponsor for the coupons to try out the September specials!

Time is running out to enjoy these September specials at Zippy's:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Squares - this is one of my favorite flavors of coffee cake squares, since I love practically everything strawberry. 

Chocolate Dipped Yeast Donut - classic yeast donuts hand dipped in chocolate. I brought these to soccer practice and they were gone in a flash. 

Chantilly Puff - these are filled with chocolate and topped with Chantilly - it's hard to eat just one because they're really good and almost bite-sized. 

To commemorate the upcoming opening of Zippy's in Vegas, Zippy's is offering the "VEGAS PAC" in September. It weighs almost two pounds, and it includes customer favorites such as Fried Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken, SPAM, red hot dog, and of course, Zippy's chili (you can get it with beans, without beans, or vegetarian chili). 

Visit zippys.com for more information or to place an online order. 

Prices may vary by location for all items. While supplies last. Not available for delivery. Sorry, no substitutions. Other restrictions may apply.

Read More

Kam Bowl Restaurant

It's been years since I've been to Kam Bowl Restaurant, and it was nice to visit again for some comfort food.

Chicken Katsu Curry

The menu is full of comfort food faves, and there were so many items I was considering, but I ultimately chose the Chicken Katsu Curry.

Even though some of the chicken pieces were overcooked, I was famished after a morning out in the sun visiting a couple of aquaculture farms, so I ate nearly the entire dish!  It was totally comforting and satisfying.

Oxtail Soup

Oxtail Soup is a popular dish at Kam Bowl, and my friend said it was really good.

The service was rushed and not the friendliest (one of our tablemates kept getting ignored and her requests not acknowledged).

If you're strictly looking for familiar, satisfying foods, Kam Bowl is a place to visit.

Kam Bowl Restaurant
1620 N School St,

Honolulu, HI 96817

Read More