Down to Earth

We recently went to Down to Earth - Pearlridge to get some groceries, and I had no idea how popular the place was for dining!

They have a salad bar, a hot bar, a deli, and pastries galore.  We went to buy some groceries, and also ended up getting pizza, cookies, pastries, and a smoothie!

I thought the cookie was okay - the texture was a bit firmer than I like (not exactly chewy, not exactly crispy), but I appreciated how big it was.  

The kids loved the smoothie and the other pastries.  

We bought the pizza for someone, but it sure looked good!

There is seating outside, and I was surprised at how many people were there eating or ordering take-out.  Next time we'll try some hot foods!

Down to Earth
98-211 Pali Momi St

Aiea, HI 96701

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Fuji Sushi & Teppanyaki

Thank you to our sponsors for the complimentary dining experience! 

Fuji Sushi & Teppanyaki recently opened in Pearlridge Center, offering sushi, teishoku, and teppanyaki style dining 7 days a week! Hawaii Mom Blog was invited to check out this new eatery in Central Oahu.

Fuji Sushi & Teppanyaki is located in the space formerly occupied by Monterey Bay Canners. Mention that name and pretty much all locals will know where the restaurant is. It's located outside of Pearlridge Center, overlooking Sumida Watercress Farm. 

When you first enter, you come across the spacious teppanyaki room. I like how there is a lot of space in between each of the tables, which can seat up to 8 people comfortably.

There is also a sushi bar and regular dining room seating towards the back of the restaurant,

We ordered dishes from different parts of the menu so that we could give you an idea of the kinds of dishes you'll find here.  

From the appetizer (kitchen) menu: Furikake Chicken

From the Appetizer (sushi bar) menu: Truffle Tuna Garlic rayu

From the Sushi Bar: the Pacific Sushi Boat (15 piece nigiri sushi, 15 sashimi, rainbow roll, samurai roll)

From the Sushi Bar: Oyster Platter

From the Kitchen: Dinner Bento - Chicken Teriyaki/spicy tuna/Fried Oyster

And now for the main event - the HIBACHI combo! Each Hibachi entree comes with miso soup, tossed salad, flaming shrimp appetizer, Hibachi noodles, lightly seasoned hibachi vegetables, and steamed white rice. 

Our chef (named "Vicky") was very personable and put on a great show. 

No teppanyaki experience is complete without some fire, and Vicky did not hold back. 

We enjoyed watching Vicky skillfully cook our Hibachi meals right before our eyes. Once of the best things about teppanyaki style dining is that the food is always hot since it's served straight from the grill to your plate!

I really liked their mixed vegetables because it comes with a lot of greens (they include broccoli which is not served at other teppanyaki houses here).  I highly recommend upgrading your rice to garlic fried rice (if you're not afraid of carbs!).

IMHO, the items that we tried from the kitchen menus weren't anything extraordinary. I would definitely recommend the Hibachi (teppanyaki) and sushi. And try the Hibachi proteins with the "yum yum" sauce that comes with your meal - it's super yum yum!

Open daily (incl. most holidays!) for lunch and dinner,. 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM - 10:00  PM. 

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FUJI SUSHI & TEPPANYAKI

98-1005 MOANALUA ROAD

808-486-7777

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Mr. Sangria Bar in Pearlridge

Cheers! Hawaiian Blend and Hydration Therapy (gin, coconut syrup, lemon, soda).

I am a huge sangria fan so I when I found out a new business called Mr. Sangria Bar was opening in Pearlridge, I couldn't wait to check it out. After two failed attempts, I finally got to try the Hawaiian Blend (Mr. Sangria original Red Blend).  

Mr. Sangria Bar specializes in sangria blends including red, white, sangria specialties, and soft serve!  They have a full bar offering cocktails as well as beers and ciders and use local Hawaiian liquors like Kohana rums and Kapahi bourbon.  

Granted we had our drinks before dinner, but boy we thought our drinks packed quite a punch. We could only handle one drink each, but they were delicious and we found sitting at the bar to be fun.  Located in Pearlridge Mauka (Macy's Uptown) first level next to Cookie Corner, they are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11am.  Can't wait to return for their soft serve!  

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Quick Bites from Guava Smoked at Pearlridge Center

We had some time to kill before meeting friends at Razor Sports Drifting, and the boys were getting hungry, so we decided to check out Guava Smoked to see if there was something small and quick that we could all share to hold us over until dinner time.

Daniel spotted the smoked fried rice on the menu, and looked no further. That's what he wanted to try. After a few minutes of waiting, out came a heaping tray of fried rice with chunks of smoked pork and chicken. 

We asked for a clamshell, because it was impossible to eat from the tray without making a huge mess, and we also knew we'd have to take some of it to-go because there was so much rice.

After the other son saw the fried rice, he started getting hungry, and so I ordered smoked boneless chicken bowl for him.  The portion was not as impressive as the fried rice, but the smoked chicken sure was good and he ate all of the chicken and a few bites of the rice. I regret not ordering the plate, because I wanted to eat the chicken too after trying a sliver of one piece.

Next time around, we're going to get a full-sized plate of the smoked boneless chicken, so that there's chicken for us all to share! I will also save room for dessert (guava bar!!).

In case you're wondering why they call themselves GUAVA Smoked, they smoke their meats with strawberry guava wood!

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GUAVA SMOKED

98-1005 Moanalua Road, Wai Makai, second floor

808-888-0914

 

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Mango Mango Dessert - Pearlridge Center

Mango Mango Dessert is currently one of my sons' favorite places for desserts. Whenever we are at Pearlridge Center, they ask if we can stop at Mango Mango for dessert.  Mango Mango is known for using fresh, high quality ingredients (including fresh mangos!) in their  handcrafted, made to order desserts.  Dessert offerings include cakes, waffles, smoothies, bubble teas, and classic Hong Kong style desserts.  

Here are some of the things we ordered from a recent visit with our soccer friends:

Strawberry Mango Juice Sago & Lychee Jelly w. Mango Ice Cream

Strawberry Smoothie-O (boba added)

Oreo Creme Brulee Bubble Milk Tea

Triple Ice Cream Delight: Green Tea, Mango, Vanilla 

Although the desserts are on the pricey side, I am willing to pay the premium for fresh fruit and quality ingredients. Service is always friendly, and they have tables and chairs for dine-in.  For certain desserts (mainly the ones that have ice cream in them), I highly recommend that you dine in because the ice cream melts quickly!

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MANGO MANGO DESSERT HAWAII

PEARLRIDGE CENTER, WAI MAKAI, SECOND LEVEL
98-1005 MOANALUA ROAD 

808-784-0232

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Lunch at Uncle's Fish Market & Grill

BIG UNCLE’S COMBO 2 pieces of fresh fish, 2 pieces of jumbo shrimp, & calamari steak.

Uncle's Fish Market & Grill is located above Long's at Pearlridge Center and open daily from 11am to 9pm.  The restaurant is spacious and gives off a cozy sort of vibe.  The restaurant pays homage to its history by displaying a collection of artifacts, photos, and antique fishing gear. 

The menu is extensive with fresh fish entrée offerings, sashimi and poke, as well as sandwiches and pasta.  They've also got a great wine list and cocktail menu.  

I ordered the fish tacos and I had my choice of the fish preparation: grilled, blackened, or sauteed and also tortilla: soft corn of flour.  They were served with cabbage, cilantro, and avocado and paired with house-made corn tortilla chips.  The tacos were delicious and I would order them again.  

You can make your reservation on Open Table or call the restaurant.  Great for casual dining and for groups.

Uncle's Fish Market & Grill

98-1005 Moanalua Road

808-275-0063

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Currency Exchange International at Pearlridge

The last time we went to Europe, we read the best way to get euros was simply by ATM at the airport.  In fact, we still have about 200 euros from that trip. However, they are large bills and I want small bills so we can tip the baggage handler at the hotel when we first arrive.  I have read many scary stories of airport atms running out of money or being broken so I would just feel better if we had euros in small denominations already on hand (yes, I am THAT traveler).  Plus, the memory of the lady in a little French bakery waiving off my 50 euro bill in exasperation because it was too big to break is still fresh in my mind.  

I found I had three options in the leeward area:  Currency Exchange International (CXI), ASB, or FHB.  Although ASB had a slightly better rate, the fees were higher than CXI. Plus I needed to be an account holder at ASB.  I unfortunately wasn’t able to get someone on the phone when I called FHB.  I messaged CXI through the Yelp app to see if they could fulfill my small denomination request.  I received a response within a couple of hours and I had my euros the next day!  

CXI is located in Pearlridge downtown, right outside of the Vans store.  Their fees are minimal, but they waive them for kama'aina and will take 50% off fees if you check in through Yelp.  You can either pay with debit card or cash.  This experience exceeded my expectations and I would definitely recommend their services.  

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The Hall by Beer Lab HI - Pearlridge

I saw on @melissa808's Instagram that The Hall by Beer Lab HI - Pearlridge opened up, so I didn't hesitate to dine there during a recent visit to Pearlridge.

Giant Pretzel

There's something just so yummy about a warm, chewy pretzel plus melted cheese!

Sodduck Sodduck

The Sodduck Sodduck consisted of skewered sausages and rice cakes, glazed with a gochujang sauce.  It was a great mix of textures and sweet and salty flavors.

Kim Chee Fried Rice

The Kim Chee Fried Rice was really good, and I loved that there was a lot of bacon and kim chee in it!

Caesar Salad

The Caesar was enormous!  Next time I'm adding chicken!

Kim Chee Cheese Dip

I really enjoyed the Kim Chee Cheese Dip.  I thought it paired well with the toasted sweet bread.  I wish they offered a bigger serving of the dip - I would totally order a bigger size!

Shrimp Tacos

Wagyu Cheeseburger

Takoyaki

If you're not a beer drinker, or if you have kids dining with you, you can order housemade cream sodas!

You can easily order your own entree, or go with a group and order a variety to share.  There are so many delicious menu offerings.  I'm eager to go back to try breakfast!

The HALL by Beer Lab HI
98-1005 Moanalua Rd., #884
Aiea, HI 96701
808.762.0027

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Bing Bros Hawaii

When I was eight, our family spent some time in Taiwan and I remember visiting night markets to eat ramen and stinky tofu.  I still reminisce about that delicious deep fried tofu so I am always eager to try foods that bring back memories from my childhood.  But before Bing Bros, I have never tried a Jian Bing - a Chinese savory crepe that is a popular Chinese street food. 

Located in Pearlridge Wai Makai (downtown), Bing Bros serves their bings made to order. The OG Jian Bing comes with egg, green onion, cilantro, black sesame seeds, special Bing sauce, cabbage, cucumber, Sichuan pickles, kewpie mayo, and fried wonton crackers. For our first time, they recommended we add char siu which was an excellent recommendation.  You can watch them make your jian bing, layer by layer; starting with the crepe, then the egg and so on. It's quite the process! But your patience will pay off when you enjoy your delicious jian bing.  It's also big enough to share when you are just in the mood for a snack or light meal.   

Bing Bros also serve up Bing Bangs - ice cream floats with syrup, condensed
milk, and crushed almond cookies in flavors Tiger's Blood (strawberry
coconut), Ramune, Melona, Ube, and Kyoho Grape.  They have online ordering available and are open daily from 11am. 

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Burger Jjang at Beer Lab - Pearlridge

Although I've been trying to eat more plants than animals lately, I could not resist the opportunity to get together with friends to try Burger Jjang - a concept by Sistah (see Gem's review of Sistah here). Beer ... smash burgers ... fries ... and friends .... the perfect pairing! Thank you Hawaii Mom Blogger Nadia for spearheading this get together!

At Beer Lab, to order food from the kitchen, you must place your order online using your smartphone. After we each placed our orders, we walked to the bar to order our beers. I love how their locally crafted beers come in three sizes, including a 4 ounce taster that was the perfect size for me and Nadia.

We all ordered the Jjang Smash Burger, and Nadia ordered a Tater Tot Nachos side for us all to share. And then to our surprise, the Sistahs came out with a few extra sides for us to enjoy with our burgers!  The fried items were nice n crispy, and the pretzel was still hot and fluffy. It was pretty tasty on its own without the cheese dip!

You can enjoy the eats from Burger Jjang at Beer Lab Pearlridge on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Click here to access the Beer Lab Pearlridge Kitchen online ordering site.

4 ounce taster - Ice Cake

Jjang Smash Burger

Tater Tot Nachos

Jjang beef gyoza and veggie spring rolls

French Fries

Giant Pretzel with Cheese Dip

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