Just Haze

Poi Bowl at the Ala Moana Shopping Center

You might think it won’t be good since it’s in the food court at a shopping center.  But the Poi Bowl and the rest of the restaurants at the Ala Moana Shopping Mall beg to differ.  After all, we are talking about the Ala Moana Shopping Center! 

Michael and I were in search of local food and since we now stayed at the other side of Waikiki (the Hilton Hawaiian Village), the closest thing to local food was at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.   Instead of picking eating Saimin, we came across Poi Bowl at the Food Court of the mall.  It was local food. 

Of course, I ordered my usual, LOCO MOCO.  If you don’t know what a Loco Moco is, it’s two beef patties served over rice with an over-easy egg and gravy on top. 

I’ve always been skeptical of who makes my Loco Moco.  I’ve been visiting the Islands for over ten years now and da kine Loco Moco is from the Da Kitchen in Maui.  They make the best Loco Moco and I ate my weight in Loco Moco a couple of months ago!

The Poi Bowl’s Loco Moco tastes good as well.  Michael ordered the Tripe, Lau Lau Pork, Rice, and Potato-Macaroni Salad.  For dessert, he ordered us Haupi, a coconut jello dessert.  There was so much food packed into our little plates and it was a bit amazing on how we finished it all.   

I’m not much of a tripe eater except when it’s cooked in Mexican Menudo, but this tripe dish was great with white rice.  The Lau Lau pork was amazing as well.  I definitely recommend this place!

Little Village Noodle House - Oahu Chinatown

After touring the most familiar place, Aloha Bowl, Michael and I along with two of our friends decided to hit Chinatown.  Lunch was around the corner so we decided to take a look around Chinatown.  I was going to suggest a little hole in the wall restuarant, but they decided to eat at the Little Village Noodle House because it had rave reviews on one of the books they've read.  I was skeptical.  Just looking at the restaurant doesn't give the "authentic" Chinese food vibe, but I was hungry so Michael and I just went along with it.

The place wasn't authentic Chinese food.  The food was okay and it was expensive.  I had the Singapore Noodle Bowl and it was dry as could be.  It had some good flavour, but not something I would order again if I returned to Oahu in the near future.  I would have rather eaten at a hole the wall where you see a lot of the locals instead of the touristy place.  I go where the locals go and for an Asian resturant, I go where the Chinese go, not where the Caucasians go.  The Little Village Noodle House is just like Panda Express, only way more expensive.  I don't suggest it at all!

 

Loco Moco Drive-Inn

After a great day at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve snorkeling, Michael and I with two of our friends hit our next stop... LUNCH!  It was all about local food and we ended up finding Loco Moco Drive Inn which is about 10 minutes away from the Preserve.

The food was excellent!  I wasn't at all hungry and given that Michael and I are going to Ruth's Chris later that evening for a work event, I ordered crab and cheese wontons with some Fruit Punch.  Michael ordered the Ox Tail Stew.  The food was marvelous and given the many locals that frequented the store, I was most pleased!

Their crab and cheese wontons were fried crispy to perfection, it had enough crab and cheese in it.  It wasn't at all just cheese and no crab.  I didn't taste Michael's Ox Tail Stew, but from what I hear from his "mmmm," that it was good.