tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18215090927733904622024-03-05T08:24:33.820-08:00Overworked. Underfed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.comBlogger365125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-36641413451658113522016-02-04T11:35:00.000-08:002016-02-04T11:35:24.120-08:00GoodbyeDear Followers,<br />
It has been a fantastic journey with all the food blogging I have done since the inception of this blog in 2009. I really have eaten some fantastic things and created some amazing memories with friends, food and fun. What more can you ask for right? <br />
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I look back at how crappy my pictures used to be and am really proud of the strides I have made to improve the look and feel of this blog. It is with this effort in mind, that I have made the jump to Wordpress. Please follow me at my new site, <a href="https://overworkedunderfed.wordpress.com/">Overworked. Underfed.</a>, where I plan to continue cooking, eating, and sharing. Fooding is hard work.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Overworked. Underfed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-54932549816775881142016-01-30T23:16:00.000-08:002016-01-30T23:16:46.385-08:00Maui Sweet EatsI had a lot of random sweet treats in Maui, which I decided to smush into one entry.<br />
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<b>Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice</b><br />
<i>multiple locations</i><br />
<a href="http://ululanisshaveice.com/">ululanisshaveice.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Ululani%27s+Hawaiian+Shave+Ice&find_loc=Maui%2C+HI&ns=1" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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Of course, I had Ululani shaved ice. It's like the Starbucks of Maui. It's everywhere you turn, on every corner. It turned out to be better than what I imagined for Hawaiian shaved ice. The shaved ice I've had before was pretty icy and crunchy. The flavoring was like dyed sugary syrup. I'm not sure how they make their shaved ice at Ulalani but the ice is smooth and the flavor doesn't taste like it was just dumped on top from a squeeze bottle.<br />
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<b>Mango, Passionfruit, Strawberry, Coconut Pudding (Haupia)</b><br />
The shaved ice was pretty tasty, but it was hard for me to tell which flavor was what. It all kinda blended together. The most interesting part was the haupia, which I thought was going to be weird because I'm not a huge fan of coconut. It actually added a creamy richness to the cool icy fruitiness. You have to get the haupia at the bottom!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Sugar Beach Bake Shop</b><br />
61 S. Kihei Road<br />
Kihei, HI 96753<br />
<a href="http://sugarbeachbakeshop.com/">sugarbeachbakeshop.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sugar-beach-bake-shop-kihei" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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Next to Ulalani was Sugar Beach Bakeshop. I felt it was so fortuitous to come across 2 sweet treats in one stop. The specialty here seemed to be the cupcakes and pies.<br />
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<b>Lilikoi Key Lime Pie</b><br />
I didn't pick up on lilikoi notes and I felt it was a tad too sweet overall. A bit disappointing.<br />
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<b>Furikake Chex Mix</b><br />
I was, however, quite intrigued by this little find. I love chex mix and I love sprinkling furikake all over my rice. Who was the genius that decided to marry the two?? I loved the little toasted rice crackers. The bugles were something new. The mix was a tad too sweet for my liking, but I still give it 2 thumbs up. I haven't gotten around to making my own version, but I have added it to my to-cook list for sure.<br />
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<b>Banana Bread <i>streusel topping</i></b></div>
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Didn't get to snap a picture of this one but it's pretty good. Moist, soft, and not too sweet.</div>
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<b>Lappert's Ice Cream & Coffee</b></div>
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693 Front Street</div>
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Lahaina, HI 96761</div>
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<a href="http://lappertshawaii.com/">lappertshawaii.com</a></div>
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So I have been to the location in Wailea during a previous visit to Maui. I didn't think it was any big deal, just your local ice cream shop. This time around, I stumbled across the location in Lahaina, not even knowing it was a Lappert's. I was drawn in by the Dole Whip sign. I've never had Dole Whip before, but certainly heard about it and was instantly intrigued.</div>
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<b>Dole Whip</b></div>
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Dole Whip is just pineapple soft serve. But it is the best damn pineapple soft serve you will ever have in your entire life. It is just the perfect balance of creaminess and fruitiness. It's like biting into a perfectly ripe creamy pineapple. I initially got one to share, thinking that I only wanted 3 bites max just for taste. I was sad when The Annoyer gave it to Frow Bo to finish off. I made him go take it back so I could eat the rest. It was so good. It was all I could talk about for the rest of the day. When I figured out it was Lappert's that sold the Dole Whip, I was excited because there was a Lappert's close to our hotel in Wailea. Sadly, I found out that only the Lahaina location sells Dole Whip. It was too far a drive so I never got to eat it again. </div>
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And so ends my food photo journalism of my Maui vacation. I might have been pretty critical of the food here, but I heard its the best of the islands after Oahu. It was better than Big Island for sure. Overall, I ate well, and was pleased with almost all the restaurants. Food is just expensive in Maui, probably because of location and its full of tourists so they can charge a premium. The best thing I ate during the whole trip was that Dole Whip. Hands down, YUMS!!!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-60395782746597065102016-01-29T19:01:00.002-08:002016-01-29T19:01:42.464-08:00Mama's Fish HouseWe had our last dinner in Maui at this local favorite. While the menu prices rivaled those of Lahaina Grill, the white linen and suited waiters was replaced by blue Hawaiian patterns and casual button ups. The food is less fancy, but still tasty. We were kind of in a hurry to get through our meal since some people in our party were trying to catch flights to the airport that same night.<br />
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<b>Bread & Butter</b><br />
Warm and soft.<br />
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<b>Cream of Mushroom Soup</b><br />
Compliments of the house. Solid.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Ahi in a Fresh Coconut <i>marinated in lime and coconut milk, tahitian style</i></b><br />
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I've never had ceviche marinated in coconut milk. The coconut flavor wasn't too distracting. The citrus was bright and worked nicely.<br />
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<b>Macadamia Nut Crab Cakes <i>fire and ice relish</i></b><br />
The Flatulent Snorer loves his crab cakes. Nice choice. Not too chintzy on the crab meat.<br />
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<b>Lobster Luau Soup</b><br />
I didn't get to try this but 3SB seemed pleased.<br />
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<b>Mahimahi and Kauai Shrimp in Mama's Bouillabaisse Broth <i>garlic toast, aioli</i></b><br />
Please see comments above.<br />
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<b>Kalua Wild Boar</b><br />
Please see comments above.<br />
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<b>Mama's Stuffed Mahimahi <i>tristan lobster and crab baked in a macadamia nut crust</i></b><br />
OK, this one I actually ate. The Annoyer sang the praises of this dish. Almost everyone on Yelp did the same. No doubt, it is their signature dish. The filling of lobster and crab was darn tasty. The mahimahi was a bit overcooked for my liking and some Yelpers had similar complaints. Everyone at the table seemed to gobble up this dish. It was good, but not worth $58 no matter how fresh that mahimahi was.<br />
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<b>Mahimahi <i>hamakua ali'i mushrooms, garlic butter, white wine, capers</i></b><br />
I wanted the short ribs, but The Annoyer, again, made me feel bad for not ordering seafood. I think I was fished out by the end of the trip. Still, I chose a different mahimahi dish. I loved the mushrooms and white wine. I think the capers might have made the sauce a tad too sour. Overall, still a good dish but not worth the $50 price tag.<br />
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<b>Bread Fruit</b><br />
It's very confusing that bread fruit is called fruit. It has the texture of a sweet potato, being very starchy and a little bit sweet. Not my favorite.<br />
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<b>Polynesian Black Pearl <i>lilikoi chocolate mousse in a pastry sea shell</i></b><br />
The dessert is beautiful, mimicking a black pearl in a clam shell. The mousse was smooth. The lilikoi added brightness. It worked nicely.<br />
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Mama's Fish House was expensive, but there wasn't as much griping over the price tag like at Lahaina Grill. Better food in a more casual ambience seemed to make everyone a little bit happier. Unlike the desserts at Lahaina Grill, the black pearl was beautiful and special. I can get the desserts at Lahaina Grill anywhere, and better at that. While the mahimahi in Hawaii is probably the best in the world, I'm still not sold on the fish. They do a good job here though. You could probably make me happy stuffing a piece of broccoli with lobster and crab. If you like mahimahi and/or other wild local fish and can fork up the cash for it, then come to Mama's Fish House. If you're on the island and want to try one of the top restaurants, come to Mama's Fish House.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad </div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-35228214868841046982016-01-28T17:52:00.001-08:002016-01-28T17:53:05.047-08:00Kihei CaffeSo my favorite part of Maui was watching the sun rise at Haleakala Crater. It was pretty painful waking up so early and driving up the windy mountain, only to wait for over an hour for the sun to rise in the blustery cold. The picture does not do the experience justice. You feel like you're on top of the world. Watching it from above the clouds as golden rays of sunshine are about to drown the world in the warmth of its light. Before you know it, night becomes day within minutes.<br />
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I totally passed out on the way back down the mountain and woke up as we were arriving to Kihei Caffe. It's a local joint, very Hawaiian, and very laid back. You stand in line, pay for your order, and they bring the food to your table. The food is equally as unpretentious as the setting.<br />
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<b>Breakfast Burrito <i>eggs, cheese, home fries, salsa, guacamole, jalapeƱos, flour tortilla</i></b><br />
The Flatulent Snorer was adamant about the burrito. I think he was a bit disappointed. There wasn't much too spectacular here.<br />
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<b>Pork Fried Rice & Eggs <i>onion, bell peppers, portuguese sausage, ham, bacon</i></b><br />
The fried rice was my favorite dish. The combination of portuguese sausage, ham, and bacon created a deliciously smokey, salty, and savory breakfast dish. I would recommend this one.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Loco Moco <i>two eggs, fresh ground beef patty, rice, brown gravy</i></b><br />
I was really craving something homey, meaty, and saucey so I was pushing for this dish. I don't think everyone else found the dish as comforting. It's not the best loco moco I've had, but it was as expected. The beef patty could have be more flavorful.<br />
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<b>Corned Beef Hash <i>biscuits, gravy, rice</i></b><br />
Corned beef will always remind me of my dad. I'm not sure what he liked about it because it can just be greasy salty and pretty unhealthy. It still brings back good memories for me. In hash form with biscuits, gravy, and rice, it was a new dish to me. Still, nothing refined or spectacular here. <br />
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<b>French Toast <i>banana macadamia nut</i></b><br />
I'm not much for french toast. I prefer pancakes but these were pretty solid. Not too eggy. Plenty of nuts and bananas.<br />
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Kihei Caffe fed my tired tired soul. Anything good at that hour, with that little sleep, would have sated my appetite. I think the rest of the group felt the same. We all knew that we've had better brunch food elsewhere. But the food here is very popular among the masses. It's simple and unpretentious.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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7 - Good </div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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<b>5 - Average</b></div>
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4 - Not bad </div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<b><br /></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-74249106016201952072016-01-26T17:33:00.000-08:002016-01-26T17:33:16.150-08:00Koiso SushiThe one restaurant that has eluded The Annoyer during the previous 4 times he visited Maui is Koiso Sushi. It's one sushi chef manning an 11 seat sushi bar and one 4 top table. It's sort of like your neighborhood sushi joint, but you can't just walk in any ole time you please and expect to be seated. The diners next to us made a reservation 1-2 weeks ago. I made reservations 3 months ago. Even when I called, I only got my 3rd choice for reservation times. Only after my arrival, did I discover that the place was so small, so accommodating such a large party is no easy feat. I scoffed when an unknowing and obviously ill informed couple casually walked in and asked for a table that night. Chef Hiro has been manning his restaurant for 19 years solo, taking few vacations or holidays. He said he'd rather work than sit at home. I just finished re-watching "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" during which Jiro also voices the same sentiments. Is this a commonality among the older generation, older Japanese, or just anyone who is very passionate about his/her craft?<br />
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The fresh fish selection and the strong Japanese presence, albeit many generations old, is the perfect formula for delicious sushi in Hawaii. If the quality of the sushi doesn't sell you on this place, then certainly the price tag will. A 13 piece omakase will set you back about $45. This meal, was by far, the best value for the entire trip. <br />
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My eyes lit up at the practically full tray of uni.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>California Roll</b><br />
The Annoyer's mom does not eat raw fish. I think she enjoyed the California roll.<br />
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<b>Yellowtail Collar</b><br />
A meaty collar for her too.<br />
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The Annoyer kept trying to talk to Chef Hiro, but he was trying to churn out 6 omakase orders. I felt like he was distracting him and wanted him to stop. Maybe I was just hangry and wanted my food faster.<br />
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(from top left moving clockwise)<br />
<b>Omakase</b><br />
<b><i>tuna, red snapper, salmon, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, opakapaka (pink snapper), big eye toro, flounder, blue fin toro, scallop, uni, anago, tamago</i></b><br />
The fish was fresh no doubt. Each piece was deftly prepared. The toro was certainly a standout. The opakapaka and flounder were new to me, but fairly mild white fishes. The Annoyer felt that the whole thin slice of citrus was overwhelming and picked it off. I sort of agreed. I also picked off the shiso from the scallop. The anago was so meaty, and quite the change from the regular unagi. I actually quite enjoyed the tamago too which wasn't too eggy. The uni was from Hokkaido and was sweeter than the offering I had at <a href="http://overworkedunderfed.blogspot.com/2015/08/uchi.html" target="_blank">Uchi</a>. My only complaint would be the rice. It was just a tad too mushy for sushi rice. The Annoyer makes better sushi rice.<br />
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<b>King Crab Handroll</b><br />
After 13 pieces I still wanted a little something. I prefer bluecrab handrolls, but they only had king crab. It was a nice hunk of meat. I could have done without the sprouts.<br />
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<b>Eel California Roll</b><br />
I didn't try this but 3SB said it was pretty good.<br />
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<b>Bluefin Toro</b><br />
It was very fatty and 3SB had to order some additional pieces on top of his omakase. So Yums!<br />
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Koiso Sushi was pretty solid. If you come from cities like LA or NYC, Koiso won't impress you. If you come from other places where its hard to find quality sushi at a good value than Koiso is gonna hit the spot. I can't give it my full fledged seal of yumminess because I thought the rice could have been better. You probably won't have to make reservations so far in advance the way I did, but reservations are a must. Koiso is definitely your spot for sushi in Maui. Even The Annoyer agrees with me on this one.</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
<b>8 - Very good (factoring in value)</b></div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad </div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-72538099526367211522016-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:002016-01-26T00:00:03.794-08:00Star NoodleBefore Sheldon Simeon took home the title of Top Chef, he was the executive chef of Star Noodle. I'm not sure if the place was as popular before or after his win, but it has 2679 reviews on Yelp averaging 4 stars now. That's pretty stellar. <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">In any case, multiple friends have tried this place in the wake of his win and have told me it is not worth a visit. I was gonna skip the place all together, but The Keeper heard great things and wanted to give it a shot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We ordered a hefty round of appetizers/small plates to start. I wonder who was the mastermind behind that move...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Star Kim Chee n<i>apa cabbage, garlic, ginger</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Of course The Keeper is gonna have her opinion about the kimchi (being Korean), which she prefers less pickled. The Flatulent Snorer and I like it more ripe, but definitely not bubbling. I actually quite enjoyed the kimchi, not too sour, sweet, salty, stinky. Pretty tasty, but can obviously be skipped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Ahi Avo <i>lemon pressed olive oil, sambas, usukuchi </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Here we go again. I'm not even going to comment anymore.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Steamed Pork Buns <i>duroc pressed pork, hoisin, shitake, cucumber</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Just ok. Bun could have been better. Filling was not that memorable. At least the pork wasn't insanely fatty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Tempura Shrimp <i>colossal prawns, faux'nagi sauce, garlic aioli</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Good shrimps. Crispy and light battering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Filipino "Bacon & Eggs" <i>crispy pork, poached egg, tomato, onion</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I was actually really pleasantly surprised here. It was very homey. The pork belly was rendered to a lovely crispness. The runny egg added another layer of lusciousness. The tomatoes and onions added fragrance and texture. I really liked this even though it was so simple. Definitely order it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Vietnamese Crepe <i>shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, nuoc cham </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I was wary of ordering this because its often not good even when Vietnamese people make it. I'm not sure who is helming the kitchen since Sheldon left, but what did he know about Vietnamese food. The problem with <i>banh xĆØo</i>, is the crepe part has to be the right texture, thickness, and crispiness. It was too chewy here. It's also a pain to share because you have to break it into pieces. The filling had more protein which was a plus. Anyways, you can skip this one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Roasted Mushrooms <i>pan roasted medley of alii, shitake</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Scallop Shots <i>wafu dashi, ginger, scallion, lemon evoo </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I loved the wafu dashi, but damn was it salty! I was not entirely sure how this was supposed to be eaten, but after I popped the scallop in my mouth I sipped the dashi like soup. It was so flavorful but probably needed to be diluted. Or maybe I wasn't supposed to drink it after eating the scallop. Tasty!</span></div>
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So now the noodles are supposed to be the main attraction here right? I know why friends have not given their stamps of approval for Star Noodle.<br />
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<b>Fried Saimin <i>kamaboko, spam, egg, bean sprouts, scallions</i></b><br />
I've never heard of saimin before, but I guess it's a wheat egg noodle with pan Asian influences. I guess its closest in texture to your standard Chinese egg noodle, like that found in wonton soups, but a little softer. I didn't like the texture to start. I didn't think the flavors or proteins were very interesting, but I guess it's very Hawaiian.</div>
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<b>Lahaina Fried Soup <i>fat chow funn, ground pork, bean sprouts</i></b><br />
I wanted to stay away from the gobs of carbs here, because I know most people can eat only a few bites. There was something just a bit off with the texture here too. Maybe not soft enough? I appreciated more <i>wok hey</i> here, which I enjoyed.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Napa Ramen <i>rich pork broth, roast pork, poached egg, choi sum, kamaboko, bamboo shoots, mayu, aka miso</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Ramen is such a hard thing to make outstanding. It usually comes down to the soup, first, and the noodles, second. The broth just lacked oomph. I'm not surprised that a place, whose sole focus is not ramen, failed to deliver a great bowl of ramen. The noodles also tasted wrong. Either I got to them too late, and they became water logged and mushy, or they were just the wrong noodles for Japanese ramen. I'm leaning toward the latter.</span></div>
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This was the most successful of all the noodles. The broth was probably the same base used for the napa ramen, but the noodles were actually udon noodles of the right texture. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>Local Saimin <i>wafu dashi broth, spam, kamaboko, green onions </i></b></span><br />
More of these saimin noodles I didn't really take to. The broth was good, but couldn't make up for everything else.</div>
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The appetizers were definitely the highlight of the meal. None of the noodle dishes were really that great, but I've eaten a lot of noodles in my life so maybe my standards are too high. I think for Hawaii, this saimin noodle is the thing. I'm not a fan, so it makes it hard for me to really like what's going on here. And I'm pretty particular about my ramen. If you're in Lahaina, stop by but don't have high expectations for the noodles.</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good (for the appetizers)</b></div>
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6 - OK<b> </b></div>
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<b>5 - Average </b><b>(for the noodles)</b></div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-65622589361560003192016-01-24T19:53:00.000-08:002016-01-24T19:53:25.303-08:00Braddah Hutts BBQSo if you've ever been to Maui, you've probably done the "Road to Hana" trip. It actually sounds much more glamorous than what it actually is, which is just a really long and windy drive around the north part of the island. You're supposed to get off at various scenic points along the way to take in the natural beauty and wonder of Maui. The drive itself is only 2.5 hours but making multiple stops along the way can really drag out the trip. You also have to factor in the time it takes to drive that same road back before sunset to avoid a dangerous nighttime drive on a windy narrow road. It's easily an all day affair. Knowing this, we tried to hustle and make only a few stops along the way, with the most time spent at the Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach.<br />
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Even then, we didn't end up eating lunch till 1245-1pm, which means we spent 4 hours on the road! We were pretty famished by the time we got to Braddah Hutts and literally just beat the rush. The food here is simple. It is a food cart after all. The focus is BBQ meats and grilled fish plates.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>BBQ Chicken <i>rice, macaroni salad</i></b></div>
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The first bite was magical. It was unanimous. The food here made the food at Lahaina Grill seem mediocre. For a fraction of the price, we were eating food that satisfied our souls without raping our wallets. In all honestly, we were probably beyond hangry. We were pooped and so glad to be eating instead of driving in a van for another second. The meat had char and smoke. The extra sauce wasn't necessary but a welcome addition. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy the macaroni salad. </div>
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<b>Kahlua Pork <i>rice, macaroni salad</i></b></div>
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This wasn't as successful as the previous dish. I discovered that Kahlua pork doesn't really have that much flavor. It just tastes like boiled meat. Versions I've had usually have brown sugar and soy sauce but the ones I ate in Maui were just seasoned with salt and sugar. </div>
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<b>BBQ Pork Ribs </b></div>
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I was overcome with hunger and excitement that I forgot to take a picture of the plate. It was pretty fricking good though. The meat was so tender and just falling off the bone. Yums!</div>
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<b>Ahi Tacos </b></div>
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Of course The Annoyer ordered these. The rest of us were so ahi taco-ed out. He didn't seem too impressed by the offering here. </div>
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<b>Shrimp Pasta </b></div>
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Yelpers really raved about this one and we probably went overboard ordering 3 of these. If you like creamy cheesy things, this one is your boo. I'm a tomato person, but I enjoyed this. Mostly because it had a ton of veggies in it. It was almost like an Asian noodle stir fry flavored with cream sauce instead of soy sauce. They were skimpy of the shrimps or their size either. </div>
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As our appetites were sated in an ocean of shrimp pasta, our excitement for Braddah Hutts quelled a bit. But the place is solid for sure. Compared to whatever else is out there in Hana Town or the surrounding area, Braddah Hutts is probably the best you're gonna find for a simple inexpensive meal. 3SB actually put Braddah Hutts as his favorite meal of the trip. I think if we had stayed with the BBQ plates (we didn't get to try the BBQ pork or short ribs), and ordered only one shrimp pasta, we would have been happier campers. All in all, Braddah Hutts hit the spot and should be added to the list of attractions on the "Road to Hana."</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-84525362434782961422016-01-22T00:04:00.000-08:002016-01-22T00:04:06.273-08:00Lahaina GrillThe Annoyer prefaced Lahaina Grill as our fanciest meal of the entire trip. So The Keeper and I made sure to wear our nicest outfits with heels, and basically look a little less Hawaii and little more LA. Lahaina is quite a drive from Wailea so we were lucky to be able to push back our reservation because it takes a bit of time to get our LA faces on ok? Turns out we got the nice semi private dining area, which kicked the dinner off on a special note. The place is definitely a white linen and suited waiters kind of place so check your flip flops at the door. Although, I'm sure they'd still welcome you dressed in the standard Hawaiian attire. Lahaina Grill serves contemporary seafood and steak with a Hawaiian twist in an elegant fine dining setting. Translated, the place is NOT cheap.<br />
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<b>Bread & Herb Compound Butter</b><br />
Warm and soft bread with gobs of flavored fat makes for happy campers anywhere.<br />
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<b>The Cake Walk </b><br />
<b><i>lobster, pacific rock crab and diver scallop with avocado relish and mustard cream</i></b><br />
<b><i>seared ahi tuna cake with avocado relish, sushi rice, nori, tamari ginger vinaigrette</i></b><br />
<b><i>white shrimp cake with hoisin, crĆØme fraĆ®che</i></b><br />
I didn't get to try any of this, but it is one of the more popular items at Lahaina Grill.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Salad of Dungeness Crab <i>fresh asparagus, avocado, tahitian vanilla bean infused shallot vinaigrette, reduced balsamic vinaigrette, truffle oil, local mixed greens</i></b><br />
I was really bummed they didn't have anymore of the toy box tomato salad. It sounded so refreshing, just what I needed. I opted for the crab salad instead which was bursting with big hunks of crab. The local mixed greens wasn't that interesting, and the dressing was either something you found ingenious or weird. Vanilla in savory foods, seafood no less, seemed a little out of place or unharmonious to my palate. I'm no expert, but I don't think anyone has ever got away with that on Top Chef. I would have preferred the truffle oil to be a more dominant flavor but alas, vanilla won. I still liked the dish because the crab was so fresh and sweet.<br />
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<b>Wagyu Beef Ravioli <i>black truffle, porcini, portobello, braised apple and morel mushroom brandy cream sauce</i></b><br />
This was a fantastic pasta dish, considering the place is more about meat and seafood. Sometimes meat filled raviolis can run a little dry but this was so moist from that combination of wagyu and mushrooms. The sauce was the perfect umami filled complement to the pasta. It was aromatic and balanced perfectly with the sweet, savory, and creaminess. Yums!<br />
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<b>Oven Roasted Butternut Squash <i>sage and brown butter</i></b><br />
You'd think think lobster and foie would be enough for 3SB but he had to order some sides. Nothing too special going on here. It's just as described. I guess if you love butternut squash you might appreciate this more than I did.<br />
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<b>Roasted Sweet Corn <i>fresh off the cob, herb butter</i></b><br />
I enjoyed the corn a bit more. Sweet, crispy.<br />
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<b>Lobster & Foie Grois <i>steamed two pound kona lobster, sauteed spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese, crispy pancetta chips, bernaise sauce, seared foie gras, herbed mashed potatoes</i></b><br />
This was such an unnecessarily decadent dish. I don't really think foie and lobster are things that need to be paired. Each are good as the main highlight of any stand alone dish. Who other than 3SB would order it? The goat cheese was totally wrong here. As long as your bite didn't include that, then everything was fine here.<br />
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<b>Seared Lion Paw Scallops <i>potato-celery mash, roasted sweet corn relish, crispy pancetta chips, truffle, lobster beurre blanc</i></b><br />
I really wanted the meatballs entree, but The Annoyer made me feel bad for not ordering seafood here. The scallops were seared nicely. The sauce had subtle lobster notes. I can't fault the dish for anything, but I still longed for the meatballs.<br />
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<b>Maui Onion and Sesame Seed Crusted Seared Ahi <i>fresh local sashimi grade ahi tuna steak, vanilla bean jasmine rice, apple cider butter vinaigrette</i></b><br />
The Annoyer talked up this dish so much, but it was a huge disappointment. I think his undying and unconditional love for tuna makes him a bit biased. The Keeper, The Flatulent Snorer, and I were all a bit underwhelmed. I'm not a super huge fan of crusted fishes or ahi tuna. It's such a bland fish. Even though it's super fresh in Hawaii, the meat doesn't somehow become more flavorful or anything. The onion and sesame seed crust was kinda meh. Overall, the dish lacked that special kick. Maybe don't take my word for it because legions of Yelpers love this dish just as much as The Annoyer.<br />
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<b>Vanilla CrĆØme BrĆ»leĆ© <i>classic custard infused with maui vanilla beans</i></b><br />
<b>Kauai Pie <i>oreo crusted kona coffee ice cream pie layered with chocolate fudge, coconut flakes, macadamia nuts</i></b><br />
<b>Sunken Chocolate Cake <i>flourless chocolate decadence with kona coffee ice cream</i></b><br />
<b>Triple Berry Pie <i>raspberries, blueberries, black currants, light flakey crust, whipped cream</i></b><br />
<b>Road to Hana <i>layers of hawaiian vintage chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream mousse, macadamia nut caramel</i></b><br />
Everyone was pretty darn stuffed, but didn't protest a sweet bite or two. Leave it to 3SB to run away with that and order a whole sampler platter. The waiter really talked up the signature berry pie but it was pretty average. Perhaps it would have been delightful served warm? The Kauai pie was probably my favorite, being just a notch above ordinary, so maybe that's not saying much. Seriously, all the desserts are the standard fare you could find at any traditional American restaurant on the mainland. Throwing in words like "Kona coffee," "Maui vanilla beans," and "Hawaiian vintage" did nothing to spice things up.<br />
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The ingredients were fresh and local. The execution was spot on. The flavors were pretty good for the most part. The ambiance was upscale for Maui standards. One would think the price tag was well deserved, but everyone seemed to grumble a little bit after the check was paid. Days later, some were still lamenting the coinage spent here. I can't exactly pinpoint the reasons, except to say that perhaps the food was more "ho hum" than "oh mmm." And maybe a lot of us have had more interesting meals at that price point, so our perspective is skewed. Anyways, the place is a nice spot to celebrate something special or to get away from the beyond casual and chill vibe that defines Hawaii. </div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-607166749001702162016-01-20T22:06:00.000-08:002016-01-20T23:28:39.508-08:00South Maui Fish CompanyWe opted for more poke and fish tacos for our third lunch. Food trucks seem like quite the popular thing in Maui. I wonder if they were popular before the crazy food truck trend hit the mainland. In any case, we hightailed it here after dropping off 3SB for his kite surfing lessons. The rest of us obviously value chowing down on delicious eats rather than enriching our lives with new exciting experiences the way 3SB does it.<br />
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The wait was a bit long, but they do make it clear that everything is made to order. Their al fresco dining area leaves much to be desired. I didn't mind the janky chairs and tables, but the flies were a real nuisance and forced us to eat our food in our minivan. </div>
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<b>Poke Bowl <i>half spicy, half traditional, rice, pineapple cole sl</i></b><br />
I really thought the poke bowl was better than Eskimo Candy's poke bowl. The fish wasn't doused in sauce. It was well seasoned and balanced. Not too sweet, salty, or oniony. The spicy version was also not as mayo-y. The seaweed salad was replaced by coleslaw. Everyone enjoyed the bits of fresh pineapple in the slaw, which made it unique and refreshing. I can't say I prefer slaw over seaweed. I would have opted for both!<br />
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<b>Fish Tacos</b></div>
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These were unanimously better than the ones at Coconuts. The fish was more moist and plentiful. The coleslaw was a perfect complement. The texture of the tacos were far more palatable. A gentle squeeze of lime really rounded things out.<br />
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I didn't get to try this, but I think it was well received.</div>
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South Maui Fish Company made for a good casual lunch spot. I'm definitely thinking Coconut's is overrated now. The poke bowls are different from Eskimo Candy. All three places should be tried to compare because I think pure personal preference will determine your favorite poke and fish taco joint.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!<br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-50642272479939881862016-01-19T22:51:00.001-08:002016-01-19T22:51:35.182-08:00MigrantMost of our dinner reservations were made with recommendations from The Annoyer who has been to Maui now 6 times. But Migrant was a place of my choosing based on Yelp and Top Chef. The chef/owner here is none other than winner of season 10, Sheldon Simeon, the surprise dark horse who shocked many by taking the title. The restaurant is located inside the Marriot hotel in Wailea. The feel of the restaurant is more contemporary than most of the other well established Maui eateries we tried on our trip. The menu is also more modern being family style/shared small plates. This is usually my preferred way to dine because it allows you to try more options with a larger party.<br />
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<b>Chicharones</b></div>
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The complimentary chicharones we're a a very rich complimentary starter in place of your traditional bread. It came with a vinegared soy sauce. I didn't really like it. They were good on their own.<br />
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One thing you'll notice about our meals is the sheer number of plates we ordered for a group of 7. The Annoyer's brother, the formerly famous food blogger known as 3SB (you can check out his now defunct food blog <a href="http://3starbackpacker.com/" target="_blank">here</a>), has a severe case of FOMO. So he massively over orders for "fear of missing out" (for those not hip to the language of the Millenials), everywhere we went. Everything sounds "yummy" to him and/or elicits a "Ooo."</div>
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<b>Braddah Carrots <i>fresh burratta cheese, roasted heirloom carrots, big island honey, candied walnuts, carrot top pesto</i></b></div>
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The carrots came highly recommended by our waitress but I didn't see the appeal. I didn't think all the flavors of candied walnuts, burrata, pesto, and carrots went well together. Nothing bad here, just not my favorite.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Street Corn <i>local corn on the cob bites, kochugaru pepper, bacon, queso fresco, lime crema</i></b></div>
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The corn was tasty, but I didn't really pick up on the notes of bacon, miso, or lime. </div>
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<b>Ahi Avo <i>big eye tuna, argumato lemon olive oil, usukuchi soy sauce, ground chili paste, breadfruit chips</i></b></div>
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Everywhere we went, The Annoyer had to have ahi tuna. I won't deny that the ahi in Hawaii tastes remarkably fresher than the main land, but I can do without every meal involving tuna. I thought the ahi was nice, just lightly marinated. I'm not sure what was special about that olive oil but I didn't pick up on it. </div>
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<b>Fried Brussels Sprouts <i>sweet chili glazed, spiced peanut crumble, pecorino romano, mint</i></b></div>
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Yelpers loved the fried Brussels sprouts, which had some good char and good crunch from not being ovecooked. But the flavors were just a little too light for me. The Flatulent Snorer said it was one of the best Brussels sprout dishes he's had. I wouldn't go that far, but it was a generally good starter. </div>
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<b>Hibachi Hanger Steak <i>migrant spice rubbed, vietnamese nuoc cham sauce, quick pickled shallots, upland cress</i></b></div>
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The hanger steak was a nice medium rare. The seasoning was definitely Vietnamese inspired so obviously gets good marks from me. </div>
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<b>"KFC" Chicken & Waffles <i>hawaiian vodka battered fried chicken wings, belgium waffles, umami butter, roasted kimchee peanuts</i></b></div>
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The wings were crunchy and sweet, but I didn't have much space to appreciate the waffle with umami butter. </div>
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<b>Ay Kudesh! Garlic Noodles <i>pan fried iwamoto saimin noodles, insanely spicy hawaiian chili pepper sambal, garlic 3 ways, garlic chives</i></b><br />
<b>Tocino, Filipino Sweet Pork <i>sprite marinated duroc pork shoulder, hawaiian sun guava jelly, pickled kula onions</i></b></div>
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These two dishes were highly recommended to pair, but I really did not see why. The noodles weren't that garlicky or flavorful as Yelpers had raved. They were a bit on the spicy side. The pork was on the sweeter side, but just ok. I probably would not order these two dishes again. </div>
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<b>Pancit <i>oahu noodle factory canton noodles, roasted pork belly, black tiger shrimp, market vegetables, garlic chives, fried garlic</i></b></div>
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Sheldon did the best job with the remaining noodle dishes. I've never had a tastier pancit. Then again, I've only had pancit one other time and I thought it was one of the most horrible and mediocre dish ever. This was totally the opposite. The noodles were al dente. The flavor had plenty of umami and acidity. I think that's what makes pancit different from your regular Chinese style pan fried noodles. Some use of vinegar or lime gives it a unique kick. The pork belly, shrimps, and veggies rounded out an excellent dish. </div>
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<b>French Onion Tsukemen <i>iwamoto ramen noodles tossed in garlic oil, 12 hour braised boneless short rib, kula french onion soup, grated gruyere, cilantro</i></b></div>
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Most of the dishes were pretty flavorful, so this noodle dish was a surprising change. The French onion soup inspiration was tasty yet subtle. The addition of a big hunk of juicy short ribs makes me wonder why nobody has thought of this before. And adding noodles? Genius. This was 3SB's favorite dish of the night. </div>
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<b>Super Mario World Mazamen <i>bowzer roulade (pesto pork belly), 1up mushroom sofritto, peppers, onions, garlic, fried mozzarella balls, parmesan, oregano, scallions, basil, nori strips, dashi broth, 6 minute egg</i></b></div>
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This was my absolute favorite dish of the night, hands down. The name of the dish obviously hints to the generation in which Chef Sheldon grew up in, so I thought it was kinda cute. The broth base was described as dashi, but it definitely had some essence of tomatoes because it had some bright acidity to it that isn't normally found in plain dashi. You all know how much I love anything tomato. The dish sounded pretty complicated otherwise, but I assure you it was nothing but harmony in my mouth. It's definitely not like anything you had before. This one totally deserves a Yums! It was a special for the night, but I hope they add it as a regular menu item.<br />
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<b>Ube Ice Cream</b></div>
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While The Annoyer and myself are not huge fans of taro anything, we and the whole table quite enjoyed this one. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Frow Bo seemed particularly tickled by the </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">the creamy smooth sweetness of the ice cream. None of us had tasted anything like it. Winner!</span></div>
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<b>Pono Pies</b></div>
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These are special pies that are only made in Maui. The base of the pie is made from breadfruit, which honestly is more like a potato than a fruit. The crust of the pie is made from a variety of nuts including kakui and macadamia nuts and coconut. It was likened to cheesecake in texture, but the pie is completely dairy and gluten free. </div>
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<b><i>lilikoi </i></b></div>
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This was probably my favorite of the lot since I love passion fruit. It wasn't overly sweet or tart. </div>
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<b><i>sweet molokai potato</i></b></div>
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This was like a sweet potato pie, but purple. </div>
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<b><i>coffee chocolate</i></b></div>
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The coffee and chocolate notes were fairly subtle here, which I appreciated it. Overall the pies were interesting and unique. I'm glad I got to try something unique to Maui, but all 3 flavors and the ice cream was a bit much. Thanks to 3SB for killing us on the dessert course. </div>
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Migrant did a fantastic job fusing more typical Asian flavors with the more unknown Filipino ones. The food was the most unique stuff I had on the whole trip and I might call it my top restaurant pick for Maui. I know I'll have many people who disagree with me, The Annoyer for one. But I appreciated the more contemporary menu with the small plates, and the unique flavor profiles. I can tell Maui is a place that hoards of people revisit often, so the island is filled with well established joints that cater to a population that "likes what it likes." I'm looking at the geriatric crowd here. So Migrant is definitely a departure from the typical Maui food scene of tuna this, coconut that, macadamia nut whatever, and pineapple who-knows-what. You're just not going to find anything like Migrant in Maui, or the mainland, from my experience. It's probably because Filipino food has not achieved the refined reinvention that many of the other Asian genres have experienced. Obviously not ever dish was a stellar knockout, but I really appreciated what Sheldon is trying to achieve at Migrant. Maybe he really did deserve to win Top Chef after all.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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<b>9 - Awesome! (extra points for uniqueness)</b><br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-29573048829267722982016-01-18T00:43:00.000-08:002016-01-18T00:43:00.339-08:00Eskimo CandyThe Annoyer is pretty easy going about things. He doesn't have a strong opinion about many things, but when it comes to Eskimo Candy, he won't consider any other place for poke. You can try to reason that the poke at Eskimo Candy is too sweet, too saucy, too anything but he'll argue and disprove your opinion. In actuality, it's my opinion so there is no right or wrong, but he won't have anyone speaking badly about his precious Eskimo Candy.<br />
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The restaurant itself is so kitschy in a seafood restaurant kinda way. Pirates, nets, fish, sharks, and mermaids are plastered wherever there is space. The menu is pretty large and you wouldn't think poke is even the focus of this joint, but The Annoyer would eat this for lunch everyday if he could. </div>
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<b>Poke Bowl <i>shoyu, furikake, wasabi, spicy ahi pokes, seaweed salad, wasabi aioli, ric</i></b><br />
I will admit that the poke bowl here is a great deal. You get 4 types, over a bowl of rice, and a side of seaweed salad for $12. I was a bit disappointed there wasn't some crab salad too, which I've gotten used to with the poke bowls I've had back home. There's also a little bit of wasabi aioli over the rice which I didn't really notice. It was easily overwhelmed by the over marinated poke itself. The savoriness of soy sauce and the sweet zing of either sugar or honey are really in your face. It is partly in a good way. The poke is really flavorful. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The shoyu one seemed like the base flavor of the furikake and wasabi ones so I preferred the kicked up flavor of the latter two as my favorites. </span> The spicy one was a touch too mayo-y for my liking. So on the flip side, the in your face flavors make for some tasty bites, but all that sauciness gets to be overwhelming after a while and you really lose the natural flavor of the fish. The Annoyer wholeheartedly disagrees.</div>
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We actually had some of the cooked items like the captains platter and seafood chowder. The captains platter is solid, but the chowder was too creamy without enough flavor to balance it out. </div>
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Don't get my wrong, the poke bowls at Eskimo Candy are pretty good, I just don't agree with The Annoyer that it is THE BEST poke bowl on this planet. I certainly couldn't eat this everyday, but then again I can't eat anything everyday. I will admit that I've never had any poke like the kind at Eskimo Candy so you can look forward to something unique here. The cooked stuff is good, but nothing too special.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome! (if you like cannolis)<br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-15016214148261305532016-01-15T15:29:00.000-08:002016-01-15T15:29:17.757-08:00Wow Wow LemonadeI had my first and best ever acai bowl when I was on the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/basik-caf%C3%A9-kailua-kona?osq=acai" target="_blank">Big Island</a>. Ever since then, most acai bowls have fallen pretty short. The acai is either too icy, too watery, or too sour. The toppings are a little plain or uninspired. Wow Wow didn't quite live up to my first acai bowl experience, but it was much better than any of the version I've had on the mainland. <br />
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<b>No Ka Oi Bowl <i>organic granola, superfood acai, local apple banana, blueberries, sprouted raw almond milk, kula strawberries, bee pollen, hawaiian honey</i></b><br />
I didn't get to try much of this. I'm not sure the others in my party understood what an acai bowl was.<br />
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<b>Haupia 'Ono Bowl <i>coconut custard, granola, superfood acai, apple banana, kula strawberries, coconut milk, blueberries, maui macaroons, organic coconut, hawaiian honey</i></b></div>
The fruit, coconut, and acai part was pretty standard. What made it special was the coconut custard at the bottom. It was creamy and not overly sweet. It paired well with the tart acai. I was happy that the acai part was not too watery or sour. The Annoyers and I destroyed our bowl. </div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>Strawberry Lilikoi Lemonade</b><br />
<b>Pineapple Ginger Lemonade</b><br />
<b>Iced Coffee</b><br />
Our lemonade was not too sweet. The pineapple made it Hawaiian and the ginger made it a bit zingy. I mostly got the lemonade so I could get the cool reusable hipster glass. I made good use of that glass during the trip. The strawberry lilikoi was a beautiful ombre, like a Maui sunset. It was a little bit sweeter than the pineapple lemonade. We paid an extra $5 for the reusable mason jar glass. I used it again during the trip. It was very festive. Too bad I didn't get to take a picture of it on the beach like all the other Yelpers.<br />
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The lemonade a might be in the name of the store, but I think you should come by if you're looking for a refreshing quick breakfast. I can't really call this stuff light because one bowl is quite the calorie bomb.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome! (if you like cannolis)<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-82370722447042200702016-01-14T00:59:00.000-08:002016-01-14T00:59:37.620-08:00Coconut's Fish Cafe<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So after a long flight we finally arrived in Maui. The weather was a very welcome change. Not that SoCal is like Siberia or anything but I'd take 70-80 degree weather over 50-60 degrees weather any day. And it turned out that we traded a week of rain for a week of sunshine as well! Good fortune was on our side. </span>Our first stop was the ever popular Maui establishment, Coconut's Fish Cafe. I remember very little from my previous, but I do remember the wait was long and that remains unchanged. Luckily, we chatted up another couple during our 15-20 minute wait for food, so the time passed by quickly.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Onion Rings</b></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These guys came out first to save us from our hunger. The Annoyer felt they were better than your average onions because they were probably made with sweet Maui onions. Honestly, the onion is never the star of the show in an onion ring. It's all about the batter, which </span>crisped up nicely and hid all the oil well.<br />
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<b><b>Fish Tacos <i>grilled white corn tortillas, cheese, tomato salsa, famous coleslaw, mango salsa</i></b></b></div>
The fish tacos were interesting. It was basically a crunchy grilled tortilla with a soft tortilla on top of that with melted cheese. The fish was grilled and tender. But I quite enjoyed the mountain of crunchy cabbage slaw, tomato and mango salsas.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Ahi Tuna Burger</b></b></div>
We also enjoyed the ahi tuna burger with wasabi aioli. Man did that wasabi carry a kick. It wasn't as flavorful as the fish tacos but The Annoyer quite enjoyed it.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That would have been the end of our meal but we went back later with the rest of The Annoyer's family for dinner. We ordered many of the same items, but also tried some new items.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Coconut Shrimp <i>thai chili pineapple sauce</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The shrimp were crispy and just a little sweet from the coconut flakes. 3SB really really liked this for reasons I cannot explain.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxUkd2p3G3Y/VpdJ94yxeTI/AAAAAAAAgqU/10sLJRPblzo/s1600/DSC07238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxUkd2p3G3Y/VpdJ94yxeTI/AAAAAAAAgqU/10sLJRPblzo/s640/DSC07238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi <i>homemade mango coconut sauce, coleslaw</i></b></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I'm not a huge fan of mahi mahi bc it can be dry and tasteless. Of course the mahi mahi in Hawaii is always moist and juicy. This was no exception. The sauce was sweet and creamy.</span></div>
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<b><b>Bowl of Seafood Chowder<i> new england style, ono, mahi mahi, clams, garlic, onions, mushrooms</i></b></b></div>
I enjoyed the chowder which wasn't too heavy or creamy. The fish chunks weren't that plentiful but they were pretty over cooked so no loss there. The soup itself was tasty.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ObEiXoV3ng/VpdJ9Jb4MTI/AAAAAAAAgqM/Q5Dvm__Pctk/s1600/DSC07236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ObEiXoV3ng/VpdJ9Jb4MTI/AAAAAAAAgqM/Q5Dvm__Pctk/s640/DSC07236.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Overall, my meal at Coconut's was a great start to my Maui vacation. My second meal here was a bit overkill with more fish tacos, onion rings, and ahi burgers, but it was well received among my party. In retrospect, after having tried several other places in Maui, I would say Coconut's might be a bit overrated and doesn't really warrant such a long wait. It is solid, but I don't think I need to come back here if I'm in Maui unless I'm looking for a reliably good, but not great meal with no fuss, unless you considering a bit of a wait to be annoying. Some of the other options in Maui have limited hours/days of operation, but Coconut's is open 7 days a week 10am-9pm.</span></div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome! (if you like cannolis)<br />
8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-47909882755042176222015-12-13T22:28:00.002-08:002015-12-13T22:28:28.384-08:00Mike's Pastry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Mike's Pastry</b></div>
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300 Hanover St.</div>
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Boston, MA 02113</div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mikes-pastry-boston" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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<a href="http://mikespastry.com/">mikespastry.com</a></div>
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Aside from Boston's famous lobster rolls, the cannolis are another must-try eat while visiting the city. Why are cannolis so popular here? I'm not so sure. I've never been that impressed with cannolis to begin with so I was a bit baffled by the rave reviews and popularity of Mike's. To me, cannolis have always just been some cream in a tubular crunchy thing. It's never been memorable. I read that the line at Mike's can be quite long, 30 minutes plus. I guess it was just my lucky day since my wait at Neptune was nonexistent. Here, I just walked in and ordered.</div>
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They have a large selection of flavors from plain ricotta cheese to hazelnut and even Oreo. There was so much to choose from and I didn't know what was good. It was overwhelming.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMbv0Umh-j8/VjhX14grp9I/AAAAAAAAf6w/SwQYopDxNUU/s1600/DSC06645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMbv0Umh-j8/VjhX14grp9I/AAAAAAAAf6w/SwQYopDxNUU/s640/DSC06645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>I found the most interesting part of Mike's to be the way they boxed up your cannolis. They have giant spools of twine hanging from the ceiling, which they use to ever so intricately tie up your box. I'm not entirely sure why they use like 50ft of twine to pack up such tiny boxes. It makes untying the whole thing quite a chore.</div>
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<b>Hazelnut</b></div>
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<b>Chocolate Chip</b></div>
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So these were easily the best cannolis I have ever tried. The pastry was crispy and flakey without being too heavy. The cream was lightly cheesy and just sweet enough. They are served a bit chilled so it was cool in the mouth, which I really liked. I can see why cannolis are a "thing" in Boston the way cupcakes and donuts are a "thing" probably everywhere else. They are just delightful little sweets. Most cannolis I've had just seem like they are filled with plain cream rather than ricotta cheese. I quite enjoyed just the simplicity of chocolate chip, but the hazelnut was nice too. I wished the flavors were throughout the whole cannoli and not just the ends.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n6S2duWv5nY/VjhX36qEMeI/AAAAAAAAf7I/n5Yyj-rfDOc/s1600/DSC06649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n6S2duWv5nY/VjhX36qEMeI/AAAAAAAAf7I/n5Yyj-rfDOc/s640/DSC06649.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mike's Pastry is something special if you have a sweet tooth. If you're a fan of cannolis than you HAVE to go here. If neither apply to you, you might be underwhelmed. I'm not sure there are better cannolis out there than in Boston, but I really have no basis for that statement so take it with a grain of salt.</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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<b>9 - Awesome! (if you like cannolis)</b><br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-15049009863284146442015-12-07T21:13:00.000-08:002015-12-07T21:13:58.035-08:00Neptune Oysters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Neptune Oyster</b></div>
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63 Salem St</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Boston, MA 02113</div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/neptune-oyster-boston" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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<a href="http://neptuneoyster.com/">neptuneoyster.com</a></div>
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I have wanted to visit Boston for a very long time. The last time I was here was probably over 10 years ago, so well before my foodie days. Since that time, I've wanted to see if Boston was as vibrant a food metropolis as other major cities such as NYC or SF. I jumped at the chance to tag along with The Annoyer while he visited Boston for a conference. I was getting my food on while he was getting his edumacation on. I had to start with one Boston's well known favorites that highlights the bountiful lobsters of the Northeast. I heard that the wait can be an hour or even longer. Lucky for me, the wait was less than 20 minutes at 11:30 on a weekday.<br />
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<b>Wellfleet <i>wellfleet, ma</i></b></div>
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<b>Island Creek <i>duxbury, ma</i></b></div>
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<b>Fin de la Baie <i>boutouche, n.b.</i></b></div>
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<b>Summerside <i>bedeque bay, p.e.i.</i></b></div>
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<b>Kumamoto <i>willepa bay, wa</i></b></div>
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<b>Kushi <i>deep bay, bc</i></b><br />
These were some of freshest and tastiest oysters I've had. I quite enjoyed this fresh start to my Boston eats. West coast oysters are always the winner.</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9k61Ytcrysk/VjhXpBrI-2I/AAAAAAAAf5s/qusRuBZGW5Y/s1600/DSC06654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9k61Ytcrysk/VjhXpBrI-2I/AAAAAAAAf5s/qusRuBZGW5Y/s640/DSC06654.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Uni Toast</b><br />
I should have known this wasn't going to live up to my expectations. I was expecting more uni, but for the price I should have known better. They basically made an uni butter and slathered it over some crusty bread. It wasn't very flavorful.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aOTk75udUns/VjhXpgd-QFI/AAAAAAAAf5w/qJWtXtp_rQ8/s1600/DSC06656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aOTk75udUns/VjhXpgd-QFI/AAAAAAAAf5w/qJWtXtp_rQ8/s640/DSC06656.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b>Maine Lobster Roll </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">toasted roll, hot butter </i><span style="text-align: left;">Even though it's called Neptune Oyster, this is what you come here for. The lobster meat is all claw and tail and it is plentiful. The roll perfectly soaked up the juices and butter. The french fries looked pretty ugly but were actually a crunchy fried complement to the buttery lobster roll. Is it worth a whopping $29??? I mean it's solid and a great portion, but damn that hurt my wallet.</span><b><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0jizKOc9fw/VjhXqbDRhNI/AAAAAAAAf54/UULyqQpHsR8/s640/DSC06659.JPG" style="text-align: left;" width="640" /></b></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Neptune Oyster was a solid start to my Boston trip. Had I stuck to the oysters and lobsters it would have been a flawless visit. My piggy curiosity got the better of me, so I have no one to blame but myself for not sticking to the recommended game plan. If you love a hot traditional lobster roll, Neptune is a sure bet if you can swallow the price tag. I'm lucky I didn't have to wait, so try to avoid the weekend crowd if possible.</span></div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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<b>9 - Awesome!</b><br />
<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-65168036299155840002015-12-06T21:09:00.002-08:002015-12-06T21:15:14.474-08:00Masraff's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Masraff's</b></div>
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1735 Post Oak Blvd.</div>
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Houston, TX 77056</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://masraffs.com/">masraffs.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/masraffs-houston" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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Masraff is a seafood centric eatery in Houston. It's pretty nice and reminds me of a high end steak house like Mastro's. Dark walls and furnishings, soft lighting, waiters fully suited up, white linens, heavy leather bound menu, large wine list. This is not your every day meal but for The Annoyer and I, we made it our Monday night dinner.<br />
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<b>Garlic Seared Calamari <i>oyster mushroom, shaved onion, cilantro, soy reduction</i></b><br />
The calamari was very tender and the sauce was tasty. I didn't quite like how the calamari was lightly floured and pan fried and then sauced. It kinda ended up a mushy exterior. Overall, a good dish but not quite refined.</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hw5TG8j_7aI/VjhXsscriJI/AAAAAAAAf6A/-KMO0GlV0Lk/s1600/DSC06632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hw5TG8j_7aI/VjhXsscriJI/AAAAAAAAf6A/-KMO0GlV0Lk/s640/DSC06632.JPG" width="640" /></a><b>Pan Seared Foie Gras <i>bosc pear, toasted brioche, red wine reduction</i></b><br />
The foie was seared nicely. The brioche toast was a bit too thin for that hunk of fat and soaked through pretty quickly. The pear and red wine reduction were necessary to cut through the richness. Not the best seared foie gras but not bad.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dewyNcElJD0/VjhXtCG-a1I/AAAAAAAAf6I/OV_u587RZTA/s1600/DSC06634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dewyNcElJD0/VjhXtCG-a1I/AAAAAAAAf6I/OV_u587RZTA/s640/DSC06634.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Risotto <i>ham, </i></b></b></div>
The risotto here is quite popular and changes on a regular basis. A successful risotto dish relies heavily on texture. It can't be too dry, too mushy, too wet, too anything. There's just a fine balance to be found when making risotto. Trust me, I've tried. It's kinda hard. They did a nice job here with the texture. The flavors of ham, cheese, and veggies were simple and married well together. You should order the risotto here.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5dml-AYAGJ0/VjhXuUt59ZI/AAAAAAAAf6U/mHrUqjHZre0/s1600/DSC06636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5dml-AYAGJ0/VjhXuUt59ZI/AAAAAAAAf6U/mHrUqjHZre0/s640/DSC06636.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<b><b>Halibut <i>charred sweet potato hash, organic mushrooms, shaved red onion, cilantro, green onion, huckleberry reduction</i> </b></b></div>
The Annoyer's friends really liked the fish here. It was moist and well cooked. The hash was homey and had a lot going on with the different ingredients. The sweet potatoes got a little too heavy and filling toward the end.<br />
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Masraff's is a restaurant trying to be refined and high end. I think it hits the mark for Houston, but not for me. I understood where the food was going, but I think it could have been better. Everything was tasty and well executed, but it wasn't terribly interesting or impressive. The risotto was probably my favorite dish here, but I can find good risotto elsewhere.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good</div>
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7 - Good </div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-55614281139083706112015-11-16T22:21:00.000-08:002015-11-16T22:21:10.413-08:00Coltivare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Coltivare</b></div>
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3320 White Oak Dr.</div>
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Houston, TX 77077</div>
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coltivarehouston.com</div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/coltivare-houston" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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I was looking for some good Italian food in Houston, but The Annoyer said it doesn't really exist. Coltivare is new on the dining scene so it was new for him too. Coltivare reminded me of a Portland restaurant. It's small. It had an old, yet contemporary feel to it. There was a lot of distressed wood. The kitchen was open. The menu felt very seasonal and local. I almost forgot I was in Houston. </div>
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<b>Cauliflower <i>pinenuts, raisins</i></b></div>
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If you're going to fry a vegetable, your best bet is to fry cauliflower or Brussels sprouts. Frying brings a a golden caramelization while keeping the vegetable firm and crispy. There's nothing worse than mushy vegetables. The raisins added some sweetness while the pinenuts added crunch. It was a good starter.</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jDYHaeh5sk4/VjhXWAhLFUI/AAAAAAAAf5M/Hbt5TD0QGV0/s1600/DSC06622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jDYHaeh5sk4/VjhXWAhLFUI/AAAAAAAAf5M/Hbt5TD0QGV0/s640/DSC06622.JPG" width="640" /></a><b>Lacinata Kale <i>pickled butternut squash, smoked gouda, pecans, local pears</i></b><br />
I was expecting more kale than squash, but was pleased by the interesting preparation of squash. I've never had pickled squash. It was crunchy, and a little bit sweet and sour. The cheese, pecans, and pears really rounded out the picklyness which got a bit tiresome after awhile. More kale probably would have offset the picklyness too.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Rigatoni <i>autumn vegetables, slow cooked duck, bread crumbs, goat milk ricotta</i></b> </div>
This was my least favorite dish. It was kinda unmemorable and nothing about it popped. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either.<br />
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<b><b>Pizza <i>gulf shrimp, calamari, puttanesca sauce, roasted tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, lemon</i></b></b></div>
The pizza itself was soft and doughy, with just enough crisp from the wood fired oven. Essentially a puttanesca pasta on top of a pizza minus the pasta of course, wasn't everything I had hoped for. There wasn't anything bad about the pizza, it just wasn't super spectacular either.<br />
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Coltivare was good, but nothing too special. The starters shined more than the main dishes. I definitely liked the ambiance of the place. Something happened in the kitchen and food service noticeably slowed, but other than that our experience was good. We even came with a big wait in front of us, but got seated within 15 minutes. Lucky us! The food is not the best of its genre, but it wasn't the worst either. Maybe if we ordered a different pizza and pasta dish, our experience would have been better.</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good</div>
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7 - Good </div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-45658514578616537602015-11-12T15:08:00.002-08:002015-11-14T21:20:03.895-08:00Oxheart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Oxheart</b></div>
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1302 Nance St.</div>
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Houston, TX 77002</div>
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<a href="http://oxhearthouston.com/">oxhearthouston.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/oxheart-houston" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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I think Houston sort of tries to elevate its own dining scene. There's obviously no shortage of money here, but I guess sophisticated food doesn't always follow the money. Oxheart is Houston's attempt at something a little more special. It's supposed to be one of Houston's best new restaurants. I was excited to try out their tasting menu. <br />
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<b>Clarified Watermelon Juice <i>dried jujube, muscadine grapes, asian pear, lime leaf</i></b></div>
I thought it would have been prettier to have the watermelon juice in a white bowl to appreciate the pretty color, but maybe it would have been too ugly against the green grapes. Everything about this dish was as advertised. The juice was sweet. The grapes were tart. The Asian pears were crunchy. The globules of kaffir lime oil were the only unexpected and interesting aspect to this dish. Other than that, I could have made it at home. Still it was refreshing and light.<b style="font-weight: bold;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FOe-JOZXtGI/Vi3JpZ5tbCI/AAAAAAAAfx4/OJiyLSl2J5M/s640/DSC06511.JPG" style="font-weight: bold;" width="640" /></b></div>
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<b>Mung Bean Crepe <i>braised mustard greens, potato skins, miso, pickled long beans and fenugreek</i></b><br />
The crepe was delicate and crispy. It reminded me of the pancakes you get at Korean restaurants. The filling of braised mustard greens was savory and not too bitter. The side of pickled long beans and fenugreek added some tart crunch. Overall, a nice dish but not something worthy of its place in a $75 tasting menu.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Warm sourdough bread but nothing too special.</div>
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<b><b>Gulf Tilefish a Scapece<i> basil kombu broth, summer squash, preserved fruits</i></b></b></div>
My fish was too salty but The Annoyer thought his fish was fine. It was very moist and juicy though. The basil kombu broth was tart and mildly herbaceous. <br />
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<b><b>Stew of Preserved Vegetables <i>field peas, charred sweet peppers</i></b></b></div>
This homey dish was quite tasty. There was a strong umami flavor here that I could only identify as fish sauce. The preserved vegetables brought their own bit of funk that made this dish really unique. The sweet charred red peppers provided nice contrast. I sopped up every bit of this stew, but I was a bit disappointed that a completely vegeterian dish of beans made it onto my $75 tasting menu.<br />
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<b><b>Guinea Hen <i>stuffed with rice, collard greens, poultry and shellfish sauce</i></b></b></div>
The final savory course was guinea hen, which wasn't really that exciting. The meat was not as juicy as I would have preferred and the rice stuffing was undercooked. The collard greens were nice and not overcooked. <br />
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<b><b>Frozen Yogurt <i>pickled, poached, and dried gala apples, puffed quinoa</i></b></b></div>
The yogurt was not anything different than what you can get at Pinkberry. The best part was actually the puffed quinoa. It was crunchy and toasty. I enjoyed the varying textures here.<br />
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Some shortbread cookies to end the meal.</div>
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Oxheart was good, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting something elevated, food that raised the bar, something worthy of the price tag and stellar reviews. I certainly had food I never had before, but it wasn't food that I would come back for or highly recommend. I would have been happier if there wasn't as much hype and if it were cheaper.</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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<b>6 - OK (factoring in price)</b></div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-32342302194113039862015-11-11T15:47:00.000-08:002015-11-11T15:47:28.269-08:00Odd Duck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><b>Odd Duck</b></b><br />
1201 S. Lamar Blvd.<br />
Austin, TX 78704<br />
<b>oddduckaustin.com</b><br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/odd-duck-austin-2" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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For our last meal in Austin, we wanted to brunch it up at Barley Swine's sister restaurant. My bad for actually missing brunch time, so we settled for lunch. Mama H.o.P., Smooth Obturator, and The Annoyer made for a perfect party of 4. I prefer to dine in groups of 4-6 because you can try more things that way and variety is my favorite aspect in dining.<br />
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<b><b>Parker House Roll <i>pig face, mustard</i></b></b><br />
This was a VERY strong start. In fact, this might have been my favorite dish of the meal. They REALLY make excellent bread here. It was so soft and fresh, very reminiscent of the pig bun from the previous night. <br />
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The filling was a very delectable porky goodness. The fattiness was tempered by the perfect pairing with mustard. Yums for sure!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Tomato Salad <i>corn cream, peaches, jalapeƱo</i></b></b></div>
My second favorite dish of the night because I am such a fan of tomatoes, corn, peaches, and salads. It was the best of summer's bounty in one dish. The center of it was this corn panna cotta of sorts. It was savory and sweet. There was a light vinaigrette that brought everything together. The bits of torn mint brightened everything up. Really Yums!<br />
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<b>Blackened Fish Ceviche <i>melon, avocado, shiso</i></b><br />
It was interesting pairing honeydew melon with fish, avocado, and shiso. Overall, I liked the dish but not as much as the previous two.<br />
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<b><b>Pulled Pork Torta <i>red chile, avocado, pickled corn</i></b></b></div>
The sandwiches were made with more soft housemade breads. A great sandwich definitely starts with amazing bread and they certainly delivered on that. The latin flavors were well represented here.<br />
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<b><b>Burger <i>bacon pimento, heirloom tomato</i></b></b></div>
A good burger, with crunchy potato chips for texture and a cheesy bacony spread. <br />
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<b>Lamb Meatloaf Sandwich <i>potato salad, chile mayo, greens</i></b></div>
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If you like lamb, you will certainly enjoy this. The lamb flavor was apparent but made it that much tastier. </div>
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<b><b>Fried Fish Sandwich <i> avocado & crab spread, sprouts, hot sauce</i></b></b></div>
I liked the crispy fish paired with creamy avocado and crab spread. This was my favorite sandwich.<br />
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<b><b>Taco of the Day</b></b></div>
They almost forgot our taco order. It wasn't what we were expecting because it was a stuffed shishito pepper in a housemade blue tortilla. I was so full, so I just let Smooth Obturator have at it.<br />
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While Odd Duck's popular brunch eluded us, its lunch menu made some happy campers out of us. I think the starters were more memorable than the sandwiches, but they were still quite delicious either way. I'm not sure if Odd Duck would be your one pick for a lunch spot in Austin. I'm sure there are more famous and unique places, but we were pleased with the food here for sure. I'm still thinking about the pig face parker house rolls. Drooool!<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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5 - Average</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-20680489550334920862015-11-10T22:22:00.000-08:002015-11-11T15:47:06.437-08:00Barley Swine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Barley Swine</b></div>
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2024 S. Lamar Blvd</div>
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Austin, TX 78704</div>
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<a href="http://barleyswine.com/">barleyswine.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/barley-swine-austin" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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With the little time we had in Austin, it was of utmost importance to be wise about our food choices. Smooth Obturator left it to me to decide between Qui and Barley Swine. Ultimately, Barley Swine won out though it was tough to pass up a Top Chef winner's restaurant. The food at Barley Swine seemed looked to be the sophisticated/white linen type though the ambiance was Texas saloon with 80s music. Our server was wearing manpris and loafers with no socks. <br />
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<b>Crab <i>cantaloupe, trinidad pepper sorbet</i> </b></div>
We started off with this refreshing and light course. The oceanic sweetness of the crab paired nicely with the sweet melon.<b style="font-weight: bold;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Id8X0scxUX0/VgYUNSfGDAI/AAAAAAAAfXw/rNip2NurqWA/s640/DSC06410-2.jpg" width="640" /></b></div>
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<b>Butternut Squash Soup <i>pecan miso, pancetta</i></b><br />
The soup was silky and luscious. It was sweet and complemented by a caramelized onion marmalade. The pecan miso was nutty and unique. The pancetta brought the needed saltiness. The shredded orange thing was some crunchy butternut squash for added texture. Well done!</div>
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Octopus Terrine <i>watermelon, yogurt</i></b></b><br />
Things were off to a marvelous start, but then we had this odd dish. The octopus in terrine form was unique but didn't seem to mesh with the watermelon yogurt or compressed watermelon. The added savoriness from the puffed rice and togarashi felt too contrasting.</div>
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<b><b>Spicy Eggplant <i>sausage, shrimp, tomato</i></b></b><br />
This might have been my favorite dish of the night. It felt like an elevated gumbo with the poached shrimp, pork sausage, okra, and spicy tomatoes. Every component was excellent on its own, but all together it really sang. It was both modern yet comforting.</div>
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<b><b>Cured Squash <i>goat feta, cast iron seeds, basil oil</i></b></b></div>
The lightly pickled squash was nice. The dish provided many textures with the crunchy sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds, whipped goat cheese, and crisp pickled squash. It was a strong vegetarian dish.<br />
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<b><b>Pig Bun <i>peach, bourbon</i></b></b><br />
I can't say I tasted much of the peach and bourbon, which I presume was their way of reinventing a Chinese classic. I will commend Barley Swine on making a pretty good Chinese pork bun. The bun itself was excellent, very soft and unctuous on the palate. And how can you not crack a smile at the whimsical presentation? Though I believe Smooth Obturator found it "disturbing."</div>
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<b><b>Shishito Peppers <i>fermented mushroom glaze, fried egg foam</i></b></b></div>
I liked the depth of the blistered peppers with its hint of smoke. The mushroom glaze was perhaps a bit thick, but the flavor had a sweet umaminess. There was a fried egg puree inside. The dish reminded of a sophisticated modern day stuffed jalapeƱo.<br />
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<b><b>Snapper <i>hoja santa, corn, green tomato</i></b></b></div>
The snapper was the first of the more substantial courses. It was perfectly seared with a leaf of hoja santa. I can't remember it adding much flavor. The crab corn mousseline was perfection. The smokey broth with pickling liquid foam brought contrasting but very delicious flavors. Tasty.<br />
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<b><b>Wagyu Beef <i>garlic chive avocado</i></b></b></div>
This was like a really tasty beef salad. It brought some Asian notes with toasted peanuts. It was only mildly spicy from some serrano peppers. The garlic chive emulsion was so flavorful. I liked this one a lot.<br />
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<b><b>Roasted Duck Breast <i>confit, boshi, potato</i></b></b></div>
The duck two ways was nice, but I preferred the roasted breast over the confit pieces. The potato puree was smoother than smooth. The pickled shallots added some sweet acid.<br />
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<b><b>Aerated Kombucha Pie <i>chewy fruit, streusel</i></b></b></div>
I've never had kombucha in a dessert like this. It was fizzy and sweet from the kombucha, but salty and sweet from the streusel. The chewy dried fruits added good texture. The camomile meringue was light and floral.<br />
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<b>Candy Bar <i>coffee and hay semifreddo, toasted peanut, salted caramel, dark chocolate</i></b><br />
<b>Cannoli <i>mango, thai lime, spiced chocolate</i></b><br />
<b>Fig Leather s<i>te maure cheese</i></b><br />
As always, I was so full by the end of the meal. But of course they always leave you with some extra little sweet treats. My favorite was the candy bar which tasted like an ice cream Snickers bar. The filling of the cannoli was better than the cannoli itself. Tart cheese and dried fruit tend to go well together, so I thought it was clever wrapping it in a cute little square.<br />
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I quite enjoyed Barley Swine for its modernity and unique dishes. It was probably more of a white linen table top kind of place food-wise, but the saloon like feel and casual service made the environment very relaxed. I think that's just Austin for ya. I pretty found everything delightful except the octopus terrine. Nothing was particularly exceptional, but I'll take solid, consistent, and well executed over a handful of mindblowing dishes amidst a sea of meh. The restaurant really piqued my interest in the chef's other restaurants, namely Odd Duck. I promptly made reservations for Odd Duck when I learned of the connection and heard of its strong reputation. More on that later...</div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-54950285810976090972015-11-03T16:48:00.000-08:002015-11-03T16:48:06.755-08:00Franklin BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Franklin BBQ</b></div>
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900 E 11th St</div>
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Austin, TX 78702</div>
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franklinbbq.com</div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/franklin-barbecue-austin" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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A 5 hour wait to eat food deserves a long entry...</div>
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Every single "Best of BBQ" TV show or list inevitably includes Franklin BBQ as one of America's top BBQ joints. Enough cannot be said of its famed brisket, which is slowly smoked over 12-18 hours and the envy of many. The line and long wait speaks volumes to its fame and popularity. The place doesn't open until 11am, but people start lining up at 7am or maybe even earlier. You're probably thinking WTF?! WTF indeed! You'd think Franklin was a Texas institution. Smoking brisket and satisfying the BBQ needs of Texans for generations. Helmed by a really fat, bearded, hard core traditionalist, occasionally ornery but overall loveable and huggable bear type of old man. Nope, the man behind this operation since its inception in 2009 is a young hipster-looking Aaron Franklin, 37 years old. His BMI is surely south of 30 right??</div>
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After some debate, Smooth Obturator and I decided we had to try Franklin BBQ because when else would we ever have this chance? We skipped out on some pre wedding festivities just for this. I guess you can see where our priorities laid. Somehow, our debate concluded with me waking up at the crack of dawn to camp out while he chilled at the hotel. Luckily, I had The Annoyer in tow who was my partner in crime for this food adventure. I wasn't super nazi about getting in line early. I was shooting for 8am but arrived at 830am. I didn't think it was going to make a difference. Uhh, another 10 minutes and I would have been SOL for brisket!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QnfW29f1F_o/Vh9RHxPkJlI/AAAAAAAAfkU/OzX6cPd1eUk/s1600/DSC06450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QnfW29f1F_o/Vh9RHxPkJlI/AAAAAAAAfkU/OzX6cPd1eUk/s640/DSC06450.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>The next picture would probably be of the massively long line, but I'll be honest. The line really is not that long in a physical sense, like what you would expect for the newest attraction at an amusement park. It's probably 200+ deep? That sounds like a lot, but when we arrived I was pleasantly surprised and didn't think twice about our chances of passing through the gates of glorious brisket heaven. After claiming my place in line, I sent The Annoyer to get some breakfast. At about 9am, some burly looking man from the restaurant comes out to greet us and explain that he would be taking orders. I was like "Whoa, wait, what?!" By taking orders early, they would be able to estimate when they would sell out and when to cut the line off. The end of the line turned out to be just 10-15 people behind me! At that point, some people will leave but there were still a good number of folks who were willing to tough it out in hopes of getting just something or anything. The funny and sad part is that, as the day rolls on people show up at 11am-12pm to stand in line, unaware that it was officially cut off long ago. Eventually they get the low down and throw in the towel or just wait with the other hopefuls.<br />
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My butt was hurting from sitting on the concrete pavement after 30 minutes. I texted The Annoyer to bring some scrubs for me to sit on. He came back with breakfast tacos and two lawn chairs! Totally unnecessary, but made the experience that much more bearable. What was probably more important than the lawnchairs was a giant umbrella to shade from the unrelenting sun. Seriously, with a lawnchair, umbrella, and enough battery life on your smartphone to last about 4-5 hours, the wait really just breezes by. Ok, maybe it's not that breezy, especially in 90+ degree weather. Making friends with the people around you is probably what made the time go by pretty fast. You'll find that few waiting in that ridiculous line is actually from Austin, Coming here seems to be the thing to do for out-of-towners. The DonBon says people who live in Austin know there is comparable BBQ elsewhere so don't bother with the wait.<br />
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Once the restaurant opens, the line gets going. It actually moved too fast at some point. We'd park our lawnchairs only to find ourselves picking up and moving forward 5-10 minutes later. By 1pm, we were inside! The restaurant itself is quite small. It would not be able to accommodate all the people waiting in line. I noticed that a fair amount of people take the food to go, and sometimes in pretty large quantities.<br />
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It's hard to appreciate but the picture shows the menu with the original pricing. Brisket in 2011 was going for $11/pound. It has almost doubled in 4 years! Seriously Aaron Franklin must be rolling in the dough.<br />
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Not sure what the story is behind this guy but he's cute.</div>
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After a 5 hour wait, we had food! 4 pounds of brisket, 4 sausages, and 2 pounds of pulled pork. They just ran out of pork ribs before we got to the top of the line. I was like "WAHHHHHHHHH" [insert cry face emoji]. </div>
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<b>Beef & Pork Sausage</b></div>
Surprisingly this was one of the best sausages I had in a while. I loved the snappy casing and the extremely juicy fatty meat. The texture wasn't dry or crumbly. It was perfect. Best sausage I've had at a BBQ place. Better than Killen's for sure. I was disappointed to find out these are not made in house but rather outsourced and made to Franklin's specifications. Oh well, still delicious!<br />
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<b><b>Pulled Pork</b></b></div>
I'm gonna venture out there and say Carolina style pulled pork is more my thing. I like the sweetness, but Texas style is more peppery and smokey. It was still good, but this is not what you come to Franklin for.<br />
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<b><b>Beef Brisket</b></b><br />
I didn't know this, but you can ask for different parts of the brisket, the lean end and the fatty end. The Annoyer made sure to get all fatty brisket. This is hands down the best brisket I have ever eaten. Considering the only seasoning here is salt and pepper, Franklin manages to impart so much flavor in the smoking process. I was in disbelief when I watched his video on how he prepared his brisket. Whaaaaaa? No secret spice mixture?? No secret sauce?? You will never taste a more tender, flavorful brisket. WOW!</div>
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<b><b>Potato Salad</b></b></div>
The sides here are pretty unexciting. The potato salad is pretty standard. On the tangier side.<br />
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<b><b>Coleslaw</b></b></div>
The coleslaw was also tangy and a refreshing crunch. I appreciated that the slaw wasn't overly mayo-y. As you can see they are extremely generous with their sides, giving heaping portions in those half pint containers.<br />
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<b><b>Baked Beans</b></b></div>
The beans were also on the tangier side than what I'm used to. I expect beans to sorta sweet. <br />
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<b><b>White Bread</b></b></div>
I don't think I touched a single slice of this.<br />
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Franklin BBQ was an experience I will never forget. How can you ever forget WAITING 5 HOURS for food?? Aside from the wait, the brisket really was something special. Not sure what the exact science is behind smoking a brisket to impart such depth of flavor, while getting it so tender and juicy. But Aaron Franklin has cracked the code. The brisket is a masterpiece! The sausage is my next favorite thing. I was bummed I didn't get to try the pork ribs or turkey breast. The sides weren't the best. Killen's certainly wins there. They are very generous with the sides though. On top of the food you see ordered, I bought 2 whole briskets to take home for my aunt and cousin. They sell them fully cooked, smoked, and vacuum sealed. Perfect for the out of towner wanting to bring back a bit of Austin in his/her suitcase. You don't have to wait in the long line for those either. If you're in Austin and love BBQ and/or brisket, be sure to check out Franklin but come prepared with an umbrella, lawnchair, breakfast, and plenty of battery on your smartphone. For BBQ fans and diehard foodies (that's me), it is worth the wait. For everyone else, just temper your expectations or don't come at all.</div>
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<b>10 - You NEED to eat here (if you can wait 5 hours in line)</b></div>
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8 - Very good</div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-44820889238860642392015-11-02T19:10:00.000-08:002015-11-02T19:10:27.342-08:00Lick Honest Ice Creams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Lick Honest Ice Creams</b></div>
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2032 S. Lamar</div>
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Austin, TX 78704</div>
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<a href="http://ilikelick.com/">ilikelick.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/lick-honest-ice-creams-austin" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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Boy was my time in Austin a hot one! Ai ya ya ya! That's my "I'm so hot. I'm on fire. It burns!" onomatopoeia. What better way to beat the heat than some ice cream? I actually had more reason to be visiting Austin than to eat, though that's plenty of reason to be anywhere really. The Annoyer and I drove from Houston to Austin for The DonBon's wedding. On the way, we picked up Mama H.o.P. and Smooth Obturator at the airport. After settling in at the hotel we wanted to see a little bit of what "keeps Austin weird, but of course had to start off by filling up our empty tanks.</div>
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<b>Horchata <i>sweet rice ice cream, cinnamon, vanilla, clove</i></b></div>
<b>Milk & Cookies <i>brown sugar ice cream, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough</i></b><br />
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<b>Caramel Salt Lick</b></div>
<b>Pecans & Cream</b><br />
<b>Hill Country Honey & Vanilla Bean</b><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Tart Toasted Coconut <i>coconut flakes, tart lemon-lime curd</i></b></b></div>
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<b>Dark Chocolate Olive Oil & Sea Salt</b></div>
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The ice cream was good. Not too sweet. Flavors were solid, but I would have preferred more options with mix ins. Single flavor ice creams are a bit boring to me. Not sure if I would wait in line for this place again. The line was only 15 minutes I think, so not bad really. </div>
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good</div>
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<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-66128479868986192272015-10-27T13:35:00.000-07:002015-10-27T13:35:07.223-07:00Caracol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Caracol</b><br />
220 Post Oak Blvd<br />
Houston, TX 77056<br />
<a href="http://caracol.net/">caracol.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/caracol-houston" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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I was thoroughly impressed with Hugo's simple, yet refined Mexican cuisine. The food was so well executed and nothing too over the top. I don't think Houstonians or even Texans would fare well with anything that was in the style of Alinea or Eleven Madison Park. Maybe I'm being unfairly simplistic in my view of Texans, but I think its fair to say BBQ, tacos, and kolaches reigns supreme there. I am glad there are places like Hugo's and Caracol to brighten up the scene a bit. Both restaurants are from the same chef/owner Hugo Ortega. Caracol serves up Mexican coastal cuisine that is very seafood centric. Who does not like seafood? If you don't we cannot be friends. Once upon a time, I went on a date with a guy who had a shellfish allergy. I knew it was never meant to be.<br />
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<b>Ceviche de Caracol <i>conch, pineapple, ginger, red jalapeno</i></b><br />
It's not often you seen conch on a menu stateside. It was everywhere in the Bahamas. The conch itself was nice, but I found the seasoning of this dish to be too sweet. I guess what was I expecting with pineapples right? I like my ceviches to be acidic. The Annoyer liked this one a lot.<br />
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<b>Ensalada de Pulpo <i>spanish octopus salad, roasted potatoes, celery leaves, pumpkin seed dressing</i></b></div>
We were hesitant to order this one because it didn't sound all that spectacular. But our neighboring solo diner gave it very high marks. I am wary of the recommendations from a lone stranger, but I think The Annoyer and I didn't want to insult him by not taking his advice. This turned out to be my favorite dish of the night. The texture of the octopus was not too chewy or tender. The tentacles got the best char. Calling this a salad is a misnomer, there being as much starch and protein as there were veggies. There were 3 different kinds of potatoes, I think some onions and leeks. The dressing was like nothing I ever tasted before. I did not see anybody on Yelp order this. Definitely an underrated dish for sure.<br />
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These were too cheesy for me but tasty nonetheless.<br />
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<b><b>Mariscos al Ajillo <i>scallops, shrimp, lobster, clams, mussels, octopus, frogs legs, mojo de ajo, chile de arbol, green onion</i></b></b></div>
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Behold! Their signature dish. Everything that is great about the ocean can be found in this dish. Though I suppose frogs don't live in the ocean and where is my uni?? I really cannot find any fault in this dish. It was solid and everything you would expect.<br />
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<b>Repollitos Asados</b></div>
This was the lone disappointment for the night. I guess these Brussels sprouts were roasted as opposed to deep fried, which is how I normally have them at restaurants. Roasting them can achieve the caramelization, but leads to a mushier vegetable. We had to send these back because they were so mushy and when they returned they were still too soft for my liking. Boo!<br />
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<b><b>El Coco <i>chocolate coconut shell, coconut buttercream, coconut ganache, coconut streusel, whipped coconut</i></b></b></div>
I was pretty darn stuffed but this chocolate bomb seemed to be the signature dessert that everyone was getting. This perfect sphere is served in front of you with a small wooden mallet.<br />
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If you wanted to take your aggression out on your food, this seems a good way to go. BAM! and the sphere is cracked to reveal creamy, coconutty, chocolate goodness below.</div>
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Overall, Caracol was pretty delicious. I would still say I enjoyed the food at Hugo's just a little bit more, but it would be pretty hard to go wrong here. The menu is very extensive and I look forward to coming back here to try some other seafood delights. The food is fresh, the execution is spot on, the service is excellent, and I don't think I can think of any place like this stateside, so points for originality!<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here</div>
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<b>9 - Awesome!</b></div>
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<b>8 - Very good</b></div>
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7 - Good </div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average</div>
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4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-87315419982242184512015-10-23T11:32:00.001-07:002015-10-23T16:30:51.178-07:00Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar</b></div>
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1050 Studewood St</div>
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Houston, TX 77008</div>
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<a href="http://libertykitchenoysterbar.com/">libertykitchenoysterbar.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/liberty-kitchen-and-oyster-bar-houston-2" target="_blank">Yelp</a></div>
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It's amazing how looks can be deceiving. Food can be made to look and play the part of the delicious and delectable star of the show, but can turn out to be a disappointing and uninspired performance. The analogy might apply to Liberty Kitchen. The Yelp pictures dazzled me. The mounds of mac and cheese and the heaping bowls of gumbo drew me in. Alas, only the oysters stood out. </div>
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<b>Crazy Roasted Gulf Oysters</b><br />
I am always a little hesitant to order cooked oysters. I figure that only the least fresh and least desirable oysters are left to be cooked, while the best are eaten fresh and raw.</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W24mbiII2pI/VgYKpUUhv5I/AAAAAAAAfUw/9fFASYGQaFI/s1600/DSC06367-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W24mbiII2pI/VgYKpUUhv5I/AAAAAAAAfUw/9fFASYGQaFI/s640/DSC06367-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><b></b><br />
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<b><b><i>garlic, lemon butter</i></b></b><br />
To my surprised, these were actually really tasty. The herbs and lemon added the brightness you normally expect when indulging in these oceanic delights.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IhXfSkvP9hY/VgYKotQ5DKI/AAAAAAAAfUo/3HhpmLINwGU/s1600/DSC06366-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IhXfSkvP9hY/VgYKotQ5DKI/AAAAAAAAfUo/3HhpmLINwGU/s640/DSC06366-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<b><b><i>bacon jam, butter, jalapeƱo</i></b></b></div>
The Annoyer (formerly known as BHD) liked the savory sweetness from the bacon jam in this one. It was too sweet for my liking. Both had nicely cooked oysters that weren't lost in the crunchy batter.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O4DxWPrs9C4/VgYKoPz2M2I/AAAAAAAAfUg/WI7u3-vU9k8/s1600/DSC06365-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O4DxWPrs9C4/VgYKoPz2M2I/AAAAAAAAfUg/WI7u3-vU9k8/s640/DSC06365-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b><b>Gumbo <i>creole whole crab, shrimp, andouille sausage</i></b></b></div>
I was really looking forward to the deep flavors of this gumbo but it fell flat. It was salt but not much else. It was full of seafood and sausage which was nice, but I needed more.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQPgCP9mCYc/VgYKqEFjuRI/AAAAAAAAfU4/8NtFMHYycvI/s1600/DSC06369-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQPgCP9mCYc/VgYKqEFjuRI/AAAAAAAAfU4/8NtFMHYycvI/s640/DSC06369-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<b><b>Mac & Cheese <i>gulf hill country, cheddar, shrimp, sausage, bacon, chiles, onion</i></b></b></div>
This looked crazy delicious right? Not so much. Also another flat dish. It was cheesy but just lacking that special Yums factor. Even the shrimp, bacon, sausage failed to elevate this dish to winner status. I found it really surprising.<br />
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Maybe my expectations were too high for Liberty Kitchen, but you can't deny that the sight of the food makes you want to jump into stick a fork right into the computer screen. Despite my less than enthusiastic review, I would go back and try it again but I'm in no rush. Their brunch menu looks particularly interesting.<br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here<br />
9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good<br />
7 - Good </div>
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<b>6 - OK </b></div>
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5 - Average<br />
4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1821509092773390462.post-3659887817232429542015-10-12T16:43:00.000-07:002015-10-12T16:43:49.447-07:00Mala Sichuan Bistro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Mala Sichuan Bistro</b></div>
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9348 Bellaire Blvd.</div>
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Houston, TX 77036</div>
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<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mala-sichuan-bistro-houston?osq=mala+szechuan" target="_blank">Yelp</a><br />
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BHD doesn't really like spicy food. What a wuss! Just kidding. No, not really. Well, ok he has bad reflux so spicy foods really exacerbates that sometimes. Alright, I'll give him a free pass for health reasons. Maybe he'll do something else one of these days that warrants him a one way ticket to Pansyland. In any case, he did oblige me by taking me out to the well regarded Szechuan restaurant in Houston, Mala. It's even on the Eater's Essential 38 Houston restaurants. This isn't the kind of place you go solo or even in pairs. You need an army to tackle this place because the portions are family style. We came with 2 other friends, so we did our best with 4 people. It turns out our 2 friends don't eat pork! I totally was anticipating this, but BHD was like "Naaahhhh." So we had lots of left overs at the end.<br />
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<b>Red Oil Wontons <i>red chili oil, ground garlic, sweet and spicy soy paste, sesame, green onions</i></b><br />
I'm not sure why this dish was so popular. The sauce and spice were tasty, but the actual wonton itself was mediocre. I think I could probably whip together a better wonton. They might even have better wontons in your local frozen aisle.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-662WwffO-KQ/VgX-uHgvZBI/AAAAAAAAfUQ/kjtQiVkqkW4/s1600/DSC06364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-662WwffO-KQ/VgX-uHgvZBI/AAAAAAAAfUQ/kjtQiVkqkW4/s640/DSC06364.JPG" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<b>Dan Dan Noodle <i>mala spicy sauce, sesame paste, boiled spinach, yibin preserved vegetables, spiced ground pork, green onions</i></b><br />
This was pretty tasty with just the right amount of salt, sweet, spice, all balanced out by the chewy noodles swathed in delicious oil. This and 2 other dishes would be sufficient for just 2 people.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aUwrxn8ePlM/VgX-lNEWVCI/AAAAAAAAfTY/K6S-yWfaMYQ/s640/DSC06354.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>Garlic Bacon <i>boiled bacon, cucumber, sweet and spicy garlic sauce, green onion</i></b><br />
Everyone on Yelp talked about his dish. Bacon and cucumber? Sounds weird to me, but it oddly tasted pretty good. The secret was that sauce. It reminded me of a garlicky and less pungent hoisin sauce. You can't eat too many of these or the sauce and wide ribbons of unrendered pork fat start to be too much. <br />
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<b>Kung Pao Chicken</b></div>
The requisite Szechuan dish we ordered for our non pork eating friends. Not bad, but certainly not as delicious as Seafood Cove or Newport Seafood in Orange County. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fYqrZEbLr4A/VgX-qLOm6VI/AAAAAAAAfTo/LYYDwe6uFT8/s1600/DSC06357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fYqrZEbLr4A/VgX-qLOm6VI/AAAAAAAAfTo/LYYDwe6uFT8/s640/DSC06357.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<b><b>Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce </b></b></div>
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Everywhere I go, I must eat this. This is my favorite way to eat eggplant. Slathered in garlicky, sweet, salty, oily goodness. I'm pretty sure there was pork in here, but our friends quite enjoyed this dish.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-maFvt9bAv1Y/VgX-rM7GypI/AAAAAAAAfTw/sME6pJjXJgM/s1600/DSC06359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-maFvt9bAv1Y/VgX-rM7GypI/AAAAAAAAfTw/sME6pJjXJgM/s640/DSC06359.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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<b><b>Cumin Beef<i> onion, cilantro, red chilies, mala spicy sauce</i></b></b></div>
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It is interesting to me that China uses cumin in certain regional cuisines. It is definitely a flavor profile I am getting used to. Naturally the spice and heat were off the chart with this one.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpZpBvDpei8/VgX-r5jC-aI/AAAAAAAAfT4/j3YHw3ziTBc/s1600/DSC06361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpZpBvDpei8/VgX-r5jC-aI/AAAAAAAAfT4/j3YHw3ziTBc/s640/DSC06361.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Water Boiled Fish Fillet </b></div>
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This is what everyone comes here for. I'll be honest. The tongue numbing spice from Szechuan peppercorns either from all the other dishes and/or this one made it hard to appreciate what was going on in this one pot dish. There was fish, and I think it was tender. There were vegetables, and they seemed well cooked. Was this too salty? Who knows because I couldn't taste a darn thing but spice on more spice!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMzkOjN-_JE/VgX-sm6GCYI/AAAAAAAAfUE/_qrFEv7-p28/s1600/DSC06362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IMzkOjN-_JE/VgX-sm6GCYI/AAAAAAAAfUE/_qrFEv7-p28/s640/DSC06362.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Chengdu Style Pot Roasted Prawns <i>jumbo shrimp, asparagus, onions, ginger, pickled peppers, yibin preserved vegetables, ground pork </i></b></div>
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I was disappointed by the overcooked prawns. Flavorwise, things were headed in the right direction. The dish was well balanced.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZweKXcHgjo/VgX-tRPXvKI/AAAAAAAAfUM/-a1f0NZ3cH4/s1600/DSC06363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZweKXcHgjo/VgX-tRPXvKI/AAAAAAAAfUM/-a1f0NZ3cH4/s640/DSC06363.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mala delivers fine Szechuan food to Houston. There was no shortage of heat and tongue numbing spice. There were a few missteps like the overcooked prawns and the mediocre wontons, but overall I would recommend this place if you're in town and need a spicy Chinese fix. This was nowhere near as sophisticated in flavor and depth as <a href="http://overworkedunderfed.blogspot.com/2014/11/chuans.html" target="_blank">Chuan's</a>, but most Szechuan places never are. <br />
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10 - You NEED to eat here<br />
9 - Awesome!</div>
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8 - Very good<br />
<b>7 - Good </b></div>
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6 - OK </div>
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5 - Average<br />
4 - Not bad</div>
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3 - Not good</div>
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2 - Terrible</div>
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1 - Do NOT eat here</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16398655969155544279noreply@blogger.com0