Broadbent Madeira

Note: I've been slacking on the food photos, I know, I know. It's just that I've been eating mostly at the same places and the repetitive photos are useless. There are a few exceptions, though ... like the same ol' restaurant, but me trying a new dish.

Anyway, for now, here's what I've been sipping the past few nights as the last of this cold/sinus infection lingers. This is a bottle I picked up at the Times wine store around the corner at Market City. First time I shopped there for wine. This stuff has an odd, but nice taste, more orange than purple, an older type wine from Spain. On ice, it's nice. Looks almost like brandy.

Quiet enjoyment at home (no drinkie and drive) as I work or as I chill. Can't beat it. Especially with the rain outside.

Leeward Bowl

From July 28 on a work road trip to Pearl City. Leeward Bowl has some tasty food like this chopped steak plate. Just takes 15-20 minutes sometimes, and I didn't realize that then. But this was ono. And they even offer a good tossed salad.

Via Gelato

Minutes after gorging on that massive bowl of Yogurtland yog, I stopped in at Rainbow Drive In. Yes, it's true ... sweets can stimulate the appetite, and I'd skipped breakfast and lunch. But I came across this cool truck. Via Gelato! I'd read about them somewhere. She was closing shop, but I got some nice shots.

Hello Kitty at Land of Yog

It was almost 1 o'clock on an August afternoon when I saw it online in the Star-Advertiser: Yogurtland Waikiki's Hello Kitty promotion. I'm not a Hello Kitty fan, but I do lub me some Yogurtland. So I drove to Waikiki, something I normally loathe, found the parking lot way too late and stepped up. Too bad the promotion ended at 2 pm. I was about 5 minutes too late. The manager/owner said they'd reopen at 2:30. Did they really run out of yogurt? The place had been packed, apparently, and the promotion was a hit. But I didn't really want yogurt. I wanted the souvenirs. Why? I'm still not sure. I ended up sending them to friends — true Hello Kitty fans — on the Big Island.

But I did eventually get me a big ol' bowl of Yogurtland yog. And it was good. Very good.

Jeremiah Weed Iced Tea

Reads "malt beverage" and "roadhouse tea" on the label, but tastes like a regular, nice iced tea. For $3 (on sale at Safeway), not bad.

August in a nutshell

Posting various photos of food — good food, mostly — from August. It was quite a busy month, so I haven't really caught up until now.

Pork chops, Ray's Cafe (take out)

Possibly the best chops on planet Earth

Waianae Store

Always trust experienced hands when it comes

to making fresh ahi poke

Waianae Store, the only place I know that makes

your ahi poke to order, custom made

I waited in line at Faith's, aka Tasty Freeze, but it 

took forever, so I left. The guy before me waited almost

20 minutes for a single burger, time I just didn't have. 

Spam bowl at Leilehua. 

Saimin and high school football just go together,

whether it's at Aloha Stadium or old Honolulu Stadium.

Kalua pig and cabbage at Moanalua.

One of my Top 3 favorites: the salt & pepper 

(and chili pepper and garlic) fried chicken wings

from Golden Duck. 

Mabo tofu and noodles at Ezogiku (Moiliili)

The beef curry at Ezogiku (Moiliili) has really,

really improved lately. I hadn't tried it in years,

but I wandered in one night and saw another 

patron having it. It just smelled different. It's much

more on that Japanese, sweet-but-still-spicy

flavor. Awesome. 

Combo hamburger curry/chili plate at Kaiser.

I refuse to eat canned chili, but this is awesome

homemade. Recipe is by Kaiser AD Rodney Iwasaki, 

who used to make this at Roosevelt games when

he was the AD there. Can't go wrong for only $6.

Shave ice at Waipahu football game

I got the melona flavor shave ice at Waipahu. Thumbs up!

Raimat Chardonnay plus chicken

Late night, but still early enough to pick up some awesome salt and pepper fried chicken wings from Golden Duck. Their version has a great chili pepper/garlic topping that I am addicted to. Some $5.99 (on sale) Raimat Cardonnay 2007 went well with the chicken and rice. I'm still not a wine snob. I just like good, inexpensive wine with my food sometimes. Actually, I'd gone about a month with any wine, and I was not better for it. A good beverage definitely takes the edge off when the world can be almost intolerably stupid and lazy.