Town (restaurant in Honolulu)

We discovered Town (located at 3435 Waialae Ave) on a recommendation by some friends the last time we were in Honolulu and returned on this past trip to see if it was as good as we remembered.  It is as good and possibly better.  Here are some photos of Town’s magnificence:

Appetizers include a baby arugula salad with beets, orange, fennel, mint, chickpeas and ricotta.  The salad eater among us thought it was excellent.

Baby arugula salad

Baby arugula salad

The ahi tartare on top of risotto cake and sprinkled with balsamic vinegar was amazing.  The portions were also quite generous.

ahi tartare

ahi tartare

The most picky eater had the New York strip steak served with French fries.

New York strip steak

New York strip steak

There was also gnocchi with guanciale.

gnocchi with guanciale

gnocchi with guanciale

And risotto with Waimea roma tomato and baby fennel.

risotto

risotto

For the carnivores, a Shinsato pork belly served on a bed of polenta and local vegetables.

pork belly with local vegetables

pork belly with local vegetables

For dessert, orange sorbet and panna cotta served with local honey.

orange sorbet

orange sorbet

panna cotta

panna cotta

We highly recommend Town the next time you’re in Honolulu.  The food is fabulous, and it’s clear that the chef cares about his ingredients and cooking.  The service is friendly and excellent.  We will definitely be back!

Town’s motto is “Local first, organic whenever possible, with Aloha always.”

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Asia-Lite Summer Vacation

What we did on our summer vacation:  we visited Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Honolulu—what I laughingly call our Asia-lite trip (anytime you go to Asia and you can drink the tap water, it’s not a true Asia trip).

The weather was hot and humid in both Hong Kong and Tokyo, but they were really fun trips.  Here’s a view from our hotel in Hotel Kong:

view from the Island Shangri-la Hotel

view from the Island Shangri-la Hotel

Hong Kong Disney was a blast, and we were fortunate the day we went because there was some cloud cover and a slight breeze.  Then, in true Hong Kong fashion, it poured during one of the parades where the characters spray you with water guns.  As the kids said, “We didn’t get wet from the water guns at all!”

Hong Kong Disney parade

Hong Kong Disney parade

We also discovered the Museum of Coastal Defence in Hong Kong.  (I know, the British spelling can be most disconcerting.)  They used one of the actual bunkers to create the museum, which is very well done.  Once again, the only quibble I have is the commentary about modern times.  (“Reunification has brought about a new solidarity and brotherhood of common defence.”  Or something along those lines.)

Tokyo was just a brief stop in order to participate in the US-Japan Leadership Program’s weekend activities.  It was lovely to see a lot of people whom we hadn’t seen in a while and catch up.  It was also nice to meet the new delegates and discover what an impressive group they are.  We had a tour of the Diet (the Japanese Parliament building), walked around the fish market, and toured the Nezo Museum, which has a small but excellent collection of Chinese antique bronzes.  (They have several other items of interest, but we love Chinese bronzes.)

Our final stop was Honolulu where we stayed at the Halekulani, our favorite hotel there.

Waikiki

Waikiki

The kids took surfing lessons every day; we visited the Bishop Museum, the Honolulu Art Museum, and the Plantation Life Museum.  For a bit of kitsch, we went to the Dole Plantation, where we went through the maze and, most importantly, ate some Dole Whip.  (I mean, yes, you can get fresh pineapple there, too, but what would be the fun in that?)  We had some fabulous dinners at Alan Wong’s, Morimoto, Town, and Sushi Sasabune.  More about the meals later.  Their magnificence deserves their own blog entries.  We also weathered Tropical Storm Flossie, which fortunately for us, only lightly touched Oahu.  I’ve included some photos showing the imminent arrival of the storm (and the view from our hotel room).

view upon arrival

view upon arrival

Tropical Storm Flossie approaching

Tropical Storm Flossie approaching

Tropical Storm Flossie

Tropical Storm Flossie

after Tropical Storm Flossie

after Tropical Storm Flossie

It was a relaxing and fun break, and we look forward to our next trip there!

Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha

Only in Hawaii can you get away with a name like that.  But Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha (located at 820 West Hind Drive #116 in the Aina Haina Shopping Center in Honolulu) not only has some of the best shave ice we’ve ever had, but it contains something even better—Uncle Clay himself.

First things first.  The shave ice.  Very fluffy and powdery, the way the ice should be.  But, more importantly, all of the flavorings are natural.  So rather than the oh-so-authentic looking blue raspberry, you have flavors such as lilikoi (passion fruit), mango, pineapple, and strawberry.  We highly recommend the lilikoi and the pineapple.  As with traditional Hawaiian shave ice, you can add ice cream to your shave ice (which the locals assure us is quite delicious, but which we have never tried).  There are fruit toppings available as well.  And the portions come in keiki (child-sized), medium, and large.

strawberry & lilikoi shave ice

strawberry & lilikoi shave ice

strawberry & lilikoi shave ice

Uncle Clay himself defies description.  He is a gentle, zen-like soul who is genuinely flattered that you have come to eat his shave ice.  But the best way to describe him is to give you The Pure Aloha oath, which he wrote himself.

The Pure Aloha Oath

I solemnly promise

To live every heartbeat of my life

From this day forward

With Pure Aloha.

 

Every single word that comes out of my mouth

And every single action, be it large or small

Must first come from my compassionate heart

And be supported by my thoughtful mind.

 

With an open heart and an open mind

I will unconditionally love

Every person who crosses my path in life

As a fellow member of our one world ohana.

 

If I truly try my best to do all these things

I will become the person I was born to be

Filled with inner peace and complete happiness.

 

Living every heartbeat with Pure Aloha

I can

Bring love into the hearts of others

And make our world a better place.

 

(www.houseofpurealoha.com)