Twenty-one days here in Hawai`i have come to an end. All that's left to do now is get up, head to the airport, and then enjoy a long layover in Honolulu (which we'll undoubtedly spend at the Kona Brewing Company, which took over the former Stinger Ray's space).
Today we did a lot of lounging around this house, that's become a home to us, enjoying the many, many amenities. I read a book written by a local author about living off the grid in East Hawai`i, and took some time to make some ti leaf and plumeria leis for Dan & I to wear tomorrow, as we head out of town. Besides cooking and snorkeling, the traditional crafts of Hawai`i have really captured my interest - from coconut frond weaving (the hard part is getting the damn fronds), to gourd carving, to lei making.
And speaking of snorkeling, I decided to take the advice given to me yesterday by both my parents, and get back on the horse, safely. This afternoon, at high tide, Dan and I grabbed some floaties, reef shoes, and snorkel gear and walked back to the tide pools. We had a great time, and Dan realized that he enjoys it more while floating on a boogie board - which allows him to pick his head up whenever he wants, and helps with any feeling of claustrophobia from breathing through a tube. It felt good to not let the drowning be my last memory of Kapoho tide pools. It's way too special a place for me to think of it negatively.
Lunch today was less culinary and more about tidying up. I made a plate lunch of leftover stuff from the fridge, including a hot dog, kalua pork, pineapple, grilled onions and peppers, cheese, and some avocado.
In contrast to the frugal lunch of leftovers, we decided to get on our aloha shirts (it's Friday!) and head into Pahoa to check out Kaleo's.
Featuring Italian inspired food with lots of fresh island ingredients, Kaleo's is an elegant spot in the midst of sleepy, laid-back, casual Pahoa Village. Unlike our last experience in town Wednesday, we had no problem getting served drinks. Dan had a glass of Pinot Noir, while I went for a Pomegranate Margarita.
Since we were indulging for our last night in Hawai`i, we ordered a starter of tempura ahi rolls, which were perfectly cooked - crispy and flaky on the outside, but with a raw ahi tuna center (accented by some tomato, carrot, and green onion). It came with a duo of sauces, both of which were great.
For our main dishes, Dan ordered the Lemon Caper Chicken, and I had the Seafood Pasta.
Dan LOVED the caper sauce that coated his chicken and spinach, which came with a grain (quinoa?) and some veggies.
My seafood pasta was significant. It was a huge portion, loaded with mahi mahi (the fresh catch), shrimp, and scallops, plus cooked tomatoes and mushrooms.
The sauce was a slighly creamy marinara, which was delicious. There was no way for me to finish it, but I made a dent.
We both did our best to save a little room, and shared a dessert of banana lumpia with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream drizzled in honey. The lumpia were hot and cinnamony, flaky and Dan noted they were reminiscent of baklava.
The experience was a perfectly romantic way to end our trip, thanks to the great staff and wonderful food, live music, and upscale yet comfortable atmosphere. We'll definitely go again the next time we're in town.
(Dan's writing all about our trip over at our other blog,
The Dans In Hawai`i, so I'll just stick to writing what I know: food.)
This is the first of what I hope to be a series of weekly posts featuring Seattle-area food trucks. I'm kicking things off with the food truck I waited a long time for: one that features bánh mi.
Bánh Mi are a Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette, usually with a mayo, a mix of carrots, daikon (a radish), cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro, plus a protein like tofu, pork, or chicken.
4 years ago, I went on a bánh mi binge for my Frugal Fridays series, but was already fully in love with these sandwiches. When my work had offices in the International District, these were the go-to lunch item for a LOT of people, given they're a) ready to go b) cheap and c) delicious. One of the chief complaints I heard when we moved to South Lake Union was that lunch options were too expensive (aka there were no bánh mi for $2.50).
I was elated when Xplosive Mobile Food Truck showed up on the Seattle food scene, with regular visits to Boren & Harrison. They have their own unique take on the bánh mi - combining Filipino flavors with the Vietnamese format. They also feature Filipino/Vietnamese fusion tacos and bún (vermicelli bowls).
On my first visit to Xplosive, I opted for the full-sized Chicken Adobo Bánh Mi, which I was shocked to discover was as long as my forearm, yet was only 6 bucks. The adobo flavor was there, but it still tasted solidly like a bánh mi, so was wonderfully satisfying after so long without one. It was more than enough for lunch, which made me wonder about another menu item: the "grenades".
The grenades are bánh mi sliders, which go for just $3 a piece, including tax... very close to the old I.D. standard bánh mi pricing. Given how substantial the full size is, my hope was the grenade would be the perfect lunch portion.
Today, I went for the Lemongrass Tofu Grenade, which measured in at five inches - not quite on the same scale as similarly priced bánh mi at places like Saigon Bistro. The flavors were good, and there was a nice balance between the heat of the jalapeno and the other flavors. I may end up a little hungry later, but maybe that just means I should've ordered one of their dessert items.
My only substantial complaint would be the wait. My first visit seemed extraordinarily long, given the line of people waiting already and my own wait. Today, I got there right when they opened (before they remembered to turn down the music so they could hear my order), but there was still a bit of a wait. I'm so accustomed to bánh mi being a grab and go item (rather than any component being cooked to order), that even 5 minutes seems like a long time to wait. Maybe I just need to adjust my expectations.
