Honolulu Jan 6 - Jan 9 Part II

I can't leave Hawaii without touching upon its food. To sum up, Hawaii's cuisine is general fatty goodness. I don't want to know what they put in their meat products, and I really don't care. It is tasty all-American stuff with an Asian twist. Chili, Spam, "all beef" franks come with a side of rice and some processed cheese, and gravy too if you request the heart-attack special.

The "fanciest" meal we had was at Alan Wong's in Honolulu. Located on a major street of 3 lanes and tucked away on the 3rd floor of a nondescript office building, I didn't have very high expectations. I was especially disappointed in the restaurant's choices of chain restaurant decor (like muted pastel green and mauve colors), orangy lighting, creaky metal restroom doors, cheap paper towels and an unsightly plastic soap dispenser. I know, I know I sound snotty, but at the prices this place was charging, this "fine" dining establishment had taken a lot of liberty downgrading the details.

My impressions continued to be negative. I noticed a dirty fork by my chair that had been carelessly overlooked by the staff. The uniforms were mismatched bargain bin ties with equally mismatched white button-down dress shirts. Clearly, the staff were given loose guidelines and had been told to supply their own uniforms. The service was friendly but a bit harried, and I think I remember my silverware was from different sets, but I may just be imagining things.

The cuisine was a sort of Pacific Rim-European fusion. The first dish appeared. I held my breath expecting to food to be equally disappointing. It was... shockingly good! Although everything was a bit too salty (even for a savory, salt-lick loving lady like me), the food was well prepared with each bite savory, layered, flavorful. My main course of seared Ahi steak was perfectly seared and seasoned, and the middle was a cool, raw pink.

The below was my starter of kimchi spring rolls, lettuce and shiso leaves (to be eaten like a Vietnamese spring roll), cucumber kimchi, and fried tofu (or maybe it was a seafood cake). The most delightful course was the dessert. We didn't even get a shot of it because it was gobbled up before we remembered to get out the camera. It was the Haupia Tapioca "Halo Halo" which was like the best fruit cup I've ever had. The tapioca came with a mini fruit salad of Hamakua Springs apples, bananas, pineapples, mango kanten, sweet corn, Azuki beans, and coconut shaved ice. It was so refreshing.

Everything was ono at Alan Wong's!!