Gastro Monkey // 美食家

North Shore For my latest birthday, The Boyfriend took me to Hawaii. I'm not usually one to brag, but this was one of the best gifts ever (although to be honest, his gifts are always good). The last time I went to Hawaii was for the Spartan Race, so this time would be all about fun. I mean, I had fun last time, but there was that whole extreme exercise in the sun portion that was super draining. This time, we would go to eat, relax and . Instead of going to Kualoa Ranch for the Spartan Race, we would take a few tours to enjoy the sights without having to lug buckets of gravel or 40lbs. sandbags, do burpees, or army crawling 100 meters 😅 Since the flight arrived at noon, it was perfectly timed for lunch again at Helena's. The Boyfriend hadn't been to Helena's before, so I figured it would be a nice first meal in Oahu. We went with the set menu D, and didn't get the chicken long rice or poke. Last time, the poke had a few opihi on it. Apparently this time ...

One of my favorite spots in Sacramento is Binchoyaki. I've already posted before about them , but that was two years ago. I think it's ready for a quick update. What's great is the food is still just as good as it was two years ago, and with a few updates. The dollar oyster deal has been going on a bit I think, I just haven't had a chance to go yet. Since it's still May, we decided to check it out. I was enjoying myself too much to ask what type of oyster it was that was included for their dollar oysters, honestly. And, dollar oysters usually mean super ocean-y-gotta-really-like-seafood-and-its-smells kind of oysters. But, I am happy to report that those dollar oysters are good! They're a little on the bigger side than what I would pick for myself, but they weren't overwhelmingly big (I'm lookin at you, Pacific Oyster). They were slightly briney, but not too much. The vinaigrette was very strong. Since I like oysters and their natural flavor, next t...

If you haven't noticed by now, I like trying places that Bourdain recommends. While I don't take his word for gospel, he does recommend quite a few good places. If you're interested in watching the episode, it's from Season 3, episode 2 of Parts Unknown .  Raku is located in Chinatown in a tiny strip mall. The parking lot was pretty full when I got there (around 10:30-11pm). Also, there are two Raku restaurants in the plaza - one is a dessert bar, the other, further back, is the grill. It is super dark and warm in there. We had no reservation, but it didn't take long to get seated. The menu is simple, the way I like it. While perusing the menu, they also bring out the specials menu. They also let you know  break your heart with which items are already sold out for the evening. 俺の豆腐 Raku’s Tofu I would like to try coming back again earlier in the evening to try more things (the teba wings sounded delicious). But, as it were, some of these items pret...

I have been to Japantown countless times, and each time I pass On the Bridge I think, I'm going to try that place one of these days. I am proud to say that I finally did make that stop! In fact, I have gone twice now. They serve a wide range of items from loco moco to curry to spaghetti. It's all done Japanese style, do don't go in expecting it to be like Olive Garden but with comics. My favorite so far, has been the nameko spaghetti.  The location is exactly as the name is, on the bridge. There are two main buildings (plus a few smaller ones) in San Francisco's Japantown. This is the bridge that you can take to get from one to another. For example, if you want Belly Good Crepes but also want some Sophie's Crepes, this would be the bridge to go over.  Katsu curry don. The breading is crispy, and the curry is not overwhelming like some curries can be. Nameko Spaghetti  - Japanese style spaghetti made from a soy and garlic based sauce rather than tomato. ...