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Iconic Hawaii eateries

by Catherine Toth on April 13, 2011 in Food, Musings, The Daily Dish

Well, who knew Monday’s blog would be such a talker!

But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised.

Hawaii has changed so much over the past few decades, it’s easy to find something to miss.

Longs Drugs Stores are now owned by CVS. Star Markets no longer exist. And the only place you can get a fresh waffle dog regularly is at the Panini Press at Kahala Mall.

But I didn’t want the blog to be a downer.

Though we don’t have Da Rink or Castle Park anymore, though restaurants such as Wisteria and Coco’s have long closed, though we’re seeing more Mainland big-box retailers open and local stores closing — there are some great places still around.

And today’s blog, I’m going to focus on those iconic restaurants, diners, drive-ins and take-out spots that make Hawaii, well, Hawaii.

Here’s the start to the list I’m sure you’ll finish: (Notice most of them don’t have websites yet!)

• Rainbow Drive-In and its award-winning loco moco plate and slush float
• Like Like Drive Inn, one of the few local restaurants open 24 hours and serving breakfast all day
• Liliha Bakery with its famous cocoa puffs and that old-school radioactive-red jelly served at the counter
• Wailana Coffee Shop on the outskirts of Waikiki
• Zippy’s — it’s the closest thing to a locally owned chain restaurant and its chili cheese fries are a late-night nosh must
• Ono Hawaiian Foods on Kapahulu Avenue that’s still so popular you have to wait in line to get a table
• Natsunoya Tea House on Alewa Heights
• W&M Bar-B-Q Burgers on Waialae Avenue — used to be on 9th Avenue — that still makes some of the best (and cheapest) burgers around
• Shige’s Saimin Restaurant, an iconic saimin stand in Wahiawa
• Ted’s Bakery, though a tourist haven, still got great cream pies
• Gulick Delicatessen, one of the best-known okazuya located in Kalihi and serves the best vegetable tempura I’ve ever had

OK, finish my list! And tell me what to order next time I’m there!

Comments { 47 }

Kona: Driving around town

by Catherine Toth on March 22, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

The last thing I needed this week was a mini vacation.

I’ve got papers to grade, a website to build, freelance stories to finish and an event at Hawaii Theatre to organize this Saturday.

Then again, maybe it was the perfect time for a getaway.

My boyfriend, who hails from Kealakehe on the Big Island, had gone back home for Spring Break. (He’s a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.) So I decided to join him in Kona today through Thursday.

There were a few things I knew I wanted to do: see the damage caused by the tsunami, eat pork chops at the Manago Hotel and drive to Honokaa for malassadas from Tex Drive In.

Here’s what we did on our first day in Kona:

Comments { 28 }

FUUD: Cafe Sistina on King Street

by Catherine Toth on March 11, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

Who would have thought a meat lasagna and ragu bolognese would have been our last meals?

It almost was, had that 8.9-magnitude earthquake off Honshu, Japan generated a destructive tsunami that hit our Islands. (Luckily, it wasn’t too bad. Surges caused extensive damage to piers and boats docked at Keehi Small Boat Harbor and flooding on the Big Island and Maui.)

We had just been served our entrees when I got a text message about the earthquake, then reported as a 7.9-magnitude. I immediately got on Twitter and started posting whatever I could find online.

Then the earthquake magnitude was upgraded. Then we heard a tsunami hit the Japan coastline. Then we saw the video of the wave — and we knew this might be bad.

We inhaled the tirimisu, cleared the check and bolted out of the restaurant to pack and evacuate.

So here’s what was “almost” my last meal:

Cafe Sistina, 1314 S. King St. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5:30-9:30 p.m. weekdays, 5:30-930 p.m. weekends. Phone: (808) 596-0061

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Cat Chat 17: Puppet sex?

by Catherine Toth on March 2, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish, Videos

When my editor, Diane Seo, told me that I would be interviewing a puppet on today’s Cat Chat, I was a bit concerned.

Not about conversing with a puppet. But that the puppet would upstage me.

And sure enough, the puppet — named Princeton and part of Manoa Valley Theatre’s latest production, “Avenue Q,” which opens tomorrow — did just that.

“Avenue Q” is a sharp-witted and hilarious coming-of-age parable, satirizing the issues and anxieties of young adults, particularly the ones — like Princeton — who are recent graduates with throw-away college degrees.

It’s a spoof of PBS’ “Sesame Street,” where kids are special and everything finds a way of working out. Life is good on Sesame Street — but not so great on Avenue Q.

And unlike “Sesame Street,” this play has some real-life situations not appropriate for kids. Like swearing, nudity and, yes, puppet sex.

The show is so popular — it won Tony Awards in 2004 for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Original Book — and tickets sales so strong, MVT decided to extend the show two more weeks. That means, it will run from Thursday — opening night — until April 3.

So Princeton — and his handler, Elitei Tatafu Jr. — and Christmas Eve — played by Pomai Lopez — spent some time with us yesterday to talk about the show, their personal take on the message, and how in the world can a puppet show be R-rated.

For more information or to order tickets, call (808) 988-6131 or visit www.manoavalleytheatre.com.

This production is one of the first community theater productions in the nation and uses puppets from the official play licensing house. Guest director, Bree Bumatai. Guest musical director, Megan Mount. Choreographer/puppeteer, Cindy Hartigan.

Special thanks to Manoa Valley Theatre, Elitei Tatafu Jr., Pomai Lopez, Aubrey Hawk and the cast and crew of “Avenue Q” for making this Cat Chat happen!

Comments { 18 }

Cat Chat 14: Coffee geeks

by Catherine Toth on February 9, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish, Videos

I don’t drink coffee — and on Monday I found out why.

I’ve had bad coffee.

Some tasted bitter, others charred. Turns out I have probably never had a decent cup of coffee in my entire life — hence, my distaste for it.

I learned that by sampling the brew at Beach Bum Cafe, a new microbrew coffee house in downtown Honolulu. (In fact, it’s the only one on Oahu and possibly in the state.)

This boutique coffee shop, which opened this month and is located in Executive Centre, serves and sells only 100 percent Hawaii-grown coffee. Run by coffee geeks Dennis McQuoid and Shawn Steiman (Coffea Consulting and author of “The Hawaii Coffee Book”), the coffee here is uniquely brewed for each customer. Meaning, each cup is made individually and made-to-order. You pick your beans, which are ground right in front of you, then choose your brewing method: espresso, Chemex, vacuum pot and cloth filter.

It’s like a chemistry class in a coffee shop. The concept is seriously cool.

“I looked around and realized that no cafe on Oahu serves what I call ‘thought-provoking coffees,’ so I decided to open Beach Bum Cafe to fill the niche,” McQuoid said. “As far as I know, no cafe in Hawaii has yet to attempt this type of microbrew service and variety of coffee selection.”

Wanna see what he’s talking about? Check it out: