Lately I have been doing a pretty good job of bringing lunch and cooking dinner. I find it easier to ensure I'm eating the right stuff when I do that; however, every once in a while I am too lazy. On days I am too lazy to pack lunch, I go somewhere around town. Usually it's a sandwich shop. However, as I've written about before, I am obsessed with deals and airline miles. Certain restaurants in downtown offer airline miles just for dining there. For example, I get 3 airline miles for every dollar spent at Indigo. Well, I just got an email telling me that I get airline miles for eating at the Grand Cafe & Bakery (31 North Pauahi Street - map here).
The "draw" of this place is that they serve healthy, fresh ingredients in a country-style setting. It has the feel of a homestyle diner in downtown Chinatown. As I waited for my order, I noticed that all the dishes that came out had pretty substantial portions, which makes the above-average prices seem more justifiable. I ordered the blackened chicken sandwich and there was a lot of food. The meal itself, which came with fresh, homemade potato chips, was pretty awesome. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned and came on a really soft bun with herb aioli. A co-worker ordered the fish and chips and said he was equally pleased with his order. If you're every looking for a lunch place in Chinatown (and don't feel like Chinese food), I recommend checking this place out.
Showing posts with label Maps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maps. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Golden Palace
Last week our chambers went out to lunch together. By "chambers" I mean the judge, the two clerks, and our secretary (sorry, no, I mean our "judicial assistant"). Anyway, the idea came up when I went out with the judicial assistants for pau hana last week (pau hana literally means "after work" but you know it better as happy hour). Our judicial assistant and I were talking and I asked her where I could find good Manapua. I told her that I could only seem to find it at 7-Eleven. She was not pleased. So she suggested we all go to lunch at the place where you can get the good stuff, especially since it is walking to distance to our office. Upon hearing about lunch, however, my judge decided that he'd rather go for Dim Sum. Since we all like dim sum, this was no problem. They suggested Golden Palace in Chinatown.
Dim sum is a Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea." Dim Sum is usually linked with the older tradition of yum cha (tea tasting), which has its roots in travellers on the ancient Silk Road (i.e. an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world) needing a place to rest. Thus teahouses were established along the roadside. I just call it Chinese tapas. I hate tapas, though, because they are ridiculously overpriced for essentially no food. Definitely a rip off. Dim sum, however, is not like that at all and Golden Palace is awesome.
Golden Palace is located at 111 North King Street and is pretty hard to miss given the big ass sign out front that says "Golden Palace." It looks like a stereotypical chinese restaurant. The best part about this place is the price of the dim sim...ready? $1.89 per dish. Now yes, the dishes are small so you're not getting lunch for $1.89. However, 2-3 people would easily be completely stuffed after 10 dishes. You're talkin' somewhere around $6 to be stuffed. And it includes pretty good hot tea.
The service here was amazing. There are several carts that the waitresses push around throughout the dining room. Each cart has various dishes of dim sum. They just walk by your table and you stop them, point to what you want, and they hand it to you. My judge actually knew the names of things, but our judicial assistant informed me that she has never once said a dish by name. She just points. Besides, most of the waitresses are very old Chinese women. If you're a tourist, they're going to pretend they don't speak English anyway. Even if they do speak English, you won't understand them and they won't understand you. We had maybe 15 different plates, including Manapua, pork dumplings, shu mai, spring rools, shrimp-stuffed eggplant, shrimp-stuffed peppers, and fried mochi. It was all really good.
The fact that Hawai'i has a strong dim sum tradition is not surprising since the custom originated in Canton, the region from which many Hawai'i immigrants came. The term is variously translated as "a little bit of heart" or "heart's delight," meaning something that touches the heart. The name speaks to the connection between dim sum and human interaction. That's because these are drawn-out meals - consisting of dumplings, baked treats, and invariably, tea - that you share with others. The dim sum table is a place at which to do business, trade gossip or socialize. In Chinatown and other neighborhoods with a lot of foot traffic, dim sum is an everyday occurrence, generally served from the early morning to early afternoon. I definitely recommend Golden Palace, and if you're ever in the mood for tapas, opt for dim sum instead.
Dim sum is a Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea." Dim Sum is usually linked with the older tradition of yum cha (tea tasting), which has its roots in travellers on the ancient Silk Road (i.e. an extensive interconnected network of trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world) needing a place to rest. Thus teahouses were established along the roadside. I just call it Chinese tapas. I hate tapas, though, because they are ridiculously overpriced for essentially no food. Definitely a rip off. Dim sum, however, is not like that at all and Golden Palace is awesome.
Golden Palace is located at 111 North King Street and is pretty hard to miss given the big ass sign out front that says "Golden Palace." It looks like a stereotypical chinese restaurant. The best part about this place is the price of the dim sim...ready? $1.89 per dish. Now yes, the dishes are small so you're not getting lunch for $1.89. However, 2-3 people would easily be completely stuffed after 10 dishes. You're talkin' somewhere around $6 to be stuffed. And it includes pretty good hot tea.
The service here was amazing. There are several carts that the waitresses push around throughout the dining room. Each cart has various dishes of dim sum. They just walk by your table and you stop them, point to what you want, and they hand it to you. My judge actually knew the names of things, but our judicial assistant informed me that she has never once said a dish by name. She just points. Besides, most of the waitresses are very old Chinese women. If you're a tourist, they're going to pretend they don't speak English anyway. Even if they do speak English, you won't understand them and they won't understand you. We had maybe 15 different plates, including Manapua, pork dumplings, shu mai, spring rools, shrimp-stuffed eggplant, shrimp-stuffed peppers, and fried mochi. It was all really good.
The fact that Hawai'i has a strong dim sum tradition is not surprising since the custom originated in Canton, the region from which many Hawai'i immigrants came. The term is variously translated as "a little bit of heart" or "heart's delight," meaning something that touches the heart. The name speaks to the connection between dim sum and human interaction. That's because these are drawn-out meals - consisting of dumplings, baked treats, and invariably, tea - that you share with others. The dim sum table is a place at which to do business, trade gossip or socialize. In Chinatown and other neighborhoods with a lot of foot traffic, dim sum is an everyday occurrence, generally served from the early morning to early afternoon. I definitely recommend Golden Palace, and if you're ever in the mood for tapas, opt for dim sum instead.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Kaua'i
This weekend I went to Kaua'i (it's easy to go for a weekend when you have Furlough Fridays off). Kauai is Hawaii’s fourth largest island and is sometimes called the “Garden Isle,” which is an entirely accurate description. It is the oldest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain and is littered with valleys, sharp mountain spires and jagged cliffs that are pretty draw dropping. Centuries of growth have also formed tropical rainforests, forking rivers and cascading waterfalls.
If you've never been to Kaua'i, you may nevertheless be familiar with its scenery. The mountains and coast were backdrops for movies such as Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Six Days Seven Nights, and South Pacific. It was also the setting for the TV show Gilligan's Island. Kaua'i is nothing like O'ahu. It is as secluded and untouched by development as you can get and has none of O'ahu's city-like feel. There is only one major road that follows the coast and only a few minor roads that go to the center of the island. In fact, vast parts of the island can only be seen or accessed by boat or helicopter.
Kaua'i is circular in shape with lush, mountainous regions in its center and beaches covering almost half its shoreline. Kauai's age makes it one of the most scenic islands in Hawaii from the 3,000-foot elevations of Waimea Canyon to the waterfalls and deep gorges of 5,148-foot Mount Waialeale in the uninhabited center of Kauai, which you can only view by air. We didn't have much of a plan when we arrived, but had a pretty packed weekend of activities. Someone recommended we hike the Na Pali coast, so we did that when we got off the plane. We also went to Waimea Canyon, the Waimea Brewing company (more beer reviews to come!), the Kauai coffee company, and a beach.
If you've never been to Kaua'i, you may nevertheless be familiar with its scenery. The mountains and coast were backdrops for movies such as Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Six Days Seven Nights, and South Pacific. It was also the setting for the TV show Gilligan's Island. Kaua'i is nothing like O'ahu. It is as secluded and untouched by development as you can get and has none of O'ahu's city-like feel. There is only one major road that follows the coast and only a few minor roads that go to the center of the island. In fact, vast parts of the island can only be seen or accessed by boat or helicopter.
Kaua'i is circular in shape with lush, mountainous regions in its center and beaches covering almost half its shoreline. Kauai's age makes it one of the most scenic islands in Hawaii from the 3,000-foot elevations of Waimea Canyon to the waterfalls and deep gorges of 5,148-foot Mount Waialeale in the uninhabited center of Kauai, which you can only view by air. We didn't have much of a plan when we arrived, but had a pretty packed weekend of activities. Someone recommended we hike the Na Pali coast, so we did that when we got off the plane. We also went to Waimea Canyon, the Waimea Brewing company (more beer reviews to come!), the Kauai coffee company, and a beach.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Dragon's Nostrils and Makapu'u
Makapu'u Lighthouse is one of Hawaii's most familiar landmarks along the Windward (Southeast) side of O'ahu. It is actually on the South Easternmost tip of the island. The lighthouse was built in 1909 and automated in 1974. There is a 2-mile paved trail that leads to the lighthouse and along the way has a fantastic view of the entire coastline and the island of Molokai in the distance (The Molokai Channel runs past Makapu'u Lighthouse). A little over a mile up the trail, there is a "whale watching plaque." This plaque talks about Humpback Whale watching that is supposedly spectacular from this viewpoint during their mating and birthing seasons from December through April.
Getting there is really easy. From Waikiki take Kalakaua Avenue past the Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park. Turn right onto Diamond Head Road. Follow the signs going East (to your left) to Kalanianaole Highway (Route 72). You can also just jump on the H-1 East and stay straight. H-1 turns into 72. You'll pass Hanauma Bay (closed on Tuesdays, so no review yet), Sandy Beach Park, and the Halona Blow Hole until you get to the Hawaii Kai Golf Course. About ½ mile past the golf course, the entrance to the trail is on the right. You'll also likely see about a half dozen paragliders gliding in the air above the mountains. This is where all the hang gliders and para gliders come to jump off.
The hike is fairly easy, though it can be a little steep and it's 2 miles long. You don't have to be in great shape to walk it, but definitely bring water. We forgot (mostly because we didn't expect to be hiking at all, but just sort of stumbled on it) and by the end you're desperate for water. Also, make sure the tide is UP when you go. Going back to the whale watching plaque. The trail follows the coastline, so you get some great views of the water along the way. If you stop at this plaque, though, look down the 400 ft cliff. The entire cliff wall is dried lava. It will slightly slope down to a lava bed just out into the water, but still attached to the land. If the tide is up, you'll notice the "dragon's nostrils." The ocean has somehow carved holes and caves into and under the lava. When the water rushes underneath, the air and water are pushed under the lava and violently shoots through the blow holes (about 4-5 of them). Well, there are two holes right next to each other that quite accurately depict a dragon's nostrils. The sound is incredible and the geysers shoot easily 25 feet in the air. You can hear it and see it from the trail even though it's about 350-400 feet down the cliff. You may even see people swimming in the wading pools around there (see below).
It is a 400 ft hike down the lava cliff to the pools. The trail to the Dragon's Nostrils (if you can call it a trail) starts near the whale watching sign. It is more of a scramble up and down. There are white arrows painted on the rock, but you can't really see them until you are on your way back up. So going down is kind of a guess if you haven't done it before. As you're climbing down the cliff trying not to fall to your death, lava rocks are loose and slipping under your feet. This part of the hike (which is NOT on the paved trail) requires you to be in good shape (and to have a strong sense of adventure). Getting down the cliff took us about 35 minutes or more. It's slow and finding the trail down is next to impossible. So we climbed/crawled down, took some pictures and video, waded in the pool with some locals (though, if I live here now, do I get to claim local status?), and tried to admire the sheer size of the cliff we just descended (and tried to get over the loud sound of the nostrils). It sounds like there is a giant T-Rex caught or trapped underneath the lava shelf just itching to escape and attack anything in sight. Pretty cool stuff.
The hike is fairly easy, though it can be a little steep and it's 2 miles long. You don't have to be in great shape to walk it, but definitely bring water. We forgot (mostly because we didn't expect to be hiking at all, but just sort of stumbled on it) and by the end you're desperate for water. Also, make sure the tide is UP when you go. Going back to the whale watching plaque. The trail follows the coastline, so you get some great views of the water along the way. If you stop at this plaque, though, look down the 400 ft cliff. The entire cliff wall is dried lava. It will slightly slope down to a lava bed just out into the water, but still attached to the land. If the tide is up, you'll notice the "dragon's nostrils." The ocean has somehow carved holes and caves into and under the lava. When the water rushes underneath, the air and water are pushed under the lava and violently shoots through the blow holes (about 4-5 of them). Well, there are two holes right next to each other that quite accurately depict a dragon's nostrils. The sound is incredible and the geysers shoot easily 25 feet in the air. You can hear it and see it from the trail even though it's about 350-400 feet down the cliff. You may even see people swimming in the wading pools around there (see below).
It is a 400 ft hike down the lava cliff to the pools. The trail to the Dragon's Nostrils (if you can call it a trail) starts near the whale watching sign. It is more of a scramble up and down. There are white arrows painted on the rock, but you can't really see them until you are on your way back up. So going down is kind of a guess if you haven't done it before. As you're climbing down the cliff trying not to fall to your death, lava rocks are loose and slipping under your feet. This part of the hike (which is NOT on the paved trail) requires you to be in good shape (and to have a strong sense of adventure). Getting down the cliff took us about 35 minutes or more. It's slow and finding the trail down is next to impossible. So we climbed/crawled down, took some pictures and video, waded in the pool with some locals (though, if I live here now, do I get to claim local status?), and tried to admire the sheer size of the cliff we just descended (and tried to get over the loud sound of the nostrils). It sounds like there is a giant T-Rex caught or trapped underneath the lava shelf just itching to escape and attack anything in sight. Pretty cool stuff.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Hawaiian Islands And A Little Perspective
It occurred to me that some people, while reading my (sometimes) misanthropic posts may not have an accurate understanding of the Hawaiian islands or their basic layout. Below is a map (click to enlarge):
The Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian: Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago (chain or cluster of islands) of eight major islands, several atolls (island of coral that circles a lagoon partially or completely), numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the Pacific Ocean. The entire chain of islands extends some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll (the northwesternmost island in Hawaii is Green Island, which is joined to the Kure Atoll).
Oahu, where the Intermediate Court of Appeals and Supreme Court are located, is an island in the Northwestern part of the chain. Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and is located on the island of Oahu. Many people often confuse "Hawaii the State" with "Hawaii the Island" thinking they are the same thing. This is understandably confusing. Hawaii the Island is also called "The Big Island." Hawaii the State is in reference to all 8 major islands (and surrounding atolls, etc). The major metropolitan area of Hawaii the State is Honolulu. Oahu has by far the most people and most commercial activity of any of the islands.
Oahu, known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the State of Hawaiʻi. It has a total land area of 596.7 square miles. The craziest thing is that the island is home to about 902,168 people, which is roughly 75% of the population of the entire state. Then about 75% of those on Oahu live on the "city" side of the island. In case you don't feel like doing the math, that means that there are about 1,521 people/sq mi on Oahu.
To put these numbers in perspective, consider a few other places. The Big Island, the largest Hawaiian island, has just under 44 people per square mile (4,028 sq. mil with a population of 175,784). The State of Delaware (the second smallest State) has 885,000 people contained within a 2,490 sq mi area (355 people/sq mi). The State of California is the most populous State in the U.S. and third largest by land area. California is 163,696 sq mi with a population of 36,961,664 (225.8 people per/sq mi). All the numbers presented are as of 2009 and are compiled from the official websites of the particular State.
So there you have the very basic idea.
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