Curry Crazy

One of my cousins from Canada came to visit recently, an naturally I took him on a whirlwind eating tour of Hawaii.  As we were passing through McCully Shopping Center, to visit my favorite little plate lunch place, Regal Diner, my cousin noticed the name Curry House.  His first thought was that the place was an Indian restaurant.  I suppose this comment shouldn't have disoriented me as much as it did.   Indians are well known for their curry worldwide, and there is even a place downtown on Bishop St., next to Remington College called Komala Curry House, which I'm still very interested in trying one day.  But my immediate reaction to my cousin was that he was so strange.   After all, in Hawaii, the first curry that you think of is Japanese curry.   Curry House is of course a part of the multi-national Japanese chain, Curry House CoCo Ichibanya.

My reaction to my cousin just underscored the difference in viewpoint between us islanders and people from the mainland.   But in truth, in Hawaii we've got many different kinds of curry.   Of course we've got the Indian curry that my cousin initially thought of.  However, to me, Indian curry (really a masala or a vindaloo) isn't the best example of curry, because they use so many different spices in conjunction with their curry, that it kind of overwhelms the curry powder itself.   While the resulting dish is outrageously delicious, it doesn't allow the curry spice enough of the spotlight.    We've also got Thai curry, Vietnamese curry, and curries from other parts of Southeast Asia.   The Thais in fact have red curry, yellow curry, green curry, and others (my favorite being Panang curry), each with their own distinct flavor.   But again, this is not the best example of curry, because the predominant taste is that of the coconut milk, the thai basil, and the chili peppers that they use.  Again, while extraordinarily delicious, it doesn't give the curry spice the center stage.   For the true curry taste, you've got to look to our beloved perfectionists, the Japanese.  

Only the Japanese aesthetic is able to recognize and bring out the beauty of a stark, singular item, such as a single piece of sashimi atop a small mound of rice.   It is this aesthetic that recognizes the flavor of the curry powder itself, and allows it the opportunity to shine on its own.   In Hawaii, we've adopted Japanese style curry, as our own curry stew, the close cousin of our local style beef stew.  Essentially the same big cubes of beef, hunks of potato, carrot and onions in the a curry based gravy instead of a tomato based one, curry stew is a favorite on plate lunches across the islands.   Alternatively, replace the big hunks of beef with some hamburger, add some peas, and you've got the hamburger curry which is usually one of the best things to get from a lunchwagon.   But while our local style curry is extremely popular, it is sort of a milder version of the original Japanese curry.  

Special Mix (Teri Beef, Hamburger Steak, & Beef Curry) at Regal Diner

For the real curry taste, the prefection in a solitary flavor, you've got to have some of the authentic Japanese curry.  The Japanese love their curry, especially young kids and teenagers.   If you've ever watched the popular anime, Inu Yasha, there is a scene where Kagome first introduces curry to the titular half yokai, Inu Yasha, with great comedic effect.   In typical anime over-exaggeration, he runs around screaming trying to wipe the burning spices from is humourously extended tongue.   But the small scene is just an example of how common curry is in Japan.  You can make it at home, with pre-mixed packages of S&B Golden Curry, something which to me completely outclasses a Hamburger Helper meal.   But if you don't know what you're doing, and you want to taste the true essence of curry, done by the masters, the place you want to go is Curry House CoCo Ichibanya.

Corn Salad at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

When visiting Curry House, you really must begin your meal with a small salad.   Besides their extraordinary Japanese curry, Curry House is known for their two salad dressings.   Their creamy dressing is one of my favorite dressings in the world.   It is a sweet, creamy, slightly miso tasting, dressing.   Unlike vinegarettes which can be overpoweringly sour, or blue cheese or ranch dressings which can drown your vegetables in cream, the creamy dressing is light and sweet and seems to augment the natural sweetness of the crisp refreshing lettuce below.  You can even buy bottles of it to take home, but I just like having it as a cooling preamble to whet my appetite for the warm, yummy curry to follow.

Kids Curry at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

As I've mentioned before, curry is very popular with kids in Japan.   While my son has difficulty eating the overwhelming spices of Indian curry (which makes us wonder what Indian kids eat), he has no problem with the kids curry at Curry House.   The kids curry is remarkably mild, with lots of little fun, kid friendly sides.  While mild, it maintains just a hint of the curry flavor, enough for him to enjoy.

Mixed Vegetable Curry at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

My wife likes the vegetable curry at Curry House.  The wide assortment of vegetables, especially the hasu (or lotus root), makes for a great texture mix (nothing like horrible, textureless mix of frozen diced carrots, grean beans and corn that you get at most diners).  The sweetness of the vegetables also adds to the curry.   As my wife does also does not like a lot of spices, she greatly prefers the mild curry at Curry House to going to eat Indian curry.   However, even in their mild curry, you can taste the full flavor of the curry powder.  The gravy just seems to magnify the true curry taste, with the perfect Japanese rice gives it a warm soft body to enjoy.

Chicken Katsu Curry at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

For me, nothing will do except the spicy curry.   Although it's spicier, the spices do not at all overwhelm the taste of the curry powder.   In fact, it's not really spicy at all to me, it's just enough to give the curry powder a little kick in beginning, something that wakes up your taste buds so that they recognize the lingering curry powder taste to follow.  In Hawaii, the combination of curry and chicken katsu has become extremely popular, from plate lunches to real Japanese food.  Curry House naturally does it the best.   There is just something about the crunchy, fried, batter of the chicken katsu as it is just on the point of softening in the warm curry gravy (it's similar to putting crunchy cereal in milk).  Although it is a contrast, it seems so harmonious.  It's probably the reason that curry croquettes and curry doughnuts are so popular at Japanese bakeries, like St. Germain or Panya.  Even the plating at Curry House is perfect.  Unlike at certain plate lunch places where they just pour curry stew all over the chicken katsu, which eventually leaves it soggy if you're taking it out to eat, the katsu is positioned so as to maintain its crunchiness while just dipping its toes into the curry for artful aesthetics.   The curry to katsu ratio is then yours to control and enjoy.   It is a fantastic combination and my favorite dish at Curry House.

If you're feeling hungry, you can also order a slightly larger portion of rice with your curry (400g instead of 300g).   The fact that they measure the weight in grams of course throws us Americans off, but suffice it to say the 400g is nicely satisfying. I remember when Curry House first opened many years ago, they had one of those eating challenges (like the ones seen on Man vs. Food).  It was I think 1000g or something like that, which was roughly equivalent to a whole small pot of rice and curry.   I guess the local blalahs could eat much more than they were expecting, because they no longer offer the challenge.  It's too bad, because I do love their curry so, that I did want to try it one day.  It's probably for the best, and I'll always have my 97 second spaghetti eating days.

Calpico at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

When eating Indian curry, my wife always has to cool her tongue with a yogurt based Indian lassi.   Although this isn't necessary while eating the mild curry at Curry House, there is a Japanese sweet yogurt drink that just goes great with their curry.   I, of course, am referring to Calpico.  There is just something about the mild, sweet, ever so slight tang, and milkiness of Calpico that reminds me of all the wonderful Japanese candy (like Fusen gum) that we used to have when we were kids.  The sweet taste of Calpico is almost comparable to ice cream sodas or New York egg cremes, but as its not carbonated its much easier and smoother to drink.   The sweet reminder of childhood, emphasizes how popular curry is with Japanese youngsters. 

Indian and Thai curries may be delicious and have worldwide notoriety, but for the ultimate, quintessential, true curry flavor, nothing beats Japanese-style curry.  As popular as it is with the youth of Japan, we're so lucky to grow up with and enjoy it here as well.

Bollywood Bliss

Having developed a taste for Indian cuisine, I was determined to find the best, most authentic Indian food on the island.  My quest brought me back to the University area, around Puck's Alley, and McCully, where you will find the greatest congregation of Indian places in town.   My hypothesis for this phenomenon is twofold.   Firstly, college students are usually the most adventurous eaters, just beginning to spread their wings and explore the world around them, and since the Beattles free love era, Indian food has been a favorite alternative cuisine.    Secondly, and probably more significantly, our biggest Indian population in the islands is probably comprised of the Indian foreign exchange students who come to UH and HPU, seeking a technical education and the prospect of a better life.   This population was most affected shortly after 9/11, when the government began restricting visas from Muslim countries, something that immediately affected UH and HPU considerably.  Luckily since that time, the Indian students have been returning and with them the demand for good Indian food.

Spice Display at Cafe Maharani

Although there are quite a number of Indian places in the University area, not all of them are good.   Indeed, it is in this area, that I had first tasted Indian food, and found the various forms of baby mush they served so unappealing, that I almost never tried Indian food again.  Luckily after experiencing the spices and textures of really good Indian food, I was compelled to seek out the authentic good stuff.   This search for spices, lead me to a tiny little place called Cafe Maharani.   Cafe Maharani is a very small little hole in he wall, next door to Down to Earth on King St.   Being so small, and being such a popular place with the University crowd, every time I've been there, there's been a considerable wait both for a table and for the service.   But the food there, is worth the wait (just be sure you're prepared for a nice leisurely 2 1/2 hour dinner).  While you're waiting, you can watch the insane, colorful, kooky Bollywood videos on their various TVs.  As a child of the '80s, and therefore a big Michael Jackson fan, I just can't help but be fascinated by the over the top choreography, and beautiful, exotic, bejeweled and veiled women in these outlandish musicals.  Their decor is filled with exotic wood carvings, ornate rugs, and intricate bronzeware.  Even their glasses are metal goblets, instead of glassware, something I really like, because the water somehow tastes colder and more refreshing coming from a chilled bronze goblet.  Some videos, pretty India decor, and good conversation pass the time as you wait for the intoxicating spices which compell you to stay.

Naan Bread at Cafe Maharani

The most essential component of any Indian meal is the bread.   We aren't talking about the many fluffy soft breads of the French Boulangiers, but several forms of unleaven bread that make pita bread seem like cheap fast food fare.   The Indians, have naan, chapati, roti, and several others each with their own textures.   Big huge rounds of naan, which are roughly the size of a small hand tossed pizza, are my favorite.   The I love the crisp texture and chewy interior of the naan bread, and the one at Cafe Maharani is better than almost any other I have ever tasted.   As per true Indian etiquette, this bread is big enough to tear off pieces, which you can use to pick up your food in lieu of utensils.

Roti Bread at Cafe Maharani

Roti bread is excellent as well.    The texture of this bread is a little tougher, a little less chewy, and has more of a whole wheat grain taste to it.  What really makes this bread nice though, is the garlic they bake into it, and the butter that they glaze it with.  It make it distinct from the naan, but just as delicious.

Saffron Rice at Cafe Maharani

Besides the bread, being in Hawaii we pretty much must eat rice, or it isn't a meal.   Since my Po Po's time, all other foods are basically meant to accompany rice, and not the other way around.  But the rice served at an Indian restaurant is not the soft white calrose rice that we're so used to.  Nor is it the sticky rice of Thai restaurants that shares kinship with Japanese mochi.   It is a lightly scented, lightly oiled, saffron rice, that is in of itself something different and intriguing to us locals.

Lamb Masala Curry at Cafe Maharani

The first dish that I must try whenever visiting any Indian restaurant is the lamb masala curry.   As I've mentioned before, it is the dish that really made me first love Indian food, during a midnight munchies run on the streets of London.   To me, it is the quintessential Indian dish, representative of everything that makes Indian food so enticing.  Although we call it a curry, curry powder is but one of the myriad of spices that comprise this heady melange.  Lamb masala is like a perfume, with different, distinct nodes that follow one another.   The top node, or first node, is a flash of black pepper and other spices that hit the tip of your tongue waking up the rest of your taste buds.  The second node, is that tender, savory, lamb flavor.  To some people, the gaminess is off putting, but to me the gamier the better.   If I'm eating lamb, I want it to taste like lamb, distinct from beef, and full of lamb flavor.   The bottom node, is the gravy that lingers and warms your tongue with the savory oils and fleeting spices.   Although the curry I had in London is a favorite that is forever etched in my memory, the one at Cafe Maharani is very similar, and easily as classic.  If you're in the mood for something even spicier, the vindaloo at Cafe Maharani makes the masala even seem bland in comparison.

Prawn Malai Korma at Cafe Maharani

Bringing kids with you to eat Indian food is somewhat daunting.   While the allure of the dozens of spices is irresistable to me, they are nearly overwhelming to a younger palate.   Of course, this always leads me into a discussion with my dad about what the little kids in India must eat, and if a spice preference (or tolerance) is really a matter of exposure and environment.   In any case, our server told us that the prawn malai korma is the most popular dish for younger guests at Cafe Maharani.  After tasting it, I can see why.   It is an incredibly mild, somewhat sweet, coconut milk based sauce that is almost the exact opposite of the intensely savory masala.   With the addition of a few sweet raisins, the dish is very kid friendly.   In fact, with the slight tomato taste, a few black olives, and the very mild Indian cheese (which is almost like cottage cheese in taste), it is almost reminiscent of a slight pizza flavor.  While that sounds disconcerting, it also explains the appeal to kids.

Vegetable Navrotten Korma at Cafe Maharani

The vegetable navrotten korma, may look similar to the prawn malai korma, but actually tastes quite different.   Here is the return of the dozens of spices, and in fact is a bit hotter than the masala itself.   But this korma brings with it the contrasting flavors of the sweet raisins and coconut, as well as all the contrasting textures of the mixed vegetables.  While I very much enjoy this dish, I prefer the aloo palak, which is a potatoes and spinach mixture reminiscent of creamed spinach or squid luau in texture.   However, while similar in consistency, the aloo palak lacks the fatty cream taste of a true creamed spinach like the one at Ruth's Chris', and replaces it with more spices.  Somehow the dark green of the spinach, better offsets all of these gravies and sauces.

Tandoori Chicken at Cafe Maharani

Probably the best dish at Cafe Maharani though, is their incredible tandoori chicken, baked in their authentic tandoor oven.   Now, in the past, I have really disliked tandoori chicken, because at the other places I've tried it, the chicken is remarkably dry and tough, and somewhat bland, indicitive of vast overcooking.  Just because it is bright red, does not make it flavorful, and being incredibly dry is just about the worst thing you can do to a chicken.   The tandoori chicken at Cafe Maharani changed all of that for me.   For the first time, I understood what tandoori chicken as all about.   Here was a whole chicken, which was juicy and tender, and almost reminiscent of a good huli huli chicken in texture.   But instead of the subtly sweet and smokey huli huli sauce, you've got a barrage of no-nonsense spices and slight lime kick.  As you tear into this chicken with your fingers, and wrap it with naan bread, you can't help but lick the spices and juices running down your fingers, feeling like a Sikh warrior, feasting before an elephant mounted charge up the Khyber Pass. 

Mango Lassi at Cafe Maharani

All of these spices can get a little overpowering, especially for my wife who really doesn't usually like a lot of spices in her food.   So whenever we go to Cafe Maharani, my wife frequently cools her tongue with the sweet cooling yogurt of an Indian lassi.   You can get them plain, or rose-water flavored, but being a local girl, the mango flavored lassi is definitely the way to go.  

Not since the sandworms of Planet Arrakis, has spice been as all encompassing and all enticing to me as at Cafe Maharani.  The spices there are both the mark of allure and authenticity.

Fijian Indian Food

To tell you the truth, I never really cared for Indian food when I was younger.   I ate it.   But I was never really fond of it.  First of all, I am famously not a fan of beans.    I don't like the starchy powdery texture that beans, legumes, and lentils all have.   Indian food, it seemed was just about all various forms of legumes and lentils.  When ordering a plate, I would have some rice, and maybe 4 different dishes, each of which seemed like a different color of baby food.   It all looked like mush to me, and didn't even have a nice creamy texture, but one of mashed beans.  Suffice it to say, I was not impressed.  It wasn't until I was much older that I found out what I was eating, was Indian fast food.   Very poor Indian fast food at that.  The real thing is totally different, and is a cuisine filled with different colors and textures, and dozens upon dozens of different spices.

The first time that I ever had really good Indian food, where I found myself really adoring Indian food, was one the epicenters of Indian cuisine.   London, England.    Wait, London, England?   Aren't the British notorious for bad food and the most unadventurous palates on the planet?   Well, yes, but for centuries, the British Empire had colonies that stretched around the globe (thus the phrase, "the sun never sets on the British Empire").   The crown jewel of the British influence in Asia, was of course India.  What people don't realize, is that although the British were there as a colonial power with their heal down on the Indians, there was a backwash of Indians that came to London.   A very big population in fact.   So it should be no surprise, that Indian food is done really well in London.

There I was in London, England, the first stop on a long European tour with my sister.  We were only spending one day in London, so not very much time to explore.   Naturally the tour serves us some really awful food.  It was an extremely bland and dry chicken.   It was so tasteless, that I feared for the food on the rest of the trip.   Unsatisfied and hungry later that night, I decided to sneak out of the hotel in search of some real food.   It was 11:00 PM, but the sun was just beginning to set.  So we were walking around in essentially late afternoon sun, and we came across a little Indian place.  Feeling curious we bought some and brought it back to our hotel.   It was simply amazing.  To begin with the bread was unlike any other unleaven bread I had ever had.   It was crispy on the outside, and the thin inside was chewy.  Much chewier and doughier than any pita bread I had ever eaten.  But the thing that I just adored was the lamb masala.  Spicy couldn't even begin to describe the number of different spices I could detect.   It was peppery.   It had so many distinct nodes of flavor.   The lamb itself was really tender, slightly gamey (with that distinctive lamb taste), and oh so delicious.   I didn't think I would ever taste Indian food like that again.  But I was wrong.

During a rather unpleasant stint I had in Seattle, when my Po Po was there for medical treatment, we decided to wander around the area near the University of Washington.   For me, walking around was more about clearing my head and dealing with my Po Po's illness, than it was about exploring and seeking new things, as is my usual modus operandi.  But we found our way into a little Indian restaurant, right outside of UW, and I found myself having a plate of that very lamb masala over jasmine rice.   Somehow the spices and the flavors put a little spring back in my step.   It wasn't at all what I would call comfort food.  But somehow, it was comforting enough, that I could refocus on supporting my Po Po.

When I got home, I was determined to find some place that I could enjoy Indian food here.   I would no longer stand for having lousy Indian mush passing itself on as real Indian food.   But at the same time, I really wasn't familiar enough with Indian cuisine that I could walk into any restaurant and know how to order the good stuff.   Unlike with Korean food, I didn't have Indian friends to take me to try their authentic favorites.   So I searched and experimented, and finally I found a place that made really good Indian food, accessible to everyone.  But the key was to go on a Friday or Saturday night, when they would offer an Indian food buffet.   The place was right on the edge between Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu, on the corner of King St. and Smith St., simply called Zaffron.

Lunch Buffet at Zaffron

The owners of Zaffron, are Indian, but they're not from India.  In fact, they're from Fiji.   Somehow, this didn't phase me, as one of my best Korean friends spent her childood in American Samoa, and I am a little Chinese boy from Hawaii.   The fact that people are away from their source countries, tends to make them cherish and celebrate their culture more.   Besides that, like Keo's did with Thai food, I was perfectly satisfied that the Indian flavors presented there, were based upon the family recipes of this particular Indian family (from Fiji).  But the moment I tasted their lamb masala curry, it brought me back to London, and to Seattle.   It wasn't exactly the same.   It was a little milder than the incredible melange of spices in London, but it was just as savory.   It was my favorite thing on their dinner buffet.    Recently, they have begun offering a full lunch buffet as well, in which the lamb masala does not appear.   But it does have a wide variety of other tasty things.

Naan Bread at Zaffron

To begin with, they offer you a piece of that wonderful naan bread that I remember from London.   It is crisp on the outside, and nice and chewy on the inside. It is the perfect for tearing off pieces and using them to pick up your food, no utensils required.

Lunch Buffet at Zaffron

They have quite a selection of vegetables.   Yes, they still have many of the lentils that I wasn't so enamoured with to begin with.  But they've also got leafier vegetables and things with more texture and crunch.  They have a very nice okra dish that has beautiful wheel shaped cross sections of okra.   My favorite is their cabbage, which like kalua pig and cabbage or corned beef and cabbage, retains the crunch of the cabbage while absorbing the savoriness of whatever it's cooked with.

Buffet Plate at Zaffron

They've got a good selection of curries.   Of course they've got a good chicken curry, but what always surprises me is their fish curry.   I've never really thought of Indian food as utilizing a lot of seafood.  Lamb, beef, and chicken, yes, but I never really associated seafood with Indian food.  To my surprise, the fish curry at Zaffron is one of the best things there.  Somehow the tenderness of the fish absorbs the oils and spices in a way that the other meat and foul do not.  The other big surprise is their egg curry.  The eggs taste almost like an omelette that my Po Po used to make.  Sort of an Indian variation on egg fu yung.   It kept me wanting more and more.

Plate of Seconds at Zaffron

Of course you must top off any Indian meal with a cup of chai tea.   Chai has become so popular now, you can pick up a cup from any Starbucks on the corner.  But the difference with getting it at Zaffron is the intensity of the spice mix.  It's a sweet, milky, cinnamony pleasure.   For some reason though, drinking chai always reminds me of Christmas.  It's probably the cinnamon, or the combination of sweet and milky.  But the precise spice mix used in good chai, always reminds me of holiday spices and the smell of baking desserts. 

Chai Tea at Zaffron

Buffets are usually not the best quality for food, since they sit there and get cold or overcook, and many places pass off quantity for quality.   At Zaffron, however, the buffet is a wonderful way to expose yourself to something new, to try new flavors and taste sensations, and explore a different culinary culture.  I can't attest that they're the most authentic Indian cuisine, but somehow you can taste the family, the ohana, in their recipes.

Exotic Adventures (in the Land of the Free)

In Hawaii, a single person can really effect our culinary landscape.   We have so many celebrity chefs and restauranteurs from Alan Wong, to Chai, to Eddie Flores.   But when it comes to Thai food, the one name that pioneered the genre is Keo Sananikone.    Prior to his arrival, we really didn't have much of a Thai scene.  Then, in the early 80's, the Vietnamese and Thai restaruants started opening up.  But the difference is, there were many little mom & pop Vietnamese restaurants.   With Thai food, there was Keo, and everyone else who followed him.

Keo was the chef, and his sister Nancy was the businesswoman.   They had a dream.   They wanted to bequeath each of their children one restaurant.  This is a great inheritance, because unlike a lump sum of money or a house, this continously provides for financial security so long as the restaurant does well.  So they began a restaurant empire, that included Mekong, Mekong II, Keoni's, and of course, Keo's.   I still remember the first time I visited the original Keo's on Kapahulu Avenue.   I was immediately struck with how beautiful the restaurant was.   Around every corner was a gilded Thai statue.  At every table, there was a virtual waterfall of cascading orchids.   On every wall, a striking black and gold Thai relief.   And of course, the food was as beautiful, as exotic, and as delicious as its surroundings.  They also had a second location in Ward Center.   But both of these locations have closed, to open their current location in Waikiki.  Now, most locals would never go to Waikiki to eat, because of the traffic and inflated tourist prices, but for Keo's I would gladly make an exception.

Keo's food was based on the Sananikone family recipies.  Virtually every Thai restaurant in Hawaii, has tried to emulate (with varying degrees of success), their dishes.   Because of this, Thai cuisine in Hawaii is really different from Thai cuisine anywhere else in the country (or the world for that matter).   When I was on the mainland for grad school, around half of my friends were Thai exchange students, and for dinner, we would frequent a little place in Pomona called Sanamluang Cafe.   It was a small, joint that was open til the wee hours of the morning (perfect for a late dinner after a night class), and late at night we would pretty much have the run of the joint.  The restaurant was also a pretty dirty hole in the wall, and didn't have the beautiful decor and ambiance of Keo's.  It was more like a cheap, Chinatown like, greasy spoon which was perfect for college kids.     Their menu was also so different from everything that I was used to at home.   The dishes I had there like pad ka paow, rahd nah, and larb weren't things I would find at home.  On the other hand they didn't have many of the dishes that we would get at home, which were all based on Keo's sensuous recipes which are as elegant as they are mouth watering.   The case in point, is his signature dish, the Evil Jungle Prince.   Based off of his own blend of Panang curry, the prince is very spicy, with a brilliant combination of herbs and coconut milk, which marries perfectly with the beef and vegetables.  There is no way to describe how good this dish is, if you haven't tasted it.   Almost all Thai restaurants in Hawaii try to emulate it in some way, with variations on the name like "evil prince" or "evil shrimp" or something like that.  You find it all over in Hawaii, but no where else on the mainland, demonstrating just how much Keo influenced our Thai cuisine here.

Evil Shrimp at Chiang Mai

While Keo's is the definitive Thai cuisine in Hawaii, their location in Waikiki is a little prohibitive to locals.   Although I would gladly go there on a special occasion, I would prefer to remain outside for an everyday dinner.  Which leaves, the Mekongs or one of Keo's many emulators.   My favorite of these is a little Thai place right next to Old Stadium Park on King St. called Chiang Mai.   The restaurant is just as beautiful as Keo's, replacing the guilded statues with wooden ones and some of the orchids with dangling Christmas lights, and adding those triangular reclining Thai pillows.  It is named after a beautiful city in Thailand, which I can tell you first hand is one of the most beautiful places one Earth.   Whereas Bangkok is a ultra-smoggy, congested mess, which left me literally unable to breathe, Chiang Mai was lush and tropical, with exotic fruits like rambutan and the infamous, pungent durian everywhere.   I adored their night market, which was a bustling hub of activity filled with trinkets and street snacks.  I even got to take an elephant ride into the deep jungle there, which is a complety, truly Indiana Jones experience.   Somehow, visiting the restaurant in Moiliili recaptures some of that exotic adventure for me.

Green Papaya Salad at Chiang Mai

Like Keo's, you must start out with the green papaya salad at Chiang Mai.   Green papaya, isn't anything like it's ripe counterpart.  It is tart, but contrasted with a sweet dressing.   It's crunchy as an apple.  But most of all it's perhaps one of the most refreshing salads in the world.   The tanginess just opens your appetite for the rest of the meal.

Pad Thai at Chiang Mai

Also like Keo's, or any other Thai restaurant for that matter, having the pad thai noodles, is an absolute must.   I remember when I first tried this dish in the real Chiang Mai.   We were visiting a jewelry factory (or something like that), and while my mom was shopping, our tour guide was out back having his own lunch, bought from a little vendor who catered to the factory workers.   Curious, and frankly bored with shopping, I wandered around back to hang out with him.   He was planning on taking us to some fancy hotel for lunch, but I was curious as to what he was eating, so he ordered me up a bowl.   The noodles were unlike anything I had ever tasted.  They had a totally different texture from Chinese, or Japanese, or Italian noodles.  They were a bit chewier and slightly stickier than Chinese look fun.  The sauce had a peanuty, satay kind of taste.   I was enthralled, and my family eschewed the hotel lunch entirely, for this common street food.   Every time, I have a plate of pad thai from Keo's or Chiang Mai, I'm brought back to that little street vendor, feeding the workers like a thai lunchwagon.

Pineapple Fried Rice at Chiang Mai

Something that Keo's doesn't have, which I really adore at Chiang Mai is their pineapple fried rice.   I have been very vocal about how I dislike cooked pineapple, and how anything on the mainland called "Hawaiian" because it's got pineapple in it, instantly throws up alarms.   But the pineapple in this fried rice, imbues so much aroma to the rice, it elevates it to a whole other level.  It isn't simply a garnish, but the basis of the blend of herbs. It also blends so well with the chicken flavor, contrasting sweet with savory.  It is such a harmonious dish, and the pineapple shell presentation is so beautiful and exotic.

Yellow Curry at Chiang Mai

Of course you can't talk about Thai food without talking about curry.   They've got 3 basic types, a red curry, a green curry, and a yellow curry, each with a different blend of spices with very different flavors.  I personally like the green curry the best, but my dad likes the yellow curry so we always get that for him.   He's perfectly happy with a basket of sticky rice (mochi rice that is so sticky you can pull off cohesive pieces and dip in your curry), and a bowl of yellow curry to pour over the rice, and none of the other dishes will matter.  The spices are just brilliant over the coconut milk background. 

Soft-Shell Crab in Panang Curry at Chiang Mai

My absolute favorite dish at Chiang Mai however, is another dish you can't get at Keo's.   In fact, it's not even on their menu, but seems to have permanent residence on their list of specials.   It is their awesome softshell crab in panang curry.   I love softshell crab.   But most places tend to deep fry softshell crab (like in your spider roll sushi), so it loses some of its crab flavor, and tastes fried (like everything else that is deep fried).   My favorite place for sauteed softshell crab was in New Orleans, in a little restaurant across the street from the French Market, simply called the French Market Restaurant.   It's instantly recognizable by the enormous army pot of crawfish boiling in the window, luring in customers with its enticing scent of cajun spices and savory crawfish.  They made the softshell crab crispy, but with a creamy remoulade sauce that perfectly blends with the crab roux in the shell. It was awesome.  But the softshell crab at Chiang Mai is just as good if not better.   Its difficult to compare, as one is a creamy French sauce, while the other is a spicy Thai curry.   But they both bring out the strong crab flavor, rather than burying it deep fried batter.   The softshell crab at Chiang Mai however, has the advantage of very crisp, very green, peas and lettuce and Chinese parsley, all of which sit there and absorb the curry and the crab taste.   It is a truly awesome dish, and I have had it no where else in the world.

Eating Thai food is always a sensual and exotic adventure, and thanks to places like Keo's and Chiang Mai, we have a uniquely local style and flavor.   It is a fantastic addition to our alluring, tropical mystique.

The Raiders vs. The Buff n' Blues

Being in Manoa, when I was in high school and I had an off campus pass, we would always head into Manoa Marketplace for lunch.  As soon as class would end, we would pile into the back of Jeff's burnt red vintage '65 mustang convertable.   We would head up University Ave., with the top down, and Nerida's long blonde hair would whip in my face.   Usually, it was just a simple McDonald's run that we were after, although we would sometimes go to Island Manapua, Little Caesars, grab some bagels at Safeway, or whatever else we felt like that day.   But when my sister went to school, she didn't want to go to any place where she would be simply known as my little sister.    So she went to Iolani instead.  Naturally, it made me curious if Iolani kids did the same thing and where they would run off to for lunch.

It always amazes me that we have 2 of the top 10 college prep schools in the entire nation on this tiny little island, Iolani and Punahou.   Both are tremendous century old schools.   Both have educated world leaders in their histories.   Iolani trained the young Chinese man who would overthrow the Manchu Dynasty, who would eventually be credited as the "Father of Modern China", and whose efforts in nation building were very comparable to those of George Washington, Dr. Sun Yat Sen.    Whereas Punahou's latest claim to fame is of course the 44th U.S. President, Barrack Obama.   Working in the business world here in Honolulu, the first question asked is usually whether you went to Iolani or Punahou.   It is a rivalry that is not unlike that between Harvard and Yale.   Iolani, originally a Hawaiian boys school, has the reputation for being more scholarly.   Whereas Punahou, which originally taught the children of the missionaries, is known for its alumni business network and connections. 

So when students at these uber-prestigious institutions have a free period where do they run off to eat?  Well, my sister divulged to me how all Iolani students would head up the road and hit up H.K.'s Restaurant on S. King Street, right across from Old Stadium Park.   Meanwhile, her compatriots at Punahou would drive down the hill and hit up Pee-Wee Drive Inn on the corner of Punahou and S. King.   Not having attended either school, I decided to visit both places and see how they compared.

Beef Stew at H.K.'s Restaurant

My sister would reminisce about H.K.'s thick fries, and their famous stuffed cabbage.   But unfortunately the cabbage was not on the menu the day that I went.   So we settled on some plate lunch classics, beef stew and hamburger curry.    

Hamburger Curry at H.K.'s Restaurant

Honestly their beef stew just doesn't compare to the old school Hawaiian taste of the beef stew at Fresh Catch. Their hamburger curry was pretty decent, local style curry.   It was generally mild with just a hint of curry powder taste.  Both stews had nice big chunks of carrot and potato.  Even the hamburger in the hamburger curry were like small nickel sized chunks, instead of regular hamburger crumbles.  But, what I really noticed most about both dishes was the liberal amount of black pepper that they used.   Even their mac salad seemed to have a peppery kick to it.  

Shoyu Chicken at Pee-Wee Drive Inn

At Pee-Wee Drive Inn we tried to order similar dishes, to compare apples to apples.   However, whereas Pee-Wee had shoyu chicken on the menu, and H.K.'s didn't, we opted for that instead.   But again, we tried their hamburger curry just to keep a level playing ground.

Hamburger Curry & Mochiko Chicken at Pee Wee Drive Inn

Pee-Wee didn't have nearly the same pepperiness to it.   They were more of your standard plate lunch fare.  The hamburger curry was different though.   Theirs had a lot peas in it.   The peas gave it the strong taste and texture of cooked peas, like you find in split pea soup.   They also cut their carrots, potatoes, and corn to match the peas and hamburger, so it is a lot more evenly sized bits, compared to the big chunks at H.K.'s.  Their mochiko wasn't so crunchy, as it had more of the stick to your teeth chewiness that mochiko can get.  Price wise they were about the same, coming in at around $6 to $8 per plate, just what a high school student would be able to splurge on.

Given the choice, I slightly preferred the more classic taste at Pee Wee, compared to the peppery kick of H.K.'s., but in general they're both pretty standard plate lunch places.   Maybe it simply was because I didn't have the nostalgia for either place, that neither one stood out for me the way that they would for Iolani or Punahou grads.   In all honesty though, they may be getting a world class education at Iolani or Punahou, but with all of the old school eateries in Kalihi, I think the kids over at Farrington probably ate better.