Barry is in the White House

Obama is known as Barry in Hawaii, which is pretty hilarious and awesome. The island was pretty darn proud when we got there during the inauguration. 

So here are some Hawaii institutions that require visiting, that are some of our new Presidents favorites. Or at least that what the article in the Star Bulletin had written.

As soon as we landed at home we went to Zippy's, and if you know anything about Hawaii, it's our state diner. My parents love this place, we've been going here since I was 3 feet tall. They are everywhere too, but not in a horrendous Starbucks kind of way. You can get any kind of local food, like a loco moco ( rice, eggs, spam, gravy) or some saimin ( like what my mom is slurping) but you can just get a hamburger and fries too. Here my brother, Tim and I all got the charbroiled teriyaki steak, my dad got oxtail stew ( with mash potatos) , and my mom got a saimin. 

Rainbow Drive-in is another such institution in Honolulu. Loco Moco's, yummy hamburgers and fries, pork long rice, it's basically amazing and has been here since before Hawaii was a state. 






Another thing that is really important to Hawaii and you really can't find anything to fill the void anywhere in the world is, Crackseed or Li Hing Mui. Which is a loose term describing strange salty sweet, dried fruits and seeds. To anyone else who isn't from Hawaii, Asian or not, you will just think its gross. Here is where I began my cravings for pickled mangos, Li Hing gummi bears and dried spicy cuttlefish. But unlike in Chinatowns across the world, something like this is just in the Malls of Hawaii, this is our candy shop. When I get really homesick I order these things onlne. But it's never the same as walking into a shop with these huge beautiful jars.

In case you need to order online.

Kung Hee Fat Choy

It's the Year of the Ox, and for the first time I got to go home to see my parents during Chinese New Year. Which for my mom means a visit to the chinese butcher for roast duck and my favorite the chinese bakery.

My mom said this year was lucky because this particular bakery has been closed for a year, but just re-opened in time for chinese new year, but now the new owners are the baker's children. There candied lotus, fresh pork buns ( steamed or baked ) candied coconut, banana rolls, and the best darn macadamia nut sesame candy on, uh Earth. I know it's bold but I'm willing to make that statement.

The Chinese butcher had some of the best roast duck I've had in a long time. But really I was drooling over the idea of buying an entire styrofoam of char siu or shoyu chicken and eating it all by myself. But I didn't, not in front of my mom, next trip.

Nam Fong Restaurant

1029 Maunakea St
Honolulu, HI 96817

(808) 599-5244

Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery
1027 Maunakea St
808-531-6688

Leonard's Bakery

Flying into Honolulu is a great experience and something that never gets old. Just like getting a fresh hot malasada from Leonard's Bakery. Except now instead of just my family and I going there, there is a crazy line of Japanese tourists. The best part is that Leonard's didn't change itself one bit. It's still kind of shabby looking on the outside, and the service is kind of still the same. Except for Tim, using his haole charm, somehow got an extra malasada before anyone else in line and it was piping hot out of the fryer.

The Malasadas ( Portugese Donuts ) are warm fresh fragrant fried balls of dough, lightly rolled in sugar. Delicious and simple.

Either way, Leonard's is a part of an Old Hawaii that is disappearing fast, since Hawaii just got a Target and Whole Foods this year.

Leonard's Bakery
933 Kapahulu Avenue

Homesick

I'm proud to call Hawaii, the Bay Area, and Philadelphia home. Lately I've had a hankerin' for the left coast and my grandma. When you come home in my family you are expected to eat. San Francisco is home to all my aunt's, uncles, and grandma. They insist on you coming home for dinner. Seeing as I really am the only wayward child who lives on the east coast, these tiny women will spend the day handrolling spring rolls and picking up pork from the chinese butchers. I don't deserve such care.

Dim Sum and Dad

My Dad loves him some good Dim Sum. So does my brother for that matter. Actually the Chau Family we're big eaters. My Dad is 63 and will still eat 8 lobsters at a seafood buffet. Any less and my moms says "you waste money". My brother Keenan will still eat 5 fried bananas after a hot sweaty game of street ball.

Back to Dim Sum. My parents favorite place in Honolulu Chinatown is called Mei Sum Dim Sum. The Shrimp Gau came with a delicious dallop of sweet custard and there was a surprise scallop in the Taro Gok. Everything was cheap and delicious. My dad took on the chicken's feet with a vengeance. Since it's Hawaii, at the end of the meal my dad likes to drink half of his water glass and then fill the rest with hot tea. The very chinese waitresses yelled at my brother which my dad did not like.

More pics of great lookin' produce in Honolulu Chinatown.

Mei Sum Dim Sum
65 North Pauahi Street Suite A

Eating on Newspapers

My family eats on newspapers. You just roll it up and throw it away. Amazing and convenient! I got the comics page growing up and my dad got local news.

Going home to Hawaii is mostly about eating. After a 12 hour flight I try to eat as much as I can.

Once my two good friends Brielle and Caitlin planned a party about foods they grew up with like egg salad and meatloaf kind of food. And I wasn't allowed to go if I made what my mom made. My leftover food was fried rice. So I was told to bring someone else's mom's food. The party never happened and I never made someone else's mom's food.

Well I could never make my mom's food very well anyways. Here are some pictures of the home cooked meals that I miss while living on the East Coast. There's my mom's beautiful fried butterfish and green mango salad that I couldn't even try to make here. And of course delicious kalua pork that reminds me of growing up in Hawai'i.

I love that ad for treadmills.