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Sunday, July 14, 2013

GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA

GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA
HONOLULU, HAWAII

GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA
WARD CENTER
1200 ALA MOANA BLVD
HONOLULU, HAWAII  96814
808-597-1725
HOURS: Monday thru Sunday 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM

UPDATE 12/18/13 - Got a call from a vendor that sells to Grand Leyenda.  He said they closed and left him hanging for some big bucks.  I called the restaurant at 6:00 PM and there was no answer?

You can bet I was excited when we walked by the old Compadres Mexican Restaurant in Ward Center and saw that it had been totally renovated after what seems many years of vacancy. Turns out that one of the owners of Just Tacos took the leap of faith and invested in reinventing this space into yet another Mexican eatery.  The entire restaurant has received a facelift and the new bar and outdoor seating is first rate.  The bar features speciality tequilas that the owner actually has made in Mexico.  As you enter Grand Leyenda, there is a wall of lockers similar to what you would see at Morton's with wine bottles.  Customers may purchase a locker complete with Grand Leyenda's specialty tequilas stocked just for them.  The lockers range from $300 for a single bottle to $800 and above for multiple bottles.  You get your name on the locker and your own personal key to unlock your tequila every time you visit.  We were not here for tequila so we went straight for the menu.  While we were reading the menu, our waiter brought us the good old chips and salsa that I love at Mexican restaurants.  The salsa lacked heat but was filled with fresh tomatoes and onions.  I thought it was a bit sweet and really wished it had some heat.  The menu includes most of the standard Mexican fare.  Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas and the like.  Our waiter recommended that we try the Cevichi ($10.99).  This is fish marinated in lime juice with a little tomato, onion and cilantro.  Served with guacamole and tortilla chips so I coated a chip with guacamole and topped with the Cevichi and some fresh salsa.  Not bad but really kind of bland.  This Cevichi was really missing something and I think it was flavor.  I ordered a combination of three tacos that included a Fish Taco, Pork Taco and Steak Taco.  I loved the Fish Taco best.  The Pork Taco was basically Pork on a tortilla and the Steak Taco was basically steak on a tortilla.  Nothing to add flavor or texture was added.  I would return again for the Fish Taco.  I could not eat the Beans and Rice.  The beans were chunky and they had a taste to them that I did not like.  Same with the rice.  Something did not taste right.  I think I was right because my daughter and wife who love rice and beans did not eat their rice and beans either. The Kids Meal Taco Plate ($6.99).   My daughter did not care for the steak taco here but when we make them at home she eats them day after day.  We tried a Combination Plate that included a Chili Relleno, Enchilada and Chicken Tamale.  The Tamale was not bad.  The Rellano and Enchilada were just filled with cheese and nothing else to add flavor.  I need to eat here a few more times before I write the place off.  Really wish Grand Leyenda could come through with some great Mexican food.  

GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA

GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA IN WARD CENTER IS NOW OPEN
ENTRANCE AND HOSTESS STATION 
PERSONALIZED TEQUILA LOCKERS AVAILABLE
STORE YOUR TEQUILA RIGHT HERE AT THE RESTAURANT.  THEY GIVE YOU A KEY
GET YOUR PERSONALIZED TEQUILA LOCKER WHILE THEY LAST.
PRICES START AT $300 AND THAT INCLUDES A BOTTLE OF TEQUILA
ENTRANCE LEADS PAST THIS WAGON
BEAUTIFUL BAR THAT I THINK WILL BE POPULAR
OUTDOOR SEATING OVERLOOKING ALA MOANA BEACH PARK
DINING ROOM WITH VIEWS OF THE BEACH FROM WINDOW TABLES
GRAND LEYENDA CANTINA MENU
GRAND LEYENDA APPETIZERS
SALADS AND FAJITAS
APOLOGIZE FOR THE BLURRY PHOTO.  THERE WAS VERY LOW LIGHT




5LB BURRITO CHALLENGE
CHIPS AND SALSA SERVED WITH YOUR MEAL
CHUNKY AND FRESH SALSA
CEVICHI WITH GUACAMOLE AND CHIPS
FISH MARINATED IN LIME JUICE WITH A BIT OF ONION AND TOMATO
CEVICHI WITH GUACAMOLE AND SALSA ON A TORTILLA CHIP
COMBINATION TACO PLATTER WITH FISH, PORK AND STEAK TACOS PLUS BEANS AND RICE
FISH TACO WAS MY FAVORITE
PORK TACO
CARNE ASADA STEAK TACO
REFRIED BEANS
MEXICAN RICE
KIDS TACO PLATTER
COMBINATION CHILI RELLANO, CHICKEN TAMALE AND CHEESE ENCHILADA

A BREATH TO SURVIVE

A BREATH TO SURVIVE
MOVIE BY JON BREKKE

Have never posted anything about movies on this blog before but wanted to give my buddy Jon Brekke some kudos on his first motion picture.  Jon wrote, produced and directed A Breath to Survive.  The movie was filmed entirely in Hawaii and is about a young woman who leaves the corporate world and literally stays in her apartment for days trying to find herself.  She delves into music, poetry and a little noodles and wine before taking on the responsibility for caring for a teenage family member who needs to find refuge from a drug addicted mother.  Jon calls this movie an "art film" and hopes to have it played in this years Hawaii Film Festival.  The photography, music and sound in this movie are top notch.  Jon traveled back and forth from Los Angeles during post production and worked with award winning sound engineers who helped him take the sound to another level.  Most of the music in the film is performed by local Hawaii artists and it is good.  Real good.  I liked the movie but love the story of Jon Brekke following his dream and finishing a full length motion picture with a tiny budget, volunteers and friends.  It took Jon over two years to complete this project.  His attention to details is amazing.  Each shot, word and the music in the background is a creation of his vision.  I sincerely hope that this film launches Jon's movie making career in a big way and that you go see the film when it debuts at the Hawaii Film Festival.  Look closely at the credits at the end and you may even see my name listed as a Producer!  Below our links where you can learn more about A Breath to Survive and see a clip.


A BREATH TO SURVIVE BY JON BREKKE
WORLD PREMIER FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, ACTORS AND VOLUNTEERS
AT KAHALA THEATRE IN HAWAII

MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE - HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, HAWAII

MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, HAWAII

MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE
625 MAMALA BAY DRIVE
HICKAM AFB, HI  96853
808-449-2300
808-449-2311 FAX

Love it every time I get access to Hickam Air Force Base.  This is one of the nicest military bases in Hawaii.  The base is filled with history and bullet holes.  You can actually see hundreds if not thousands of rounds of bullets that blanketed the buildings in 1941.  While the bullet holes from the Japanese strafing are still in the walls, the sound and fury of F22 Raptor Fighter Jets above let you know that you are safe and protected by some of the best airmen and woman in the world.  When I enter Hickam I am overwhelmed with a sense of pride, patriotism and the upmost respect for our military.  Really wish I could convey to the troops how much I appreciate their service to our country.  Perhaps playing a round of golf for the Friends of Hickam Foundation and donating to a great cause that blends the business world with the military at Hickam is a start.  The Friends of Hickam Golf Tournament is a large event that brings together the Hawaii business community with the Base Commander, military personnel and the private sector that provides service and support to the base.   The day is filled with golf and lots of airplanes since the course is literally located on the flight line of Hickam and runway for Honolulu International Airport.  You not only see and hear military jets and aircraft but also every type of commercial jet that flies the sky.  Prop jets to the largest 767 and Airbus literally taxi by some of the greens and takeoff and land just a few yards away.  It is a symphony of flight and I love it!  Our day of golf ended at the Officers Club where we enjoyed a buffet, awards ceremony (I won an umbrella) and a few words from the Base Commander.  Truly blessed to spend some time on Hickam and in the company of the men and woman who serve this great country.

MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE HAWAII
THE STARS AND STRIPES WITH SPECTACULAR JET SCULPTURE
JETS SOARING OVER HICKAM AFB AND PEARL HARBOR
MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE IS LOCATED ON HICKAM AFB
ENTRANCE TO GOLF COURSE AND CLUB HOUSE
YOU COULD ACTUALLY HIT A PLANE WITH YOUR APPROACH SHOT TO THIS GREEN
PUTTING WHILE JETS TAXI BY WAS PRETTY COOL
THREE JETS ON LEFT GETTING READY FOR TAKEOFF WHILE I GET READY TO HIT MY DRIVER
BLUE WATERS, PALM TREES AND LOTS OF PLANES
EVERYTHING FROM FIGHTER JETS TO ALOHA AIR CARGO JETS COMING AND GOING
TEEING UP FOR THE FRIENDS OF HICKAM FOUNDATION
NOT A BAD VIEW FROM THE PUTTING GREEN
MAMALA BAY GOLF COURSE 







HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE OFFICERS CLUB
OFFICERS CLUB OFFERS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SEATING FOR HUNDREDS
PLAYING GOLF AT THE 20TH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF HICKAM GOLF TOURNAMENT
NICE BUFFET THAT INCLUDED PRIME RIB, ROASTED CHICKEN AND SALAD