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Saturday, October 31, 2015

SANTACRUZ TACO COMPANY

SANTACRUZ TACO COMPANY
FOOD TRUCK
HONOLULU, HAWAII

You usually will not find me in Aiea in the morning but an early morning dentist appointment for my Daughter put me next to Pearl Ridge Shopping Center where I found a small Farmers Market.  I strolled the market which features fresh produce, flowers and specialty foods.  I was happy to see a Taco Truck in the mix and stopped by to have a taste.  Santacruz Taco Company specializes in Northern Mexico cuisine and they make there way to Farmers Markets all around Oahu.  I ordered a Carne Asada and Carnitas Taco ($3.75 each).  I added a bit of the Pickled Onions with JalapeƱo and Salsa to each Taco.  The Tacos looked good but the flavors were just not there.  Really could not distinguish the Carne Asada Taco from the Carnitas Taco.  Both were quite bland and lacked flavor or spice.  Not too impressed with these Tacos and still in search of a good Taco in Hawaii.

SANTACRUZ TACO COMPANY

PEARL RIDGE FARMERS MARKET
SANTACRUZ TACO COMPANY FOOD TRUCK
SANTACRUZ TACO CO. MENU
CARNE ASADA AND GRILLED CHICKEN TACOS
HUEVOS RANCHEROS
CONDIMENT AND SALSA BAR
SALSA
SALSA, LIMES AND PICKLED ONIONS WITH JALAPENO
CARNITAS AND CARNE ASADA TACOS

LIVESTOCK TAVERN

LIVESTOCK TAVERN
49 N. HOTEL STREET
HONOLULU, HI  96817
808-537-2577
HOURS:  Monday thru Saturday 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM / 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
                 Closed Sunday

Nice to finally get downtown to check out the wildly popular Livestock Tavern.  Reviews for this place have been great with comments like "insane" and "yummy".  We entered as they opened at 11:00 am on a weekday to find smiling employees welcoming us.  Really a nice welcome.  As we were seated the place began to fill up quickly and I think by 11:30 it was packed.  Our waitress was fantastic.  Always smiling, great eye contact and good descriptions of the food and specials.  I ordered the Grilled Octopus with Chicories ($15) as an appetizer for our table.  The Octopus was good but I thought the dressing and veggies were very bland.  For my entree I went with the Maine Lobster Roll ($18).  Served with your choice of Fries or Salad.  I went for the Salad and could not eat it.  It was made with lettuce that I cannot stand.  So bitter and peppery.  The Lobster Roll was ok, but I ended up not eating all of the bread.  It was very dry and tasted like a light cornbread.  Really did not like it.  Ended up picking out the lobster.  For $18 I was not happy with this dish and probably would not order it again.  My guest ordered the Fresh Fish Special ($16) which was Snapper.  The fish was a bit dry but the vegetables and potatoes were perfect.  I would have to go back to Livestock Tavern to try more dishes before I write this place off.  Seems there is a lot more I need to discover and taste here.

LIVESTOCK TAVERN

    LIVESTOCK TAVERN ON HOTEL STREET IN HONOLULU
LIVESTOCK TAVERN AUTUMN MENU
SOUP, SALADS, SMALL PLATES AND ENTREES
LIVESTOCK TAVERN SANDWICHES
GRILLED OCTOPUS
FRESH FISH SPECIAL
MAIN LOBSTER ROLL WITH SALAD
MAIN LOBSTER ROLL


Saturday, October 24, 2015

CHICK-FIL-A

CHICK-FIL-A
1609 MONTGOMERY HWY
HOOVER, AL  35216
205-979-9990
HOURS:  Monday thru Saturday 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM
                 Closed Sunday

First off there are no Chick-Fil-A restaurants in Hawaii.  Wish there was.  
I just had to visit a Chick-Fil-A while in Alabama on business and luckily there was one close to our hotel.  Stopped in for a late lunch to find the friendly place on earth.  From the time you enter Chick-Fil-A the customer service is "on".  We were welcomed by girl at the counter and just about everyone else working in the restaurant.  Good afternoon and thank you sir were common here.  Service beyond expectations to be sure.  Better than most four star restaurants in Hawaii.  I saw the photo of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich on the menu board and immediately ordered one.  While the sandwich served did not look as good as the photo, it sure did taste great.  Loved this Chicken Sandwich.  I was impressed with the food, service, cleanliness and little things at Chick-Fil-A.  One thing is the condiment bar which is filled with different types of sauces for your chicken along with Ketchup, Mayo and Hot Sauces.  The condiments were organized very neatly and clean.  The entire restaurant was spotless.  The food is delivered to your table by another smiling employee who greets you and thanks you for eating here.  Should you walk back to the soda station to refill your drink another employee will greet you again with a smile.  Heck they will even provide you with a complimentary newspaper to read while dining and an employee will visit your table with a complimentary mint when you are finished eating.  What a great fast food dining experience.  To me this is the In N' Out Burger of Chicken.  First class operation, simple and quality menu that will always exceed expectations.  Loved it!

SPICY CHICKEN DELUXE CHICKEN SANDWICH AS DELIVERED


SPICY CHICKEN DELUXE SANDWICH AS ADVERTISED

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

JOLLIBEE

JOLLIBEE
555 N. KING STREET
HONOLULU, HI  96817
808-841-1819

I have to write about Jollibee Fried Chicken.  It is hands down the BEST Fried Chicken in Hawaii.  When enjoyed with their gravy it is pure heaven.  Oh..how I wish that I could eat this every week.  If I did not have to watch my weight I would be a Jollibee Chicken Junkie.  The Chicken has a great fried crunch on the outside but is moist and non greasy on the inside.  Without the gravy it is delicious but when you dip it in the gravy - Wow....  the flavor goes to another level.  I get so happy eating the Chicken/Gravy Combo that costs $6.99 and comes with your choice of Rice or Mashed Potatoes.  I always get the Mashed Potatoes because they are delicious and covered in even more of the gravy.  Highly recommend that you try this Chicken while in Hawaii or if you travel to the Philippines where Jollibee is home based.  In the Philippines, Jollibee is the McDonalds of the country and you will find them in every mall, shopping center and Province.
Click link below to view previous post on Jollibee;

JOLLIBEE FRIED CHICKEN

JOLLIBEE FRIEND CHICKEN MEAL
CRISPY ON THE OUTSIDE - MOIST AND JUICY ON THE INSIDE
THE PEPPERY GRAVY IS FANTASTIC AND MAKES THIS THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN


Tuesday, October 20, 2015

LANDRY'S SEAFOOD HOUSE - BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

LANDRY'S SEAFOOD HOUSE
139 STATE FARM PARKWAY
BIRMINGHAM, AL  35209
205-916-0777
HOURS:   Monday thru Thursday/Sunday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
                  Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM - 10:30 PM

Enjoyed a delicious meal at Landry's Seafood House in Birmingham, Alabama.  We were looking for a seafood restaurant close to our hotel and it was about the only place around.  No complaints here.  The food and service were excellent.  I started with the Seafood Stuffed JalapeƱos and loved them.  Nice flavor and heat.  These little things are filling though.  I had to stop and one if I had any chance of eating my dinner.  We went for some Oysters and the verdict was that they were just ok.  The Oyster Bar Trash with Crab and Shrimp dusted in Cajun spices was good but we really did not eat it.  My entree was the Snow Crab and it came with a large salad and the best Baked Potato I have ever tasted.  We don't eat Baked Potatoes much in Hawaii so this was a treat.  The Potato was crusted in salt and filled with butter, sour creme, bacon and chives.  So..so good and so...so bad.  Snow Crab was good but it was a lot of work to get the crab out.  All in all this was a really good meal.

LANDRY'S SEAFOOD HOUSE - SNOW CRAB

LANDRY'S SEAFOOD IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
DINING AREA 
OYSTERS AND APPETIZERS
SOUPS, SALADS AND THREE COURSE DINING MENU 
SEAFOOD, SHRIMP AND SHELLFISH

SEVERAL FRESH FISH SELECTIONS
STEAKS, PASTA AND SIDES
FRESH OYSTERS
SEAFOOD STUFFED JALAPENOS WITH ONION RINGS
THESE STUFFED JALAPENOS WERE DELICIOUS AND HAD SOME HEAT
OYSTER BAR TRASH WITH CRAB AND SHRIMP
BEST BAKED POTATO I HAVE EVER TASTED!

Monday, October 19, 2015

ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL - OXMOOR VALLEY

ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL
OXMOOR VALLEY
100 SUNBELT PARKWAY
BIRMINGHAM, AL  35211
205-942-1177

Enjoyed golfing the Oxmoor Valley courses.  We played the 18 hole regular and Par 3 courses in the same day.  Let me tell you that that little Par 3 course is very challenging and a great way to practice your short game.  Liked the course and beautiful setting.

OXMOOR VALLEY







ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL - GRAND NATIONAL

ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL
GRAND NATIONAL
3000 ROBERT TRENT JONES TRAIL
OPELIKA, AL  36801
334-749-9042

Loved playing a round of golf at Grand National in Alabama.  This is Auburn Tiger Country and the staff here really love their school.  Was so great to see the Auburn pride and get to visit with some of the employees.  Our bartender was fantastic and made a really mean Bloody Mary.  Everyone here was so friendly that I could only think that this is the real Aloha Spirit that we need back in Hawaii. Our only complaint about Grand National is that we had to be back in Birmingham for a business dinner the same evening.  Would have loved to sit back in the clubhouse and enjoyed a few cocktails and dinner while chatting with the incredible staff.   Next time I want to spend a few days in this part of Alabama.  While I love the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, the spirit for Auburn here was infectious and I wanted to experience more.  The Grand National course is home to a PGA event so it is very challenging.  The course is difficult but fun.  Would love to visit here again for several days!


THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL IN ALABAMA
GRAND NATIONAL INCLUDES A MARRIOTT HOTEL
TREE LINED ENTRANCE TO GRAND NATIONAL IS BEAUTIFUL
EXCITED TO BE PLAYING GOLF AT GRAND NATIONAL
GRAND NATIONAL IS HOME TO THE BARBASOL CHAMPIONSHIP PGA EVENT 
GRAND NATIONAL CLUBHOUSE 
HIGHLY RATED COURSE ON THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL
WINNER OF DOZENS OF GOLF AWARDS AND BEST LISTS 
PGA'S BARBASOL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYED AT GRAND NATIONAL
BEAUTIFUL CLUBHOUSE AND RESTAURANT/BAR
THE GRILLE MENU
THE SPECIAL MENU
SANDWICH AND BURGER SELECTIONS
SOUPS, SALADS, WRAPS AND MORE
GREAT SPICY BLOODY MARY 
THE FAMOUS RTJ DOG WITH CHILI, CHEESE, ONIONS AND SAUERKRAUT