GREAT EATS HAWAII: October 2015

Saturday, October 31, 2015

SANTACRUZ TACO COMPANY

FOOD TRUCK

HONOLULU, HAWAII

www.facebook.com/SantacruzTacoCo

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 Jalapeño 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

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

www.livestocktavern.com

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

1609 MONTGOMERY HWY

HOOVER, AL 35216

205-979-9990

HOURS: Monday thru Saturday 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Closed Sunday

www.cfarestaurant.com/hoovercommons/home

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

555 N. KING STREET

HONOLULU, HI 96817

808-841-1819

www.jollibeeusa.com

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;

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2011/01/jollibee.html

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

www.landrysseafood.com

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 Jalapeños 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

www.rtjgolf.com/oxmoorvalley/

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

www.rtjgolf.com/grandnational/

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!