Welcome to Super Ono! This post is updated every Friday in July 2024 with musings from the week. It's a collection of recipe ideas, current eating recommendations, and a bit of Hawaii travel. I promise you only tasty things ^_^
Friday: July 26, 2024
Happy Aloha Friday! It's July 26, 2024 and this is Newsletter #10.
Cooking: 5 easy recipes using shio kombu! Steaming oranges with salt (so good for any cough/cold).
Eating: Seasons Taiwanese Eatery, The Local General Store, and Izakaya Uosan.
Cooking With Shio Kombu!
Shio kombu adds flavor to everything and it's very easy to use.
Shio = Salt.
Kombu = Kelp.
Shio Kombu = Kelp boiled in soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. The kelp is dried and cut into strips.
It's sweet and salty. So umami. Buy shio kombu at Japanese markets. It's about $6 a bag at the Ala Moana location of Nijiya.
5 easy recipes to make with shio kombu:
- Shio Kombu Sashimi
- Shio Kombu Sweet Potato
- Shio Kombu Rice
- Shio Kombu Tuna Rice
- Shio Kombu Tofu
For those with a cough or feeling under the weather, try steaming oranges with salt.
I learned about this from my mom. She learned about it from a friend. The friend learned it from her sister. Now I get to share it with you ^_^
You only need two ingredients. And you'll feel so much better.
Eating In Honolulu: Seasons Taiwanese Eatery, The Local General Store, and Izakaya Uosan.
Taiwanese popcorn chicken!
It's my favorite dish at Seasons Taiwanese Eatery. They just moved to a bigger location (still inside Chinatown Cultural Plaza).
Order small or large. This is the large. Mild or spicy. This is the mild. I'll get spicy next time! The fried basil is crisp and delicate. Dark meat chicken. Juicy. And spices! So many spices.
Popcorn chicken plus Taiwanese beef noodle soup was just right for a rainy day.
I took a sausage making class at The Local General Store in Kaimuki! It was a fun way to spend Sunday evening.
Each student went home with 5 pounds of sausage:
3 pounds = Sausage we made in the class.
2 pounds = Local General's housemade Portuguese sausage.
What to do with all the sausage?
I pan fried the sausage patties and ate it with scrambled eggs and rice for breakfast (similar to this). Then I cooked and sliced sausage links for a big pasta dinner.
There's two pounds left...thankfully everyone is still excited for more sausage haha.
I like food classes because you learn so much. Classes are often a surprising mix of people. And you get to eat well. I will probably never make sausage at home, but it's neat to know how ^_^
P.S. What's the pink thing in the bottom center container? It's curing salt!
A great night at Izakaya Uosan!
Natto, yamaimo, okra, green onions, mushrooms, and seaweed. A little tobiko on top. A dab of wasabi. Mix, mix, mix.
Wrap spoonfuls with individual sheets of nori (the plate of nori is behind the bowl on the left side) and eat.
Sticky, slimy, slippery. All of it, all at once. I love that "neba neba" texture. Can't get enough!
Friday: July 19, 2024
Happy Aloha Friday! It's July 19, 2024 and this is Newsletter #9.
Cooking: Chinese steamed fish and bok choy stir fry. Two easy classics!
Eating: Farm Link, Musubi Cafe Iyasume, and a very cool drink at Morning Glass Coffee.
Chinese Steamed Fish is simple but something about making a whole fish feels like a treat.
Prepare this with sea bass, snapper, or kumu.
Sea bass and snapper are common. Kumu is extra special.
When mom came home with a beautiful kumu fish, I said, wait! Let me take photos so that I can put together a recipe post ^_^
I promised my friend Kristen an easy bok choy recipe ages ago, and finally have it ready!
Bok choy is a very popular vegetable in Hawaii. Get baby bok choy if possible. It's more tender and sweet.
All you need is 3 ingredients for this recipe. Lots of garlic.
Eating In Honolulu: Farm Link, Musubi Cafe Iyasume, Morning Glass Coffee!
All of this is grown in Hawaii!
I've been hearing about Farm Link and recently placed my first order. I'm a fan. They offer free delivery or pick up on Oahu. Vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, yogurt, etc. All local.
Photo above is last week's "Seasonal Produce Box" plus some extra vegetables. The produce box is like a CSA with a surprise mix of vegetables and fruits.
First thing I did was use the eggplant to make garlic and fish sauce eggplant (not beautiful but very delicious). Eat it with rice!
I grated the zucchini and carrots and added them into pork meatballs. Used the napa cabbage for dumplings. Sliced the bell peppers and used the cilantro to make cumin lamb stir fry.
I like to visit individual markets when I have time. But if you need everything in one go and like it to be local, this is a good idea.
P.S. Here's a referral code for $20 off your first order ^_^
Spam Musubi is the ultimate Hawaii snack.
When you need lots of musubi, make it at home. But if you just need one or two? Go to Musubi Cafe Iyasume.
Iyasume had one store on Makaloa St years ago. Now they have many locations, including ones at Ala Moana and Kahala Mall.
They make many types of musubi. Plain Spam musubi, teriyaki Spam musubi. With egg. With bacon. All kinds.
When I feel extra happy, I get the musubi that layers Spam with egg, avocado, and unagi!
Have you tried iced lemonade with espresso?
This drink is from Morning Glass Coffee in Manoa and it's called Sucker Punch. Housemade lemonade and two shots of espresso. An unexpected combo but I love it. Extra refreshing on a hot day.
They also make fresh ginger soda! ^_^
Friday: July 12, 2024
Happy Aloha Friday! It's July 12, 2024 and this is Newsletter #8.
Cooking: Natto Udon and Maguro Natto. Lots of natto!
Reader Question: In search of a chopped salad recipe from Maui.
Eating: Doughnuts from Little Vessels Donut Co., homemade Vietnamese desserts, and potato mochi at Wagaya ^_^
Did you see many Oahu restaurants featuring natto dishes this week? July 10th was Natto Day, but local restaurants are running natto specials all weekend.
Natto = fermented soybeans.
Natto = one my favorite things to eat.
Lucky we can get local natto in Hawaii!
Aloha Tofu Factory makes natto at their Kalihi factory. Buy it at the factory, at supermarkets, or online (it's available for delivery on Farm Link). You can also get regular/non-local natto at most supermarkets here. Japanese markets like Nijiya, J-Shop, and Mitsuwa have the most options.
How to eat natto? Try natto udon. It's refreshing. Easy to prepare. Chilled udon topped with natto, a barely cooked egg, green onions, and shredded nori. Pour the sauce on tableside. Mix, eat, and enjoy.
You may have seen a version of this at Japanese restaurants. It's especially popular at izakayas.
Maguro Natto is simple and tasty. Mix sashimi-grade ahi tuna with natto, a splash of shoyu, and green onions. Pair with hot rice for a complete meal.
P.S. I have plenty more natto recipes. Natto toast (with cheese and cabbage) and okra natto included! And of course the classic natto rice, but that barely needs a recipe.
No kidding when I said I love natto ^_^
Reader Question: Recipe for a chopped salad!
Lee Anne from Canada (hi, Lee Anne!) is searching for a recipe. She had an excellent chopped salad 18 years ago at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, Maui.
The salad featured romaine, avocado, pineapple, mac nuts, and a few more ingredients. The dressing was similar to a creamy avocado. Sounds so good, especially for summer.
Does this ring a bell for anyone? I'll turn this into a recipe post if we can pull together the ingredient list ^_^
Eating In Honolulu: Little Vessels Donut Co., Vietnamese desserts, and Wagaya!
Little Vessels Donut Co. is a popular vegan donut stand in Kaimuki. They have fun flavors that change every week.
Think chocolate sprinkles, pineapple li hing, caramel furikake, and more. Big and cheerful yeast doughnuts!
A family friend made us of beautiful Vietnamese desserts. I regret not taking photos of them all.
This silky, soft jelly was a dream. The purple is sweet potato. Green is pandan. The caramel color must be palm sugar. White is coconut. Served slightly chilled.
Vietnamese sweets are incredible. They encompass tapioca puddings, jellies, rice balls, plenty of mung beans, steamed cakes, and much more.
The ones we had growing up were made by friends and relatives, or purchased from small shops in Honolulu's Chinatown. There's also a Vietnamese pop-up in Kakaako called Anh Chị Em Bakery.
Potato mochi at Wagaya!
This cozy ramen shop on King Street is always busy, even during lunch. The ramen is great but I love the potato mochi.
It's 50% mashed potatoes, 50% mochi.
The potato mochi is formed into balls, flattened, and glazed with shoyu butter (shoyu + butter is always a great combo). Then it's grilled and wrapped with nori. Served hot. So tasty ^_^
Friday: July 5, 2024
Happy Aloha Friday! It's July 5, 2024 and this is Newsletter #7.
Cooking this week:
Have you cooked with mentaiko? It's easy and super tasty. Mentaiko pasta. Mentaiko rice. Mentaiko udon. And more!
Eating this week:
A shave ice pop up called Chillest Shave Ice. Wagyu beef hot dog rolls at The Curb Kaimuki. Salmon chirashi bowl at J-Shop.
Mentaiko = preserved cod roe.
You can buy mentaiko at Japanese markets. They're usually sold by the lobe, with two lobes per package. We go to the Ala Moana location of Nijiya, and it's about $5.99 for a package.
To make mentaiko pasta, all you need is angel hair pasta or spaghetti, mentaiko, butter, and soy sauce.
Top the pasta with nori right before serving!
P.S. If you like this, you'll love mentaiko udon. Two different noodle dishes, both highlighting the versatility of mentaiko.
A bowl of hot rice. An entire lobe of mentaiko. A drizzle of good sesame oil. Chives. Bliss!
The key is hot rice. The mentaiko, which you take straight from the fridge, almost melts on the rice. The sesame oil is fragrant and brings the two together. And chives are just great.
This is a super easy lunch or dinner.
For other ways to enjoy mentaiko, try Mentaiko Hanpen (good for kids and bento box) and Mentaiko Toast. I especially enjoy the toast for breakfast.
Eating In Honolulu: J-Shop, The Curb Kaimuki, and Chillest Shave Ice!
Chillest Shave Ice is a shave ice pop-up! They're at Fishcake on Saturdays and Island Boy on Sundays. Check Instagram for the most current schedule.
The Fishcake pop-up is fun because there are other food pop-ups happening at the same time. It's walking distance from the Kakaako Farmers Market.
The Island Boy pop-up (pictured above) is great because there's lots to eat/shop in Kaimuki. Enter the store on Waialae Avenue. Look for the stairs located down the hall and to the right. Shave ice is on the rooftop.
I didn't anticipate how busy it would be. I went with a friend and we saw several other friends! Everyone had the same idea haha. What a nice way to enjoy the afternoon.
The shave ice comes in one size. I ordered half strawberry milk and half kinako latte. Added fresh mochi. Hit the spot good ^_^
Hana Quon is baking really good things at The Curb Kaimuki. The hard part is actually getting the things.
I've tried to buy the hojicha cinnamon roll many times but keep missing it. She doesn't bake the rolls every day. But when she does, she bakes one tray and the entire tray is sold within 10-15 minutes of release.
The saddest was last week when the cashier said I just missed the last roll by a few minutes. Alas! One day ^_^
In the meantime, I had her wagyu beef hot dog wrapped in a crisp and delicate roll. Everything bagel seasoning on top. Honey mustard dipping sauce. So tasty!
Lunch on the go! Car lunch! Whatever you call it, it's something I do between errands. Even though it has to be a fast lunch, I still want it to be good.
Meet J-Shop's salmon bowl. J-Shop is a Japanese market (smaller but more speciality ingredients than Nijiya) that turns into an izakaya at night.
During the day you can grocery shop, get bentos, and made-to-order chirashi bowls. Order from the cashier and it's ready in 5-10 minutes. Sushi rice, salmon sashimi, and ikura. Perfection!
Enjoy the weekend ^_^
Kathy
Mahalo for Reading!