Review: Kan Zaman

Always looking for a new place to eat, Kan Zaman was highly recommended to me by another foodie, Grant Shindo. This new Moroccan/Lebanese restaurant is unique as there are not many middle eastern restaurants in Hawaii. To date, I've had lunch here twice with plans to return a third time very soon.

On my first visit, a coworker and I took the short walk from our office to Nuuanu Avenue, which is sort of the dividing line between Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown. We were greeted warmly by a handsome waiter and invited to seat ourselves at any open table, so we chose a table for two by the window. I was immediately impressed by this new establishment that used to house Krung Thai Restaurant. It is an amazing transformation, as the former occupant was a no-frills, cafeteria-style place with a few tables inside and a covered deck outside with additional seating. Fortunately, Kan Zaman kept the outside deck so customers can dine al-fresco if they choose. For those familiar with the former occupant, you no longer have to bus your own table or scrape your plate over the garbage bin before piling your dirty dishes in the bus tray.

My coworker and I shared a Moroccan Salad ($7.95) comprised of mixed greens, orange slices, cucumber slices, and radish slices drizzled with a light house-made honey/orange blossom dressing. I ordered the Lamb Tajine ($18.95) which was a tender lamb shank with a delicious white bean gravy. The meat fell off the bone as I poked it apart with my fork. The only thing that would have made my lunch complete was some warm pita bread. My coworker ordered Kofta ($10.95) which is a sandwich comprised of ground beef seasoned just right, cheese, grilled onions, and smoked paprika oil in a baguette pressed panini-style. Her sandwich was heavenly and I made a note to order Kofta during my next visit. For dessert, we ordered Katayef ($4.95), a small banana pancake with floral-infused cream and honey. We also ordered Baklava ($3.50) which I enjoyed much more than the Katayef. For the price, the two slices of Baklava covered with fresh nuts was also a better deal.

On my second visit to Kan Zaman, I ordered Falafels from the Mezza selections as an appetizer ($6.50) but received the full lunch order instead ($8.95). The full order included 6 small falafels on a large warmed pita and a small green salad. Since there was a mix up with my order, the restaurant only charged me the side-order price. My lunch companion was running late so she told me to order for both of us. I ordered Kofta (of course!) and Merguez ($11.95) sandwiches to share. Merguez is a lamb sausage sandwich pressed in a baguette with cheese and served with fries. (Grant recommended this sandwich and told me to ask for some garlic dipping sauce for the fries.) The 3 dishes ended up being too much for my lunch companion and me to finish and we both took home leftovers.

I highly recommend trying the Moroccan Mint Tea. A pot of hot tea is $6 while a glass of iced tea is $3. The sweetened tea is infused with orange blossom water and fresh mint. I normally don't like floral waters in my food, but I found the orange blossom water to be the exception.

Finally, a waiter offered us a few drops of orange blossom water to refresh our hands after we were done with our lunch. I'm usually sensitive to perfumes but I didn't have an allergic reaction to this natural scent. It must have looked weird as I walked back to my office sniffing the palm of my hands!

Update: I went back today for my third visit, this time with my husband. I ordered the Lamb Kebob ($9.95) which included a generous amount of gyro lamb slices on a large warm pita with a layer of hummus, topped with feta, olives and a light sauce. My dish included a side of fresh greens with house-made dressing. My husband was eager to try the Merguez after hearing how much Grant likes this sandwich. He didnt believe me when I suggested that we should share it and I now have half of his sandwich in my fridge. 

We tried to order Baklava for dessert, but they were out. However, the waitress suggested a new item, Cheesecake with warm date sauce ($7). The slice was a little small for the price, but the cheesecake was delicious, especially the date sauce! The waitress told us that a customer created the cheesecake just for Kan Zaman after tasting their dishes. She was inspired by the orange blossom flavor. My husband encouraged the friendly chef to keep the cheesecake on the menu. We both feel it was the highlight of our lunch.

Kan Zaman 

1028 Nuuanu Avenue

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 554-3847

www.kanzamanhawaii.com
 

Moroccan Salad

Kofta Sandwich

Lamb Tajine

Katayef and Baklava

Moroccan Mint Iced Tea

Falafel Lunch Plate

Merguez Sandwich

 

Lamb Kebob

Cheesecake with date sauce

View from the Street, facing North

Dining Room

Outdoor Seating

Easy Taco Dip

1 can Refried Beans (15 oz)
8 oz Sour Cream
1 packet Taco Seasoning Mix
8 oz Shredded Cheese
1/2 cup Tomato, diced
2 stalks green onions, chopped
1 small can Black Olives
Salsa (commercial)

1. Mix half of the packet of taco seasoning with the sour cream. Add more if desired.
2. Spread the refried beans onto a shallow pan or dish.
3. Spread the sour cream mixture over the bean layer.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture, pressing down lightly to make the cheese stick.
5. Sprinkle the tomato, green onions, olives and salsa over the top of the mixture.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Review: The Local Buzz 100% Hawaiian Coffee

My husband and I recently visited a store-sponsored Artisan Market at the Ala Moana Shopping Center. One of the first vendors and I came upon was The Local Buzz. I was greeted warmly and immediately asked if I wanted to try their 100% Hawaiian Ka`u coffee.

My first choice was the medium roast Peaberry variety. It was delicious and smooth and I enjoyed the flavor. Next, I tried the Dark Roast. At first, the intensity took me by surprise. However, the complex flavor grew on me as I took my next sip, then finished my sample. I purchased a 7 ounce bag of the Dark Roast ($14), but it was a tough choice between the two varieties.

I also sampled their lightly-sea-salted chocolate covered macadamia nuts. The macadamia nut was fresh and crispy inside of creamy milk chocolate with a touch of salt. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to sample their fresh honey. My mouth was too busy enjoying the candy.

The Local Buzz is the product brand for the family-owned Paradise Meadows Orchard and Bee Farm located in the Ka`u region of the Big Island. Check out either website to purchase their gourmet coffee, fine macadamia nut chocolates, and home-grown honey.
 

Review: Hawaiian Nougat Company

On a recent weekend, my husband and I wandered into a store that was featuring local artisans. We were happy to meet Peter Anderson of Hawaiian Nougat Company. He was very friendly and engaged my husband in conversation while I trailed behind, trying to make my way through the crowd.

When I finally got to Peter's display, I took one taste of the vanilla nougat and was in heaven! The fresh macadamia nuts in every bite perfectly complemented the light nougat. He also gave me a sample of the chocolate-dipped variety, but my husband ate it before I could get to it.

Liz Anderson, Peter's wife and business partner, was trained in Paris where she learned to make this traditional French-style confection. Each piece of delicious goodness is handcrafted in small batches with all local ingredients. From talking to Peter, they go to great pains to ensure only quality ingredients and procedures are used to create this light and tasty treat.

Even the packaging is beautiful. The nougats are packed in a clear cellophane bag and secured with a lovely flower. A bag of nougat would make a wonderful and unique gift. No gift wrapping required!

I hope that their presence here in the islands will increase the popularity of this delectable treat. Here is their contact information:

Hawaiian Nougat Company
3613 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
Phone: (808) 284-7447
peter@hawaiiannougat.com
https://www.facebook.com/HawaiianNougat

Pearlridge Farmer's Market Opens This Saturday

The FarmLover's group is holding a grand opening of their new Pearlridge Center Weekly Farmer's Market on Saturday, August 17th. Opening ceremonies start at 7:45am with a blessing and entertainment.

There will be 40 local vendors selling a variety of Hawaii-grown products. According to the center's website, the list of vendors includes Naked Cow Dairy, Big Island Coffee, Fields of Aloha, Kauai Jam,  VJ's Butcher Block, Santa Cruz Tacos, Baker Dude, Waialua Sweet and Savory, Wow Wow Waffle, and more. There will also be a few local artisans selling non-food products such as woodwork and raw organic dog food.

Similar to the Ala Moana Farmer's Market, live Hawaiian music and a comfortable seating area will be provided for customers to dine and relax.

The Farmer's Market will be held every Saturday, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Sears parking lot located at Pearlridge Downtown. I hope to see you there. Buy Local!

Pearlridgeonline.com/event/FarmLover's-Pearlridge-weekly-farmers-market/2145418962

Pineapple - Dessert and Centerpiece

When I was a child, families would celebrate milestone events with a luau held in their back yard. I remember that the fresh pineapples often doubled as the dessert and the table centerpieces. The first time I saw this, I thought it was an ingenious way to serve dessert. Here is basically how it's done:

1. Cut the top and bottom of the pineapple off, making sure to leave a flat surface on each end.

2. Next, insert a sharp paring knife just inside the skin to carve out the fruit in one solid piece.

3. Pop the fruit out from the intact skin and slice the fruit into wedges.

4. Place the wedges back into the skin.

5. Add the crown to the top and it's ready to go!

Note: My knife wasnt sharp enough so the edges look a bit rough.

Review: Fresh Garden Deli

Fresh Garden Deli has been a 'go to' place for healthy lunches in downtown Honolulu for 20 years. This post is a listing of my favorite dishes according to the day of the week. Most of the following are specials for that particular day:

Monday: The Apple-Tuna Curry Salad is comprised of ordinary tuna mixed with a delicious blend of mayonnaise, curry, broccoli, and apple pieces over romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber slices. This hearty salad is delicious with their balsamic vinaigrette. (All of the salads come with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber slices, and homemade dressing.)

Tuesday: The Chicken Jicama Salad is one of my favorite salads, hands down! The secret is the light, avocado-lime vinaigrette, which saturates the chicken, shredded jicama, and Mandarin orange pieces. If I pick up lunch here on a Tuesday and order something else, I always regret it later and miss having this yummy salad.

Wednesday: I don't have a favorite among the Wednesday specials so I usually order the Turkey Breast and Muenster Cheese sandwich. Customers are given a choice of whole wheat or multigrain bread, which are both good. The pesto mayonnaise is the flavor powerhouse here and it goes well with the Muenster, shredded lettuce, tomato slices, red onions, and huge slices of turkey. I need to use both hands when eating this hearty sandwich. This past week, I ordered a half sandwich and a cup of soup. Yum!

Thursday: The I-Want-it-All Greek Platter is my favorite, but I also like the Ultimate Greek Platter and the original, regular Greek Platter. The 'regular' is comprised of lentil/feta salad, couscous/parsley salad, broccoli/apple curry salad, hummus, and pita bread. The 'ultimate' is comprised of the same, but with tapenade and a nice buffalo mozzarella/tomato salad instead of the broccoli salad. 'I-Want-it-All' comes with everything, as the name implies. I had the latter for lunch yesterday and couldn't finish it in one sitting.

Friday: The Black Bean Burrito (chicken optional) is the popular choice on Fridays, primarily because of the savory homemade salsa. However, I prefer the Fiesta Salad because I get all of the good stuff (guacamole, sour cream, salsa, chicken, black beans, and tortilla chips) and can still say that I only had a salad for lunch. I had this salad with the optional jalapenos for lunch today. It looked so scrumptious that my boss ordered the same thing.

The soup of the day is always a variation of their delicious Chicken-Vegetable Soup. A hot meal option is offered daily such as Two-Bean Chicken Chili, Chicken/Eggplant Curry, or Chicken Vindaloo. Several combination options are also available. For example, half a sandwich with a small salad or soup; small servings of two different salads; or small servings of three different salads.

Prices range from $3.50 for a cup of soup to $10.50 for the I-Want-it-All Greek platter and the Smoke and Roast Sandwich (smoked turkey and roast beef with cheese). Most of the menu items are priced between $7 and $9. Tax is included, but don't forget to bring cash.

 

Fresh Garden Deli is basically a take-out place with just enough room for the small dining counter and a few stools along the window. It's not unusual to see people standing in the hallway reading the menu board through the window before stepping inside to place their order. Once you enter the restaurant, wait at the counter until the chef asks for your order. Then pick up your plastic utensils and napkins. Finally, pay the cashier and pick up your made-to-order lunch. You won't be disappointed!

Fresh Garden Deli

The Arcade Building
212 Merchant Street, #9

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
 

Hours:
Monday to Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

 

Apple-Tuna Curry Salad

Chicken Jicama Salad

Half Turkey Breast and Muenster Sandwich and Soup

I-Want-it-All Greek Platter

Fiesta Salad