Review: Candy Art Hawaii

I heard that there is a local company that will create custom lollipops out of sugar right in front of your eyes. I was thrilled to find that Candy Art Hawaii had a vendor table at the Downtown Decadence fundraiser at the YWCA last night.

 

Trained in Japan, candy artists Nathan and Chika have mastered the art of molding hot melted sugar to create "amezaiku" - traditional Japanese candy art. For a modest donation of $5, event attendees selected an animal shape and color from a list and watched while the candy artist created custom-made lollipops.

 

My husband was intrigued as he watched Nathan create a yellow cat for me out of a hot, shiny, ball of melted sugar. He asked Nathan and Chika for a butterfly and a dragon for our daughters. As Nathan rolled the hot candy between his palms, he shared that Candy Art Hawaii is often hired for small parties and events such as children's birthday parties.

 

Once the sculpture is created and placed on a pop stick, it is hung upside down for a few minutes to cool. Each lollipop is then carefully placed in a clear cellophane. I must admit that I was tempted to remove the cellophane to get a taste of my cute little candy cat. Nathan said that most children forgo the cellophane and eat their candy art as soon as it's handed to them.

 

Check out their website at www.candyarthawaii.com or contact Nathan and Chika at candyarthawaii@gmail.com.

 

Review: Kit n Kitchen - Pearl City

I just happened to notice a small sign advertising Kit n Kitchen's Pearl City location on the back of a new-ish building near Walmart. My husband was happy to have another dining venue on the Leeward side and was eager to try it. Parking was a bit tight at the small strip mall that also houses a Starbucks. We parked at the far end of the Walmart parking lot instead and walked the short distance to Kit n Kitchen.

There used to be a Mexican bar/restaurant at this location and Kit n Kitchen kept the dark tables and dark interior. Despite this, the interior was nicely decorated including a brightly painted wall over the bar. Iced water was served in nostalgic metal cups. I haven't seen those since the 1960's. I didn't even look at the regular menu because the lunch specials seemed enticing. For $9.99, you have a choice of a half dozen dishes including Chicken Chimichurri, Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs, or Mixed Mushrooms Spaghetti with a choice of tomato veggie soup or house salad.

My husband ordered the Chicken Chimichurri with rice (he was given a choice of rice or spaghetti). The regular price for this dish without the salad is $10.95. I had a hard time deciding between the Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs and the Mix Mushrooms Spaghetti. I opted for the later prepared with oil and garlic instead of tomato sauce, cream sauce, or creamy pesto sauce. It was nice to have a choice of sauces for my entrée. We both opted for the house salad with Caesar dressing.

The house salad is the same salad that is served at their university location, comprised of carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, daikon sticks, and canned corn on lettuce. (Unique, for sure!) Both of our entrees were topped with toasted garlic bits, which was too strong for my husband's taste, but I loved it! I thought the chimichurri sauce was outstanding, but it was bit too spicy for my husband. I kept picking at his food to "help" him finish his dish.

My dish was a huge portion of shiitake, button, and enoki mushrooms over spaghetti. I was afraid the garlic oil would be too rich, but there was a lot of liquid from the mushrooms to dilute the oil. It would have been nice to have some Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over my pasta, but the waiter seemed to be relatively new and didn't check back until we were nearly done eating. The regular price for this dish without the salad is $11.95. Our entire bill for our two-course lunch with table service in an air conditioned restaurant was $20.83. Not bad!

The restaurant has only been open for a couple of months, but there seemed to be a steady, although light, stream of customers while we were there. The Pearl City location is open for lunch and dinner, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.

Kit n Kitchen
1029 Makolu Street
Pearl City, Hawaii 96782
Ph: (808) 294-5888
http://www.kitnkitchen.com/

House Salad

Chicken Chimichurri on rice

Mix Mushrooms Spaghetti

Interior shot

 



Kit n Kitchen Pearl City is located next to Starbucks

Review: Buenos Antojitos at LCC Farmer's Market

My husband noticed a sign advertising a Farmer's Market as we drove past Leeward Community College today. We decided to check it out and discovered Buenos Antojitos. It was the first day that Chef Joan Fadely and her husband set up their food tent among the dozen or so vendors at this relatively new venue.

 

I couldn't resist the aroma of freshly made Puerto Rican-style empanadas as we approached the tent. There was a choice of chicken, beef, or shrimp filling priced between $3 and $4. I ordered a Chicken Empanada ($3) and my husband had a Beef Empanada ($3.50). I was pleasantly surprised by the large size of my tasty "second breakfast." I bit into the warm, light, flaky crust and found a generous and delicious filling of shredded chicken. It wasn't heavy or overladen with spices and was perfect for a mid-morning snack. By the time I turned around after taking a few photos, my husband had eaten most of his empanada and there was barely any left for me to taste.

 

You can find Chef Joan at the Buenos Antojitos food tent on Sundays at Leeward Community College Farmer's Market from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. She is also involved in other culinary activities featuring authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. Check out her website for more information at www.buenosantojitos.com or on Facebook by doing a search for "Buenos Antojitos-Honolulu."

 

 

 

 

Fried Rice

It's not unusual for people in Hawaii to have fried rice for breakfast. Most people fry the eggs separately and serve them sunny-side-up over the fried rice. However, my mom taught me to add the eggs directly into the dish as reflected in this recipe.

2-3 cups leftover cooked rice
1 Tbs canola oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup Portuguese sausage, diced
1/2 cup Spam, diced
2 strips of bacon, diced
2-3 eggs
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 Tbs oyster sauce
1/4 tsp Chinese white pepper
1/4 tsp Chinese shrimp paste (harm ha) - optional

1. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the garlic, bacon, sausage, and spam until lightly browned. If using shrimp paste, add it now and stand back to avoid  getting splattered!
2. Add the rice, breaking up the clumps with a spatula while turning and mixing the rice with the meats. Turn down the heat.
3. Add the eggs and mix well into the rice mixture.
4. Add the oyster sauce and white pepper. Add the green onions just before serving.

 

Tip: The secret to good fried rice is to mix everything well. Leftover cooked meat can be diced and added in place of the sausage or spam. However, I recommend keeping the bacon.

 

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.