FoodTrek: A Historic Feast of Kona by Land

They say travel nourishes the soul, of which I totally agree. I also think travel should nourish the appetite, as all that wandering about can build up a monster hunger. Continuing my journey around the island of Hawai'i, I had the opportunity to satisfy both a hunger for history as well as local eats while on the journey across the island.

Paying tribute to those who came before you, visiting Pu'ukohola Heiau in Kohala - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I'm as much of a planner as the next OCD-Planner-a-holic, but one of the nice things about driving around is the chance to just stop if something catches your eye. Driving around the island, from the eastern city of Hilo to the western side of Kona, you have the chance to experience the variety of climates across this one island. You watch the lush rainforest turn into the hilly agriculture-rich hills around the area of Waimea, and then the sun seems to get a little more intense, the greens turn to earthen reds and browns, and before you know it, you're in the arid, volcanic rocky terrain that surrounds the western Kailua-Kona side of the island.

On the way to Kona, you drive along the Kohala Coast, the birthplace of the Native Hawai'ian leader King Kamehameha the Great -- the legendary chief who rose to power against much adversity, and through decades of war with the different tribes throughout the islands, his leadership brought peace and unification to the Native Hawai'ians. One of the most significant cultural and historic places is Pu'ukohola Heiau, a protected national park along the Kohala Coast, on the way towards Kona. A heiau is a Native Hawai'ian term for a temple or holy place; there are several heiaus throughout the islands, having different significance according to why they were built. The importance of Pu'ukohola Heiau is that it was the offering to the war god, Ku, fulfilling a prophesy that would lead its builder to bring unity to the islands. A kind of sacred hollaback to the divine, letting them know someone is taking up the call to make a fractured people whole again. The shrine is composed of heavy lava stones, but despite the area being flush with lava rock, Ku is a war god with high standards -- this particular shrine of stones had to be built using the lava rock turned smooth by the waves of the sea. These ocean-smoothed stones could never touch the ground where they came from before being built up on the hill many miles away -- no small feat -- but Kamehameha was great at delegating, so he had his warriors make a human chain to move each stone by hand to their final place at the temple. This served multiple purposes -- along with fulfilling the prophecy to build the temple, it helped Kamehameha's warriors develop a sense of teamwork, and it was a hella-wicked workout for the men who became his great champions who fought alongside him to unite the people of Hawai'i. The story of Kamehameha the Great is an epic one, woven with myth and fact, with elements of Arthurian and Biblical aspects, and the story is one of the most beloved in Hawai'i. When visiting these islands, make it a point to visit at least one of the historic cultural sites, as it's a tribute of thanks to people who helped built this chain of islands into the place it is now, and much of that cultural spirit has endured through the centuries.

Village Burger in Waimea area - deliciously locavore - Photos by Wasabi Prime

As mentioned before, exploring the history of a place can lead to both cultural appreciation and an annoyingly loud rumble in one's tummy.  The way one heeds the call of the divine, one must answer the equally compelling gurgle of a stomach. On the way to Kohala,  there was a lunch break in the misty hills of Waimea, in the city of Kamuela. In a little strip mall called the Parker Ranch Center, you'll find Village Burger, one of the best hidden hamburger gems on the island, and it'll leave you with a craving that will make you catch the next flight back to the Big Island. You'll see the Parker family name listed in a lot of places on Hawai'i, due to the fact that the Parker Ranch takes up a large portion of the island. The family has been a major agricultural landowner in Hawai'i since the 1800s, with their legacy continuing to the present-day, keeping the farming community strong on the island. Along with produce farms, cattle ranches are all over the area. Village Burger takes full advantage of this wealth of local ingredients, elevating the comforting hamburger to a gloriously delicious statement that sings the praises of supporting local farmers and ranchers.

Cowboy up and have an amazing burger and milkshake thanks to Chef Goto - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Village Burger chef and owner, Edwin Goto, was on-hand to pose for a photo and present a tasty argument for why people should support local ingredients. Not that anyone really needs convincing, but the flavor of their Hawai'ian Red Veal Burger, made with the tender, delicate flavor of veal (yes, a wee baby cow) or the vegetarian-friendly Hamakua Mushroom Burger, piled high with locally grown, flavorful Ali'i and shiitake mushrooms, are compelling arguments against anyone even daring to consider a quick trip to the drive-thru at some national burger chain. Each burger is cooked to order, with options to add caramelized onions to enhance toppings like tomato marmalade or a miso mayonnaise. Natural flavors of the burger itself, whether it's the rich Wagyu Kobe-style burger, or their subtle veal are paired beautifully with their choice toppings, letting flavors compliment but not eclipse one another. Chef Goto's background as an executive chef at luxe hotels like the Lodge at Koele on the island of Lanai brought him recognition and a James Beard nomination, and where some would parlay such success into a high-end, high-profile restaurant, Chef Goto takes his finely-tuned craft for flavor and shares it with everyone, offering the familiarity and comfort of a burger that's blessed with incredible freshness that evangelize the message of regional eating. Village Burger is as much about good food as it is educating its patrons, listing where the ingredients come from and emphasizing that these are meals truly of the island, supporting local farmers. Even if it's a little bit of a drive, cowboy-up and 'round up the posse towards Kamuela to have one of the most delicious lessons in locavore eating -- and don't forget to get a delicious milkshake made with local ice cream and swirls of local strawberries grown right in the area.

Glimpses of Kona, from royal palaces to a final Aloha at the airport - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Driving all day, stopping for history and hamburgers, you eventually make your way to the coastal city of Kailua-Kona. The main center of the city is the ocean-facing stretch of Ali'i Drive, running along the rocky shore. It's a mix of restaurants, hotels and retail shops, but you never lose sight of the history of this historic city by the sea. You'll likely notice Mokuaikaua Church, its tall pointed spire sticking up against all the other rooftops of the city. The first Christian church to be built in Hawai'i in the 1800s, its construction is unique, as it was one of the first to use Western building techniques like mortar in the construction of its walls. Traditional native building techniques use the careful stacking of lava rocks, fitting each stone perfectly to let gravity and friction keep the structures sound. The church's construction used the black lava rock, but mixed a unique mortar made up of the local coral, creating a stark white contrast that filled the seams between each stone. As you walk by the church, look closely and you'll see the bits of coral and shell mixed in between the lava stones. Other standout historic sites along Ali'i Drive is the Hulihe'e Palace, the historic home for Hawai'ian royalty, built around the same era as the church, signifying a new Western influence in the islands. The palace holds a collection of artifacts of that Victorian era, when British explorers were developing trade relationships with the Native Hawai'ians. You see that influence in old portraits of Hawai'ian royalty wearing Victorian clothing, and of course in the Hawai'ian flag itself, which bears the Union Jack in its design. It's a reminder that the history of Hawai'i is incredibly complex, spanning several continents and reflecting influences from many nations.

Sunset dinner at Huggo's , a delicious must-do while in Kona - Photos by Wasabi Prime

It's certainly a lot to ponder, and it provides quite a bit of food for thought. But of course you can't ignore the fact that you're in a tropical paradise. After learning about a legendary king who fought to unite his people, and world-weary explorers who discovered this lush chain of Eden-like islands (ok, technically it's an archipelago), you deserve a sunset dinner to watch the day slip away into the colorful depths of the sea. If you've been to Kona before, you've probably heard of Huggo's, a longtime favorite restaurant that's been around since the 1960s. It's right along Ali'i Drive, offering their more formal dining at Huggo's and then next door is their casual bar, Huggo's on the Rocks, which is more of a relaxed hangout spot to listen to live music. I remember coming to Kona before and my aunt would tell me how Huggo's used to be known as the place where they'd throw bits of raw chicken into the surf right below the restaurant and the eels would come out for the tasty treats. Weirdly awesome, right? It was just oddball trivia that the restaurant was known for, and on this visit, they said they still do it from time to time. While I kept an eye out on the crashing surf, I sadly didn't see eels, but given the delicious dinner I was about to enjoy, I felt like hey, if one of us is going to have a tasty meal, better Wasabi than Unagi, right?

I tried out their new prix fixe dinner menu, offering three courses for a fixed price for around $40. I'm a fan of restaurants who put together these menus because like a lot of people, I'm plagued with indecision, and in most cases, these menus reflect the strengths of a restaurant and shows off their favorite ingredients. Given the freshness and availability of items from land and sea, Huggo's hit a home run with that particular day's fresh catch, a seared swordfish seasoned with spicy sichimi togarashi, a Japanese blend of ground pepper and chili designed to give food a little kick of heat, set atop a creamy puree of purple ali'i or Okinawan sweet potatoes, and a rich sauce of lemongrass haupia, sort of like a citrus-infused coconut sauce. Delicious and elegant, it was flavored with island culinary influences and I swear it tasted that much more amazing with a view of the sun turning a volcanic blood-red before setting right into the ocean. Their dessert was especially rich, offering a macadamia nut take on pecan pie. It was a slice of pure sugar-rush heaven, with the rich, slightly savory peanut butter-like filling of the pie topped with toasted macadamia nuts. The vanilla ice cream was a nice foil to the pie, and despite saying, "I couldn't eat another bite," it was really hard not to just fit one.. more... little... bite. When I'm eating in the land of Aloha, I just can't stop enjoying every morsel. Which is why I was probably compelled by the threat of cellulite to take regular jogs up and down Ali'i Drive every day I was there. That ice cream isn't going to exercise itself away. *burp*

I still have a little more to share from this trip, so stay tuned -- I've feasted by land, but next I've got a final post of Aloha by sea that I hope you'll check out. In the meantime, keep the giving spirit of a generosity alive by making sure you've done what you can to help the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Donate to your favorite aid charity, or when in doubt, go with the American Red Cross, or another personal favorite of mine, Doctors Without Borders.

FoodTrek: Don't Listen to that TLC Song - Go Chase Waterfalls, Especially in Hawai'i

Don't go chasing waterfalls... The hip hop trio of TLC clearly never visited Hawai'i. This song is bogus! Contrary to their advice, you should chase waterfalls. Because they're quite pretty. And chase other adventures when visiting the island of Hawai'i because you know what? It's a great excuse to have a big, delicious meal to reward your adventuresome stomach -- I mean spirit. (If you've never heard of TLC or the song Waterfalls, I feel ooooooooold.)

I'm ignoreing TLC's musical advice - chasing after Rainbow Falls in Hilo - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Who doesn't love a stunning tropical pastoral? Rainbow Falls at Wailuku River State Park is such a beautiful spot, and have been visiting it since I was a kid. Plus it's a picturesque waterfall worth exploring that's literally right in the heart of Hilo on the island of Hawai'i, which means you can spend some energy taking a good walk around the area to get your appetite going for a big, delicious meal at Hilo Bay Cafe. This visit to the Cafe was a first for me! I'd never gone before, and was joined by fellow food blogger and artist, Devany Vickery-Davidson, who writes the Aloha-tastic My Hawaiian Home. She's a great source for island events and restaurants, and had delicious recommendations for Hilo Bay Cafe's menu, composed by Chef Joshua Ketner, who crafts beautiful dishes composed of the fresh produce from local growers on the island, as well as products produced by neighborhing islands. They source organic produce where they can, and the menu changes regularly based on seasonal items.

Island-fresh dishes from Hilo Bay Cafe - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We ordered several wonderful things, thanks to Devany's keen palate -- their carpaccio of paper-thin local beef drizzled with oil, fried capers and radish microgreens; a layered  roasted eggplant parmesan custard with rosemary bread; fresh ono (aka, wahoo, a local fish) and hearts of palm ceviche with purple Ali'i/Okinawan sweet potato chips; and a mushroom wellington filled with roasted portobello mushrooms, gorgonzola and red peppers served on whipped potatoes and asparagus. Devany had raved about their jalapeno martinis, which was a lovely mix of fire and ice, with the slow heat of spice that lingers between the salty brine of blue cheese-stuffed olives and the refreshing cool of vodka. This is a popular drink that's usually made with Ocean Vodka -- a locally made spirit at a distillery in Maui -- but it's so popular, that people literally drank all the Ocean away! But the cocktail is just as dandy with my favorite, Grey Goose.

I have to say the carpaccio was my favorite -- it's not something I get to indulge in very often, and the local beef is outstanding. Tender, delicate beef flavor, with the rawness allowing for sharpness of the capers and other elements to balance everything very nicely. I enjoyed all the dishes, which had that element of freshness that you just can't fake. If you get a chance to visit, just order from their specials menu to get whatever's right off the tree, vine or fish hook.

If you want to venture out into the area where restaurants like Hilo Bay Cafe gets lot of the fresh produce, drive out near the Hamakua Coast area, north of Hilo. The inland region is hilly with a lot of farmland, with a stunning view of the ocean along the coastal drive. And yes, there's waterfalls! Plan a stop to see Akaka Falls near Homomu, another really beautiful tropical vista. You'll get a chance to see a lot of the native plants and rainforest setting, which is a dramatic comparison to the farming areas, giving you a sense of how the land has been transformed. Akaka Falls is much higher waterfall than Rainbow Falls; there's paved steps that wind their way to various lookout points. It's an easy enough walk, but don't worry, there's plenty of steps to build up your appetite for a new food adventure!

Hilo Bay Cafe tastes and sights from Rainbow and Akaka Falls  - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Of course I enjoy going to my favorite local-style eating places when I'm in the Hilo area. Nori's Saimin and Snackshop is my Thursday lunch spot for getting my saimin fix -- I say Thursdays because that's the day my parents are always there. If you are ever in Hilo and want to see Wasabi Mom and Wasabi Dad in their natural food habitat, Thursdays are it! We also visited the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center Cafe, the restaurant that's on the side of the center. It's like the hidden food gem for lunch and dinner, as who would think of heading to a planetarium for a nice sit-down meal? They have a regular buffet, but one of my favorite things is their Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup. But probably my favorite meal is the one that proves food tastes better outside. Call in your bento order first thing in the morning to the old Kawamoto Store in downtown Hilo on Kilauea Avenue. It's an okazuya-style bento shop, which is to say, Japanese comfort food, primarily from Okinawa.  Spam musubi, nori-wrapped fried chicken, fried cutlets of pork tonkatsu, housemade kamaboko fish cakes -- all the local favorites that have been tweaked for Hawai'i tastes, like the availability of bright red hotdogs from Maui. Simple, inexpensive, humble food that are all delicious when eaten outdoors, sitting along the rock wall overlooking Hilo Bay, near Coconut Island. I do this at least once during every visit with my family, and it's always at the top of my eating/sightseeing list of recommendations!

Eating local-style at 'Imiloa's cafe and Kawamoto Store's bento in the lbig little city of Hilo  - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Another winning combination of sight-seeing/tummy-filling island adventure would be to chase down some lava in Kalapana and make a stop in Pahoa to visit Kaleo's Bar and Grill for dinner. This is the perfect combo of off-the-beaten-trail sightseeing and the reward of ono kine grindz after a long day. (I know, I keep saying this phrase -- ono is Hawai'ian for "good" or "tasty" and yes, it's also the name of the fish, which was deliciously named, and well, "kine" and "grindz" is just Pidgin, which you can probably suss out for yourself.)

The hills of Kalapana are alive with the sound of Wasabi - Photo of me taken by Robin Rockey, rest by the Prime

Kilauea was super-active while I was visiting, and the Kalapana lava flow in the Puna district is one place to literally see where man meets magma. It's not really a typical place to visit; it's just a public road, at the end of Route 130, which comes to a pretty abrupt halt as there's old, cooled lava that's blocked the rest of the way. This area has houses with people living off the grid (no running water or electricity) in houses that are in the direct path of active lava flows when Pele decides she wants to stir things up. You're shaking your head, saying, "Why, why, WHY would you live in such a treacherous place?" Well, the ocean view is stunning to say the least, and it's a wide open space straight out of a Martian landscape, composed of old lava flows made wrinkled and rippled with serpentine cooling patterns, and odd sprouts of ferns peeking from every crack. From what you can see of the homes, they're all equipped with the combination of solar and wind power, plus gas-powered generators, and there are rainwater catchment systems on all the houses. You get a bit of a contact high of the exhilaration of relying so heavily on nature's conditions and living in such proximity to its destructive path, especially when you see remnants of homes that the lava did end up claiming. Don't think this is like Pompeii -- the lava does flow through here, but it's slow and the people who have chosen to live in this area are ever-vigilant and know when to allow their home to be consumed by Pele. You can drive your car out and park alongside the highway -- definitely bring flashlights, as remember, no streetlamps -- and at sundown, you can see the lava on the not-too-distant hills. They come out like reddish orange stars in a night sky as dusk settles.

You may feel invigorated with hunger after staring into the brute force of the Earth's core. Well, I know I was feeling a bit peckish. On the way back from Kalapana, you should drop by Kaleo's Bar and Grill in the center of Pahoa. The town of Pahoa is totally what I envision when I think of Hawai'i. No sandy beaches or deep valleys carpeted in rainforests. Maybe it's from spending many summers in upcountry Maui, in little towns like Makawao, but I love the one-road main streets lined with old clapboard buildings, gravel parking lots in back, and the off-the-beaten-trail atmosphere of little towns. Although Kaleo's isn't totally hidden, as they've been awarded a Silver Hale 'Aina Award by Honolulu Magazine, so clearly, this Island Find is Island Found.

Bidding adieu to Pele and Aloha to Kaleo's in Pahoa - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Kaleo's gets busy. You wouldn't think such a little town would have so many people, but I'm fairly certain they all show up here for dinner. But that's a good sign of good food. Get reservations if you've got a group of people, but they do have a small bar area with open seating if you're just looking to drop in for a short spell. The food is sort of the Hawai'ian fusion cuisine that's very popular, preparing traditional native dishes in unique ways like wontons filled with kalua pork, but always relying on the strength of local, fresh ingredients. I had the Kaleo's Lemon Chicken, whch prepared chicken breasts with local spinach and goat cheese, in a lemon caper sauce. Flavorful take on a chicken Florentine-style dish, with the citrus of the lemon and sauteed spinach keeping the dish bright to balance the creaminess of the goat cheese. Their poke was prepared with big chunks of ahi and the addition of avocado chunks, which I really liked. I'm used to the more small-chop, traditional style of poke, and the use of ogo (seaweed), but their version had a sesame dressing and had a lighter flavor, letting the ingredients' natural flavor shine through. Save room for dessert -- their lilikoi cheesecake is fantastic, and probably my favorite of what I tried that night. Passionfruit, despite its romantic name, is kind of a funky fruit. I wouldn't call it totally sweet, as its got a complex flavor that's strikingly aromatic, but almost a rounded bitterness to it. I didn't realize what a great pairing lilikoi and creamy cheese makes. It sort of perfectly represents a lot of this Hawai'ian/Western fusion cuisine, taking ingredients that in their native menus would probably never have been put together, but in the natural fusion culture of Hawai'i, these delicious combinations become possible.

When I get a chance to return to Kaleo's, I think I'd like to try something off their Local Favorites part of the menu, which had things like kalua pork and cabbage (my dinnermates said it was really good), and kal bi ribs. I did indulge in a frosty beverage that The Dude would totally abide by -- beer from Kona Brewing Company. And I did also have a beer from the local Hilo brewery, Mehana. Both are great breweries and I'd like to explore them further on another trip, but I have to say their already good beers somehow taste extra good in Hawai'i.

FoodTrek: Farmers Market Finds and a Picnic with Pele

Where else but Hawai'i can you do a brown bag lunch with the gods? I was fortunate to visit the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the big island of Hawai'i, to experience the powerful mood of the Native Hawai'ian goddess Pele, within her fiery home in the active Kilauea Volcano. But one can't show up to Pele's house empty-handed. A visit to the Hilo Farmers Market yielded a big lunch of fresh local finds and ono kine grindz to power a full-day's trek through the national park, plus a later trip to the Kona Farmers Market was like another adventure in fresh food finds.

Fantastic view of Halema'uma'u Crater, home of the goddess of fire, Pele - Photo by Wasabi Prime

When you're faced with a full day of walking through a geological history of the Hawai'ian islands, you better be prepared. And by prepared, I mean know how to get your grub on. I've written about how fantastic the Hilo Farmers Market is in previous posts, and it's one of the best ways to supply you with fresh energy for a full day. Located right in the historic downtown area of Hilo, on the corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue, it's a large open market that has a combination of crafts, prepared foods and fresh produce. Bring cash, as most of the vendors won't be able to handle credit cards or check -- don't worry, you don't need much more than $10 worth to gather a good amount of food. Little box lunch bento of teriyaki chicken with musubi rice balls, Filippino style noodles called pancit, or fried cutlets of pork tonkatsu can range from three to five dollars, and fresh fruit like whole bunches of apple bananas are as cheap as a dollar, easy snacks that travel well and come individually wrapped. There's sweet treats like butter mochi, a chewy rice cake dessert, and there are vendors that now offer things like herbed goat's milk chevre and fresh-baked breads. Get a little loaf of bread and a bottle of local honey or guava jelly and you've got the makings for a delicious sandwich lunch. Don't be shy about trying something unique like fresh starfruit which can be sliced and eaten as-is, having a kind of bright pear flavor, or the scaly dragon-skinned soursop, which once split open, the pulpy, custard-like fruit has a subtle citrus/banana like flavor. Bunches of red-maned rambutan are easily found, where all you need to do is break open its red skin, peel it away, and eat the grape-like fruit that tastes similar to lychee --  just eat around the seed. Don't forget to try the small pear-shaped mountain apples, or Malay apples, waxy red-skinned fruit that have a lightly sweet flavor and contain a lot of liquid, acting as a good hydration fruit during long hikes.

Dragonfruit, mountain apples, apple bananas, orchids, rambutan; not your average market - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Having a cooler packed with the farmers market finds, it's less than an hour's drive to the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. I've been visiting this park for as long as I can remember, going at various times when Kilauea was both sleepy and especially active. While the idea of visiting a national park may induce snore-worthy memories of family vacations gone horribly awry, the best thing about visiting the house of Pele is that she is a fire goddess that does not disappoint and it's a park who can boast that it's always in a state of flux -- what you see today, you may not be able to see tomorrow. Pelehonuamea is the legendary diva of record, featured heavily in local myths, known as much for her beauty as for her power and fury. When you come to her house, come with respect and a desire to learn about the natural history of the island. Kilauea is is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, but one of the youngest among the island of Hawai'i's family of active volcanoes, which include Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth, and Hualalai, the third most active on the island. The park is set up in a way that makes it easy for people to tour the area by car, or if you choose to tour by bike or foot, there are backcountry planners and bike guides available. You can do overnight camping on the park grounds as well. The main thing is to plan accordingly -- read up on the Things to Do page of the Volcanoes National Park site, as they will have suggested supply lists, weather and air quality conditions, and the need to check in so rangers know where to locate you in case of emergency. For the $10 price of entrance into the park, it's quite a lot of activities available for the outdoor enthusiast.

Exploring the geologic and mythic history of Hawai'i with Ranger Dean - Photos by Wasabi Prime

OK, so maybe you're not ready to get down with your Bear-Grylls-Man-vs-Wild-bad self -- I spent just a day at the park, on a ranger-guided tour of the park. This was a great thing to take advantage of, as it's included in your park fee and you can call ahead and arrange for a ranger to guide you for the day. I was very lucky to be paired up with the fantastic Ranger Dean Gallagher, who pretty much knows everything about the park and its fantastic ecosystem, explaining how the park is in a constant state of activity to preserve the indigenous and endemic animals and plants of the island. I'm sure all the rangers have this incredible amount of information, I just have to give props to the awesome Ranger Dean who made the day absolutely magical. We started out at the Kilauea Visitor Center, where you get the latest weather and air condition reports (good to check with if you have any health/respiratory issues), then taking the Crater Rim Drive that takes you around the massive Kilauea Caldera that includes the Halema'uma'u Crater, the legendary home of Pele. Along the overlook of Halema'uma'u is the breathtaking view of the crater, and during this especially active time, you could hear explosions of rock from within the crater every few minutes. It sounded like thunder and was a stark contrast from previous visits I've had to the same overlook where it's been such a peaceful view of a sleeping goddess. While the active lava is unable to be seen during the day because the crater is so deep, the park is open 24 hours and you can drive out there at night; if the conditions are right, the rangers said you could see the glow of the lava reflecting off the constant billows of steam coming up from the crater. For the day I was there, I was able to see the natural steam vents where rainwater is transformed into constant fresh billows of steam, Kilauea Iki Crater, the site of a 1959 lava flow, and take a tour through an old lava tube, the Thurston Lava Tube, including a flashlights-are-a-must tour of an unlit lava tube that was as mysterious as it was sacred, as Ranger Dean described how these tubes were used for both sanctuary for the Native Hawai'ians and burial areas, to protect the mana or strength of a person's spirit that remains within the bones.

The best restaurant and menu in the world -- Chez Mother Nature - Photos by Wasabi Prime

It's a lot to take in for an afternoon, you build up a volcano-sized appetite, so that cooler full of farmers market goodies is a welcome sight. And having a ranger with you to point out all the choice picnic spots is pretty rockstar. Ranger Dean guided us to a little covered picnic area -- there's several around the park, but it's nice when someone can guide you directly. A tablecloth was laid out and all the fresh foods were spread out for what was probably one of the best picnic lunches you could imagine. They say food eaten outdoors always tastes better, and food that locally grown and produced, eaten on the edge of an active volcano is pretty outstanding. Along one of the walks, we passed by a few 'ohelo berry bushes, a fruit endemic to Hawai'i, found nowhere else. They're edible berries, tart and tiny, somewhat labor intensive to pick, but often made into jams and pies -- highly recommended if you're lucky to get a hold of a jar or baked treat.

Kona Farmers Market and fresh cacao pods!! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

It's hard to totally kick the farmers market addiction when you're in Hawai'i. Not that we don't have farmers markets where I live, it's just hard to let go of the abundance of such exotic items. Even when I was in Kona, the siren song of their farmers market located right on Ali'i Drive couldn't keep me away. Open Wednesdays through Sundays, I got a chance to do a quick walk-thru before I had to catch my flight. If I was there for a few days more, I'd have bought more of the addictive Maui Gold pineapples, which are sweeter than anything you can get on the Mainland, or fresh mango that were being sold for a pittance of what you'd pay at home. One of the Kona market vendors was selling fresh cacao pods, explaining that if you wanted to make cocoa powder from scratch, you just have to remove the seeds, dry them, and then roast them before grinding into pure cocoa powder. It sounded similar to how coffee is produced and I'm now inspired to try it, if I plan my next visit to Kona accordingly and can take over my mother's kitchen for a few hours. Another good thing about visiting this market is that it's where the locals shop. Granted, there's plenty of inexpensive souvenir stuff that's probably made in Taiwan, but look past the trinkets and you'll see an abundance of fresh flowers like anthurium, live orchids, and spiny huge protea blooms. You're literally surrounded by walls of fresh flowers. There were handmade ti leaf leis, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and probably the item of most interest, Kona coffee. Everyone sells Kona coffee, but the pricing can vary, based on the percentage of pure coffee harvested locally. While I'm no Kona coffee stock market ticker, comparing the prices from the different shops along Ali'i Drive, the prices in the farmers market was probably the best, ranging from $13 to $15 a pound, whereas other stores were selling their coffee at $18 to $20 per pound. And again, we noticed this is where the locals were buying their coffee, and that's a good indicator of where you'll find the best prices.

I find myself back in the chill of the Pacific Northwest, dreaming of warm farmers markets and picnic lunches, but it just reminds me what's waiting for me on my next visit back to the island of Hawai'i. Don't think this tropical blog adventure is over; I still have more tales of Aloha to come, so stay tuned for eating guides meant to fuel busy days on land and sea! To continue the spirit of Aloha, please visit the American Red Cross site and donate to help the relief efforts to aid Japan's recovery in the wake of the recent earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Fun and funny stuff at the Kona Farmers Market - Photos by Wasabi Prime

FoodTrek: Breaking the Foodie Rules on Hotel Eating - and Loving it

Travel and food writers often say, don't eat in the hotel, go out and explore, lest you become fully absorbed into a Jabba the Hutt-like resort repose, addicted to pillow mints and pay-per-view movies. Well, maybe not the Jabba the Hutt part, but the general advice tends to lean towards hotels being the HQ for luggage and sleeping only, which normally I'd tend to agree. But being the Wasabi Rebel that I am (no tattoos or regrettable piercings required), I'm here to say, rules are meant to be broken, especially when it comes to Hawai'ian hotel eats, from dusk till dawn.

Aloha morning from the Queen's Court at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Spending some extra time on the Big Island of Hawai'i, I had the opportunity to explore less as of a local who just hops from one family's guest room/couch to another, and more as a true visitor. I was able to visit the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel along the eastern coast city of Hilo (aptly named hotel, no?), the Royal Kona Resort and the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, both on the western Kailua-Kona side of the island. These are all hotels centrally located within the main center of their respective cities, so if you're looking for a place to stay that doesn't feel like you're totally isolated, these are all good options. More importantly, the reason why these hotels break the "no eating in the hotel" rule is that they take advantage of the fact that they're in Hawai'i, a land blessed with fresh, readily available ingredients. No heat lamp-warmed baked potatoes and sickly, limp chicken cutlets swimming in a murky bernaise. The food prepared is vibrant and takes cues from its surroundings. True, a vacation should be something that takes you away, but the place you're staying at shouldn't take you even further from where you've traveled so far to reach.

Flavors of Queen's Court and sights of Liliuokalani Garden and Mauna Kea - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Hilo Hawaiian Hotel is located along the main street of Banyan Drive, with a view of Hilo Bay, and walking distance to the nearby Queen Liliuokalani Garden, a Japanese fish pond park that's one of my favorite places to go for a picnic or a nice walk. It's one of the original hotels in Hilo and a popular place to stay during the big hula festival in April (28th-30th), Merrie Monarch Festival. It's literally the Superbowl of hula, with people traveling from around the world to converge upon the city, so if you're planning on visiting and not a hula aficionado, come any time of the year except the end of April, just so you can save yourself the extra hassle of trying to find a room, as the whole city gets taken over. But 99% of the time, Hilo is a relaxing paradise. A perfect way to start the day would be to wake up around sunrise to see the first glow of morning's light start to fill the sky, and if the air is clear, you can see the peak of Mauna Kea in the distance. The air is still cool, but warm enough to inspire an early walk over the little bridge to nearby Coconut Island (an old Navy training area, now a favorite picnic spot), or a stroll through Liliuokalani Garden. The tidal pools will be low, you may see small fish jumping in the still waters of the seawater ponds flowing in and out of the hilly park. There's no sound of busy rush hour traffic, just the early morning breeze and the rhythmic cooing of little grey doves that are everywhere. And then you'll hear a low rumble. That's your stomach saying it's breakfast time.

So head to the hotel's Queen's Court Restaurant for breakfast, with Executive Chef Piet Wigmans helming a menu of traditional dishes mixed with local flavors. During my stay, I had a beautiful fresh papaya topped with yogurt mixed with locally-grown vanilla and mixed with tart slices of apple bananas. A little wedge of calamansi (sort of like a tart key lime) adds a quick splash of brightness. I also had a wedge of frittata that had savory chunks of pipikaula, Hawai'ian style beef ribs, and chopped warabi, wild fiddlehead fern shoots that taste a bit like asparagus or broccoli. Eggs Benedict gets an island twist with lilikoi (passionfruit) flavored hollandaise and slices of Portuguese sausage, and even the pancakes get a little Aloha, as the batter is mixed with poi, and topped with a coconut syrup. Sure, breakfast is a hard thing to do wrong, but these extra flourishes made for a distinctively local way to start the day.

Picture-perfect views and tastes at the Royal Kona Resort - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Heading to Kona, on the western coast of the island is like going to a totally different island, not unlike traveling west to east, across the state of Washington or Oregon. The climate change is dramatic, going from lush green to dry and rocky -- and hot, so bring your sunscreen SPF Gazillion, pale Northwesterners. People think of the entire state of Hawai'i as being all sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, but throughout the islands, there are varying climates, from rainforest to desert. The island of Hawai'i is one way to experience multiple environments by staying on a single island, driving from Hilo to Kona. Taking the scenic route can be a couple of hours, so it's worth spending a few days in Kona to really enjoy it. It may be late afternoon by the time you get into the rocky shores of King Kamehameha's hometown, and you'll be looking at your watch thinking, hm... it's Mai Tai-thirty. What, your watch doesn't say that? Eh, time for you to get a new watch, braddah. I checked into the Royal Kona Resort along the busy main street of Ali'i Drive and immediately went to their open-air Don's Mai Tai Bar, overlooking the setting sun over Kailua Bay. The waves literally crash against the bar! This hotel is uniquely set right against the sea and is a big supporter of the annual Ironman Triathlon, held within walking distance of the hotel, by the pier -- if you're an Ironman fan, book early for October, but if you're just wanting to relax with a fruity drink and minimal crowds, there's 11 other months that are just as good for a visit. Royal Kona's Chef Jason Ito was there to present some cocktail hour pupus, which included my favorites: sashimi-style ahi (tuna), spicy ahi poke (a Hawai'ian style ceviche of raw fish, onions, peppers, garlic and salted ogo, or seaweed) and satay skewers of chicken and vegetables with a spicy peanut sauce. Mushrooms from the Hamakua area of the island were also served, a deliciously local vegetarian option. I was especially glad to see so much produce being sourced not only locally, but from the island itself. Even in the local grocery stores, you can find vegetables from Hamakua, and I personally think the tomatoes from that area are superbly ono kine -- super sweet and not acidic like most tomatoes.

Mahalo to Chef Ito for preparing such an ono kine menu - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The fresh food had my head spinning, I nearly forgot to drink my Mai Tai! I'm normally not one for super sweet cocktails, but when in Tropical Rome, do as the Tropical Romans do, and the sweetness balances out the savory eats like the spicy ahi poke. It's fitting to have a vintage umbrella-bedazzled cocktail like the Mai Tai in the 1960s-cool surroundings of the Royal Kona Resort. During their happy hour, they have a great xylophone player who plays all the retro-cool classics, with the crashing surf in the background. I liked their Mai Tai sampler, which is four of their signature Mai Tais made in mini form. It's a smarter way to sample without becoming Paradise Lost in the span of a night. The sampler includes smaller Mai Tai versions of their Pele, Original, Topless and Green Flash. They were very fruity and sweet, and I was recommended to try their Plantation Mai Tai, which was a little less sugary and supposedly closer to the original recipe. I was starting to feel the sleepiness of the day's travel take over, so I vow to save the Plantation Mai Tai for another day. The ocean waves were still crashing dramatically, throwing a mist of white foam into the night air, and I have to say, it was another reason why it was nice to have a delicious meal and a cocktail right downstairs from your room -- a restful night was just an elevator ride away, right past their most excellent chandelier shaped like carved fish hooks that I couldn't stop taking pictures of.

Sunset dinner and manta ray viewing at the Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort - Photos by Wasabi Prime

What makes it easy to break the rule of spending too much time at the hotel, aside from the restaurants' ample use of fresh ingredients, is the ease of enjoying some of the most beautiful views of the island. Unless you have access to a private seaside home or are super-BFF's with Paul Allen (he's got a ginormous house right along the Kona coast), you can't beat an evening of food and drinks between views of a misty mountain and crashing waves, and an evening show of manta rays swimming right in front of you. A little ways up from Ali'i Drive, on Ehukai Street, sits the impressive Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort. It's a little further out and doesn't have direct beach access, but their higher cliffside location feels like you're on the edge of the world, with the views of the green, forested mountain behind you. Where you feel the direct spray of the ocean along Ali'i Drive, you feel you're a bit closer to the clouds and the faraway whisper of the sea in this location. I had the pleasure of talking with the hotel's head Chef Eric Lelinski, who left the Mainland for paradise and never looked back, fully charmed by the ease of fishing trips and the ability to serve meals from farm to table. He spoke of the pleasurable abundance such fresh ingredients harvested throughout the islands, both land and sea, being able to serve fresh-caught fish like wahoo or ono (pictured above), along with ahi wrapped in nori and lightly fried, topped with a tartly sweet chutney of local fruits. He combines two sides of familiarity, Island and Mainland, which I think makes visitors new to Hawai'i more open towards trying something new. A traditional dessert of jello-like haupia, or coconut pudding, may not be what a first time visitor would crave, but haupia layered with sweet purple ali'i or Okinawan potatoes, on a shortbread crust feels more familiar for someone used to Western/European desserts.

Combining familiar with exotic flavors in Kona's tropical oasis - Photos by Wasabi Prime

One of the most unique things the Sheraton offers is a first-row look at manta rays swimming off their viewing area in their Manta Ray Bar. It's open to all visitors, even if you're not a guest of the hotel. After a sunset dinner, you can gather at the lookout to see dive boats anchor off the deepwater shore and shine bright lights to attract the microscopic plankton or krill, creating sort of a moonlight buffet for the manta rays that live in the waters surrounding Kona. Every night, on Mondays through Saturdays, they have half hour complimentary talks about the local manta rays, explaining their life cycles and interesting notes like the fact mantas can live for decades. The history of the hotel is that prior to it becoming a Sheraton property, it used to have a saltwater pool in the location where the manta viewing area is, and the mantas used to come by even when the pool was still there, attracted by the lights that attracted their food source. It's interesting to think that the same mantas that roam the waters today are ones that were there from years before -- talk about repeat business! The nighttime dive tour boats garner most of the manta activity, as their lights are stronger, but you get a great view of an eerie brown wingspanned creature, flying through the surface of the water, with maybe a tip of its wing flipping up, showing its white underside. It's also quite a sight to see the snorkelers paddling around with noodle-like flotation aids, en masse, to gather around the lights and see the mantas glide about. It's weirdly wonderful to watch from the viewing area. Especially with a happy buzz of a ginger cosmopolitan to ease one into a moonlight night.

It's important to mention that none of these hotels were seriously damaged during the recent tsunami that came as a result of the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan. While as a precaution, everyone in the flood zone was evacuated and the people in Hilo and Kona were able to avoid harm, thanks to the incredible tsunami emergency system that's in place throughout all the Hawai'ian islands. This fact of nature is just a part of living near the ocean, and it's a reminder of the power and beauty of being surrounded by such paradise. Don't feel intimidated by the recent events, instead, if you find yourself on the shores of Hawai'i, take a moment for a deep breath out of respect for the ocean and the life it sustains. And if you haven't already done so, please head to the American Red Cross or other relief efforts that are providing aid to the people of Japan affected by the terrible disaster. Part of Hawai'i is a sense of ohana, or family, and that includes sending goodwill and Aloha to all who need it. Thanks and Mahalo -- stay tuned for more posts about Hawai'i eats, coming soon!

Mixed Plate: Wasabi Prime and Shameber of Secrets

While not Catholic, I will say admitting one's sins is a cathartic experience. While I have yet to fess up on where I hid Jimmy Hoffa's body and what was really in Al Capone's vault before Geraldo Rivera opened it on live 1980s TV to epic nothingness, I will allow the readers passage into my dark Shameber of Food Secrets. Read on... if you dare.

Pickling myself alive, one pepperocini at a time - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Be honest. You all have weird food favorites or eating habits that never get uttered in those high-falutin' dinner parties where everyone's comparing who's got the most organic heritage quail eggs, harvested by pygmy albinos trained in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, you skitter home and shove handfuls Frosted Mini-Wheats straight from the box into your mouth around midnight, wondering why that little dab of foie gras on toast didn't manage to hold your appetite at bay. As specific as that sounds, it's not me -- I have far worse habits. I'm a salt and vinegar fiend, and I love spicy things, so I regularly eat those pickled pepperocinis that are really meant more as a little vinegar-y flourish as you eat a salad or maybe a plate of antipasti. Not me. I snack on these with abandon, inviting heartburn and a whole litany of acid-reflux consequences. When you wander through the aisles of Costco and see the glass jars of pepperocini, double-wrapped, and the size of mortars, think of me fondly. And with forgiveness in your heart.

Dinner for one - no need to wash any dishes! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

My next epic sin of embarassment is the way I finish off a long day when I don't really need to cook, there's just a few scraps of salad ingredients, and just enough leftover sparkling wine to say, "It saves me from cleaning a glass," versus "Get the Betty Ford Clinic on the line, we've got an intervention underway." Luckily, Mr. Wasabi accepts me for who I am, bad habits and all. And I think when this photo was taken, he was working late, so no one by my own lack of shame had to witness this. Well, and now everyone who reads this. Hi, Mom. I'm more than happy to spend hours or even days preparing a special meal, but when it comes to just me, myself and Wasabi, I don't mind being ghetto-fabulous and only needing to wash a fork after dinner. 

Radioactive cheesy popcorn and a guilty (begging) stare from Indy - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The last item in this Cabinet of Craziness kind of speaks for itself. I'm not sure if microwave popcorn is too plebian for high-end foodies, but furthering insult to injury, I keep a bottle of that radioactive powdered cheese for a little shakey-shakey finish, sometimes resulting in inhaled cheese if it gets airborne. I hear that's how Ebola got its start. The fake butter yellow glow on the microwave popcorn wasn't enough, I had to take this one to Eleven and give it some Three Mile Island Cheesiness as I enjoy this unholy snack during Bones reruns. I do mix it up sometimes, eschewing the freaky cheese powder and sprinkling a little furikake over my popcorn -- the MSG-laden mix of sesame seeds and shreds of nori that you buy at Asian grocery stores. That seems a little more gourmet-acceptible in some circles, despite the fact that I remember having that stuff sprinkled on plain rice mixed with green tea to try and kick the hangover you'll inevitably have the next morning, but whatever. One person's high-end condiment is another's drunken food craving. 

So, I showed you mine. Show me yours -- what do you enjoy in your Shameber of Secrets?

*Note - credit to the term "Shameber" rightly goes to Mr. Luke Burbank and his Too Beautiful to Live podcast gang, as they've been rocking the Shameber term for many years.

UnRecipe: Getting My Crave On

I'm back! I'm back!! Two weeks off and time in the Aloha State and what do I return with....? Mainland comfort food post. OK, so what I'm really doing right this second is photo editing and writing like a maniac to whittle down all the sights, smells, tastes and experiences of my last Hawaii trip into something that actually makese sense. At least something that sounds better than: Went to Hawaii. It was awesome. The end. Not cutting the Dijon mustard, is it? So, please bear with the Prime and enjoy this moment of in-the-moment cooking, as I tackle specific food and flavor cravings.

Another instance where rice, does indeed, make it nice - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I will say this, my idea of curry is very different from Hawaiian or Japanese curry, which is quite similar as they're usually on the sweet side and more like a beef stew with less complex spices. Living in an area with access to tasty Indian food, I've developed an appreciation and craving for those spices. When I'm feeling a curry craving, I like throwing together all the odd mixes of fragrant spices together and letting the magic of coconut milk bring everything together. The last time I made curry, I was wanting something especially fragrant, so I made a batch of jasmine rice that steamed in water and coconut milk, and then tossed the steamed rice with fresh cilantro leaves. The curry was the usual mish-mash of spicy, slow-cooked goodness, but in this case, the rice actually was the main attraction, as the steaming in coconut milk really made for a rich and delicious addition to the dish.

Holy Frites, this was tasty - photo by Wasabi Prime

One of my favorite guilty pleasure dishes is getting the steak and blue cheese fries at The Elysian in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of downtown Seattle. It's that dish of  flavor/texture favorites: thick cheesy sauce, thick pieces of steak, piled over crispy French fries. God bless America, and don't schedule a cholesterol test that week. I had a really specific hankering for this dish one week, so I made an at-home version. I seared some flank steak and sliced it thin. From the pan drippings, I started a basic bechamel sauce, but thickened it with chunks of blue cheese. In the oven, I roasted a pan of diced sweet potatoes that were seasoned with salt, pepper and some cayenne for extra heat. While not true French fries, it still provided a nice crispy bed of starch to layer the steak and cheese sauce over it. Is this a healtheir version? Hell, no. But did it help still the voice sounding like Audrey II, begging, "Feed me, Seymour?" Yes, it did. And I didn't even need to throw Steve Martin as a sado-masochistic dentist into a man-eating plant to make it happen.

A new segment titled: Wait, Wait, I Can Fix It! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

One night I could not deny the Call of the Wild Chocolate Chip Cookie. What, you never heard of Jack London's more obscure tale of cookie baking in the wild Alaskan frontier? Jeeze... read a book now and then, why dontcha... Acts of literature-besmirching aside, I have been known to do late night cookie baking. It's always chocolate chip cookies as those are my favorite. Nothing fancy, just the standard Toll House recipe that's on the chocolate chip packaging and I always have the basics sitting around. On this particular occasion, the craving was there, but the Toll House brand was not. I had some generic chocolate chips in the pantry and followed their basic recipe to cookie PFAIL! I should have listened to the voice in my head that said, "there's too much brown sugar in that recipe." But I ignored it, along with the other comments that voice makes about worshipping Satan or eating lead paint chips. Apparently one out of every three insane inner-voice comments is, in fact, correct. The cookie batter for the first batch ran like soup. The cookies finished baking, but super-thin and they all stuck together looking more like chocolate chip Pangea. So along with this event being a chocolate chip cookie craving, this became a Wait, Wait, I Can Fix It! event. Which is to say, I took the remainder of the dough into a baking dish with a criss-cross of parchment paper lining the inside, and threw it all into the oven. They baked off fine as chocolate chip cookie bars, and cutting them into little squares, you'd never know what a hot mess they initially were.

Stay tuned, dilligent readers. If you read through all that crazy mess, I again promise to post about Hawaii very soon!! In the meantime, if you haven't already tracked down a favorite charity that's providing humanitarian aid to help Japan in the wake of one of the worst natural disasters of record, please consider going to the American Red Cross website and giving what you can. The money you save by cooking at home versus going out to eat could help some people in serious need of aid!

Mixed Plate: Going on Island Time for Two Weeks

By the time you read this, I will already be gone....to Hawaii. But don't worry, I'm only going to be absent from the blog for a couple of weeks and will share all the Island adventures upon my return. Call it a Saimin Emergency, the need to be Spam Musubi-ed, or maybe just a chance to spend a little downtime with family -- I'm trading the shades of evergreen for a more tropical variety. But just for a little while.

Even a Wasabi needs a break now and then - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I will of course be Tweeting and hopefully posting Facebook photos if the WiFi gods smile favorably upon me! I'll be spending time on the Big Island, in both Hilo and Kona, so traveling beyond my usual 'hood. Stay tuned for updates and I'll see you on the flipside.

On a totally non-food related note, I'll sadly be missing the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle while I'm gone, but if you are going, please please please look for GB Tran and his new graphic novel, Vietnamerica. He'll be traveling to Seattle all the way from NYC to represent his book, sign copies, and just be his usual clever, friendly self. It's a beautifully drawn and written account of his family's journey from Vietnam to America during the chaos of war, and the complex struggles that arise from cultural displacement. I can't say enough wonderful things about this book and the incredible talent of my good friend GB who boldly tells such an emotional story with unflinching bravery. Whether you'll be at Emerald City Comicon or just wandering your local bookstore, do give his book a read, it's truly a labor of love.