'Ono Kine Grindz

You're Probably Wondering...

Red velvet cupcake from Cupcake Couture, Aina Haina

...What the hell happened to me.  Well, I was really overwhelmed by all the negativity over the blog these past few months and despite all of the kind words from those who supported me, it was definitely a difficult pill to swallow.  Yes, it is my blog.  Yes, I do want to share my opinions with people.  And yes, the content here is based my experiences.  Whether I'm eating here in Hawaii or somewhere around the world, does it really matter?

In any case, I have decided to do two things.  The first, was to start a new site.  I will be posting all of my out of town exploits there.  If you happen across the site, say hello.  I will definitely NOT be posting a link to the site here.

The second thing, is a major re-design and re-launch of Ono Kine Grindz -- probably over the next couple of months.  I am going to be moving the site and all of the existing content over to a hosted site (no more Typepad).  This will probably affect my Google page rankings, but eh, I can start over, right?  Besides, there has been an overwhelming amount of interest in this site over the last several months so I am kind of excited that people still want to hear what I have to say -- even after all that has happened over the last 4 1/2 years.

Right now, I am in the design stage for the new site.  If you have any ideas, please drop me a line.

In the meantime, or at least for the near future, please enjoy some of my favorite local blogs:

The Tasty Island
māʻona
L‘ACQUAGASSATA
Epicurean Appetite
Big Island Grinds from the Island of Hawaii
and On My Plate from the Island of Maui.

And if that doesn't satisfy your need for some ocal "grinds", check out a new kid on the block.  Meet WOWGrinds.com.  They folks behind this site are on a mission to find the "Winnah Of the Winnah" (best of the best) grinds in Hawaii.  And trust me when I say this...THESE GUYS ARE AWESOME!  Who else would be combing the island in search of the best shoyu poke or beef stew AND sit down in front of all that food to do a blind taste test?  Check out the results of their Meat Jun Challenge (I'm definitely going to have to check out Young's Kalbee in Aiea!

Until we meet again...(hopefully, it isn't too far off)...

Thanks, Sydney!

More about my vacation in a few.  For now, I will leave you with this plate of ridiculously delicious oysters.  They were plump, succulent and obviously fresh out of the ocean.  Their clean, briny flavor was amazing.

Tasmanian Pacific oysters with ginger & rice wine mignonette

Disappointed?

I received the following comment after publishing my post on Manresa.  I have contemplated this comment more than anything else over the last few days and I have decided to post this while I consider the response.  The remainder of my posts on San Francisco -- Tartine Bakery and Citizen Cake -- are on hold.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm a little disappointed that my favorite Hawaii food blog has sorta lost its roots.  I read this blog every day to know about Hawaii eats, but now it seems it's taken a pretentious air and has decided to blog about food everywhere else BUT.  Yeah, I know there was a post several months back about "losing my appetite" but with the semi-comeback of recent blogs from abroad, I'm not so sure I'm interested any longer.  I'm really hoping you get back to making this a blog about Hawaii grindz once again.  - Disappointed

Thank You Chef Kinch...

The kitchen at Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, CA.

...we had a wonderful time.  Your hard work in the kitchen, and the commitment to excellence by your staff, makes me wish I could visit more often.

Mochi Creams available now!

I am a little late in posting this, but mochi creams are available now at Shirokiya Ala Moana just opposite Saint Germain Bakery.  Twenty or so different flavors are available including black sesame, green soybean  and sweet potato.  I have tried many of the flavors already and the soft, chewy mochi have a silky mouthfeel because of the lightness of the cream filling.

Mochi creams were named as one of Food and Wine magazine's 100 tastes to try in '08.  So try some soon.  They are a bit pricey (US$1.65 each or a half dozen for US$9.00), but worth every penny. 

Mont Blanc and La Maccha

These pastries tasted much better than they look.  Believe me.  Being a die hard fan of French inspired Japanese pastries, the shop that these came from is definitely at the top of the heap.

Mont blanc (left); La Maccha (right)

Churros y chocolate

New content will be coming soon.  I promise!  I have a few posts just about ready to go, but the write ups are not really where I want them to be.  I still need to finish my post on the Fat Duck...and, to top it all off, I am going to be moving this site...SOON!

In the meantime, I just wanted to share something I had a short time ago.  I have been enjoying some new spots, some that are destined to become favorites, and others...well, let's just leave it at that.

Alinea Book?  Sign me up NOW!

Due in the Fall of 2008!  I can't wait that long for this.  View the "trailer" below.

Alinea Book Trailer from 2061wc on Vimeo.

Sinfully Decadent?  Stay Tuned.

Saint-honoré rose-framboise

Tasty Bones?  Stay Tuned.

Roast bone marrow, parsley salad