Review: Yakitori Glad, Honolulu Hawaii

If you've spent any serious time in Osaka you're bound to have ventured into a Torikizoku "Restaurant 280" a yakitori specialty restaurant where everything from the beer to the bar snacks are a flat rate 280Y. Their cheap and cheerful booze laden atmosphere house some of my favourite travel memories so when we found a clone in Hawaii we just had to go. 

Exchange rates and inflation have had their way but at $3.90USD for all items it's still a total bargain. 

Other than the price it's almost identical to Torikizoku even down to the decor.

The menu is point and slur simple, perfect for too many beers. Various bits of chicken are skewered, grilled and topped with sticky BBQ sauces. Choose chicken skewers with salt shio, BBQ marinade tare or specialty kushi-yaki like wasabi beef, tongue or pork belly.

Beer $3.90USD

Imported Sapporo and Kirin were available off the keg plus a number of other domestic beer options. 

 

Lychee and Grape Calpis Chuhai $3.90USD

Chuhai are alcoholic high balls common in bars in Japan. Usually sweet and reasonably low alcohol they're a sometimes safe bet when drinking rounds with salarymen if you wish to survive Japan's bar culture. Fizzy water, flavouring and shochu (white grain alcohol) are mixed and served long over ice. Add Calpis fermented yoghurt cordial for a creamy delicious option.

Tsukune okonomi style  $3.90USD

Ground chicken meatballs are threaded on a skewer grilled then topped with okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, shaved katsuoboshi and scallions. 

Momotare yaki $3.90USD 

Chicken thigh and scallions slathered in a sweet BBQ sauce are grilled till crispy

Tsukune with cheese $3.90USD

Ground chicken meatballs are threaded on a skewer grilled then topped with cheese slices

Momo-mayo-tare $3.90USD

Grilled chicken thigh with BBQ marinade and mayonnaise. 

Gyu-kushi $3.90USD

Grilled beef skewer with scallions - delicious with beer!

 

Renkon nikizume $3.90USD

Slices of lotus root stuffed with ground chicken meat grilled to perfection. I love lotus root in everything, it's a very fancy looking root vegetable with a neutral taste that adds fiber and depth to many dishes. Fantastic with the super hot Japanese mustard provided.

Hiya-yakko $3.90USD

One of my favourite dishes particularly in warm weather. Cold silken tofu topped with ginger, soy sauce, katsuoboshi and scallions.

Vegetable salad $3.90USD

All that meat and booze deserves a little greenery to finish it off. Fresh salad topped with a classic Japanese onion dressing.

Onigiri-yaki $3.90USD

The Japanese like to end a meal with white rice and I think it's a great way to cleanse the palette. White rice is formed into triangular rice balls, brushed with a little soy and then grilled until crispy. Neutral and chewy!

Sesame balls $3.90USD

I like to end on a sweet note and these fried sesame balls are one of my favourite desserts - gluten, dairy free and vegan! Sticky rice dough is filled with red bean paste, rolled in toasted sesame and deep fried to perfection

Yakitori Glad is a great example of the skewers and too many drinks Osaka style eating. Great for groups and parties, you can order a little or a lot and have a great time. Service is fast casual bar style, don't expect a lot of niceties and if you're looking for sushi or large plates you came to the wrong place. If you, like I love a rowdy night out and a lot of small plates this is an excellent time for everyone. 

 Yakitori Glad

http://yakitori-glad.com/

766 Kapahulu Ave

Honolulu, HI 96816

Authentic Japanese bar and small plates grill
Good for groups

Biergarten Restaurant, EPCOT Florida

DisneyWorld might not seem like the most gourmande holiday but EPCOT is amazing foodie adventure. There are regular wine tastings and food events held at the "world of tomorrow" and an amazing global showcase. 

Around the main lake is a series of country themed arenas similar to the World Expo with iconic architecture, shops, food and bars. The German section includes a delightful village square with Bavarian architecture selling clocks, sweets and of course sausage. 

Outside in the square you can stop for a German beer or a sausage snack, but the real attraction is the all you can eat buffet restaurant Biergarten $59.99 per adult for all you can eat German fare.

Inside the Bavarian beer garden theme continues with a Disneyfied village where Octoberfest runs every day!

There's a proper German brass band playing polkas and as we were there at Christmas they played lots of Season songs and games for the kids. 

Try the flight of German beers ($13USD) including an Oktoberfest brew, a Dunkel, Weissbier and a sweet Grapefruit Weissbeer or order any of the above in half litre steins ($8.25 - $9.50USD) to wash down all that meat!

German style cold meats like liverwurst, white sausage, white fish salad and salmon mousse. Cold fresh salads and pasta salads are also included. 

Meats include hot fish and chicken dishes, sausages and goulash with spatzle and hot vegetables. 

The carvery is the real star of the show though. Roasted beef, chicken, pork, meatloaf and turkey are all available along with hot cabbage, potatoes, onions and excellent gravy. Grilled and stewed sausages are perfect for the kids. 

Good german style bread, just perfect for sausage and mustard.

Finish up with Bavarian cakes, pastries, cheeses and puddings filled with sticky berry jams and spices. 

American style cookies, cream cakes and fresh fruit are also included. 

Honestly we were surprised at how excellent and how authentic the food is. The atmosphere was pure Disney magic, all the staff are from Germany or Austria and can talk about both the beer and the food at length as well as entailing their own (family friendly) Octoberfest stories.

I think what impressed us the most was how many locals were there. Seated at long communal tables we got to know the people we were dining with and found we were the only tourists! The quality and the value for money are so good that all the locals come into EPCOT just to eat here. I had to giggle as I watched an ex serviceman dig into a pile of meat and beer and talk about when he was first stationed in Germany.

The food is rich and filling though, come with an empty stomach and elastic waisted pants!

Biergarten

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/biergarten-restaurant

1510 Avenue of the Stars
Orlando, FL 32821

Review: Mifune, Japantown San Francisco

Of all the restaurants in Japantown in San Francisco Mifune is the one that feels most like a real family restaurant from Japan. Specialising in family comfort food and good quality noodle dishes this is a great option for a casual date or a small group of friends looking for a drink and some down home Japanese cooking. Mifune is a semi regular restaurant option for us - whenever I'm eating carbs it's one of the first places I want to eat. Mifune was listed in the 2007 Michelin Guide for San Francisco, long since knocked off the list by high end eateries brought by tech dollars but it is in my mind still worth a stop for visitors checking out Japantown.

The decor is like something straight of a Japanese department store food hall bistro. Housed in the bottom of one of the Japantown mall buildings the restaurant is all dark wood, red paint and Japanese woodprints. Small fences provide privacy from other diners making dinner conversation relatively easy despite the restaurant generally being packed.

Imported Asahi $6USD

Import Japanese alcohol is available for sale like Asahi, Saporo and Sake. Importantly this is not the Asahi brewed in Canada which is usually sold in stores in the US and tastes completely different. 

Croquette $4.20USD

Served exactly as you might get them in Japan these crispy potato croquettes are filled with mash potato and covered in panko breadcrumbs. Served on a bed of cabbage with tonkatsu sauce - a sweet sticky BBQ sauce that goes well with meat and deep fried dishes. These croquettes are suspiciously uniform and look like they're made in a factory and possibly imported from Japan like most of the croquettes you can find in stores in Japantown. Don't let that put you off they're delicious and they go great with a cold beer or soda.

Kappamaki $4.20USD

Diced cucumber sushi appetiser is okay but not the best - mostly due to inferior sushi rice. My advice is stick to the noodle and fried comfort dishes.

Sukiyaki Nabe $9.80USD

Nabe is a Japanese take on noodle hot pot, this dish comes with Udon, sukiyaki beef and lots of vegetables. A cold salad comes as a set. The beef is good and the Udon is excellent but I find the nabe soup very thin, there are better dishes on the menu. I have a similar complaint with the ramen at Mifune, despite their excellent trade in noodles the broths are too thin to bother with.

Curry soba $7.80USD

Chewy delicious hand made soba noodles are served topped with a beef and vegetable Japanese style curry with pickled vegetables and egg. This is a very hearty dish and more than a bit messy, definitely one to eat on your own or with friends rather than a date you're trying to impress. That being said good quality noodles and thick moorish Japanese curry is a hard combination to beat. Don't expect anything ground breaking in the curry - this is very similar to boxed House curry but it has that delicious comfort food appeal. This dish can also be served with Udon noodles for the same price.

Zaru cha soba $6.50USD

This is not an easy dish to find in the US and definitely one of my favourites to order from Mifune. Buckwheat noodles are made with green tea, oiled and served cold with toppings like scallion, shaved daikon and seaweed. The noodles are chewy and pungent with tea, the dish is very simple but very filling and makes a great option for those looking for plain food. For the gluten free diners it's worth noting that buckwheat is not actually wheat and therefore this is a gluten free option.

Tenzaru Udon  $6.50USD

Thick chewy wheat udon noodles are oiled and served cold in a boat covered in tempura vegetables and prawn with a soy dipping sauce and toppings. The Udon is good if you like that texture but pales in comparison to the soba. 

Mifune special $8.50USD

This dish is very similar to the tenzaru udon - a half serve of Udon / Soba noodles is topped with vegetable and prawn tempura. A soy dipping sauce is provided for the noodles, mix the wasabi and vegetables into the dipping sauce to your taste. I recommend all the wasabi. This is a great one plate option of all the best of Mifune and at a very reasonable price making it a great option for a mid week meal or pre movie munch.

Tempura moriawase $6.00USD

If you order Tempura on it's own without noodles you will receive a large mixed plate that is more than enough as a meal on its own. A range of vegetables like broccoli, pumpkin, onion, sweet potato, capsicum are provided. Two huge Japanese sweet shrimp (ebi) , a piece of fish and a crispy fried seaweed cracker are also usually included. Actual inclusions vary week to week and seem to be seasonal. For six dollars this is a steal, the batter is always light and the oil fresh. 

Daimyo Set Meal (Teishoku) $14.00USD

This set meal really shows the Japanese chefs having adapted to the US market and providing more food than any one person can possibly eat. There are several other set meal options but this one includes a California roll, salad, full plate of tempura and a hot soy soba noodle dish with fish cakes and tea. All of the food is good quality but there really is too much of it and I eat half of most items and then look sadly at the rest. Because of the nature of the noodles and fried batter this is not a dish worth taking home for leftovers. If you are going to order a set meal at Mifune I suggest splitting it with a friend. 

Mifune is usually packed to the gills on the weekend, particularly if there is an event on in Japantown. No reservations are taken and a polite but firm queue is formed of hungry diners waiting for a table. If you're starving or have impatient family this might not be a great choice unless you come early or late. The key to their success is good quality simple food churned quickly. This means that you get efficient but possibly icy service. If you dawdle after finishing your meal the bill will be brought and your table cleared before you can say "should we stay for another beer?" My advice is after eating retire to another venue for drinks and conversation.

Mifune have two other restaurants in Japantown - Mifune Don is a casual diner serving rice bowls and Mifune Bistro is an upstairs option with lunch style dishes. Skip these and head to the main restaurant next to Isobune.

Mifune

http://www.mifune.com/

Japan Center Kintetsu Building: 

1737 Post Street

San Francisco, CA 94115

Review: Fat Angel Food & Libations, San Francisco

As a foreigner living in San Francisco this can mean a lot of international visitors due to the proximity of Silicon Valley. Fat Angel is the perfect place to take visitors and business colleagues for a catch up and a good drink.

The theme is high end gastropub in the Fillmore district off the back of Japantown. An intimate environment that is just perfect for small groups or couples on dates - being so close to the Fillmore Theatre this would be a great choice for a pre or post show drink. The venue isn't large though so we tend to go early, either after working from home or on a weekend afternoon. This ensures a choice of tables and no wait, but be aware if you do this the kitchen only opens at 5pm. 

The craft beer list is extensive, several pages including imported and local options, ciders and gluten free beers. Watch the specials board and try their rotation to get a good grasp of the menu. We're particularly fond of some of the unusual beers like sour cherry and dark chocolate porters. 

2007 La Rioja Alta ‘Viña Alberdi’  Rioja Tempranillo $12USD and 2013 Domaine de Sulauze ‘Pomponette’  Aix en Provence, France Pino/Syrah $10USD

For the wine drinkers there's an equally impressive selection by the bottle and by the glass. Lots of new world and European wines are available that pair perfectly with the small plate food. 

Pretzel $5USD

Fresh pretzels with a lye wash and not too much salt are great with cold beer, they're served warm with a rich and hearty seeded mustard.

The real winner here though are the sharing boards; all equally delicious with wine or beer and served with crisp sour dough toast points. The cheeses come with a number of side additions like pickles, sweet marmalade and nuts that pair perfectly with the sharp cheeses. Extra points for a number of non cow milk options for those of us with more sensitive palettes. The pickled candied walnuts that they sometimes serve on the cheeseboard is one of the best things in the venue and worht looking out for. The charcuterie includes a number of dried and fatty meat options and a liver parfait. 

Charcuterie selection $5.25 each, 3 for $15, or 6 for $28 Chorizo  Duck Salami  Genoa  Pheasant Terrine  Speck  Soppressata

Cheeseboard selections $5 each, 3 for $14, or 6 for $27

• Vella Dry Jack hard cow 
• Capricious hard goat 
• Fleur de Marquis semi-soft sheep 
• La Oveja Negra semi-hard sheep 
• Petite Supreme soft cow 
• Buttermilk Blue Afinee soft cow

Not shown here are also fancy butter selections ($4.75USD each) served with warm fresh bread. This is exactly what I crave when I'm eating carbs and they don't disappoint. Selections include Lemon caper sage, Garlic chili, Maple bacon, Philz coffee or Honey Butter. 

Tomato, spicy sausage and arugula with parmesan $12USD

The flatbreads are served on a very thin bread crust with plenty of toppings. The arugula gi''ves as peppery edge to this dish that cuts nicely through the sausage, combined with the thin crust this makes a lighter more refined option for those craving pizza.

Apple Bread Pudding $7.50USD

There are a number of sweet and after dinner dishes making this also a good stop for post theatre coffee and sweets. This apple bread pudding is rich and delicious served with fresh whipped cream.

French press coffee - enough for 3 cups $9USD 

10 Year Old Malmsey Madeira Blandy’s  Madeira, Portugal  $9USD

Sadly they lack an espresso machine but the French press can be bought for 1 or in a larger format to be shared like this. It's a good quality dark French roast enough to keep a coffee snob happy. There's also a very large range of aperitifs and after dinner drinks including this delicious Madeira which can be hard to find in the US. 

Fat Angel - Food & Libation

http://www.fatangelsf.com/

1740 O'Farrell St San Francisco CA 94115 (415) 525-3013 Intimate gastropub and post Theatre share plates

Review: Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, Las Vegas

Las Vegas is an absolute mecca for celebrity restaurants; foodies and TV fans alike could eat in a celebrity restaurant at virtually every meal of the day for their vacation. Some of these are a bit overdone conceptually - there's only so many formal dining meals and high end steaks one can eat before feeling like a waddling penguin.

I'm not the world's greatest Ramsay fan but Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill is an excellent gastropub at Caesar's Palace. If you're in for just a drink the beer selection is excellent and the bar staff knowledgeable. They also offer tastings of beers that you are unsure of before you commit so we found some stunning Belgian and American beers I'd not tried previously.

They also are kitted out in London subculture inspired uniforms - punk and goth themed outfits that make me chuckle every time. I highly recommend sitting at the bar rather than getting a table, being Las Vegas it ensures amusing conversation with other patrons as well as easy access to the drinks!

There is a full service restaurant with many heavy British traditional dishes - rarebit, bangers and mash, lamb, steak or fish and chips. If you're a homesick Brit in the states this is the closest I've found to recognisable English food.

Being Australian I am a heavy drinker and know how to cook most of these things myself; so I'm in it to drink heavily and have small plates.

Pretzels $8USD

Proper German style pretzel bread served with grain mustard and beer cheese. Drunk you will say yes. 

Stupidly I got too excited by my Pork and Duck Rillettes ($16USD) and ate them all before I drunkenly remembered to take a picture. They are fatty deliciousness though, served with good quality bread, mustard and cornichons making it pretty much all my favourite things on a plate. Rumour is they have a Duck Rillettes Poutine that I am eager to try but it hasn't been on the menu any time I've been to Vegas.

Pigs in Blankets $12USD

Good quality pork sausage grilled in pastry - simple comfort food served simply with onion gravy and mustard.

Pub "spots" sliders $14USD

Good quality beef with Welsh Cheddar served on brioche; if you're more than 4 drinks in add bacon. 

Honestly, I really like this place. The food is "good," not excellent but comfort food done well with quality bread and meat. After a few drinks though, this is exactly what you want. Good bar staff, comfortable seats and something snacky you can eat with pickles and point at excitedly. 

Most importantly though Ramsay's Pub & Grill is one of the few places in Vegas where you can get a quiet pint without being horrified by American beer, slot machines, drunk girls popping out of their dress, angry gamblers down on their luck or squealing brides to be. This is a little haven in the craziness to chill with a mate, drink Vegas appropriate amounts and roll back to your hotel room satisfied.

Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill

http://www.caesarspalace.com/restaurants/gordon-ramsay-pub-and-grill.html

Gastropub
Casual British eats, good beer selection

3570 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV ‎
Ph: (702) 731-7110


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Snapshot: Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco

"Eat where the locals eat" I said, so off to Mission Chinese it was. This is one of those legendary local eateries where you can expect to battle Hipsters and Dotcom nerds for a table but the food is worth it. Rather like Ichiban boshi in Sydney - no reservations, no parties larger than 8.

Most of the food is served family style, don't let the humble prices fool you the serves are huge.

Mapo tofu $12USD

I'm not kidding when I say this is the best Mapo tofu I've ever eaten. Soft fresh silken tofu is served with lashings of chilli oil and shredded roast pork shoulder. There's just enough collagen from the pork in the sauce to delight an umame fan like myself.

Kung Pao Pastrami $12USD

This is probably the most American Chinese food one can imagine. Pastrami chunks stir fried with chili, celery, shallots and peanuts. It's hardly authentic, but it is delicious. 

Tsingtao $3USD

What better to wash all that chilli down with a beer or 5? At $3 why not!

Like many good Asian restaurants of this ilk the focus is on the food. Hard, fast, furious. If you like your restaurants with class and trimmings try elsewhere.The decor is sticky table shabby and the waitresses are all bored looking tattooed girls who never seem to look your way. Don't go expecting The Ritz, do go expecting hearty American Chinese classics. Don't dilly dally the people waiting will glare at you, but the food is worth the wait.

Mission Chinese Food (Lung Shan)

http://missionchinesefood.com/sf/

Super casual, don't expect high class

Do expect to wait

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