Review: Gazen Izakaya, Waikiki Hawaii

Well I know there's been a bit of a break in content but there's a good reason! I moved to New York City and life got in the way. Moving across a continent is a big deal! Well I'm back in a sensible routien and I have lots of catch up to do on content and a whole new city to explore full of every kind of food imaginable. 

For my first wedding anniversary we decided to go to Waikiki. I had spent some time in Hawaii on work trips but my husband was yet to savour in the delights. Neither of us had been to Waikiki since we were very young, when you used to refuel in Hawaii on flights from Australia across the Pacific. 

Waikiki is now the perfect Japanese holiday destination and is filled with a hearty mix of Americans, Japanese and Australians... which makes it feel a little like being back in Sydney. This means a great variety of Japanese specialty restaurants all over Honolulu. 

Gazen was a real find, a traditional and authentic Kansai style Izakaya in suburban Honolulu. Aimed mostly at local residents rather than tourists the restaurant had a vibrant homely feel with many regulars who stopped to speak to us. 

Tuna Sashimi $16.50USD

Fresh and delicious, it seemed unreasonable to holiday in the middle of the Pacific and not eat tuna!

Tofu sampler $12.80USD

This was the real stellar dish of the visit. Home made tofu in three different styles - kurogoma black sesame tofu, sukui tofu in soy milk broth, zaru cold fresh tofu with Hawaiian sea salt. Each was delicious though I liked the sukui with a little soy and wasabi, were I coming back again I would have altered how much I order. I was expecting half or less of each sample. 

Croquettes $7.75USD

A home made specialty croquette made with ground chicken scallions and tofu. Delicious!

Tofu and Jako salad with yuzu dressing $7.50

Had I realised how large the tofu sampler was I would have skipped this but I was hypnotised by the range of fresh tofu products (and this was the small salad!). It was delicious but we ate less than a third of it. The yuzu dressing was crisp fresh and delicious, I expect there is a local yuzu farm since this was no bottled dressing.

Beef tataki $8.50USD and cucumber salad $4.50USD

American beef sometimes leaves a little to be desired, I probably would have skipped this if I was returning. The Cucumber salad was nice and cut through some of the fattier dishes, I wish it had come with more of the yuzu dressing from the other salad. 

Grilled chicken with onion sauce $9.25USD

If you were coming for a healthy meal this would definitely be a great option. Skin removed grilled chicken is served on top of sprouts and scallions with a delicious savoury ground onion sauce. Yum.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese vegetable pancake) $4.75USD

This takes a little while to prepare so you want to order this first and have it appear a the end of the meal. Fried vegetables and served topped with sticky sweet sauce, mayonnaise, dried bonito and herbs. Delicious. If you like the look of this check out my simple recipe for okonomiyaki a great way to get kids to eat more vegies.

Somehow I managed to not even get a picture of the seasoned burdock root dish we ordered which was by far one of the best. I suspect that exhaustion from so much food was to blame. 

So my usual approach when going to a tapas or izakaya place is to order one dish from each section of the menu and then order again if the party is still hungry. In this case this turned out to be a mistake and we were unable to eat half the food. The key here seems to be that this was not actually "small plates" and that really this was izakaya style food but with American sized meal portions. Just a litle nod to Hawaii's blended culture. 

The food was wonderful and that tofu was to die for, definitely worth going back to. Doing it again, I probably would have ordered the okonomiyaki and the tofu and left it at that. Service was usual immaculate Japanese deference. 

My only tip? Drive yourself or make sure to have instructions on your phone for a taxi driver since this was a townie restaurant away from the resorts and the drivers both there and back commented they had not heard of it. 

Gazen Izakaya

Traditional Japanese gastropub in suburban Honolulu

http://www.e-k-c.co.jp/gazen/honolulu/

2840 Kapiolani Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96826

Review: Izakaya Kou, San Francisco

Izakaya are Japanese gastro pubs that serve up small tapas style plates that pair well with your favourite drink or 10. Unsurprisingly this makes it one of my favourite cuisines, and in particular it's great for large parties where everyone can find something to nibble while you chat and drink. 

Izakaya Kou is one of my favourite establishments to take visitors to San Francisco. There's great nibbles, import Kirin on tap and it's not far from our house in Japantown. Kou makes a great stop for work drinks or after a theatre visit in Japantown or the Fillmore district. 

The plates are fairly small which allows you to have a little bit of everything, buy a table full and share with your friends!

Tsukemono $5USD

Start with something light and nibbly while you peruse the menu. Their pickles are a mix of store bought and fresh Japanese vegetables like daikon, nasubi, carrots and cucumbers

Edamame $4USD

Boiled salted edamame are beloved by just about everyone and the fresh sea salt makes the ice cold beer go down faster.

Maguro sashimi $10USD

Raw tuna is one of my favourite things in the world. Sadly I think this tuna has been frozen but is still well textured and tasty. There are a number of healthy alternatives like this sashimi, vegetables and vegetarian sushi if one is trying to eat sensibly, though that can be hard when everyone else digs into the beer and fried delights. 

Kou sashimi $18USD

Raw salmon, big eye tuna and yellowtail are served on a fresh bed of ice with shiso leaf and wasabi. The fish is fresh and reasonably well cut and the decoration is sweet even if inedible garnishes annoy me. 

Gyoza $6USD

Who doesn't love dumplings and beer? These gyoza are freshly made with super thin skins and a light  pork filling with lots of scallion. If you're not adventurous these are delicious for any age and  contain no seafood. 

Tori karaage $7USD

Once the drinking starts it's time for some fried food. Their karaage chicken is slightly spicy but lightly breaded in a sesame batter that is crisp without being too oily. The spicy pepper aoili that comes with it is not traditional but is simply delicious.

Chicken Tsukune $6USD

Tsukune are one of my favourite bar snacks that we discovered after a boozy night out in Kyoto. Ground chicken is spiced with garlic and ginger and then grilled with a sweet barbecue sauce. I generally recommend several of these since they disappear in a snap.

Okonomiyaki $12USD

Okonomiyaki is some of the best drinking food there is. Mixed vegetables are stir fried with egg then formed into a cake (think Japanese bubble and squeak) and doused in toppings. The okonomiyaki at Kou is made with American smokey bacon which pairs swimmingly with the sweet sticky sauce and mayonnaise. Topped with heapings of shaved dried tuna, scallion and seaweed this is all kinds of savoury deliciousness. Okonomiyaki is very hard to find in the US and this is a great rendition. 

Beef tataki $10USD

Raw beef is lightly seared and served with red onion and a lovely herb salad. The beef is corn fed but the preparation is very nice. 

Kabocha croquette $8USD

This is their winning dish, soft morish and delicious, fried but not heavy yet sticky and savoury. Prepared a little like a vegetarian Scotch egg with a soft boiled egg in the middle covered in mashed kabocha squash, breaded fried, then covered in sticky okonomiyaki sauce. Yum!

Best enjoyed in groups!

Izakaya Kou also has some more standard Japanese fare like soba or ramen noodles, sushi and tempura. There are plenty of vegetarian options like salads, gratins and tofu dishes. They also have a fair number of grilled meat options like bacon wrapped asparagus, kurobuta pork sausage or crispy pork belly. The staff will also bring gluten free soy and other options if required, all in all this makes it a great destination for groups with varied food requirements. 

Admittedly the service can be a bit variable; on the weekend they sometimes seem overwhelmed but as a mid week destination for a small group or a date it's a great option. There are small party rooms available for those seeking privacy - booking is recommended and a $200 minimum spend is required. 

Izakaya Kou

http://www.izakayakou.com/

1560 Fillmore St

San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 441-9294

Japanese gastro pub and small plates

Review: Le Pub, Sydney

As a lover of a tipple and good company it's unsurprising that the Gastropub is one of my favourite cuisines. The laid back atmosphere, unassuming dishes and conversation friendly layouts make the perfect night out with a mate or 10.

Sydney has recently had a rash of Gastropubs and small boozey venues pop up after a change in the alcohol licencing laws favouring smaller venues. Le Pub is the French bistro gastropub offering by the same people who run the Bavarian Beer Cafe and brings with it the same professional air. Matchings for both the beer and wine drinker are provided with each dish on the menu.

Croquettes $16AUD

Pea, mint and gruyere mash is breaded and fried served with a red pepper mayonnaise and lemon wedges. This kind of fried snack is just what you want with pints of good beer. 

Assiette de degustation $29AUD

Pickles and charcuterie are two of my favourite things and I find the nibbly nature of platters like this just perfect with drinks and good conversation. The size is shareable for 2 or absolutely indulgent for 1. Offerings seem to vary based on what's in the larder as any good assiette will. This came with duck rillettes, cured beef, iberico ham, cornichones, olives and crusty sourdough bread. 

Steak Frites with Cafe de Paris butter $23AUD

Good quality Gippsland Australian beef is cooked to your liking and served with a choice of sauces. I order Cafe de Paris butter whenever it can be found but other classic French sauces like Bearnaise, Mushroom and Pepper sauce were also available. Crisp but soft fries are just perfect, though the basket for each person was probably overkill. 

Onion rings $9AUD

More fried snacks are just what the doctor ordered after a few pints, light crisp battered onion rings are just delicious. The batter is a super light beer and corn flour affair that goes wonderfully with the lemony aioli. 

Gaufre Belge $16AUD

If you have room for dessert there's a number of great classic options like Creme Brulee, Tarte au Chocolat, Mousse d'Orange or cheese plates. For me though the only option had to be the Belgian style waffle dripping in chocolate sauce, hazelnuts and rich vanilla bean ice cream. 

As a semi regular business traveller to Sydney Le Pub offers the perfect venue for 1 on 1 meetings and team outings. Reasonably priced food, table service drinks, sheltered tables perfect for chatting and stumbling distance from CBD offices and hotels.

There is one major flaw in this venue though, and I hope in part that this will go away over time. The service was terrible; sure they were attentive and my food was on point but the staff didn't know the menu or in fact anything about French food. Both myself and my companion were left blinking a number of times after comments were made like "what sauce did you want with the steak au poivre?" and "did you want fries with that steak frittes?" I suspect that the servers were chosen for their looks and not their intellects - hopefully the management realise that this was a mistake and institute better training or better staff. 

Le Pub

66 King Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Australia

+61 2 9262 3277

http://www.lepub.com.au/

French style gastropub, perfect for small groups and first dates

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: Rí Rá Irish Pub, Las Vegas

Looking for a hangover breakfast in Vegas but can't face 300 angry tourists in line for a buffet? Rí Rá Irish Pub has hearty Irish fare and a huge range of beers and ciders on tap.

Irish Breakfast $12USD

Complete with all the trimmings to soak up the night before - black & white pudding, real bacon, pork breakfast sausage, eggs, mushrooms , grilled tomato and toast (with Kerry Gold Irish butter). 

Breakfast Sandwich $9USD

A proper UK style rasher of bacon, sausage, 2 eggs, cheddar cheese, home fries all on a brioche bun. Who could say no?

The staff were what you expect at an American tourist destination - polite and attentive. They brought me many condiments (inc Brown Sauce & A1) and kept our drinks refreshed. Hardly fine dining but after a night out in Vegas a hair of the dog and some real bacon is just what I needed. 

Rí Rá Irish Pub

http://www.rira.com/

"Irish style" American Tourist pub

The Shops at Mandalay Bay

3930 S Las Vegas Blvd

Las Vegas NV 89119

Ph: (702) 632-7771

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Review: Darley St Bistro, Newtown

At some magic point the Botany View Hotel underwent a major reconstruction and went from a dodgy old man pub with tiles on the wall to the place to be in South Newtown. There's the lively poker games and rowdy trivia nights and Sunday night live music... but more than that there's the Darley St Bistro.

I was convinced to go by a friend with a bit of intrepidation in my voice. This pub is about 2 doors up from me in Newtown and I still had no compulsion to go based on the looks. Boy was I surprised, the food is eye rolling, plate pointingly good and has now become a staple in my eating landscape. The only unfortunate thing I can say about the Darley St Bistro is that the rest of the neighbourhood seems to have found it too and getting a table at prime dinner time is now a nightmare.

Nonetheless it's definitely worth a try, especially if you can get there at lunch when you're more likely to get a comfy seat outside. Every meal we've tried here has been good, but do try something that's not just standard pub fair... it's far too good.



Home made gnocchi with chorizo, arugula and basil oil $14

Now when you order gnocchi at the pub, you kind of expect mass produced hard nuggets to appear. These soft delicious and butter fried gnocchi were a real surprise. Swimming with fresh arugula and slices of crisp fried chorizo. A great meal on a warm Sunday afternoon with a pint.



Confit of pork belly with broccoli and sweet corn mash $24

Sweet soft pork belly with a crisp top and a chili jam are presented with sweet creamy soft corn mash that cuts through the fat. You'll never be so happy to stop caring about the fat intake.



Chicken Burrito with Guacamole $20

You might think this is "just a burrito" but as the chef said to me once "it's made with a bit of love." Newtown is quite light on good Mexican but this kills my cravings ten fold and leaves me salivating for another for days. Filled with rice, just the right amount of chilli sauce and cheese and crisped in a soft tortilla it's topped with a creamy chipotle sauce and served with guacamole and sour cream.



Pumpkin canneloni with blue cheese sauce $16

The filling of these canneloni is soft and sweet delicious, but full of veges and light enough to make you feel good afterwards. The edges of the canneloni are crisped and caramelised and the soft blue cheese sauce cuts through the sweetness with its acidity. Be warned though, this is a large serving, don't be scared to give up.



Corned beef with mash, honey mustard sauce and greens $18

This is not your grandmother's corned beef! The meat is soft and shreds perfectly under a fork, it's only barely pickled but tangy enough to excite. The mash isn't anything special but you will chase the sweet acidic sauce with it. Topped with one of my favourites - asparagus. Just perfect.



Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake $12

It's highly unlikely you'll have space left for dessert, but if you do they're definitely worth it. No boring neufchatel French cheese cake this packs a punch with the citrusy taste of Lemon Myrtle, an Australian native seed that adds bite and texture to a dense creamy dessert. Recommended.

As if this wasn't enough the Botany View also stocks a range of premium beer and cider on tap. $16 for a jug of Bulmers? Yes please. Get yourself down there, there's no excuse for eating at The Townie when this food is on offer barely 10 mins walk away.

Botany View Hotel

Dinner: 7 nights 6.30pm - 9.30pm
Lunch: Fri, Sat and Sun 12pm - 2.30pm

597 King Street Newton
PH: 9519 4501
Fax: 9517 9004

Pub atmosphere, fully licensed
Children welcome upstairs in family eating area only

Review: Union Hotel, Newtown

On a Sunday night particularly if I've spent the entire day doing university work; but maybe even because you just don't want to cook, or because it's cold, or because your family are driving you nuts and you need a drink ... it's great to have a local pub with decent food. At my end of Newtown that's The Union.

From the outside it looks a little dodgy like many inner West pubs. The walls are tiled, they're showing sport in the main room and the decor is what you might call... utilitarian. Step inside and through the back and instead you find yourself in a warm friendly family pub bistro, the TVs are showing the Sunday night family movie at muted volume. They're playing The Cure softly as well, because this is Newtown after all, and most of the pub are young families or alternative types talking media analysis. In short I feel pretty at home.



Herb and garlic bread $5

The garlic bread looks a little sad with its burnt corner! If you like that overly soft pizza chain garlic bread you'll like this, though it is thankfully much less oily than most pizza places. Not the best item on their menu.



This month's special - Warm crisp pork belly and apple salad with matched drink $19

Admittedly I am drawn to this dish primarily because it comes with a large glass of Bulmer's cider but on arrival I'm very happy with the results. Sharp but not overpowering balsamic are dashed on sweet fruit that hits the perfect note with the crisped meat and fat of the pork. For pub bistro food this is top notch and I make strange little noises as I chase the last of the crackled pork around the plate.



Sunday night roast with vegies $12
There's something quite homely about a roast counter meal in a pub isn't there? I don't know that there's much to say about this, it's certainly not fancy but the meat isn't overcooked and is fairly moist. The gravy I suspect comes from a packet but there's definitely some induced meat fat in there. The vegetables are well cooked and not overdone either. It's not high class but it does certainly hit the spot especially given the price and certainly not a bad rendition of a pub classic.



Chicken parmiggiana with mashed potato and vegetables $18

Not the cheapest chicken parmiggiana in the inner city but its much better quality than most pubs. The meat is well cooked and moist, the bread crumb not too oily. The sauce is fresh and the cheese is actual fresh mozzarella. This brings a classic pub meal up to the inner ring suburbia lifestyle.



Zucchini and sweet corn fritters with grilled haloumi $14

I have a love affair with sweet corn that I'm well known for, and corn fritters in particular are a favourite of mine. To find out I can have them and call it dinner rather than having to seek out Sunday brunch cafes with it listed on their menu is music to my ears. I suspect when I order that I will get one limp piece of haloumi on the side and am happy to see most of a block cut up and grilled with my food. The fritters are well made and served over a wilted spinach salad with tomatoes and a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon.

I do the happy food dance and vow to return.

The Union really is a classic pub bistro brought upscale just enough to appeal to the professional queers and goths who can still afford King St rent but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the Newtown and Marrickville regulars. The drinks are cheap, the atmosphere is pleasant and unrowdy and the service is pretty fast. For pub food its very satisfying and their regular list of well thought out specials is worth a look over.

The Union Hotel
http://www.unionnewtown.com.au/eatery.html
576 King St
Newtown NSW 2040

Fully licensed, pub atmosphere but children and family groups welcome so long as children are supervised
Walk in, no reservations required