We enjoyed this lunchtime view from the beach bar at the Royal Hawaiian, sharing an order of pupus. You don’t have to stay in spendy hotels to enjoy their public spaces! Afterwards, we picked up a creamy dessert from a nearby Japanese konbini to enjoy with tea back at our VRBO.
Category: Eat
Sweet Start
Every morning, breakfast begins with ripe Hawaiian bananas and papaya. Dwight has a knack for letting them reach perfect ripeness before serving them. Since these fruits are delicate and don’t travel well, they’re a special treat only in Hawaii.
Rx: Comfort Food
Early lunch at Al’s Breakfast counter: corned beef hash with a runny egg on top, hot off the griddle, fueling up between whole-body scans. Note the “mouse door” behind the folding blackboard sign.
Not for Everyone
On my walk, turned into Lunds and Byerlys where three treats called my name: Spam (a Musubi must-have, but best not to dwell on the ingredient list), pickled herring, and English marmalade with just two ingredients—Seville oranges and sugar.
A Tale of Two Lunches
Dwight drove to a suburban Red Lobster for lunch with a friend. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to walk over to Dong Hae, a neighborhood Korean restaurant, for bibimbap, perfect comfort food on a wintry day.
Beyond the Storefront
It may look like a fast food restaurant and it’s not in the prettiest part of St. Paul but Trung Nam French Bakery, operated by immigrants from Vietnam, bakes the best almond croissants. So that’s where I got with a friend for coffee and flakey perfection this morning.
Kurisumasu Sushi
Gyaru peace sign (mandatory in Japanese selfies), in front of a boatload of sushi at a family lunch today. I’m wearing a Yokohama soccer team shirt, reminding my brother-in-law and nephew of a fine evening in a Shibuya (Tokyo) bar.
Merry Thursday
It’s Thursday, so we crossed the road to Maxwell’s for dinner. Dwight’s Summit Extra Pale Ale next to my Surly Furious IPA, both local brews.
Scandinavian Bounty: IKEA and LEGO
After walking with a friend around the vast Mall of America, popped into IKEA to return a lamp because it’s not dimmable. After meatballs and mash, got lost in a labyrinth of merchandise, feeling oddly guilty for not purchasing a $1.49 Bolmen (toilet brush). Eventually found my way back to the light rail station via the LEGO Store.
Corn, Water, and Lime Shouldn’t Taste This Good!
Every Thursday I walk past a tortelleria. Sometimes I stop and watch the tortillas on a conveyor belt moving towards women who package the product. Today I walked in and purchased 36 for $4. The package was so hot, I could barely hold it. Back home, I enjoyed the freshest tortillas, ever.