Bite by Bite

Restaurant Review : Boot’s & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen (Breakfast,lunch,Hawaiian) $$ *8 out of 10*

I was really, really skeptical.  I’m not a fan of pancakes, I don’t care if they are banana pancakes…I mean, how good can they possibly be?  I watched as plate after plate of pancakes passed me by feeling disgusted by the white saucy look of them.  ”Do we really have to eat this?  You know I don’t like stuff like this.” I tittered to my hubby.  When the pancakes finally arrived, I grudgingly took a bite.  I was seriously blown away.  ”These are the BEST pancakes I’ve ever had!” I exclaimed.  The banana pancakes were light and fluffy and packed with perfectly ripened bananas.  The white macadamia nut sauce that had turned me off from its appearance turned out to be heavenly.  It was slightly whipped and perfectly sweetened tasting of buttery maple syrup.  It was light and much more delicate than I would have ever expected.  ”Damn, I can’t believe it but this is good…”

We also ordered a Hawaiian smoked sausage breakfast.  This was mediocre and not worth getting again…the sausages were quite yummy, the eggs were overcooked, and the hash brown was dry.  Surrounded by football memorabilia, I still happily munched away. 

Boots & Kimos is open for lunch & breakfast only.  On the weekdays, they close at 2PM, and on the weekends at 2:30PM.  It’s a little expensive and they only accept CASH payments.  It also gets over-crowded and is strangely filled with Japanese tourists.  Expect a wait.  But the banana macadamia nut pancakes were THE BEST PANCAKES I’VE EVER HAD!  Hands down!

Boots & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen
151 Hekili St
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 263-7929

Restaurant Review : K&K Bar-B-Que Inn (Hawaiian, Chinese) $ *4 out of 10*

I’m wracking my brains and I can only think of one possible scenario that I would return here; I would have to be STARVING for one.  Then, I would have to be at the plaza to return my kayak at “Kailua Sailboards & Kayaks” next door.  And of course I would have to be carless so that I couldn’t drive anywhere else for food. 

I don’t believe that there’s a single healthy item on the whole menu.  The food is greasy, so feels the rest of the restaurant.  Sure, it’s pretty cheap and they have plate lunches that are easy to pick up and go but do you really want to put this stuff in your body?  The food is either too sweet, too fried, or too saucy.  And yes, I realize that I’m in Hawaii where this is usually the case with plate lunches…all I can say is that I’ve had better. 

K and K Bar-B-Que Inn
130 Kailua Rd #102A
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 262-2272

Hawaiian Islands…
I’ve been in love with the Hawaiian islands ever since I attended the University of Hawaii for a summer semester back in 2000.  In a strange way I feel like I’ve left a small part of myself there and I often feel compelled to return in order to feel whole again.
 
Of course every person has their own experiences with the Islands but my Hawaii is as follows…

Hawaii is happiness; it is the lush landscape and the warm tropical breeze, the blue waters and the white sand at Lanikai. It is the rains that suddenly stop as soon as it starts.  It is laying out on the beach, doing nothing…it is being a jungle girl; hiking, kayaking, swimming, jumping into waterfalls and jumping of ledges. Surfing.  It is doing everything in nothing but a bikini and flip flops.  

It is getting a glimpse of sea turtles in their natural habitat, and staring at those loud hoppity mynah birds.  It is laughing at the wild chickens that roam everywhere and wake you up way too early.

Staying in Hawaii long enough will make you superstitious no matter how you were raised.  It is a land with colorful beliefs and stories that you can’t help but want to to be a part of.  It is a place of Aloha and Kamaʻāina…it is also a land of Haoles.  It is Waikiki and Japanese tourists…where everyone tells me “Konnichiwa” for the first week until I get tanned.

It is a place where you “talk story” and everyone is your auntie and uncle.  

It is a place where papaya, mango, guava, banana, pineapple, coconut, & wild ginger grow in your backyard.  It is a strange place where the locals will eat the apples, oranges, and melons at a buffet while you pig out on all the tropical fruit.   It is where you stick a Plumeria in your hair and it’s not cheesy.  

It is a place for tourists and super slow drivers. Where Foodland, ABC stores and banyan trees dominate.  

FOOD…Culinary fusion is Hawaiian food…spam, poke, breadfruit, shaved ice, loco moco, kalua pig, Poi (not for me)…L&L and Zippy’s…A place where they love their proteins fried…  Hawaiian Sun drinks, an ongoing battle of the garlic shrimp trucks, Macadamia nuts in all forms and roadside fruit stands.  Li hing EVERYTHING and orchids garnishing your plate. If you love sweet blended cocktails, you’re definitely at the right place.  

Kukui nuts, coconut palm leaves, sacred places, leis, luaus, outdoor concerts, hula, and the sound of ukulele.

It is a place where I can find periods of freedom…