Open House Pick of the Week: Kailua
Swim with turtles near the lowest-priced oceanfront home available in Kailua.
Melissa Chang
Articles
Brunching at The Nook
All of a sudden, Honolulu became big on breakfast. Just this year so far, seven new breakfast/brunch restaurants have opened in the city, and they all command chic-looking weekend crowds. When did breakfast become the most stylish meal of the day?Whatever…
Happy hour and beyond at Restaurant Wada
I hate to admit it, but I had never been to Restaurant Wada until recently. All of my foodie friends and other restaurant owners rave about it, but I think I just needed a little push to try it.First, food…
New chefs, new flavors at the Top of Waikiki
I had been meaning to try the Top of Waikiki for a while, since chef Lance Kosaka relocated there. I had tried his food on sample plates at various fundraisers — he’s always serving the most popular dishes — and…
My LASIK adventure
My eye getting lasered. My eye doctor, John Noblezada, had been nagging me to get LASIK for a few years. Maybe it was the occasional corneal abrasions from sleeping with my contacts in or getting dust in my eye. Maybe…
Open House Pick of the Week: Pearl City
Affordable condo with upgrades makes this a hidden gem.
Party pics: Cinco de Buho
Buho Cocina y Cantina, the new rooftop restaurant in Waikiki featuring Mexican cuisine, held its official grand opening party last night in conjunction with Patron tequila’s launch of their new Roca line. The restaurant reconfigured its lanai to feature food…
Something new: Kurbside Kitchen
There’s a new food truck on the slopes of Diamond Head, offering some different items from others like vegan chili, loaded potato skins, nachos, shoyu pork belly and fried haupia bites, to name a few. Despite Kurbside Kitchen‘s unique menu,…
Something new: Pi Artisan Pizza
A new pizza spot opens today in Lahaina, which is also a new concept for the island of Maui: fast, fresh, gourmet pizza using local ingredients and baked in a custom-built, 800-degree brick oven. While the pizzas are the focal point…
Kaiseki at Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas
This is purely a food porn post — I had not thought about blogging it, but the photos turned out nice and I wanted to show them off. I recently went to one of the kaiseki dinners at Hiroshi Eurasian…
Open House Pick of the Week: Hawaii Kai
Great value in East Honolulu.
Canadian Developer Announces Luxury Development in Kohala
The Residences at Laulea to start construction in 2015.
Sharing ‘Family Ingredients’ with Ed Kenney
People from all over, all ages are loving chef Ed Kenney’s Emmy Award-winning genealogy show, “Family Ingredients,” which follows people from Hawaii to their homeland while promoting local ingredients in the places they explore. It’s not just interesting, it’s beautifully…
The PRSA Hawaii Koa Anvil Awards 2014
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) held its annual Koa Anvil Awards event last night, honoring the best industry programs and campaigns of the year. Individuals were also honored for their professional achievements, including: David Wilson, Hall of Honor;…
My little auto adventure
Vince Leong handing me the keys to the Volkswagen GTI I guess it’s official: I’m looking for a new car. I’m taking my time this time, though. Eight years ago, I was forced to part with my faithful, 16-year old…
Open House Pick of the Week: Aina Haina
Rare chance to own oceanfront family compound in East Honolulu.
Brunch at Sugarcane Maui
Philippe Chin – courtesy of Sugarcane MauiIf you’re a longtime Food Network viewer, you’ll remember a chef named Philippe Chin had his own show, featuring truly Asian-fusion creations. As a classically trained chef from France with a Chinese father and…
Exploring the new Montage Kapalua
If you’re on Instagram and follow people on Maui, you’ve probably seen a lot of posts from them of the new Montage at Kapalua Bay. The resort brand is well-known on the mainland, one that offers hotel stays as well…
Did this: Roast & Roots 2014
About a thousand people turned out for the inaugural “Roast & Roots” on the Big Island this weekend, an event showcasing local farmers, local products and local chefs. The Hawaii Coffee Association, Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture collaborated on…
Something new on Maui: Star Noodle’s StarsTruck
On my recent trip to Maui, my friend Julie Yoneyama suggested a little tweet up with some social media friends for lunch so we could check out the new food truck outside Star Noodle. If you’ve tried to get in…
New(ish) Maui eats: Sangrita Grill + Cantina
I recently had to go to The Valley Isle to service one of my clients, The Outlets of Maui, and it was the perfect chance to run around Lahaina and Kaanapali to see what was new since the last time I…
Open House Pick of the Week: Kahala
Stunning, newly remodeled custom home in Kahala.
New bites for Arancino Kahala’s first anniversary
Arancino has been around for about 20 years in Waikiki, but some of you may know that they expanded to the Kahala Resort a year ago to cater to a different, more upscale crowd. The old Napoli-style favorites at their…
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival: A look at the visiting chefs
There are 82 chefs and culinary talent from around the world featured at this year’s Hawaii Food & Wine Festival (HFWF), the biggest lineup so far for this fourth annual event.Make no mistake, the food served by all of the…
Bernini’s summer menu
Bernini Honolulu introduced its special, seasonal summer menu to media recently, and we were lucky enough to get a taste. This summer selection is available alongside their regular menu items, so you can still get your old favorites. We all…
Open House Pick of the Week: Kapiwai in Pauoa Valley
Kapiwai owner-occupant sales begin July 11 on new homes close to downtown Honolulu.
San Francisco: Ferry Building farmer’s market
If you are headed to San Francisco, make time to go to the Ferry Building Marketplace — it’s not far from Union Square. The building itself is full of fabulous shops and restaurants, but if you go on Tuesday, Thursday,…
Unexpected restaurant finds in San Francisco
I gave you the sweets of San Francisco, now here are some savory spots we tried on this spontaneous weekend trip. I always go to my favorites, like Bar Tartine, but we ventured to some new spots thanks to Hawaii…
First look: Liliha Bakery on Nimitz
Several months after the initial announcement that the 64-year-old Liliha Bakery was creating a second location on Nimitz Highway, it’s finally open. Located in the old Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab spot at 580 N. Nimitz Highway, the newly…
The sweets of San Francisco
Tartine Bakery’s morning bun, which I buy on every visit.If you read my blog, you know no trip to San Francisco is complete for me without a visit to Tartine Bakery on Guerrero. This time, however, I decided to check…
Open House Picks of the Week: Moana Pacific
Four remodeled units have European flair.
Something new: Blue Marlin
A(nother) new restaurant is opening in the middle of Waikiki this week — a venture by George’s Corporation in Japan — which is featuring fresh seafood and fusion with Hawaiian, Spanish, American, Japanese and Korean flavors.Although the menu and ingredients…
San Francisco: Dinner at Aveline
Three days before Father’s Day weekend, my friends Sean and Lena Morris said, “Fares have dropped! Let’s go to San Francisco for Hubert Keller’s birthday!” Now, I never do spontaneous trips like that unless I’m somehow jolted to attention by…
Joy of Sake preview: Memphis Minnie’s
There are 19 restaurants participating in the Joy of Sake on July 18, of which two are from California. On my recent trip to San Francisco, I got to meet Tom Campbell of Memphis Minnie’s, which is located in the…
Open House Pick of the Week: Salt Lake
High floor, big value.
Party pics: Sharing the Spirit of Aloha 2014
Several hundred people attended the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii’s annual “Sharing the Spirit of Aloha” awards last night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, including local dignitaries and business leaders. The event featured taiko drummers, a silent auction, and a…
Open House Picks of The Week: Waikiki and Ewa Beach
Unique choices in town and country.
Party pics: Buho preview party
Búho Cocina y Cantina, the new Waikiki rooftop venue featuring south-of-the-border food and drinks, had a preview party for hundreds of media and bar/restaurant industry people last night. Attendees got to try their specialty cocktails, sponsored by Patron; cool off with…
Something new: The Monarch Tea Room
There aren’t too many tea rooms in Honolulu, so there is certainly room for one more. The latest is The Monarch Tea Room, located in the back of Na Mea Hawaii/Native Books in the Ward Warehouse.Liza and Shakkel Yunis, who…
New(ish) eats: Hapas Pizza
The Sheraton Waikiki has a new pizza restaurant facing the Infinity Pool, with chef Darren Demaya bringing classic Italian ingredients together with Hawaiian style. Thus, the name “Hapas,” which means half, but is now usually associated with a blending of…
