Cin T.'s Profile
DateListed in: Eeeks, never again!
120 Sand Island Access Rd
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 729-7322
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 729-7322
Primo Popcorn
Categories:
Candy Stores,
Desserts
In December, my patient brought in a couple bags of popcorn to let us sample. Her daughter was in the process of opening up a permanent store & website, but in the mean time was taking phone orders.
What separates Primo from other flavored popcorn is that their coloring & cooking process utilizes a liquified base of Hawaiian brown sugar. Thus ensuring that each colorful bite would be evenly coated with a different taste of each flavor.
They offer around 30-40 variety of savory and sweet flavors (at least that's what our patient told us). I heard there's even pickle-flavored popcorn, oh hell yeah!! Can't wait to get my hands on those!
I was lucky enough to try out their 'Kalakoa' popcorn ("something that is of a variety different colors" or "colors that don't match"). Each of the colors in this bag of popcorn had a specific color, very nice!
The front of the bag:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
close-up of the popcorn/back view:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You could tell immediately that these were of a better quality than the usual colored stale popcorn that you'd find at the theater or convenience store. The colors were so vibrant & eye-catching!
As I mentioned earlier, each of the different colors has a specific flavor, so each bite will be different.
If you eat it one at a time, you can catch some of the flavors. Eat it all together and you'll get a mouthful of sugar, lol.
Their Kalakoa mix will change all the time, depending on what they feel like mixing together. But custom orders/mixes for gift baskets, party favors etc are also avail.
Our bag of Kalakoa popcorn was fresh & crunchy & had a colorful mixture of:
-Coconut (blue)
-Green Apple
-Mango (orange)
-Banana
-Guava & cotton candy (both were pink, but I couldn't quite figure out which was which)
-Grape
-Cherry/Strawberry? (I couldn't really tell, but it was red).
I'm glad to see that they finally have a permanent store location. Can't wait to try the different savory flavors (I prefer savory over sweet)!
They're located next to the First Hawaiian Bank at 120 Sand Island Access Road in the Malolo Business Center, past the old Kilgo's store.
http://www.loopnet.com...
Open Mon-Fri from 10am-6pm
Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Their hours might change, so call ahead before you head down there.
Don't quote me exactly on the price, since I got these sweet treats for free. But I think each bag of popcorn (around 3 cups or so) varies in pricing from $3 for the savory mix, $5 for the candy-coated mixes and $7 custom mixes (depending on what you want). Check them out, you won't be disappointed!
What separates Primo from other flavored popcorn is that their coloring & cooking process utilizes a liquified base of Hawaiian brown sugar. Thus ensuring that each colorful bite would be evenly coated with a different taste of each flavor.
They offer around 30-40 variety of savory and sweet flavors (at least that's what our patient told us). I heard there's even pickle-flavored popcorn, oh hell yeah!! Can't wait to get my hands on those!
I was lucky enough to try out their 'Kalakoa' popcorn ("something that is of a variety different colors" or "colors that don't match"). Each of the colors in this bag of popcorn had a specific color, very nice!
The front of the bag:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
close-up of the popcorn/back view:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You could tell immediately that these were of a better quality than the usual colored stale popcorn that you'd find at the theater or convenience store. The colors were so vibrant & eye-catching!
As I mentioned earlier, each of the different colors has a specific flavor, so each bite will be different.
If you eat it one at a time, you can catch some of the flavors. Eat it all together and you'll get a mouthful of sugar, lol.
Their Kalakoa mix will change all the time, depending on what they feel like mixing together. But custom orders/mixes for gift baskets, party favors etc are also avail.
Our bag of Kalakoa popcorn was fresh & crunchy & had a colorful mixture of:
-Coconut (blue)
-Green Apple
-Mango (orange)
-Banana
-Guava & cotton candy (both were pink, but I couldn't quite figure out which was which)
-Grape
-Cherry/Strawberry? (I couldn't really tell, but it was red).
I'm glad to see that they finally have a permanent store location. Can't wait to try the different savory flavors (I prefer savory over sweet)!
They're located next to the First Hawaiian Bank at 120 Sand Island Access Road in the Malolo Business Center, past the old Kilgo's store.
http://www.loopnet.com...
Open Mon-Fri from 10am-6pm
Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Their hours might change, so call ahead before you head down there.
Don't quote me exactly on the price, since I got these sweet treats for free. But I think each bag of popcorn (around 3 cups or so) varies in pricing from $3 for the savory mix, $5 for the candy-coated mixes and $7 custom mixes (depending on what you want). Check them out, you won't be disappointed!
2919 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 739-7719
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 739-7719
Formaggio
Categories:
Burgers,
Wine Bars,
Music Venues
I've been a patron for a few years, frequenting Formag weekly prior to my yelp days. Always had a good experience here and everyone that I've introduced/brought here for the first time have left drunk & happy. We've always had a great time and the friendliest service from everyone.....until a few weeks ago.
Along with my friend Lil (my regular Formag partner in crime), our group of 4 experienced very rude & unprofessional attitude from one of their managers, Chas/Chaz (taller Asian guy).
Chas/Chaz is always slow and forgetful of our orders, but it's never a big deal. That night was no different. I met up with everyone an hour or so later, but got my wine from manager Beau almost immediately.
Poor Lil was still waiting on the beer she ordered from Chas 10-15mins prior to my arrival.
Anyways, Chas later came by to tell us that it was last call for food around 10pm (it was a week day). We told him we were okay but asked for some bar nuts to snack on. They have this delicious Marcona almond drizzled in truffle oil & sprinkled with basil chiffonade & sea salt.
Lil & I have had the pleasure of snacking on these numerous times & wanted our 2 other guests to try it out, being that this was their first visit.
I asked Chas if it was okay to let our 2 friends try it out. He brings back a small ramekin of plain almonds and says that his kitchen was closing and so there won't be any truffle oil or garnishes at all. The 2 noobs in our group looked a bit disappointed because they were really looking forward to it.
We noticed plates of food still leaving the kitchen, so we decided to ask Beau (other manager) as he passed by. I apologized beforehand while asking and said that we know the kitchen is closing, but was hoping he could help us out since my friends never had the pleasure of trying these almonds. He said right away "sure thing, no problem!"
Not a big deal, right? Wrong.
I guess Chas saw Beau with the almonds and insisted on delivering it to our table himself.
He slams down the ramekin in front of us, says "seriously!" outloud and walks away.
As he turns to walk away, he mutters another "seriously!"......wtf.
I asked Beau what the problem was, and from there the 2 managers had a heated argument right in front of us in the bar. Talk about awkward!
I could hear Chas saying outloud "she/they stepped over my toes and went to you!"
First of all, we did not. I very apologetically told Beau "I'm really sorry, I know your kitchen is closing, but my friends really wanted to try the truffle almonds. Could you pretty please help us out just this once?"
Everyone was really bothered with it and I was mortified at his lack of professionalism. I decided to talk to Chas privately to clarify the situation.
He explained that he was upset because he felt belittled when I asked someone else for something he declined to do. I told him it was not our intention, that it was our friends' first time there (probably the last now) and they heard a lot of these almonds and we wanted to give them a taste of it.
I even explained to him that I asked Beau while apologizing since I know that they were closing the kitchen. And that since we saw food was still leaving the kitchen, that it wasn't a big deal.
He apologized and said that he "didn't know the story" and misunderstood and got upset. Said that had he known that's how I had asked for the almonds, that it would've turned out differently.
I told him that his rudeness was unacceptable regardless of how we had asked. You never slam down plates in front of a customer!
We've been a regulars there long before he started working there. We never gave anyone any trouble ever and always tipped generously (yes, we've tipped $20 for a $20-something tabs a few times. That's how much we love our bartenders there).
Sadly, I don't think I'll be back there anymore. I rather blow my hard-earned money at an establishment that doesn't slam dishes down at their customers, over something so trivial. All this transpired over just 10 or so pieces of almonds?!
So with a very heavy heart, I moved Formaggio out my "Fav Happy Hour" list & into my "Eeks, never again" list.
Along with my friend Lil (my regular Formag partner in crime), our group of 4 experienced very rude & unprofessional attitude from one of their managers, Chas/Chaz (taller Asian guy).
Chas/Chaz is always slow and forgetful of our orders, but it's never a big deal. That night was no different. I met up with everyone an hour or so later, but got my wine from manager Beau almost immediately.
Poor Lil was still waiting on the beer she ordered from Chas 10-15mins prior to my arrival.
Anyways, Chas later came by to tell us that it was last call for food around 10pm (it was a week day). We told him we were okay but asked for some bar nuts to snack on. They have this delicious Marcona almond drizzled in truffle oil & sprinkled with basil chiffonade & sea salt.
Lil & I have had the pleasure of snacking on these numerous times & wanted our 2 other guests to try it out, being that this was their first visit.
I asked Chas if it was okay to let our 2 friends try it out. He brings back a small ramekin of plain almonds and says that his kitchen was closing and so there won't be any truffle oil or garnishes at all. The 2 noobs in our group looked a bit disappointed because they were really looking forward to it.
We noticed plates of food still leaving the kitchen, so we decided to ask Beau (other manager) as he passed by. I apologized beforehand while asking and said that we know the kitchen is closing, but was hoping he could help us out since my friends never had the pleasure of trying these almonds. He said right away "sure thing, no problem!"
Not a big deal, right? Wrong.
I guess Chas saw Beau with the almonds and insisted on delivering it to our table himself.
He slams down the ramekin in front of us, says "seriously!" outloud and walks away.
As he turns to walk away, he mutters another "seriously!"......wtf.
I asked Beau what the problem was, and from there the 2 managers had a heated argument right in front of us in the bar. Talk about awkward!
I could hear Chas saying outloud "she/they stepped over my toes and went to you!"
First of all, we did not. I very apologetically told Beau "I'm really sorry, I know your kitchen is closing, but my friends really wanted to try the truffle almonds. Could you pretty please help us out just this once?"
Everyone was really bothered with it and I was mortified at his lack of professionalism. I decided to talk to Chas privately to clarify the situation.
He explained that he was upset because he felt belittled when I asked someone else for something he declined to do. I told him it was not our intention, that it was our friends' first time there (probably the last now) and they heard a lot of these almonds and we wanted to give them a taste of it.
I even explained to him that I asked Beau while apologizing since I know that they were closing the kitchen. And that since we saw food was still leaving the kitchen, that it wasn't a big deal.
He apologized and said that he "didn't know the story" and misunderstood and got upset. Said that had he known that's how I had asked for the almonds, that it would've turned out differently.
I told him that his rudeness was unacceptable regardless of how we had asked. You never slam down plates in front of a customer!
We've been a regulars there long before he started working there. We never gave anyone any trouble ever and always tipped generously (yes, we've tipped $20 for a $20-something tabs a few times. That's how much we love our bartenders there).
Sadly, I don't think I'll be back there anymore. I rather blow my hard-earned money at an establishment that doesn't slam dishes down at their customers, over something so trivial. All this transpired over just 10 or so pieces of almonds?!
So with a very heavy heart, I moved Formaggio out my "Fav Happy Hour" list & into my "Eeks, never again" list.
Listed in: Eeeks, never again!
1 Previous Review:
-
7/15/2010
We always have great service when we're there. It's a chill place to hang out and unwind after a long day of work or just to kick back and have ono pupus and drinks with friends.
They have daily food and wine specials and live music on the weekends. I never am disappointed with the wine. I always leave it up to the awesome bartenders to pick a white wine for me, usually whatever is on special or featured for the night (Bruce, Cami & Matt never disappoints!).
The food is generously portioned and filling, can't say enough about the food!
Love their FONDUTA W/CRAB MEAT & ARTICHOKE.
The yummy crostini that's served alongside it is great on its own. We sometimes just order a basket of that to snack on with our wines, yum!!
The SMOKED SALMON CARPACCIO is always yummy and fresh tasting!
I hate red onions, but they sliced it thin enough so it wasn't overpowering when served w/the vinaigrette (olive oil, lemon juice & whole capers).
They have daily pizza specials as well. My favs are the WILD MUSHROOM PIZZA w/white truffle oil and the PUTTANESCA PIZZA (anchovies, olives, artichokes, capers and pine nuts).
Anchovies are optional, but make sure you ask them to chop it up and sprinkle it evenly around. They usually just fan out the anchovy halves in the center. Big fan of their crunchy, thin crusts.
Other favorites includes the BONELESS SHORT RIBS braised in red wine:
Fork tender with the right about of fatty goodness for extra richness. Underneath is a a mixture of sauteed mushrooms, zucchinis & bell peppers.
http://www.yelp.c...
BEEF BOURGUIGNON: A hearty stew of braised beef & veggies in a red wine & beef broth. We were too stuffed with all the other foods ordered, but our server Jon was gracious enough to give us a sample tasting in a small ramekin! He even got the cooks to add extra puff pastry stars, one for each person! He's such a sweetheart!
Rich, meaty deliciousness!
http://www.yelp.c...
Their SEAFOOD PASTA is extra rich and loaded with prawns, calamari and lobster (not for the health-conscious). http://www.yelp.c...
Overall, if you're looking for a place with a relaxing feel-good vibe, live music, great food and drinks - Formaggio's the place to check out.
This 2nd visit was better being they were actually open for business this time! Their grand opening was today but it wasn't too busy, more customers waiting around for take-outs rather than dining in.
***the extra star was for their mochiko chicken & free gyozas, would've been 1 star if it weren't for those two items***
Open daily from 10:30am-9pm.
Happy Hr 2pm-5pm: Don't get too excited, there's no alcohol.
The "happy hour" is just to get their "free 4pc gyoza with entree" special.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The restaurant is spacious with about nine 4-seater tables and a 12-seat bar area. You can watch them cook up your ramen from just about any seat in the house.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We took full advantage of our "free gyoza with entree" coupon. You can also get 4pc gyozas for free during their 2pm-5pm happy hour as well, so don't fret if you don't have a coupon.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
GYOZA (4pc for $2.50 w/entree purchase, 6pc reg gyoza for $4.25 & 6pc "jumbo" gyozas for $5.50):
I was only expecting 4 pieces of gyoza with the coupon, but they brought out 2 orders of it. We each got 4pc of gyozas for free!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It was tasty & cooked perfectly. It definitely had more veggies than ground pork, each bite was nice & crunchy.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
side order of MOCHIKO CHICKEN (6 pc for $4.75):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You all know how much this fried food queen loves her fried chicken!
This was the best part of my meal......yes, I said it. I'm sorry.
The chicken was seasoned just right in a sweet soy marinade. The outside crust had a fantastic crunch, while the meat was tender and moist.
BIG BOWL RAMEN ($9.50):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We were told that it was the most popular item on their menu, so of course I had to order it.
Was told that the broth was a "chicken & pork broth, mixed with miso paste."
I definitely tasted the miso, it was good but I've had better. The broth was the best part of this bowl of ramen.
This ramen is topped with:
- 2 slices char siu (this place is run by Chinese staff & menu listed it as "char siu", not the Japanese "chashu" you'd find in a regular ramen joint).
- fishcake
- chicken katsu
- seaweed & menma (braised, fermented bamboo shoots)
- 1/2 an egg
- boiled cabbage & bean sprouts
- corn
Two things I need to address:
1) It wasn't that much bigger than my other bowl of noodles. Maybe "big bowl" was referring to how much noodles they were able to pack into the bowl.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2) The noodles were overcooked & soft.
It reminded me of the S&S noodles you can get for cheaper at other fast food places.
CURRY UDON ($7.75, you can get it with ramen for $7.50):
The noodles were perfectly al dente and stayed nice and chewy till the very end, yay!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unfortunately, the broth was weak flavor-wise and tasted more like Chinese curry rather than Japanese curry. I'm part Chinese, this tastes more like what my family would eat.
***the staff (with the exception of one guy) all spoke chinese and very little english****
The broth had a mixture of the same boiled cabbage & bean sprouts. I did see flecks of beef & carrots in it. 2 pc of fishcake and a slice of char siu topped off the dish.
I was hoping that it would taste like Marukame's Curry Udon, but it failed to impress.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
If I do return, I would probably only order the mochiko chicken. I did see someone eating kim chee fried rice at the next table, so maybe that too.....but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here. If it wasn't for the mochiko chicken, Ramen-Ya would've been a Ramen-NAH for me.
***the extra star was for their mochiko chicken & free gyozas, would've been 1 star if it weren't for those two items***
Open daily from 10:30am-9pm.
Happy Hr 2pm-5pm: Don't get too excited, there's no alcohol.
The "happy hour" is just to get their "free 4pc gyoza with entree" special.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The restaurant is spacious with about nine 4-seater tables and a 12-seat bar area. You can watch them cook up your ramen from just about any seat in the house.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We took full advantage of our "free gyoza with entree" coupon. You can also get 4pc gyozas for free during their 2pm-5pm happy hour as well, so don't fret if you don't have a coupon.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
GYOZA (4pc for $2.50 w/entree purchase, 6pc reg gyoza for $4.25 & 6pc "jumbo" gyozas for $5.50):
I was only expecting 4 pieces of gyoza with the coupon, but they brought out 2 orders of it. We each got 4pc of gyozas for free!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It was tasty & cooked perfectly. It definitely had more veggies than ground pork, each bite was nice & crunchy.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
side order of MOCHIKO CHICKEN (6 pc for $4.75):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You all know how much this fried food queen loves her fried chicken!
This was the best part of my meal......yes, I said it. I'm sorry.
The chicken was seasoned just right in a sweet soy marinade. The outside crust had a fantastic crunch, while the meat was tender and moist.
BIG BOWL RAMEN ($9.50):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We were told that it was the most popular item on their menu, so of course I had to order it.
Was told that the broth was a "chicken & pork broth, mixed with miso paste."
I definitely tasted the miso, it was good but I've had better. The broth was the best part of this bowl of ramen.
This ramen is topped with:
- 2 slices char siu (this place is run by Chinese staff & menu listed it as "char siu", not the Japanese "chashu" you'd find in a regular ramen joint).
- fishcake
- chicken katsu
- seaweed & menma (braised, fermented bamboo shoots)
- 1/2 an egg
- boiled cabbage & bean sprouts
- corn
Two things I need to address:
1) It wasn't that much bigger than my other bowl of noodles. Maybe "big bowl" was referring to how much noodles they were able to pack into the bowl.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2) The noodles were overcooked & soft.
It reminded me of the S&S noodles you can get for cheaper at other fast food places.
CURRY UDON ($7.75, you can get it with ramen for $7.50):
The noodles were perfectly al dente and stayed nice and chewy till the very end, yay!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Unfortunately, the broth was weak flavor-wise and tasted more like Chinese curry rather than Japanese curry. I'm part Chinese, this tastes more like what my family would eat.
***the staff (with the exception of one guy) all spoke chinese and very little english****
The broth had a mixture of the same boiled cabbage & bean sprouts. I did see flecks of beef & carrots in it. 2 pc of fishcake and a slice of char siu topped off the dish.
I was hoping that it would taste like Marukame's Curry Udon, but it failed to impress.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
If I do return, I would probably only order the mochiko chicken. I did see someone eating kim chee fried rice at the next table, so maybe that too.....but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here. If it wasn't for the mochiko chicken, Ramen-Ya would've been a Ramen-NAH for me.
1 Previous Review:
-
12/12/2011 First to Review
Not sure how much stars to give this, being that it was a disappointing visit and waste of gas. Got a whole bunch of menu and discounts including "free gyoza" slipped under my door today to advertise their opening at this Hawaii Kai Towne Center location.
Walked inside only to find out that they were still renovating and not quite open yet.
Their colorful menu teased & toyed with my emotions, it made my inner fat kid cry......
http://www.yelp.c...
Maybe an actual date should have been included on their handouts & coupons.....guess I'll be back later on this week.
Ryan T. got my attention w/the mentioning of "kiawe-smoked chicken." That was the main reason for my wanting to make to that drive out to Sand Island.
The server told me that it was their "most popular" item. In fact, almost every one of those construction workers had smoked chicken in front of them on the day I stopped in.
Sorry folks, their "smoked chicken" is only avail on Fridays.
Tatsuo seems to cater more towards the construction/industrial workers in the area, only open Mon-Fri for breakfast (5:30am-10:30am) and lunch (10:30am-2pm).
Closed on weekends & holidays. This place is literally a "hole-in-the-wall", with only a couple of parking stalls in the back (most customers do take-out).
Their minis are all under $6 (one scoop rice, choice of mac or tossed salad), while their regular-sized plate lunches costs anywhere from $7-$9 (2 scoops rice & a choice of mac or tossed salad, in addition to an extra side dish item).
Mixed/combo plates are also avail:
2 choice- $9.29
3 choice-10.49
Their assortment of side dishes varies daily.
The day I stopped in, they were completely out of kim chee. All i was left with was sliced takuan (yellow pickled radish/daikon) and plain cubes of tofu.
I regret getting the tofu because it didn't come with any sauce!! Blech!
I got a mixed plate of "smoked chicken" & hamburger steak (For $9.29, you get a whole leg & one hamburger patty).
Threw in a small soda ($1.39 for a total of $11.18.
Try to disregard the sad cubes of plain tofu. Some sauce would've been nice......hell, I would've been a happy camper if they threw the gravy onto it:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The homemade hamburger steak was tender & juicy (I tasted onion powder). I would've liked it with less breading though, some bites had chunks of white bread. The rich brown gravy was delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their "very popular" Smoked Chicken dish was disappointing for me. Although it was tender and cooked thoroughly, it was VERY salty & over-smoked!
The smokiness was so overwhelming that it took away from the chicken. I didn't really taste the chicken at all.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Next time, I'm just gonna stick with the Hamburger Steak. Just thinking about the 2 juicy charred patties swimming in delicious gravy is already making my mouth water!
Would've been 4 stars had it not been for the Smoked Chicken. It left an awful lingering taste in my mouth.......and stomach. Talk about stinky-disgusting burps, so not sexy......
The server told me that it was their "most popular" item. In fact, almost every one of those construction workers had smoked chicken in front of them on the day I stopped in.
Sorry folks, their "smoked chicken" is only avail on Fridays.
Tatsuo seems to cater more towards the construction/industrial workers in the area, only open Mon-Fri for breakfast (5:30am-10:30am) and lunch (10:30am-2pm).
Closed on weekends & holidays. This place is literally a "hole-in-the-wall", with only a couple of parking stalls in the back (most customers do take-out).
Their minis are all under $6 (one scoop rice, choice of mac or tossed salad), while their regular-sized plate lunches costs anywhere from $7-$9 (2 scoops rice & a choice of mac or tossed salad, in addition to an extra side dish item).
Mixed/combo plates are also avail:
2 choice- $9.29
3 choice-10.49
Their assortment of side dishes varies daily.
The day I stopped in, they were completely out of kim chee. All i was left with was sliced takuan (yellow pickled radish/daikon) and plain cubes of tofu.
I regret getting the tofu because it didn't come with any sauce!! Blech!
I got a mixed plate of "smoked chicken" & hamburger steak (For $9.29, you get a whole leg & one hamburger patty).
Threw in a small soda ($1.39 for a total of $11.18.
Try to disregard the sad cubes of plain tofu. Some sauce would've been nice......hell, I would've been a happy camper if they threw the gravy onto it:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The homemade hamburger steak was tender & juicy (I tasted onion powder). I would've liked it with less breading though, some bites had chunks of white bread. The rich brown gravy was delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their "very popular" Smoked Chicken dish was disappointing for me. Although it was tender and cooked thoroughly, it was VERY salty & over-smoked!
The smokiness was so overwhelming that it took away from the chicken. I didn't really taste the chicken at all.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Next time, I'm just gonna stick with the Hamburger Steak. Just thinking about the 2 juicy charred patties swimming in delicious gravy is already making my mouth water!
Would've been 4 stars had it not been for the Smoked Chicken. It left an awful lingering taste in my mouth.......and stomach. Talk about stinky-disgusting burps, so not sexy......
Listed in: Okazu-Me, Okazu-You!
A hidden gem located on the first floor of the McCully Shopping Center (the parking sucks big time at this place!). If you're not looking for it, you will definitely walk past it's dimly lit entrance. I have to admit that the use of shower curtains on their windows also was a deterrent. My friend Derek is a regular here and keeps raving about their food (their fresh monkfish liver & foie gras in particular), so I decided to give it a shot.
***They no longer offer foie gras.......sniff......****
This restaurant/bar is pretty small & narrow in architecture. There's limited seatings with only a handful of tables (a couple 2-seaters and a bigger long table for a larger group of 6 or more). There's also a bar area that you can dine at as well.
Reservations are highly recommended to insure that you have a table.
Open for lunch Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm
Dinner/bar: daily 6pm-2am
Happy Hour runs from Mon-Fri, 6-9pm.
$3 Sapporo drafts
$4 house red & white wines
A few of their menu items are also avail for a couple bucks off during happy hour.
Kenny F. & I only ordered a few items, we were short on time. I did enjoy a couple dishes, while a couple other items flopped.
TUNA STEAK WITH PONZU ($10.95):
The ahi is seasoned with just the right amount of cajun spice and seared beautifully.
It's served with a shredded daikon salad and additional slices of cucumbers & red radishes.
The ponzu sauce had the right about of acid, bringing out the sweetness of the fresh ahi. YUM!
Pic of ahi steak prior to saucing (they serve the ponzu sauce on the side). Isn't it beautiful?!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After the ponzu sauce is drizzled over:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SPINACH & BACON ($5.50):
The sauteed spinach is smokey & tender (but not overcooked) and went nicely with the pieces of bacon. At first glance, this dish was obviously very greasy, but it was tasty! I would order it again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Now the dishes that we didn't like so much....
FRIED CHICKEN ($4 during happy hour, $5.25 reg):
The chicken was seasoned & cooked to the right doneness on the inside.
But the batter was hard and greasy on the outside, while still doughy on the inside.
I would've liked some sort of sauce with this dish to help with the blandness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED OCTOPUS ($5.25):
Lightly floured and fried. LOVE fried tako so I liked this dish, despite it being a bit overcooked. Like the chicken dish, I wished there was some sort of sipping sauce to go with this.....like a garlic aioli of some sort.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
DEEP FRIED TOFU WITH SOY DASHI (a bad attempt on Agedashi Tofu, $4 happy hour, $4.95 reg):
Served with sliced daikon & red radish.
The tofu was very dense and lacked any sort of seasoning. The soy dashi was also flavorless.
**dipping the tofu into the ahi steak's ponzu helped**
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
COD ROE PASTA ($9.95):
Kenny and I are huge fans of Genius Lounge's Tarako/Mentaiko Pasto, we've been craving it for a while. You bet we were happy to see this on the menu! We looked at each other right away and said "let's compare!!"
The pasta came looking delicious with tons of cod roe (more than the amount given at Genius!). The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, but it was greasy and flavorless.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Yes, despite having way more cod roe in their pasta - this dish was bland! There was no salt in it. Just greasy pasta. Seems as though the quality of their salted cod roe is not as good as Genius Lounge's.
Close up of pasta: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I will probably return to try out more of their other items. It's a nice place to hang out and have a few drinks. Their male bartender is pretty friendly & serves stiff drinks, you'll definitely get your money's worth in alcohol.
The extra star is for the good service and Tuna Steak dish.
***They no longer offer foie gras.......sniff......****
This restaurant/bar is pretty small & narrow in architecture. There's limited seatings with only a handful of tables (a couple 2-seaters and a bigger long table for a larger group of 6 or more). There's also a bar area that you can dine at as well.
Reservations are highly recommended to insure that you have a table.
Open for lunch Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm
Dinner/bar: daily 6pm-2am
Happy Hour runs from Mon-Fri, 6-9pm.
$3 Sapporo drafts
$4 house red & white wines
A few of their menu items are also avail for a couple bucks off during happy hour.
Kenny F. & I only ordered a few items, we were short on time. I did enjoy a couple dishes, while a couple other items flopped.
TUNA STEAK WITH PONZU ($10.95):
The ahi is seasoned with just the right amount of cajun spice and seared beautifully.
It's served with a shredded daikon salad and additional slices of cucumbers & red radishes.
The ponzu sauce had the right about of acid, bringing out the sweetness of the fresh ahi. YUM!
Pic of ahi steak prior to saucing (they serve the ponzu sauce on the side). Isn't it beautiful?!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
After the ponzu sauce is drizzled over:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SPINACH & BACON ($5.50):
The sauteed spinach is smokey & tender (but not overcooked) and went nicely with the pieces of bacon. At first glance, this dish was obviously very greasy, but it was tasty! I would order it again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Now the dishes that we didn't like so much....
FRIED CHICKEN ($4 during happy hour, $5.25 reg):
The chicken was seasoned & cooked to the right doneness on the inside.
But the batter was hard and greasy on the outside, while still doughy on the inside.
I would've liked some sort of sauce with this dish to help with the blandness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED OCTOPUS ($5.25):
Lightly floured and fried. LOVE fried tako so I liked this dish, despite it being a bit overcooked. Like the chicken dish, I wished there was some sort of sipping sauce to go with this.....like a garlic aioli of some sort.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
DEEP FRIED TOFU WITH SOY DASHI (a bad attempt on Agedashi Tofu, $4 happy hour, $4.95 reg):
Served with sliced daikon & red radish.
The tofu was very dense and lacked any sort of seasoning. The soy dashi was also flavorless.
**dipping the tofu into the ahi steak's ponzu helped**
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
COD ROE PASTA ($9.95):
Kenny and I are huge fans of Genius Lounge's Tarako/Mentaiko Pasto, we've been craving it for a while. You bet we were happy to see this on the menu! We looked at each other right away and said "let's compare!!"
The pasta came looking delicious with tons of cod roe (more than the amount given at Genius!). The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, but it was greasy and flavorless.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Yes, despite having way more cod roe in their pasta - this dish was bland! There was no salt in it. Just greasy pasta. Seems as though the quality of their salted cod roe is not as good as Genius Lounge's.
Close up of pasta: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I will probably return to try out more of their other items. It's a nice place to hang out and have a few drinks. Their male bartender is pretty friendly & serves stiff drinks, you'll definitely get your money's worth in alcohol.
The extra star is for the good service and Tuna Steak dish.
Listed in: My Fav Happy Hour Places, Turning Japanese!
388 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 252-7276
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 252-7276
Ele Ela Nails Salon
Categories:
Hair Removal,
Nail Salons
Neighborhood: Mission
I wanted to get a last minute mani/pedi and ended up here, thanks to the Yelp app. The location is convenient since it's just a few blocks away from where i was staying with friends in the Mission.
Before I go on. I need to clarify something about this business,
It's "Ele Ela Nails Salon" and it's COMPLETELY different from "Ele Ela International Salon" located next door.
Different owners (this nail salon is owned by a Vietnamese family), the International Salon is owned by a European gentleman.
The owners of Ele Ela Nails Salon bought this shop from the owner of Ele Ela International (a hair salon) next door years ago. They just never changed the name on it's door.
*****This nail salon only does nails, waxing & eyelash tinting*****
If you want to get your hair done, then it's the other establishment next door. I had to point this out because I noticed the other yelp profile is combining reviews of both the nail salon and hair salon....which isn't right because they are 2 different businesses & owners!
This nail salon is clean and sanitary-looking. There wasn't any strong acrylic smell that usually hits you in the face as you walk in. That was a big thing for me. Decent space with 3 nail stations and 6 comfy massage chairs for pedicures. They had a good selection of polishes from OPI, Essie & China Glaze.
There's a separate private room in the back for all your waxing and lash tinting procedures.
On arrival, I was warmly greeted by Thuy and another gentleman who was already working on a client.
I got the $27 mani/pedi, a great deal for a job well done.
My pedi polish lasted very long. It's been over a month and I'm still loving it! The color has not chipped yet and it's still very shiny. I finally had to redo it because my nails were growing out so the cuticle part was showing.
Thuy was very meticulous and gentle. She takes the time to trim your cuticles and brought my hard-working dental hands back to life. I had to tell her to put a little more force into the pumicing of my foot, because she was worried about hurting me. I was a mess, I needed the extra work, lol!
What makes this nail salon different than the other ones I've been to (in California and back home in Hawaii) is the use of a hot lotion during mani/pedi. How refreshing!
I will definitely return whenever I visit SF and highly recommend Thuy if you wanna get your nails done!
*****On a side note, I want to give a shout out to "Fire Crotch"......this blond and her man walked in without an appointment and wanted a pedicure. She sort of ruined the overall experience for me with her disgusting crotch show. She was was waiting on the side and unfortunately subjected me to a full frontal of her unmentionables.
Honey, please shut your legs!! No one needs to see you flapping your thighs in and out as if you're using an invisible thighmaster!! If you're trying to air out your lady bits, than for the love of pete - do so in the comfort of your own home!! UGH!! Thank god you were wearing your cheap red lips undies.....but the damage was done.....my eyes!!
Before I go on. I need to clarify something about this business,
It's "Ele Ela Nails Salon" and it's COMPLETELY different from "Ele Ela International Salon" located next door.
Different owners (this nail salon is owned by a Vietnamese family), the International Salon is owned by a European gentleman.
The owners of Ele Ela Nails Salon bought this shop from the owner of Ele Ela International (a hair salon) next door years ago. They just never changed the name on it's door.
*****This nail salon only does nails, waxing & eyelash tinting*****
If you want to get your hair done, then it's the other establishment next door. I had to point this out because I noticed the other yelp profile is combining reviews of both the nail salon and hair salon....which isn't right because they are 2 different businesses & owners!
This nail salon is clean and sanitary-looking. There wasn't any strong acrylic smell that usually hits you in the face as you walk in. That was a big thing for me. Decent space with 3 nail stations and 6 comfy massage chairs for pedicures. They had a good selection of polishes from OPI, Essie & China Glaze.
There's a separate private room in the back for all your waxing and lash tinting procedures.
On arrival, I was warmly greeted by Thuy and another gentleman who was already working on a client.
I got the $27 mani/pedi, a great deal for a job well done.
My pedi polish lasted very long. It's been over a month and I'm still loving it! The color has not chipped yet and it's still very shiny. I finally had to redo it because my nails were growing out so the cuticle part was showing.
Thuy was very meticulous and gentle. She takes the time to trim your cuticles and brought my hard-working dental hands back to life. I had to tell her to put a little more force into the pumicing of my foot, because she was worried about hurting me. I was a mess, I needed the extra work, lol!
What makes this nail salon different than the other ones I've been to (in California and back home in Hawaii) is the use of a hot lotion during mani/pedi. How refreshing!
I will definitely return whenever I visit SF and highly recommend Thuy if you wanna get your nails done!
*****On a side note, I want to give a shout out to "Fire Crotch"......this blond and her man walked in without an appointment and wanted a pedicure. She sort of ruined the overall experience for me with her disgusting crotch show. She was was waiting on the side and unfortunately subjected me to a full frontal of her unmentionables.
Honey, please shut your legs!! No one needs to see you flapping your thighs in and out as if you're using an invisible thighmaster!! If you're trying to air out your lady bits, than for the love of pete - do so in the comfort of your own home!! UGH!! Thank god you were wearing your cheap red lips undies.....but the damage was done.....my eyes!!
Listed in: I Left My Heart in San…
Hoku's a great pick if you're wanting to impress. This restaurant has excellent ambience with the design of its multi-tiered dining area & breathtaking panoramic views of the ocean. There isn't a bad seat in this place, you can take in the beautiful views from just about any seat in the restaurant.
Hoku's fusion-type menu is pretty interesting. I liked the innovative twists that were applied to local favorites like poke & lomi lomi salmon.
Overall, the food was just alright for me. Our bill for a table of 9 came out to almost $880 (tax & tip included). If you're wanting to spend that much on a good meal, Marvo's or Alan Wong's would be better choices.
Complimentary House Focaccia & Wheat Breads) w/an Ahi Aioli Dip:
In addition to the usual butter, Hoku's serves their breads alongside their much-raved about ahi dip. Looks & sounds great, doesn't it?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Imagine my disappointment when I stirred up my dip & found not a single piece of ahi.
Luckily, we had 3 other dips on our table. Those dishes had about 1-2 pieces of raw ahi in it.
Basically a thin mixture of sweet mayo & cream (hated the raw scallions btw).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Lisa also brought out NAAN ($7.95). The naan was doughy and slightly undercooked.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Once you've had something as wonderful as Himalayan Kitchen's garlic-jalapeno naan, it's hard not to be picky:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SALMON CROQUETTE AMUSE BOUCHE (compliments of the chef):
The chef's genius play on a local favorite, lomi lomi salmon.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The panko crust is fried perfectly on the outside, leaving the salmon still moist & flakey on the inside. The garlicky "asian remoulade" added a nice balance to the fresh-tasting lomi tomato salsa.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
HOKU'S AHI MUSUBI ($18):
Ahi poke & sweet sushi rice is crusted in sesame seeds and flash-fried to a crunchy ball of goodness. The tasty poke was still cold & tasty in the center.
I didn't see any "crab namasu" as stated in the menu. Just got plain namasu (japanese pickled veggies).
It arrived already quartered & was served to each person immediately, so this was the best pic I could get.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SHORT RIB TEMPURA ($16):
This appetizer consists of boneless cubes of braised short ribs that are battered and tempura-fried, topped off with a slice of tempura avocado.
There were 4-5 one-inch pieces of beef per plate. Served with kalbi jus & something that tastes like scallion oil.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The crust was overcooked & tough. Most of the meat was overcooked & dry. This was the best one I got out of the bunch, still tough to chew despite looking tender.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
GRILLED SCALLOPS ($19):
Pricey for 2 pieces of overcooked scallops. The fish-cake like texture seemed off to me, like it wasn't fresh?
Also on the plate was a miso-glazed eggplant (halved), pitted umeboshi (pickled sour plum) & 4 pcs of tempura asparagus (2 spears halved).
The asparagus was SALTY! You can see the salt in this pic:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FREE RANGE CHICKEN ($35):
Subbed for more green beans instead of the goat cheese mashed potatoes:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Chicken was served 2-ways:
1) Breast was 'sous-vide' (vaccum-sealed & cooked in a water bath at low temperatures). It was then pan-roasted to achieve the crispy skin. The thyme & rosemary overpowered the meat & left a weird aftertaste.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2) Crispy fried thigh roulade. Like chinese-crispy fried chicken, love this!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SALT-CRUSTED RACK LAMB w/vegetable tart & lamb jus ($55):
2 people from our group ordered this Colorado rack of lamb, one med-well & one med-rare.
Rodney brings both out to crack open the beautiful salt crust:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Revealing the requested doneness:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Then it's taken back to kitchen for plating.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Free Sweets: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Hoku's fusion-type menu is pretty interesting. I liked the innovative twists that were applied to local favorites like poke & lomi lomi salmon.
Overall, the food was just alright for me. Our bill for a table of 9 came out to almost $880 (tax & tip included). If you're wanting to spend that much on a good meal, Marvo's or Alan Wong's would be better choices.
Complimentary House Focaccia & Wheat Breads) w/an Ahi Aioli Dip:
In addition to the usual butter, Hoku's serves their breads alongside their much-raved about ahi dip. Looks & sounds great, doesn't it?
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Imagine my disappointment when I stirred up my dip & found not a single piece of ahi.
Luckily, we had 3 other dips on our table. Those dishes had about 1-2 pieces of raw ahi in it.
Basically a thin mixture of sweet mayo & cream (hated the raw scallions btw).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Lisa also brought out NAAN ($7.95). The naan was doughy and slightly undercooked.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Once you've had something as wonderful as Himalayan Kitchen's garlic-jalapeno naan, it's hard not to be picky:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SALMON CROQUETTE AMUSE BOUCHE (compliments of the chef):
The chef's genius play on a local favorite, lomi lomi salmon.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The panko crust is fried perfectly on the outside, leaving the salmon still moist & flakey on the inside. The garlicky "asian remoulade" added a nice balance to the fresh-tasting lomi tomato salsa.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
HOKU'S AHI MUSUBI ($18):
Ahi poke & sweet sushi rice is crusted in sesame seeds and flash-fried to a crunchy ball of goodness. The tasty poke was still cold & tasty in the center.
I didn't see any "crab namasu" as stated in the menu. Just got plain namasu (japanese pickled veggies).
It arrived already quartered & was served to each person immediately, so this was the best pic I could get.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SHORT RIB TEMPURA ($16):
This appetizer consists of boneless cubes of braised short ribs that are battered and tempura-fried, topped off with a slice of tempura avocado.
There were 4-5 one-inch pieces of beef per plate. Served with kalbi jus & something that tastes like scallion oil.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The crust was overcooked & tough. Most of the meat was overcooked & dry. This was the best one I got out of the bunch, still tough to chew despite looking tender.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
GRILLED SCALLOPS ($19):
Pricey for 2 pieces of overcooked scallops. The fish-cake like texture seemed off to me, like it wasn't fresh?
Also on the plate was a miso-glazed eggplant (halved), pitted umeboshi (pickled sour plum) & 4 pcs of tempura asparagus (2 spears halved).
The asparagus was SALTY! You can see the salt in this pic:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FREE RANGE CHICKEN ($35):
Subbed for more green beans instead of the goat cheese mashed potatoes:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Chicken was served 2-ways:
1) Breast was 'sous-vide' (vaccum-sealed & cooked in a water bath at low temperatures). It was then pan-roasted to achieve the crispy skin. The thyme & rosemary overpowered the meat & left a weird aftertaste.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2) Crispy fried thigh roulade. Like chinese-crispy fried chicken, love this!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SALT-CRUSTED RACK LAMB w/vegetable tart & lamb jus ($55):
2 people from our group ordered this Colorado rack of lamb, one med-well & one med-rare.
Rodney brings both out to crack open the beautiful salt crust:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Revealing the requested doneness:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Then it's taken back to kitchen for plating.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Free Sweets: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It was my friend's last night in Honolulu, so I decided to let him choose where he wanted to dine. My heart sanked when I heard his pick but I went along with it bc I figured things have improved since then.
Years ago, our table of 12 shared the same appetizers & salad items. Everyone ordered some sort of steak.....except for me. I went with the special of the night: pork chops w/some sort of apple sauce chutney.
My stomach was churning and hurting by the time the bill arrived. Found out later that a 2nd person from my table also got the squirts, this dentist actually had a couple bites of my entree.
On ur recent visit, my friend felt so uncomfortable that we had to end his last night in Honolulu early. We spent the rest of our nights (and mornings) sleeping w/our toilets. TMI, sorry.
I wouldn't dare say food poisoning, but perhaps our stomachs didn't agree with the natural bacteria that's circulating in that kitchen. Mines didn't agree with it 3 years ago either.
I struggled with giving the star ratings, mainly because our server Robyn & floor manager Taryn were so gracious in trying to correct the horrible dish that was served to me. That alone deserves high marks.
In the end, I had to go with the 1 star bc the food is what matters most & being rewarded w/diarrhea after paying $$$ is crap (no pun intended). In addition, the execution of most dishes were poor, I'll explain it in more detail below.
Ok dishes:
SIZZLING SEARED SCALLOPS ($15):
Jumbo, perfectly cooked scallops arrived hot & sizzling on a hot plate. Each scallop was topped off w/a Hamakua mushroom and truffle puree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I didn't like that the truffle part was basically just lots of truffle oil. The truffle oil was overwhelming and made the dish too rich overall.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their Kahuku corn & smoky bacon ragout was tasty! Sweet corn is sauteed w/salty bacon, helped balance out the overwhelming truffle oil.
HO FARMS CHERRY TOMATOES & MAUI ONION SALAD ($9):
You all know how much I hate raw onions, but this dish was delicious!
This colorful dish consists of sliced cherry tomatoes & thinly sliced sweet Maui onions.
The white balsamic vinaigrette went very well with the delicate flavors of the tomatoes and sweet onions. It's lighter & more subtle than the regular balsamic vinegar. Bleu cheese crumbles rounds out the dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
THE SAMPLER STATER ($19):
Shrimp cocktail, Crab Cake, Black & Blue Ahi, Bresaola Carpaccio.
I'll explain in further detail about each item, along with it's regular menu price.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
STEAKHOUSE CRAB CAKES w/avocado butter & sweet thai chili vinaigrette ($13):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The blue crab meat was soft & mushy. I didn't see a lot of bread crumbs or fillers in there, but something seemed off about the texture. Found out they used canned crab meat, no wonder....
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BRESOALA CARPACCIO ($13):
2 sad thin slices of cured beef. Topped with nalo greens & pesto sauce. Really?!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BLACK & BLUE AHI SASHIMI ($13):
Dusted with cajun spices & seared. The HOT & SPICY mustard-soy sauce was mostly mustard. That's all I tasted.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MONSTER SHRIMP COCKTAIL ($13):
Overcooked shrimp w/a too-sweet ketchup sauce trying to pass as cocktail sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SANSEI FILET MIGNON w/shiitake demi glace ($34):
They made a deep cut into the medallion to speed up the cooking process, WTF?!
The demi glace was basically very sweet teriyaki sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY "CHINESE STYLE"- OPAH/MOONFISH w/hot oil & scallions ($24):
"Their fresh catch of the day is frozen", my friend said in disgust after losing his fork across the table. He tried to get a taste of my VERY SALTY fish dish, but the fork hit the "fillet of rubber" & bounced off my plate.
Poor filleting techniques. My fillets were mostly tough cartilage parts.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BACON WRAPPED SCALLOPS w/lemon caper butter ($8): free to compensate for my sad Opah entree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Scallops were OVERcooked, bacon was UNDERcooked.
"Free" doesn't mean "good"......and raw pork = diarrhea! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Years ago, our table of 12 shared the same appetizers & salad items. Everyone ordered some sort of steak.....except for me. I went with the special of the night: pork chops w/some sort of apple sauce chutney.
My stomach was churning and hurting by the time the bill arrived. Found out later that a 2nd person from my table also got the squirts, this dentist actually had a couple bites of my entree.
On ur recent visit, my friend felt so uncomfortable that we had to end his last night in Honolulu early. We spent the rest of our nights (and mornings) sleeping w/our toilets. TMI, sorry.
I wouldn't dare say food poisoning, but perhaps our stomachs didn't agree with the natural bacteria that's circulating in that kitchen. Mines didn't agree with it 3 years ago either.
I struggled with giving the star ratings, mainly because our server Robyn & floor manager Taryn were so gracious in trying to correct the horrible dish that was served to me. That alone deserves high marks.
In the end, I had to go with the 1 star bc the food is what matters most & being rewarded w/diarrhea after paying $$$ is crap (no pun intended). In addition, the execution of most dishes were poor, I'll explain it in more detail below.
Ok dishes:
SIZZLING SEARED SCALLOPS ($15):
Jumbo, perfectly cooked scallops arrived hot & sizzling on a hot plate. Each scallop was topped off w/a Hamakua mushroom and truffle puree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I didn't like that the truffle part was basically just lots of truffle oil. The truffle oil was overwhelming and made the dish too rich overall.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their Kahuku corn & smoky bacon ragout was tasty! Sweet corn is sauteed w/salty bacon, helped balance out the overwhelming truffle oil.
HO FARMS CHERRY TOMATOES & MAUI ONION SALAD ($9):
You all know how much I hate raw onions, but this dish was delicious!
This colorful dish consists of sliced cherry tomatoes & thinly sliced sweet Maui onions.
The white balsamic vinaigrette went very well with the delicate flavors of the tomatoes and sweet onions. It's lighter & more subtle than the regular balsamic vinegar. Bleu cheese crumbles rounds out the dish.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
THE SAMPLER STATER ($19):
Shrimp cocktail, Crab Cake, Black & Blue Ahi, Bresaola Carpaccio.
I'll explain in further detail about each item, along with it's regular menu price.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
STEAKHOUSE CRAB CAKES w/avocado butter & sweet thai chili vinaigrette ($13):
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The blue crab meat was soft & mushy. I didn't see a lot of bread crumbs or fillers in there, but something seemed off about the texture. Found out they used canned crab meat, no wonder....
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BRESOALA CARPACCIO ($13):
2 sad thin slices of cured beef. Topped with nalo greens & pesto sauce. Really?!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BLACK & BLUE AHI SASHIMI ($13):
Dusted with cajun spices & seared. The HOT & SPICY mustard-soy sauce was mostly mustard. That's all I tasted.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
MONSTER SHRIMP COCKTAIL ($13):
Overcooked shrimp w/a too-sweet ketchup sauce trying to pass as cocktail sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SANSEI FILET MIGNON w/shiitake demi glace ($34):
They made a deep cut into the medallion to speed up the cooking process, WTF?!
The demi glace was basically very sweet teriyaki sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY "CHINESE STYLE"- OPAH/MOONFISH w/hot oil & scallions ($24):
"Their fresh catch of the day is frozen", my friend said in disgust after losing his fork across the table. He tried to get a taste of my VERY SALTY fish dish, but the fork hit the "fillet of rubber" & bounced off my plate.
Poor filleting techniques. My fillets were mostly tough cartilage parts.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BACON WRAPPED SCALLOPS w/lemon caper butter ($8): free to compensate for my sad Opah entree.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Scallops were OVERcooked, bacon was UNDERcooked.
"Free" doesn't mean "good"......and raw pork = diarrhea! http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Listed in: Eeeks, never again!
2140 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 252-7704
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 252-7704
The Sycamore
Category:
Gastropubs
Neighborhood: Mission
You had me at "Pork Belly Donuts with Makers Mark Glaze".......I knew my stomach and I were gonna pay dearly for it later, but I didn't care. I wanted to try it, I made it a mission to check this place out before I left SF.
This local Mission bar is the perfect place for casual date nights, hanging out with friends or if you just want to come by to get some work done on your laptop. Whether you're an 8-5 office geek, hipster or a marathon biker (there were two dudes fully decked out in their gears & helmets dining)- the staff will warmly welcome you with a smile & a pint of beer.
FRANZISKANER HEFE WEISSE ($5):
Nice citrusy finish (I didn't even have to use the lemon like I normally do with most hefes). You can taste the bananas & cloves in this pint of deliciousness!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The decor of this bar gives off a rocker-ish vibe with it's brightly painted red walls, black furnitures and black & white framed artworks. There's a classy, yet comfortable & unpretentious vibe to this place.
Their back patio is the area to be. There's a very cool framed artwork on their wall, complete with a flowing waterfall. The owners used picnic tables and tree stump stools to keep with the whole "sycamore" theme.
I particularly like the mini private area, located on your left as you enter the back patio. Come early if you wanna snag this spot for your friends.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
PORK BELLY DONUTS w/MAKERS MARK GLAZE ($4 for 3 donuts):
It sounded like a good idea, but the execution & flavors fell short.
The beer-braised pork belly just tasted like plain pork belly, no seasonings and I'm missing the salt.
The beer batter donut was thin, yet it got soggy & greasy REALLY fast. The combination of the greasy batter combined with the melt-in-your mouth pork fat makes every bite heart-clogging & rich. After the first donut, I ate the rest sans the dough.
I didn't get any bourbon taste from the glaze. Just tasted like plain maple syrup.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Inside shot of the Pork Belly Donuts. Fat, fat & more fat!!
This one's for you, Cesar R!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SLIDERS ($3.50 each slider, add fries for extra $1):
This was the best part of our meal. My only complaint was its choice of dinner rolls used for the buns. It wasn't toasted on the outside & was sort of dry.
We got one of each to sample: ground beef, lamb burger, fried chicken & fried catfish.
So stinkin' cute & tastes delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BEEF SLIDER:
The ground beef is cooked to the right temperature. The roasted garlic aioli wasn't overpowering and provided the right amount of moisture to the bun. The sweet caramelized onions and blue cheese complimented each other really well, and helped bring out the sweetness in the beef. Very juicy, very flavorful.
LAMB BURGER:
Just as flavorful and juicy as the beef burger.
The manchego cheese compliments the lamb very well, there was a peppery bite to it, which I liked very much. The romesco sauce was rather weak & watery. I didn't get the nutty-garlicky tomato flavors much, even though there was a large chunk of tomato on my burger.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED CHICKEN BREAST & FRIED COD FISH sliders ($3.50 each):
Out of all the fried items, the Fried Chicken Breast Slider was my favorite and the Fried Cod Fish slider was a close 2nd. Yep, pork belly donuts was last....
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED CHICKEN SLIDER:
At 1st glance, the chicken looks thin & dry but that all goes away when you bite into it. The chicken is crunchy (not at all greasy) and seasoned well. I could eat a few pieces of this without its other components.
The menu said there was pickled red onions & cole slaw. All we got on ours was a bunch of lettuce and a garlic aioli. Np, since i was willing to eat the tasty chicken all by itself.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED COD SLIDER:
The menu & bartender said "catfish" but it was cod. It looked & tasted like cod. I hate catfish, it tastes like dirt to me.... and this fish burger didn't taste like catfish.
Same batter used for the pork donuts = soggy greasy mess. Served w/sriracha aioli & house pickles. I wouldn't order this again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CAPRESE SALAD w/basil vinaigrette ($7):
We got one healthy item, lol.
The mild, soft Bocconicini mozzarella really absorbed the flavors of the tasty vinaigrette. YUM!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
This local Mission bar is the perfect place for casual date nights, hanging out with friends or if you just want to come by to get some work done on your laptop. Whether you're an 8-5 office geek, hipster or a marathon biker (there were two dudes fully decked out in their gears & helmets dining)- the staff will warmly welcome you with a smile & a pint of beer.
FRANZISKANER HEFE WEISSE ($5):
Nice citrusy finish (I didn't even have to use the lemon like I normally do with most hefes). You can taste the bananas & cloves in this pint of deliciousness!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The decor of this bar gives off a rocker-ish vibe with it's brightly painted red walls, black furnitures and black & white framed artworks. There's a classy, yet comfortable & unpretentious vibe to this place.
Their back patio is the area to be. There's a very cool framed artwork on their wall, complete with a flowing waterfall. The owners used picnic tables and tree stump stools to keep with the whole "sycamore" theme.
I particularly like the mini private area, located on your left as you enter the back patio. Come early if you wanna snag this spot for your friends.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
PORK BELLY DONUTS w/MAKERS MARK GLAZE ($4 for 3 donuts):
It sounded like a good idea, but the execution & flavors fell short.
The beer-braised pork belly just tasted like plain pork belly, no seasonings and I'm missing the salt.
The beer batter donut was thin, yet it got soggy & greasy REALLY fast. The combination of the greasy batter combined with the melt-in-your mouth pork fat makes every bite heart-clogging & rich. After the first donut, I ate the rest sans the dough.
I didn't get any bourbon taste from the glaze. Just tasted like plain maple syrup.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Inside shot of the Pork Belly Donuts. Fat, fat & more fat!!
This one's for you, Cesar R!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
SLIDERS ($3.50 each slider, add fries for extra $1):
This was the best part of our meal. My only complaint was its choice of dinner rolls used for the buns. It wasn't toasted on the outside & was sort of dry.
We got one of each to sample: ground beef, lamb burger, fried chicken & fried catfish.
So stinkin' cute & tastes delicious!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
BEEF SLIDER:
The ground beef is cooked to the right temperature. The roasted garlic aioli wasn't overpowering and provided the right amount of moisture to the bun. The sweet caramelized onions and blue cheese complimented each other really well, and helped bring out the sweetness in the beef. Very juicy, very flavorful.
LAMB BURGER:
Just as flavorful and juicy as the beef burger.
The manchego cheese compliments the lamb very well, there was a peppery bite to it, which I liked very much. The romesco sauce was rather weak & watery. I didn't get the nutty-garlicky tomato flavors much, even though there was a large chunk of tomato on my burger.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED CHICKEN BREAST & FRIED COD FISH sliders ($3.50 each):
Out of all the fried items, the Fried Chicken Breast Slider was my favorite and the Fried Cod Fish slider was a close 2nd. Yep, pork belly donuts was last....
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED CHICKEN SLIDER:
At 1st glance, the chicken looks thin & dry but that all goes away when you bite into it. The chicken is crunchy (not at all greasy) and seasoned well. I could eat a few pieces of this without its other components.
The menu said there was pickled red onions & cole slaw. All we got on ours was a bunch of lettuce and a garlic aioli. Np, since i was willing to eat the tasty chicken all by itself.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
FRIED COD SLIDER:
The menu & bartender said "catfish" but it was cod. It looked & tasted like cod. I hate catfish, it tastes like dirt to me.... and this fish burger didn't taste like catfish.
Same batter used for the pork donuts = soggy greasy mess. Served w/sriracha aioli & house pickles. I wouldn't order this again.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
CAPRESE SALAD w/basil vinaigrette ($7):
We got one healthy item, lol.
The mild, soft Bocconicini mozzarella really absorbed the flavors of the tasty vinaigrette. YUM!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Listed in: I Left My Heart in San…
8 Lists
1. Brasserie Du Vin
I kept trying to find…
2. RumFire
Sonia S. is being…
3. Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar
See Full List »
I really regret not…
1. Morton's The Steakhouse
Their "Power Hour" runs…
2. BLT Steak
This was a nice place for…
3. Nobu
See Full List »
After the terrible…
|
- 617 Friends
- 130 Reviews
- 20 Review Updates
- 12 Firsts
- 328 Quick Tips
- 95 Fans
- 1043 Local Photos
- 8 Lists
-
Rating Distribution
Loading...
- View more graphs »
Review votes:
3686 Useful, 2884 Funny, and 3224 Cool
Compliments
You're Funny
650
Cute Pic
108
Thank You
3574
Good Writer
689
Great Lists
21
Just a Note
765
Great Photo
1927
Hot Stuff
1882
You're Cool
2069
Write More
116
Location
Honolulu, HI
Yelping SinceJuly 2010
Things I Lovetapas&wine, korean food, japanese food, dim sum, Sephora, Vegas, live music, karaoke, soccer, Lululemon, working out to eat more
My HometownHonolulu, HI
My Blog Or Website Why You Should Read My ReviewsI tell it like it is, not how it should be. I'll try anything once.
My First ConcertPennywise & Sprung Monkey
My Favorite MovieThe Goonies, Legend, The Crow, 300, The Neverending Story...lots of favorites!
My Last Meal On Earthstone crab claws,crab cakes & scallop mignon fr Joe's Seafood,Prime & Stone Crab
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I'm your biggest fan.
My friend always raves about happy hour here, so I was excited to try it for myself.
I even didn't bother to check their filtered review, half of it was all 1 or 2 star ratings.
Check out Jaime W's review.
Her dirty bread plate had been reused and not washed: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I wouldn't have stepped foot into this nasty place if I had known that they REUSE dirty plates and glassware!!! Wtf.....blech!!
We started off with a glass of wine ($6) for myself, mimosa ($9) for my friend. The orange juice wasn't freshly squeezed, some sort of pulpy concentration mix was used.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Notice all that pulp in that mimosa glass?? Take it in. Remember it.......
Now here's a my diet coke. My thirsty ass sipped on this disgusting crap without looking down until it was half empty.
I thought it tasted oddly citrusy but didn't realize why until I finally looked down, ugh!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The glass is FILTHY and appeared to have been filled with mimosas or orange juice prior to being used for my diet coke. Full of the same orange juice pulp that was clinging onto my friend's mimosa glass.
Oh yeah, there were also LIPSTICK STAINS among other smudges on my glass. Not my shade, mines doesn't transfer.......plus I was using the straw.
I called over another waitress and basically got a seemingly unapologetic "Oh. Lemme get you another one. Sorry" response.
Our own waitress didn't even apologize or bring it up at all when she dropped the food off.
And on top of that - their wallflower of a manager just stood there staring in our direction, no apologies or word from him either.
My BACON BENEDICT ($14):
I love all things pork, I especially love bacon. So you can imagine my disappointment when the plate arrived with 2 slices of burnt, tough bacon. Blasphemy!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The final insult was having to walk on glass on our way out of their outdoor dining area. There were broken glass shards everywhere, it was scary hearing glass break from under your feet with every step.
It trips me out how this place even was a finalist for the 2012 Hale 'Aina award. More than half of the reviews here are 1-2 stars! Never again, Il Lupino!