Sonia Tastes Hawaii

Hawaiian High Tea at the 'Imiloa Cafe

The pleasant custom of taking a leisurely tea in the afternoon was adopted by Hawaiian Royalty between the mid and the late 1880's even though it had long been the practice of the British families who first settled in our islands in earlier years.  There are several hotels and Inns around the different islands who continue the tradition of serving a Hawaiian High Tea to this day.

Although to the British the term High Tea refers to an evening meal, to the Hawaiian Royalty who adopted the custom if meant a very substancial repast consisting of a big assortment of fancy finger foods and decadent desserts, and that is how it is still known today.

 

On a recent Sunday afternoon we attended a Hawaiian High Tea at the 'Imiloa Cafe.  The event was a collaboration between ‘Imiloa Café, Joseph Figaroa of the Figaroa Collection on

Kiawe Street

in

Hilo, who was exhibiting his new line of handbags,

and Kate Johnson, a tea expert and importer of tea from all over the world.

The guests tasted seven tea blends during the event and each blend was explained by Ms Johnson as the staff served at the tables.

 

The tea selections were:

Pink Palace Garden Palace: Black & Green tea- Jasmine & Earl Grey notes.

Hunwal: 2nd Flush Estate Black Tea

Russian Caravan: a Toasty (smokey) Black Tea

Mim: 2nd Flush Estate Darjeeling

CO2 Decaffeinated Assam: India Black Tea

Creamy Earl Grey: Sri Lanka Black Tea with hints ofBergamot and Vanilla

Rainbow Rooibos: South African Rooibos harmoniously blended with Cornflower and Calendula Petals

Each table was decorated with a glass bud vase and a ceramic or porcelain tea pot.  A printed card listing the tea selections was also available on each table.

The delicious food was the inspiration and creation of ‘Imiloa Café Chef Rebecca Cook and her staff using as much of the Big Island's produce and products as possible.

 

Chef Cook’s passion for food becomes obvious as soon as you tasted the goat cheese tarts, sausages wrapped in curried puff pastry, choux paste tidbits filled with crab salads, mini scones with fresh cream and delicious mini Russian tea cakes.

 

Small open face sandwiches were made with local poi and guava bread garnished with thinly sliced cucumbers and tissue paper thin slices of Hamakua grown tomatoes.

The 'Imiloa Cafe is located at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center just above the University of Hawaii at Hilo Campus.

Demo at the Farmers Market

I was recently asked if I would do a food demo at the new Kino'ole Farmers Market.  Of course, I accepted.  We were set up to do two demos that same morning, Saturday, October 13th...one at 8:30 AM and the other at 10:30 AM...both were of the same recipe.

Since this market is strickly handling island grown products, I made sure that the recipe included mostly locally grown or produced ingredients.

The recipe I chose is one we used to do during grilling cooking classes when we ran the Akaka Falls Inn Cooking School.  Simple, fast and everyone seems to like it. 

Quantity and selection of the ingredients depends on what is available.  The dressing for the salad can be whatever your favorite dressing might be.  I chose my own Liliko'i Vinaigrette (see recipe below).  This amount of eggplant can make generous servings of salad for 8 -10 people.

Grilled Japanese Eggplant on Local Greens and Herbed Chevre

4 Japanese eggplants sliced at a slant - unpeeled

1 bottle Italian salad dressing or make your own

Assortment of salad greens and leafy herbs

1 pound container fresh chevre (soft goat cheese)

1/4 cup chopped and roasted macadamia nuts

Freshly ground peppercorns (optional)

Dressing or vinaigrette of your choice

Layer the sliced eggplant pieces in a plastic tub or container.  Pour the salad dressing over it, cover tightly and invert to make sure all of the eggplant slices are evenly coated.  Store in refrigerator at least for 2 hours or overnight.  Turn the container over a couple of times, if you think about it...

Anthony grilled the marinated eggplant slices in a large George Foreman table grill until they were nicely cooked through and had good 'grill markings' on them.

To assemble the salad, I chose a red tipped leaf lettuce, some Dawn Dewa 'spinach' (aka Moluccan 'spinach') which I cut into a chiffonade, finely cut chives and Thai basil leaves.  I then added the grilled eggplant slices and spoonfuls of pesto-macadamia nut chevre. 

You can find the chevre (soft goat cheese) in an assortment of flavors from the Hawaii Island Goat Dairy in Ahualoa.

The whole thing was then sprinkled liberally with the chopped and roasted macadamia nuts and drizzled with Liliko'i (passion fruit) Vinaigrette.

Liliko'i Vinaigrette

We have a couple of wild vines growing on the property and during season, I collect a few everyday.  I cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and save in a plastic container in the refrigerator until I have a full container.

Strain through a stainless steel mesh sieve, pushing with a wooden spoon to get as much of the juice and pulp as possible and collect it in a glass or ceramic bowl.

In a sauce pan bring the juice and sugar to boil.  Amount of sugar depends on your own taste and acidity of the fruit.  When it boils, turn it down and reduce it to intensify the flavor.  Add small amount of white vinegar, again to taste.  Let it cook at a slow boil for a few minutes, turn the heat off and cool.  Store in glass cruet or sealed carafe in the refrigerator.  It will last several weeks.

 

The finished salad!

A Taste of the Hawaiian Range Food Festival

Anthony and I were able to attend the 12th Annual Mealani's A Taste of the Hawaiian Range Food Festival this past Friday evening, September 28th, held at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Photo: Taken by Chef Allan Okuda in front of the HCC-Hilo School of Culinary Arts booth.

The Taste has become the showcase for our many Hawaii Island ranches, farms and food producers of all kinds and since its inception in 1996, it has increased so much in size, participation and attendance that through the years it has had to move to different and larger venues.

 

Photo: The Big Island Grill on Kuakini Hwy in Kailua Kona used a huge wok and bamboo steamer to prepare their assigned meat - which was ground beef. 

Attendance last year was about 2,000 and by the crowds we saw, we figured it had to be either that many or even more this year.

Photo: Chef George Mavrothalassitis of Chef Macro's Restaurant in Honolulu was assigned appropriately enough, lamb for his special dish.

The event is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) as a celebration showcasing not only the naturally grass fed Hawaii grown beef, but also all of the bounty grown in our fertile 'aina.

Photo: Assorted heirloom tomatoes from the Hamakua Springs Farm in Pepe'ekeo.

 

Photo: Coffe and tea display from the Hawaii Coffee Company.

Most everyone in the world now knows that this island grows coffee, but most know only of Kona coffee....but there is wonderful coffee grown in three other regions on this island!  Also tea, vanilla beans and cacao beans which are used right here on the island to make chocolate!!!

Over 30 chefs from Hawaii Island and Oahu restaurants participated in the event, as well as the culinary students from both the Hilo and the West side campus of the Hawaii Community College School of Culinary Arts.  The chefs are challenged to prepare the various cuts of meat assigned to them by luck of the draw....from sirloin to chuck and hamburger and including tongue, tail and tripe.

Other meats fetured and also raised on the island are chicken, lamb, mutton and pork.  Island grown abalone was introduced at this event for the first time.

Photo: Ada Pulin, owner of Tex's Drive-In in Honoka'a, cutting the dough for malasadas.  Tex's is a must stop for us when driving to or from Kona side for some scrumptious Portuguese donuts called malasadas.

Photo: Frying the malasadas in a huge wok.  Once done the pillow-like malasadas are drained then filled with fruit fillings or custards.

The largest event of it's kind in the State of Hawaii, it is not only educational but a celebration of what our island has to offer by highlighting the diversification of crops and by the many value added products that make use of our island's bounty.

Part 2 will follow in a few days!

Traipsing through a new Farmer's Market

We had read not long ago that a new farmer's market had opened in Hilo but had not been able to visit it until this past Saturday.

The Kino'ole Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 7 AM to Noon at the Kino'ole Shopping Plaza (old Sure Save market location) at 1990 Kinoole Street, and the corner of Kahaopea Street.

Photo: Bok Choy - Chinese Cabbage

Featuring only 100% Hawaii grown produce and products, grown or made by the actual farm or seller, it is a lively and colorful, although still small, market sponsored by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

One major convenience is that since it is set in an area of the plaza's parking lot, there is ample parking space all around the cluster of individual seller booths and tents.

Photo: Dwight Sato demonstrating how to dry steamed fresh tea leaves in a wok.

Free cooking demonstrations are presented each week with convenient benches for attendees to sit while watching. 

This past Saturday, Dwight Sato, agricultural extension agent from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, with an electric steamer, a wok, a piece of muslin cloth, a laundry scrubbing board, a basket and an electric pot in which to heat the water, demonstrated how easy it is to steam and dry fresh tea leaves to make small amounts of brewed tea from your own little bushes growing in the garden.

Photo: Rambutan

The demonstration scheduled for September 29th at 9 AM will be by the Tamaka Farm featuring their aquaculture grown Chinese catfish.  I was requested to do a small demo for Saturday, October 6th, and plan to make a grilled Japanese eggplant salad served with herbed Big Island chevre (creamy fresh goat cheese).

Photo: Chayote aka Mirliton

 

The booths ran the gamut from fresh veggies and fruit to potted plants, deliciously fresh Okinawan donuts and a variety of value added food products.

Photo: Calamansi or calamandin - small sour Philippino lemons

In this last category we ran into our old friends Aaron and Vinel Sugino and their ono Blue Taro label cookies, chips and snacks from Hakalau

 

Photo: Aaron Sugino of Blue Talo Label

PK Snacks also from Hakalua was there selling a wonderful array of lavosh, pies, cookies, macnut brownies, their own honey and assortment of fruit butter spreads.

Orchids and papayas made a statement in the booth from the Volcano Isle Fruit Company from Kapoho; potted herbs and fruit plants from the Moongarden Farms from Mountain View and avos, chayote, limes, rambutan and strickingly beautiful Hilo Rainbow lemons from the OK Farms located almost right in Hilo by Rainbow Falls.

Photo: Hilo Rainbow Lemons from the OK Farms in Hilo

Vinel Sugino was passing around samples of cooked Aremo, a small Japanese taro being sold by another vendor.  Of course I bought some and prepared them at home that same evening.

Photo: Aremo - small Japanese Taro

Did I forget to mention that each vendor supplies door prizes which are given away throughout the morning to lucky attendees who take time to fill out little entry forms?

Photo: Andagi - delicious, fresh deep fried Okinawan Donuts

Visit the above and several other sellers, attend the demonstrations and win prizes at the Kino'ole "Hawaii Grown" Farmers Market every Saturday morning from 7 to noon.

Photo: Buttery Avocadoes

Whatever you buy here will be fresh from the farm and will not have accumulated more travel miles than you!

Photo: Small Island grown sweet pumpkins

If interested in setting up a booth, please contact Rusty at 938-4545 or through dperry@papayas.net

Photo: Veggie, herb and fruit tree vendor Moongarden Farms

(c) Sonia R. Martinez

Labor Day Picnic at Kalopa Park

This past Monday, Labor Day, we went on a little picnic to Kalopa Native Forest State Park  located about 20 miles north of us . 

Kalopa is a beautiful 615 acres of temperate forest at about 2000 ft elevation at the lowest part and 2575 at the highest....and located 3 miles mauka (up mountain) from Highway 19, (the Beltline road that goes around our island) and just about 4 miles south of Honoka'a.

Although there is a sign at the bottom of the road up to the park, not many visitors (tourists) seem to come up to the park....mostly locals.  There are several log cabins that can be rented, a camping site and ample picnic grounds.  It is always cool and you can see and hear quite a few birds....and even see pheasants running around the grounds. 

Photo: At the entrance....taken a bit too fast as there was a vehicle coming out of the park and our car was blocking the way ;-)

Since this was an impromptu plan, we packed a very simple picnic and of course, my camera...  Pimento cheese spread for sandwiches which we made there, hardboiled eggs, pineapple rings ( yes, canned believe it or not, from our emergency closet stash, which we rotate often) and a huge fresh mango for dessert which Anthony expertly cut into three portions.

Anthony & Becky at our picnic site

Photo below: Near our picnic site

After our lunch I took a stroll to explore a  neaby trail where I found a beautiful patch of fern and what looks like a small type of magnolia tree.  Although most plants have signage, I could not find what this pretty little tree was.  The growth pattern, texture and shape of the leaves look like magnolia. 

The tender budding leaves are pink and green.  They were very beautiful.

The park is part of a nature preserve and several native species can be found.  You can find a couple of hiking trails, one longer and one shorter.  The shorter loop trail is an easy 0.7 mile stretch through densely tree canopied areas.

 

Above - Kahili Ginger Bloom - so named because it resembles the yellow feather kahili standards used during the processions of Hawaii ali'i (royalty)

Above- Miniature Hibiscus - the open flower is no bigger than a silver dollar in diameter!

Above - Looking up through palm tree canopy

 

Above - Delicate looking Keo Keo (white-white) hibiscus.  This is also a small variety.

Above - Hapu'u  or Hawaiian Tree Fern - Below - unfurled tree fern frond. 

The tender unfurled tree fern fronds are edible!

Above - Single petal red hibiscus

Above - small cluster of terrestrial orchids

Above - as I returned from my little walk, Anthony & Becky were still talking!

Above- Sonia....exhausted after the hike...!

Above - on the way out to the parking lot, Anthony spotted monstera fruit up high on a tree.  I will be writing about Monstera Fruit soon, as I will be experimenting with recipes.

On the way back home after our picnic,  we spotted a little group of guava trees, loaded with ripe fruit and near enough to the road for easy pickings...so I did a U turn, went back closer to the place and parked on a grassy slope just off the road....we had a couple of plastic bags in the car so we loaded them up with all we could get.  I used the guava to make marmalade.  More about this and recipe later!

An Afternoon With Good Food in the Park

Yesterday, out of the blue, we decided to get together with a friend and grill at our favorite get-together place, Kolekole Beach Park, which is just a mile north of us...

Earlier in the day I had prepped the veggies and the chicken and had all of it marinating in large covered plastic containers in the refrigerator until time to leave for the park.

Diane, a foodie friend in California had shared a few days ago a grilled version of a recipe she had found in the Edible Sacramento Magazine's version of a "Roasted Ratatouille Salad".  I called her to fine tune my version of her version of the magazine's version of the recipe....;-)

I sliced eggplants from our garden, Hamakua Springs Farm tomatoes and a big purple onion.  The zucchini and yellow crooked neck squash were cut in chunks and then quartered and the red bell peppers were quartered after seeding and devaining.

All the veggies were placed in a large, covered plastic container and generously drizzled with a previously prepared garlic infused olive oil - instructions follow - and sprinkled with sprigs of thyme from our garden.

The chicken pieces were placed in another covered plastic container marinating in guava juice and 2 heads of peeled and smashed garlic.

On arriving at the park we found that all the pavillions were taken, but there were two picnic tables with their corresponding grills unoccupied....because they were in full sun.  We didn't let it daunt us and chose the one closest to the mouth of the stream, which was actually the one which would be in the shade shortly...as soon as the brilliant sun descended behind the trees up on the Kolekole Gulch.  Thank goodness there was a pleasant breeze blowing.

Anthony lit the grill using charcoal and small pieces of driftwood found by the side of the stream while Becky and I set the table.

 

The Grilled Ratatouille Salad ingredients on the grill

Grilled Chicken Marinated in Guava Juice and Garlic and the Grilled Ratatouille Salad Platter.

After grilling, the 'salad' was sprinkled with freshly ground pepper, parsley sprigs - I wanted flat leaf but Anthony got the curly from the garden....;-) -, sprigs of the thyme and Sherry wine vinegar.  It was delicious!

The dessert was chilled fresh Dragon Fruit....but you'll have to wait for that post a bit later since there is so much I would like to share about this unusual and colorful fruit.

How to make the garlic infused olive oil

I emptied a whole 34 ounce bottle of Italian extra virgin olive oil in my 3 quart crockpot along with the peeled cloves from 3 heads of garlic.  Mash each clove a little bit.  Turn the crockpot on low and leave it until the garlic starts turning golden - it will be a few hours - At this time turn the heat off and skim the garlic out of the oil.  Save to use in other dishes.  Delicious mashed with toasted crostini.  After the oil cools, funnel it back into the bottle.  Can be stored in refrigerator, but it will solidify and need to sit out a little while. 

The Edible Garden

Living a sustainable life should be more than one of the so-called political correct catch-phrases for anyone, anywhere; but when it comes to living in

Hawaii

it should be a way of life.

You hear the words sustainability, sustainable gardening, edible gardens, edible landscapes, “

Victory

Gardens

”, “Plant a Row to Fight Hunger” and other catchy names for what is basically planting an edible garden in your own yards.

Some people are starting to see where big business farming is taking our country and where it is also becoming a big concern due to the recent scares in tainted produce, meats and canned goods. 

These same people are ripping up their labor-intensive grass lawns and planting edibles even in their front yards.   After all, if you have to work so hard to have a pretty lawn that just sits there, isn’t it smarter to work just as hard and be able to reap an edible harvest in the same space?

If you take the time and care to think about ‘landscaping’ with your herbs and other edibles, your yard can look as pretty as if it was planted in masses of flowering bushes or trees.  Just make sure your flowering bushes are all growing edibles and your trees bear nuts or fruit.

If you don’t have much room to plant a big garden in your yard or you live in an apartment or condo, there is always a little balcony or small place to grow a few potted herbs, peppers or tomatoes… or you can always support your community by buying from local farmers and nearby farmer’s markets.

We live on islands in the middle of the ocean.  We are far, far away from most market sources.  In case of national or global emergencies we need to rely on our own resources.  Where else better than on our own bountiful island?

Prices of food have escalated quite a bit lately.  It used to be you could buy a butternut squash for a bit over $1 a pound…recently we noticed they were priced at $2.39 a pound.  When you purchase a 3 pound squash for $7.17, I would say that is a bit much, no matter how much we like them.....and milk is now called "White Gold"!

In the past, I have written several articles for this publication (*) on growing food in your garden or supporting your local farms.

 

If you keep copies of back issues of The Hamakua Times you can go back to reread “

Victory

Gardens

” (April 02); “Lucky Live

Hawaii

” (April 05); “Richard Ha – Tomato Farmer” (May 05) “The Bounty of

Hawaii

” (June 05) and “

Hawaii

…the Garden of the Pacific” (March 06) among others.

If you have read some of my articles in other publications, you by now know that I am a firm believer in “Eating Local” and helping sustain the local farmers.

Last September, my son Anthony and I started working on a little garden in the yard on the side of the house.  We live on a property that doesn’t have many level areas, and that was the ‘levelest’ place for one. 

This summer, we added more to the garden after it lay unattended for a couple of months when I was visiting the mainland.  It is now fully restored, producing and we are already planning on expanding it.

We are growing many herbs: sweet Italian basil, lemon basil, Thai basil, American blue basil, plain leaf and ruffled leaf purple basils, and a basil we can’t identify; Italian parsley, ruffled leaf parsley and Japanese Mitsuba parsley; 2 types of dill; spearmint, lemon mint, lemon balm, bay leaf, rosemaries, sage and pineapple sage; Mexican tarragon, 2 types of thyme, chives and garlic chives; lemon grass, mustard greens and mizuna greens; marjoram, stick oregano and Cuban or Caribbean oregano.

We have started growing a variety of peppers, some sweet and some hot.  Three varieties of small tomatoes; 4 varieties of eggplants; three varieties of spinach: Malabar, Okinawan and Dawn Dewa; long beans and a few edible flowers for salads and garnishing.

There are papaya trees, apple bananas, dwarf Brazilian banana plants, Cuban red banana, four varieties of avocadoes, coconuts,

Surinam

cherries, passion fruit vines, pineapples and a source for fresh bamboo shoots.  There are also several citrus planted throughout the property and a jaboticaba that needs to be moved.

There are many books to be found that can help you start your own small garden.  They will go a long way toward helping you supplement whatever you might have to buy at the grocery stores.

Start small.  The concept of ‘square foot gardening’ teaches you how much you can grow in just one little 4 foot square space when you combine taller plants in the center and placing graduating sized plants towards the edges, ending with your mounding herbs along the borders.

Don’t forget the foods that grow wild and can be foraged, such as coconuts, berries, guavas, bread fruit, fiddlehead ferns and even bamboo shoots, seaweed for salads, kukui nuts to make inamona paste for seasoning and there is always sea salt.

Recently harvested from the yard: avocadoes, eggplants, cherry tomatoes and peppers.

You can read a bit more about our garden by visiting my blog site at www.soniatasteshawaii.com – if you look on the right hand side, you can click on “How Does My Garden Grow” or even on “Fruits From the Garden” and several pages will open up about the garden and some recipes using the harvest from our garden and yard.

(*) The Edible Garden by Sonia Martinez -Originally published in the Hamakua Times of Honoka'a - August 2007 issue.

Sushi Bar at the Nihon Restaurant & Cultural Center

Jacy Oshiro & Sushi Chef Roy Kaneka holding a Chirashizushi Bowl -Nihon Restaurant-Hilo

One of the `long-time' landmarks in the Hilo area is the Nihon Restaurant located in one of the most beautiful spots of our city.  Sitting on it's vantage point overlooking Hilo's scenic bay and the Queen Lili'uokalani Gardens, the Nihon Restaurant has been offering a blend of good food and Japanese culture along with wonderful sushi
for the last 23 and half years.

The restaurant which was opened by Hisashi Ueda in November of 1983 and sold to a local concern about 10 years ago has seating capacity for 120 guests at any one time between the cocktail lounge, the dining areas and the sushi bar.

The main lobby shows a collection of Japanese artifacts in glass cases, with cards of explanation. It also provides a cozy sitting area, perfect for enjoying a pot of tea and looking at the displays.

The restaurant's atmosphere is light, clean and airy with ample space between tables. Movable screens and plants for privacy can separate all the different areas and a separate facility is available for private parties as well as a dining balcony and lanai overlooking downtown Hilo and the bay.

Sushi Chef Roy Kaneko is one of the original employees and has been a fixture at the sushi bar since the Nihon first opened its doors to the public. Roy tells of how Mr. Ueda brought a professional sushi chef from Japan to teach him for several months of intensive apprenticeship before the restaurant opened.

Today the menu at the sushi bar is a mixture of traditional classic Japanese sushi and more modern California style sushi. "I feel that eating sushi is a wonderful way to share a leisurely meal with friends where everyone gets a little taste of a variety of
selections" says Chef Roy.

The Nihon's sushi bar was the first place winner in the professional category at the very first Sam Choy Poke contest back in 1992 when it was held in Waimea about 14 years ago. Their winning entry was the Ahi Poke Temaki handroll, which is still available on the menu.

The Nihon Restaurant's sushi bar under Chef Roy's direction has also won many Readers' Choice Awards several years in a row in the annual Hawaii Tribune-Herald's Readers' Choice Award Contest.

Our favorite place to sit is at the sushi bar, which features a refrigerated glass case on the counter displaying the freshest seafood available. The bar can sit 8 to 10 people comfortably at the counter and the atmosphere is so friendly that it's not unusual to
see patrons striking up conversations with each other and comparing their orders.

We like the way Chef Roy and Jacy Oshiro, his sidekick and assistant for the last 9 years pamper and interact with their charges at the bar. It's fun to place your orders and see them show up in an unhurried way, giving you plenty of time to enjoy each little morsel.

The menu is quite extensive and prices run from $4 for a single order of rolls A la Carte but also features larger combination platters that can provide fare for from 2 to 18 people. The smallest platter contains 16 pieces for $11.95 and the largest 48 pieces for $31.95.

The most popular platters according to Chef Roy are the ones featuring combinations of Nigiri and Hosomaki sushi, which gives you a wide variety to suit all tastes.

The sushi menu is also available for take-out and is ideal for catering.

The overall most popularly requested dish that is ordered throughout the restaurant from the sushi bar is the Chirashizushi Bowl which is a meal in itself, consisting of a bowl of sushi rice topped with nori, egg and an assortment of seasonal seafood. The whole thing is then served with a generous ladling of Miso Soup.

A friend introduced us to the Nihon Restaurant's sushi bar and Chef Roy several months ago and we have enjoyed returning on our own since. Our selections on this last visit were a combination of both classical and California styles sushi accompanied with several cups of green tea.

Anthony likes the Spider Rolls; lightly battered and deep-fried soft-shell crab in a reverse roll and my favorite is the Hotategal, which is made with a single, luscious raw scallop.

The two of us managed to easily go through an order of each of the above, plus a serving of 8 pieces Futomaki, a giant roll with a colorful combination of mushrooms, kampyo, egg and vegetables. We also shared an order of the fresh salmon and another of the Rainbow sushi.

To complete our meal, for dessert, we selected Green Tea ice cream and Anthony managed to eat a big bowl of their special shave ice with ice cream, sweet cream and azuki beans.

For a good time eating a wonderful selection of sushi in pleasant surroundings we recommend the Sushi Bar at the Nihon Restaurant. Tell Chef Roy we sent you.

Loving Sushi at the Sushi Bar Hime

The first time we visited this tiny little spot in downtown Hilo several months ago was at the urging of a friend who knew my son Anthony and I write restaurant reviews for The Hawaii Island Journal for the East side of the island.  We fell in love with the ambiance, the owners and of course, the sushi.  Since then we have visited several times and they have never disappointed.

The place has been sort of a well-kept secret since their opening in January, but that is how the owners Yugi and Takako Sekiguchi like it.  Customers who have found it will tell other sushi aficionados and that is the only form of advertising the Sekiguchis want.

"It is just the two of us, and this is a very small place", says Chef Sekiguchi, "we want to keep our regular customers happy" .  When asked about the name "Hime" we were told that it means Princess in Japanese and it is the name of their pet kitty....a beautiful, sleek black "princess" who answers to the name of Hime and is also their mascot and logo shown wearing a golden crown.

Located in the space originally occupied by "Canoes", the tiny place will seat only 10 people comfortably......but the food....! Oh, the food....!

Photo: One of our favorites is the Spicy Crab Roll with cucumber and asparagus - on a very spicy sauce redolent of sambal, cilantro, chives and lightly balanced with the sweet taste of honey.

I think through the months we have tried almost everything on their menu....even the eel sushi, which I was most reluctant to try and did at the urging of a dining companion during one of our visits.  I was pleasantly surprised to not find it fishy but actually, slightly sweet!

Photo: Another of our favorite selections is the Orange Sherbet Scallop Wrap.  Yummy raw scallop in a slightly spice sauce that hints at orange and wrapped in a soft  'crepe' made of green soy flour.

Photo: Scallop & Hamakua Mushroom Medley baked in a fantastic tasting sauce.

On our last visit we were pleased to see a new item on the menu and of course had to taste it.....They call it Baked Dynamite and is a combination of an assortment of Hamakua mushrooms and scallops baked in a white sauce and served in a scallop shell about 6 inches in diameter...............Delicious!

We could not "take apart" the seasonings in the sauce,  but we all agreed it had a beautiful consistency, was well balanced and tasted ....well, like dynamite!

Originally trained in Japan, the Sekiguchis came to Hilo from Maui, where they also operated a sushi place for several years... Previous to Maui and the Big Island, they lived in Canada and in New Caledonia in the South Pacific before that....

Altogether Chef Sekiguchi has been practicing the art of sushi making for about 36 years...and it shows!

(c) Sonia Martinez & Anthony Mathis - Some content taken from our review for the Hawaii Island Journal - May 19, 2007 issue

The treasures.....

One of the things that excite me most about living in the tropics is the flora....I love the rainbow of colors in the flowers and foliage we find as we drive around.  Yesterday we went to a local nursery to buy some fruit trees and I had a ball with my camera....

I don't know all the botanical names of each, but I don't think it is a requirement to enjoy their beauty.

Since I will be gone to the mainland for about a month and might not be able to post anything during my trip, I leave you to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of these blossoms...

A hui hou! (until I see you again!)

A white datura - it is part of the large Solanaceae family which is quite an extensive family of plants also called deadly nightshade.  Some of the plants are poisonous and some not (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants all belong in this family)

Looking inside the datura.....!

Single petaled yellow hibiscus

Ruffled petaled yellow hibiscus

Orange blossoms

Purple orchids

Shell Ginger - the tubers  on these are not the edible gingers

Green and purple orchids

Yellow lehua blossom from the Ohia tree - the red blossom variety of this tree is the one seen most often and the flower that represents Madame Pele and thus is the flower which represents the Big Island of Hawai'i.  the yellow ones are not as commonly seen.

Terrestial Orchids - I got one of these yesterday for our yard!  It sort of ressembles tuberoses when they are just budding out.

Isn't this orchid a show stopper?.....so I guess it is time now to stop this little show.....

Enjoy!