Town | Honolulu, Hawaii

Last week Thursday we had a rare and awesome opportunity when Reid (@onokinegrindz) invited us to a going away party for Gypsy (@GypsyRaven) at Town Restaurant in Kaimuki. The food was fantastic and we had a great time catching up with our friends. I really like the way Chef Ed (@edstown) incorporates local produce in his menu, which is why Julie and I stop in for lunch every now and then. We really like the idea of supporting local farmers and we feel like we are contributing toward a more sustainable food source by doing so. Here's a recap of the amazing dinner.

Town Restaurant
3435 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 735-5900
Website

We started with a little andouille on crostini. The kitchen knew ahead of time that Julie's a vegetarian so her crostini came topped with eggplant.


The bread was served with butter and olives.


The next course was their interpretation of the Insalata Caprese, with fresh mozzarella (made in house), heirloom tomatoes, fennel, and almonds with a white balsamic vinaigrette.


Course #3 was grilled sturgeon accompanied by cucumber and boiled egg.


This was one of the highlights of the evening. It was a baby arugula salad with roasted beet and fried chickpea.


The final "appetizer" was hand cut pasta with zucchini and prosciutto, topped with chili breadcrumbs.


After the pasta, the place got really busy so we caught a little break while the kitchen filled other orders. Then our entrées started appearing and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. Here we have my favorite of the evening: lamb with sausage, white bean, kale, and chard. The lamb was cooked to a perfect medium rare (the only way to enjoy meat, in my humble opinion). The sausage was just spicy enough to balance with the sweetness of the white bean.


Julie was served a special steamed veggie plate with bok choy, fennel, radish, and leek.


Served on the side was roasted Ulu (or breadfruit) and polenta. The polenta was very creamy. Unfortunately, my picture came out blurry so I didn't post it.


These roasted baby corn were also very popular. They were by far the tastiest baby corn I've ever had.


The final dish was opah, served with stewed tomato and fingerling potatoes. By this time, we were all too full to really enjoy the last dish, but it was very good.


Apparently, we missed out on four different desserts because we had to leave early to pick up our son. I was so full, I don't think I would have really enjoyed it. Besides, we had some of Rene's (@surfchik4jesus) Happy Hearts Mochi to take with us.

This is why I shop at the farmers' market

Several weeks ago, I wrote this post about personal responsibility. It goes along with an earlier commitment to buy locally grown and/or organic produce whenever possible. Because we had such a successful shopping trip at Saturday's KCC Farmers' Market, I was motivated to cook dinner on Sunday night.

Here's what we ate:
1) Oven-roasted Molokai Sweet Potato
2) Braised Kale with Soy-Ginger Dressing (garnished with fresh Waimea strawberry)
3) Homemade Vegan Patty


This image was not digitally altered - the colors really were that vibrant. Wifey said it was the best meal I have EVER made for her. Wow. I wish I could say it was all me, but it really comes down to using the freshest ingredients possible.

Next week, I plan to try something a little different by picking up a CSA box from Ma'o Organic Farm (@maoorganicfarms). Stay tuned for posts from that adventure!

Here's the veggie patty recipe I came up with for those who are interested:
• 1 can black bean (pureed in blender)
• 1C cooked Oatmeal
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/2 package panko
• 1/4 cup soy-based mozzarella
• 2T egg replacement
• 2T shoyu
• 1T garlic
• 1T ginger
• 1t curry powder

Mix all the above in a bowl and form into patties. Brown in a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market | Honolulu, Hawaii

This past Friday at the Phởriday tweetup, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting chef Leslie Ashburn (@macrohawaii). We started talking about buying local versus organic. Despite living in Hawaii, it is difficult to find locally grown organic produce in any of the grocery stores. There are places like Whole Foods Kahala (@wfmkahala) that sometimes stock locally grown organic, but generally speaking we, as consumers, must often choose one or the other. Leslie's advice to me: go for what looks freshest and remember that variety is important. Our conversation, coupled with my personal goal to go out and do more with my family, motivated me to get everyone up on Saturday morning and head over to the farmers' market at KCC.

Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 947-3804
Website

We got there around 10:00 and, as you can see, it was crowded. In fact, some of the vendors were already running out of stuff and packing up when we walked by.


Ma`o Organic Farms (@maoorganicfarms) is one of the few places where you can actually find locally grown organic produce. Look for their signature green tent right smack in the middle of all the action. You need to get there quick, though, because they sometimes sell out.


It was quite warm that day, so the three of us each got a strawberry lemonade. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the shop, but while I was waiting in line, Grace Lee (@gracelee9)came by and chatted with the owner! So naturally, I tweet about the experience, which apparently garnered me some stalker points according to @ryankanno.


Overall, it was a great experience. We didn't buy very much to take home because we spent most of our cash on lunch and lemonade. Next time, we'll know what to expect so we can plan out schedules a little better (and bring more money!).

It is my personal opinion that we should support local businesses by shopping at farmers' markets whenever possible. Where do you buy your produce? Do you usually buy local or organic?