LOBSTER BENEDICT WITH CAVIAR

BREAKFAST AT HOME

After one of the best dinners of my life last night, I followed up with one of the best breakfasts of my life.  I am telling you, 2022 is off to a great food start.  We had a leftover lobster tail so I started dreaming up a low carb Benedict using Tomato in place of the English Muffin.  After the thick cut Tomato I layered Baby Arugula, Lobster sautéed in Butter, Avocado, Poached Egg, Homemade Hollandaise Sauce and a nice scoop of Caviar.  My goodness....one of the best tasting and looking breakfasts of my life.  Why can't you get food like this in a restaurant around here?  Even without the Caviar this preparation rocks!  Happy New Year!

LOBSTER BENEDICT WITH CAVIAR

LAYERS OF DELICIOUS FLAVORS AND LOW CARB TOO!

HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUKUAPUA'A

HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A

GRAND WAILEA RESORT

WAILEA, MAUI

Was blessed to enjoy a magical evening with my girls on Maui.  My girls did not want me to eat alone again so they changed their flight back to Oahu to be able to have dinner with Dad.  We were given a $40 discount from the front desk if we dine at the Grand Wailea signature restaurant called Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.  My daughter can say this without trying.  I get all tied up trying to say it.  According to my daughter this is the name of Hawaii's State fish.  The restaurant is spectacular.  Surrounded by water and overlooking a lagoon and the ocean.  Does not really get much better than this in life.  Truly amazing setting.  The entire family was so relaxed and happy here.  Just a wonderful love fest.  Service was excellent with no drama or mistakes.  The dishes came out within a reasonable time and all were good.  We started with the Fresh Island Poke Appetizer ($21).  Bright red fresh Ahi Tuna with a bit of Lomi Lomi Salmon at the bottom of the dish.  This went down like cold butter.  Simple and delicious.  The Beet Salad ($12) included a very nice portion of beats and was topped with Goat Cheese and Candied Walnuts.  A light dressing on the greens.  Again, very simple and delicious.  The Local Lobster and Filet of Beef ($52) was excellent.  While the lobster was a bit dried from being cooked on the grill, the drawn butter helped to boost the flavor.  The steak was about 5 oz.  Perfect size for me.  Cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with one of the best peppercorn sauces I have ever tasted.  Sides of asparagus and mashed potatoes were included.  The Rack of Lamb ($40) was charred to perfection and got two thumbs up from Keli.  The Hawaiian Sea Bass stuffed with Crab ($34) was one of the best fish dishes my wife has ever tasted.  She loved it and finished the entire plate.  All this while overlooking a beautiful lagoon and the ocean.  Truly a magical evening that I will never forget.  Our family all knew how blessed this moment in time was for us.  We savored it.  We gave thanks for it.

SURROUNDED BY WATER, WATER FALLS
AND SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEWS

AS THE SUN SETS - THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES

ADDING MY OWN BEAUTIES TO THE LANDSCAPE

WHAT IS THAT WORD:
HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A

KELI FEEDS THE FISH BEFORE DINNER

FRESH BAKED TARO AND ONION ROLLS

ISLAND FRESH POKE

BEET SALAD

CRAB STUFFED HAWAIIAN SEA BASS (HAPU)

ISLAND LOBSTER WITH FILET

RACK OF LAMB

LOBSTERS SWIM BELOW THE RESTAURANT

CHOOSE YOUR OWN LOBSTER BY SIZE

PAY BY THE POUND - THIS ONE IS FOUR POUNDS

LARGE CRATES OF LOBSTERS LIFTED FROM TANK

JJ FRENCH BAKERY AND BISTRO

JJ FRENCH BAKERY AND BISTRO

HONOLULU, HAWAII

I love JJ's and tonights dinner was a good reason why.  We had a great meal, great service and just a good time in a local neighborhood restaurant that just does it right.  One of our servers was the same girl that waited on us four years ago when she was only 15.  Now she is a student at the University of San Francisco and back in town to waitress during spring break.  You still bring your own bottle of wine and enjoy a no corkage fee plus great food.  We all ordered the four course meal ($24.95).  We had a coupon that we purchased that gave us 50% off our meal.  This made this dinner one of the best deals in Hawaii.  The soup was a crab and corn chowder.  Lots of crab and flavor of corn.  Kind of thin but very good starter.  Our appetizers were Escargot incrusted in bread which Keli consumed in about two seconds.  No one at the table got a taste of this dish because Keli loved it so much.  I never saw the escargot, but Keli said their were six.  I enjoyed the Lobster Avocado.  Lobster on a bed of french bread with Avocado and a little too much mayo.  Shirley had the Laotian Rock n' Roll which is a bit curry flavored veggies served with a nice salad.  My entree was the Opakapaka with Fettuccine. Perfectly cooked piece of fish served with the best pasta and spicy sauce.  I love this dish.  One of my favorite dishes in Hawaii.  Keli enjoyed the Baked Salmon and ate all of it.  How that for a 9 year old eating a whole dish of salmon.   I tried it and it was delicious.  Shirley enjoyed the clams with black squid ink linguine.  Light and flavorful.  She finished the entire plate and loved it.  Dessert was awesome.  Keli had her favorite chocolate pyramid and I had the chocolate raspberry cake.  Shirley had the double macaroon cake which was totally awesome.  chocolate mousse with macaroon and a thick chocolate topping.  This was fantastic. 

Click link below for updated post on JJ's Bistro;

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2015/06/jjs-bistro-and-french-pastry.html

ESCARGOT

LAOTIAN ROCK N' ROLL

LOBSTER AVOCADO

BAKED SALMON

CLAMS WITH BLACK SQUID INK PASTA

OPAKAPAKA WITH SPICY LINGUINE

BEAUTIFUL AND HAPPY DINERS AT JJ'S

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MACAROON

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CAKE - I LOVE THIS!

PICK ANYTHING FROM THE DISPLAY CASE

JJ'S WORLD FAMOUS CHOCOLATE PYRAMID CAKE

CHOCOLATE PYRAMID - HALF IN STOMACH AND HALF ON FACE

BEEF WELLINGTON AND LOBSTER TAIL - VALENTINES DAY AT HOME

BEEF WELLINGTON AND LOBSTER TAIL

VALENTINES DAY DINNER AT HOME

Oh.....what a treat.  Beef Wellington and Lobster served with fresh vegetables.  The Beef was cooked medium rare and to perfection.  Covered in a duck pate and wrapped in puff pastry.  No restaurant in America is better than being at home with the ones you love.  This meal was truly memorable and delicious.  I thank my wife and daughter for preparing and enjoying this with me.  The dessert was sinful.  Chocolate brownie with a Hershey's almond bar in the middle.  HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!