Noticed that there was a M+ Dining place, Harbor Pub and
Pizza, a block from the hotel - 1765 Ala Moana, same address
as the Chart House, Outback, and Red Lobster, only it's
tucked underground in the back, so it's kind of hard to
find. Also, its actually at the end of Hobron, rather than
where some of the mapping programs put it. So I decided to
check it out for supper. I can't tell whether it was a
mistake or not, as the scene was sufficiently depressing
and the aromas sufficiently unappetizing, that I was
instantly rendered unhungry. A loud obnoxious woman with a
grating voice who kept announcing what hotel she was staying
in (mine) and who was apparently (from the comments of the
patrons at her end of the bar) showing people TV porn from
her laptop didn't encourage me to partake of the standard-
looking bar fare of burgers, wings, pizza, and so on. The
bartender did pour an expert Guinness, though, and I had
a few before retreating with my tail between my legs.
As of this date (a week later) the points have not posted.

=

Eggs 'n' Things, 1911 Kalakua Ave. I'd heard so much about
the wonderful buttermilk pancakes, and the joint was only
a few blocks from the hotel, so I just had to investigate.
This despite the fact that I don't generally do breakfast
and am not a major starch person at all.

I was going to go for one of the standard breakfasts, but
the specials board (which I had to go over to read) had
some interesting choices: I chose the ahi and eggs, which
came out as a medium-sized thinnish filet of fish, pan-
fried to medium-well but juicy and melting tender, probably
the best ahi, in fact, one of the best pieces of fish that
I've ever had. Eggs over easy. On the side, three large
pancakes, which were delicious indeed, served with a knob of
butter half the size of my fist and an array of sweeteners -
two kinds of bright red fruit syrup, probably guava and
passionfruit, but I couldn't really tell; crushed oranges;
coconut syrup, which I used; and a high quality maple blend.
Lots of food, and as exceptional as the place's reputation.

A small orange juice was was maybe 14 oz, fresh squeezed,
sweet, very tasty. Not $3.75 worth, though.

Having put this much into my stomach at breakfast, I
abandoned the idea of doing a comparison tasting for lunch
of Cheeseburger Waikiki and Cheeseburger in Paradise Waikiki
and instead decided to go to Side Street Inn for just a half
order of pork chops and a beer - so I trucked it up Piikoi
St only to find it shut tight. Where to go? Not too far a
walk up Kapiolani Blvd. to Kaffe Imperial, where I'd heard
that some of the best katsu in town is to be found, which is
borne out by the reliable Ono Kind Grindz blog saying "this
is the best chicken katsu that I've ever had!" My own
experience is compatible.

I ordered the #1 tonkatsu at 8.95, a regular bargain. This
combo began with miso soup with turnip and a little cup of
edamame, enough for a light lunch in themselves, followed by
a giant piece of thin-beaten pork cutlet with a mountain of
shredded cabbage and a scoop of the strangest potato salad
I've encountered in recent years - essentially sweetened
cold mash with minced carrots and other vegetables mixed in;
a bowl of rice on the side. A considerable surplus of food,
but I ate every scrap; I wonder what a "large" would have
looked like, at $3 more. Asahi went well.

Walked down to Ala Moana Blvd and caught the airport bus,
a fairly quick and quite bargain trip at two bucks. Though
on several bus rides this trip, I find the drivers to be
pretty much the least cheerful people I've found on the
island ... and capricious - as we steamed into the airport,
our driver suddenly pulled over and abandoned us for places
unknown, reappearing after 10 or 15 minutes, during which
time the successor bus steamed past us without skipping a
beat. No matter, I'd allowed plenty of time, and by the
looks of them the rest of the passengers had as well.