from the twisted minds of snm
Velcro happened by the Melt wagon near Ward recently, so he sampled their Pastrami sandwich. Here’s what he had to say:
“$8. Â Tasted like a salty cheese and mustard sandwich grilled on a plate that used to have pastrami on it. Â Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but I didn’t finish all the bready parts. Â Too salty.”
Root’s original review is here
About a year ago, a small sandwich shop opened on South Street between Halekauila and Queen, just ma’uka of the Motor Imports Toyota service lot. It lingered for maybe a month or two, but then shut down. Velcro went by and said it was good, but after looking at their somewhat daunting assembly-line-instruction menu, I never made it over before they locked their doors. A couple of months ago after some interior renovation, they reopened. Their website appeared to be the same, but the menu was more streamlined. I really don’t know, but it appears that someone took over the shop, keeping the name and genre, but overhauling the business model. Continue reading ‘Edible Briefs – Good Eats TT Sandwich’
Briefly, this is a romantic comedy built around a second-year high school boy with a female phobia from years of abuse by his professional-wrestler mother and exuberant younger sister who gets involved with a sadistic princess classmate and her cross-dressing female “butlerâ€. The manga is an adaptation of a light novel series with a TV anime slated to start March 2011 (probably delayed due to the recent earthquake and tsunami). Continue reading ‘Manga Briefs – Mayo Chiki! (JDM)’
I hate you, JAL bagel. You taste funny. Your label says you’re “maple-walnut flavored” and that you’re “New-York-style”. I haven’t been to New York, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a maple-walnut bagel before you. Don’t get me wrong – I like bagels – just not you. I almost don’t think you’re really a bagel. When I bend you, you tear instantly. Although you’re dense and chewy inside like you should be, your rind is almost nonexistent. It’s like you weren’t boiled anywhere long enough prior to baking. The long-winded description on your packaging says you’re made with the finest wheat from Montana and pure spring water from the Cascades. I didn’t realize Montana was such a famous wheat-producing state. In any regard though, even the best of ingredients can be made into the worst of foods. Importing ingredients from America doesn’t automatically render an American bagel. I saved part of you for Root to eat so he could taste your nostalgically unpleasant flavor and get all angry too, but he didn’t show up today. I don’t want to be wasteful, but I think I’m just going to throw the remainder of you away since my stomach already feels a little upset. Continue reading ‘JAL Bagel’
This Belgian dark ale produced by A-B/InBev at the Stella Artois factory in Leuven is typical in manufacture to most Belgian “abbey beers†in that they are brewed by major commercial breweries “under license†from the original abbey brewmasters, or are named after an abbey that no longer exists to cash in on the popularity of abbey beers (in this particular instance the former). The recepie for this ale goes back to 1240, and even though it is no longer produced in the monastic tradition, it is still a good dark ale with a rich, slightly smoky malt flavor. There is a hint of fruitiness and spice, with a mild trailing bitter. It’s not quite syrupy, but this doppel does carry a thicker mouthfeel than a standard ale. A higher alcohol content and abundance of phenolics ensured a good cranking headache afterwards though. I had it with lamb, which was a good pairing with the strong flavors of this beer. Those stronger flavors, along with the slightly heavier mouthfeel make this beer almost a meal in itself, but also would tend to make it not a very good “beginner beerâ€, although people who don’t care for bitter beers may appreciate this one. Continue reading ‘Beer is Good – Leffe Bruin Belgian Dark Ale’
On the way to Sapporo, I only had an hour layover in Narita, so after getting through immigration, baggage claim, and customs, I ran over to the domestic counter to check my bags in then went up to the observation deck to cool down. After the sweat evaporated, I went inside to look for a quick bite. I was thinking of going to Sushi-den, the usual sushi-ya I eat at, but I didn’t want to scarf everything down in like 10-minutes and run out of there, so I went to Kyotaru, the take-out sushi place over on the North side (it’s right on the main walkway fronting the balcony overlooking the check-in counters). One of the first things I saw was their Battera, so without even looking at any of their other offerings, I grabbed one and was off to the domestic gate. Continue reading ‘Mmm… Battera’
Pours a small head that quickly goes away, clear dark brown. No really strong initial aroma, fair bitter gives it dry taste, but the feel has a bit of substance. I get a nice roasty nuttyness in the middle, which fades to a lingering bitter. I like this, but especially if not having with food, this is more a sipping beer. It stays tasty as it warms too. 3 out of 4 nutty monkeys.
Last variety from this latest Samuel Adams variety pack (I’ve reviewed the Scotch Ale earlier, and it is again my favorite of the pack), pours with weak head, clear medium dark amber. There’s a fair amount of floralness in the initial taste, and a fairly strong bitter. Just a hint of smokyness. I’m a little undecided on this beer, not one of my favorites, but not a bad beer. But given a choice, I probably would get something else. 2.5 out of 4 revolting monkeys?
Found something new at Foodland, this blonde Belgian. Pours a clear medium light yellow with strong head that persists. The strong carbonation gives a crisp initial, but there is a fairly heavy syrupy mouth feel. Can kind of taste the higher alcohol content, its stated on label at 6.6%. I understand its actually one of the lightest of the Leffe’s. There’s a bit of pungent aroma and taste from the spice. Reading up a bit on these, they are inspired by Trappist Ales, but commercially mass produced. This is an interesting beer, I suspect people will either find it intriguing and like it, or be turned off by it. To me, it’s more a sipping beer. If anything I think it gets better as it warms, the flavor changes and the spices come and blend better. 3 Belgian monkeys out of 4 here.
Noble Pils is another selection from the latest Samuel Adams variety pack. Pours with a fairly small head, medium light amber. Carbonation stays and gives it a pretty crisp feel. There is a pretty strong but not overwhelming bitter throughout that gives it a further “karakuchi” dry taste. The floral of hops is there, but not that strong, and none of the skunkyness I dislike in many pils styles. It’s certainly drinkable, but my preference run toward darker brews and I like to taste a bit of nuttyness. It would prob make a good otsumami beer, good to have with snacky bits. It almost ranks a 3 out of 4 noble monkeys.