The Pineapple Room

Oh the misery... Needing to wake up early and disembarking our cruise ship at 8:45am.  Why? Why?? Why???  Who cares about the incoming passengers for the next cruise?  #firstworldproblems right?  Well, we did get off that early and after picking up our rental car, it was far too early to check into our hotel room in Waikiki.  So we had time to kill and where better than the Ala Moana Shopping Centre.  Since we were already there, we felt no need to travel far distances for lunch.  Therefore, we headed over to Macy's and visited our second Alan Wong restaurant in the Pineapple Room.

Fortunately, we were able to snag a table despite not making a reservation (the place is popular).  For myself, I decided to try the Kim Chee Reuben with pastrami, home made kim chee, Swiss cheese and thousand islands spread on rye bread.  This was a substantial and messy concoction with plenty of fatty pastrami accented by crunchy, yet disappointingly mild kim chee. Hence it was more like a regular reuben with lots of tangy sauce with crunchy enough bread to keep things together.  I did love the side of Asian Slaw as it was acidic and aromatic from the sesame oil.  Viv ended up with the Kalua Pig BLT constructed with moist and flavorful shredded pork, crispy bacon, greasy grilled Kabayaki onions and Boursin Cheese on an onion bun.  Viv liked the sandwich, but she thought it was too wet from the oily onions and the other ingredients.

My mom decided on the Shrimp & Pork Hash Katsu Burger dressed with shredded cabbage and hoisin mustard vinaigrette on a potato bun. As much as the panko breading was crispy and easy on the grease, the actual filling was a bit strange for us.  First of all, we couldn't get much shrimp in terms of texture and taste (even though it was supposed to be processed).  Furthermore, the pork was a little dry and the filler ingredients of water chestnuts and green onion seemed to work against the pork in terms of texture and flavor.  On the positive, the bun was soft and surprisingly light while the dressing was well-balanced in sweetness, tartness and saltiness.  My son had the kid's Cheeseburger prepared medium.  Although the grass-fed beef was rather lean, it was still sufficiently moist and loaded with natural beef taste.  The aggressively spotted onion bun was soft and sweet.

My dad went for the Chinese-Style Steamed Opakapaka Short Tail Red Snapper on tofu and topped with choi sum, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms and peanut oil.  Their interpretation of Chinese steamed fish was a decent one as the fish was moist and flaky.  The entire dish was very mild and that worked well as nothing overpowered anything else.  In fact, there was some nice aromatics going on with the salty sausage, Earthy mushrooms and peanut oil. Last but not least, my daughter had the simple kid's Butter & Cheese Noodles that arrived as a substantial portion.  The noodles were a bit too soft while there was a lack of seasoning in our opinion. Overall, we were indifferent with the food we had for lunch.  Granted, dinner service has more refined options, but we didn't get a chance to try that out.

The Good:
- Excellent service
- Well-portioned eats

The Bad:
- Food was "okay"
- A little pricey

Teppanyaki (NCL Pride of America)

Our last meal aboard the Pride of America also happened to be our final specialty dining reservation. It was something different that I’ve yet to see on any other ship that I’ve been on across 5 cruise lines. Yes, we got to experience Teppanyaki on a cruise ship. While not completely authentic, it was at the very least an experience nonetheless that was included in our 3-restaurant dining package.  With only 2 Teppanyaki stations, it was imperative that one makes a reservation, otherwise, the chances of getting in are slim.

Similarly with land-based Teppanyaki joints, we were given a choice of proteins which were accompanied by appetizers, veggies, fried rice and dessert. After starting out with Wakame Salad and Miso Soup, we moved onto the Garlic Fried Rice which was flavorful and garlicky. This was well-prepared with enough high temperatures to caramelize flavors and provided a nuttiness.  On the other hand, the chef was pretty aggressive with the soy, which was evident in the color and overall taste.

For my main, I had the Surf & Turf consisting of filet mignon and prawns. Prepared a beautiful medium-rare, the filet was moist and buttery. It required very little effort to chew. Dressed in an obscene amount of garlic butter, there was no need for any other sauces or seasoning. The prawns were also on point being buttery and crunchy.  However, much like the fried rice, the use of soy could've been dialed back.  The side of veggies were a touch soft, but not mushy.

With probably the most expensive ingredients, Viv and my mom went for the Seafood Combination with lobster, scallops and calamari. As much as the lobster was texturally on point with a classic rebound and appealing chewiness, it was completely over-seasoned with soy. Hence, there was a biting saltiness that took away from the wonderful meat. On the other hand, the scallops were buttery and the calamari was delicately tender while maintaining a chew. These 2 were seasoned just enough.

My daughter opted for the Shogun with chicken breast and filet mignon (steak not pictured as it was still being made when I took the photo). Her steak was exactly like mine while the chicken was a touch rubbery but still moist inside. However, similar to the other dishes, there was far too much soy where all we tasted was a sharp saltiness.  If we had a bowl of plain rice, it would've helped, but the salty garlic fried rice only made it worse.

Thankfully, we moved onto sweeter things with the Green Tea Cake with cashew brittle and green tea ice cream was weak. The cake was dense and almost seemed under-baked. It tasted like raw flour and sugar.  On the other hand, the ice cream was creamy and full of green tea flavor.  For myself, I just wanted something simple and had the Fruit Sashimi (interesting way of calling it).  Well, it was fresh fruit and it was sliced to make it look nice.  It came with mango and coconut dip.  I thought they were too sweet and unnecessary.  Another thing that was unnecessary was the amount of soy sauce used in the preparation of the meal.  On the other hand, we would've liked to see more of a show as there wasn't even an onion volcano.  Personally, I'd skip this meal as part of any dining package.

The Good:
- You get some entertainment (as lame as it was)
- Different food than most of the other spots on board

The Bad:
- Too salty
- Got a basic show, not very entertaining

Star Noodle

On our second day in Maui, we had planned to head over to Lahaina for some sightseeing and eating. After a short search when I was scheduling our eats a few months back, there was only one place that stood out for lunch. Star Noodle, opened by Sheldon Simeon (runner-up on Top Chef season), was both the most intriguing and most appropriate destination. Appropriate because it was an Asian food break from all the other stuff we were eating aboard the Pride of America.

It was both good fortune and planning that we made a reservation and arrived early because the place was packed. We decided to start off with the Assorted Banchan which consisted of shiitake mushrooms, oshinko, pickled onions, kimchi and cuttlefish. This was a pretty generous portion for $6.00. I most enjoyed the chewy and sweet cuttlefish as well as the crunchy oshinko. Next up, we shared the Pork Belly Bao with hoisin, cucumber, shiitake and scallions. These featured a soft, while not crumbly bun with a buttery slice of pork belly. There was already hoisin inside, but we were provided with small squeeze bottles of hoisin and wasabi mayo.

Impressively large, the Tempura Shrimp consisted of 2 oversized prawns that were coated with a crunchy, non-greasy batter. Exhibiting qualities of lobster, the shrimp were naturally sweet and aromatic. Served with a sweet mayo and sauce, this was a satisfying dish. Continuing with the appies, we tried the Kimchi Wings that were fried aggressively where the exterior was super crunchy while the meat was a touch dry. The kimchi glaze was more sweet than spicy though.  This was only an "okay dish" as the flavours and textures were not quite there.

Onto our soup noodles, we had the Hapa Ramen with bamboo shoots, choy sum, pork, scallions and black sesame oil. I found the broth to have depth without being reliant on salt. It wasn’t too thick nor heavy, but it did have a nice aroma from the black sesame. As much as the pork was flavourful on its own, the meat could’ve been more fatty and tender. For the kiddies, they shared the Local Saimin with Spam, egg and fish cake. The sweet kelp broth was clean and light. I found the noodles to be toothsome and appealing.  This was a much more refined version compared to the others I've had.

For our fried noodles, we were influenced by the many dishes of Pad Thai at every other table. Turns out it was a good decision as it was spiked with plenty of fermented shrimp flavour as well as a nice tang. Although the dish was a touch wet, the noodles were still chewy and appealing. One thing I would’ve liked was more spice. Prepared with mung bean noodles rather than rice vermicelli, the Singapore Noodles were impactful with balanced curry flavors. By virtue of the mung bean noodles, the texture was an appealing rubbery chewiness.

For dessert, we got the Mango Pudding which featured actual pieces of fresh mango which meant there was a natural sweetness as well as the classic mango pungency.  Texturally, it wasn't as smooth and light as we would've expected, but it didn't make or break the dish.  In the end, for all the items we tried, Star Noodle was pretty solid throughout.  Obviously, there were some creative liberties taken, but if we ignored the "authenticity" argument (and they do not claim to be either), Star Noodle offers up decent eats at reasonable prices.  Pretty good for a tourist town.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Reasonable prices
- Well-portioned

The Bad:
- Some creative liberties taken

T. Komoda Store and Bakery

With the kids nixing the plan for heading up to Haleakala, we never made it out to T. Komodo Bakery and Store. It was supposed to be a stop along the way, so we could pick up some items for breaky. Viv and I had been up to the crater before, so it wasn’t a priority that we endure 3 hour round-trip. However, the thought of missing out on guava malasadas kept me up all night aboard the Pride of America. So much so, I just went ahead by myself early in the morning to pick up some items.

I did end up with 3 of the aforementioned Guava Malasadas and oh yeah, they lived up to the hype. Small and compact, these two bite gems (one bite for some) were soft, and only purposefully sweet. With an aromatic guava filling that was easy on the sugar, the whole thing was balanced. I really liked these and wished I had bought more! I also enjoyed their Cream Puffs filled with custard (and the second one was chocolate). The choux pastry was light, moist while still airy and slightly crispy. Inside, the custard was not very sweet which made it pleasant to eat.

For my son, I got him the Donut Stick with 4 mini-donuts squashed onto a skewer. These were remarkably light and airy while only sweet from the even amount of glaze. What set this apart was the portion between each donut, as it was not glazed and pillowy soft. With the same yeast dough, the Strawberry Jelly Donut was equally good. Again, the filling wasn't too sweet, so that the glaze could do its thing.  So as you can appreciate, the stuff at T. Komoda wasn't exactly complex.  However, everything that I got was on point and enjoyable.  It was worth the 20-minute drive both ways to get it.

The Good:
- Stuff was delicate, not heavy
- Not overly sweet
- Guava malasada, enough said

The Bad:
- Go early, things can run out
- Selection is surprisingly limited, but okay given the quality

Tasty Crust

Unlike the rental car shuttle debacle at the Hilo cruise ship dock, we woke up extra early to find that everything was much more organized at Kahului.  Once on our way, we chose to visit a dive named Tasty Crust on Mill Road in Wakuluku. Well, the reason for this was partly due to their claim of world famous pancakes and also because my friend who is from Maui suggested it. Hey, you gotta trust the locals right?  As we pulled into the parking lot, there were more than a few rental cars.  I guess the tourists come there too...

Now, the kids were in the mood for breakfast, but for Viv and I, we were more interested with the lunch items. Fortunately, they serve the whole menu all the time. As a result, I ended up with the Saimin with Vegetables, which wasn’t really that strange for breakfast since that is what many do in Asia (and I do at home). As much as the pork broth was flavorful in a non-salty manner, the ample noodles were a touch too soft for my liking. The frozen veggies did what they were supposed to do while the chashu was meaty and a bit salty. Viv went all out and had the Short Ribs with rice and mac salad for her first meal of the day. The large pieces of meat were relatively tender while aggressively marinated in sweet soy. They were nicely charred and smoky.

For the kiddies, they went the conventional route and had the Breakfast with 2 eggs, sausage, bacon, Spam and toast. This was pretty standard stuff with scrambled eggs that were a bit too done for my liking. The sausage and Spam were on point, but the fatty bacon could’ve been crispier. But really, all these items were only a distraction from the main reason we were here – the Pancakes. Okay, I gotta admit that these were pretty darn good. Large, thick and completely fluffy, the pancakes were really easy to eat. In fact, they tasted good on their own, with a bit of butter.  So was it worth the drive out to Tasty Crust?  For the pancakes, yes.  The other stuff was pretty standard, nothing to write home about.

The Good:
- Fluffy pancakes
- Cheap
- Friendly people

The Bad:
- Other food was average
- A/C kinda weak

Jefferson's Bistro (NCL Pride of America)

As much as the food on my previous NCL experience was akin to a cafeteria food, one meal did stand out. That was our specialty dinner at Le Bistro in the old Norwegian Star. It may have possibly been attributed to the fact it was our anniversary meal, but in general, it was on point. So with those expectations, we headed over to Jefferson’s Bistro for our 2nd French food encounter on NCL 12 years later.

For my appies, I began with the Les Quatre Corents featuring 4 savory cones filled with salad Provencal, duck confit, pear, blue cheese & walnut medley and smoked chicken salad. For me, this looked better than it ate. I thought the firm cones took away from the ingredients and the only one that stood on its own was the smoky and creamy chicken salad. I also had the Soupe aux Quatre Champignons made with 4 types of mushrooms. Hence, the soup was definitely woodsy and full-bodied. I liked how it wasn’t reliant on salt as well as the thick, creamy consistency.

Viv went for the Coquilles St. Jacques Provencal consisting of 3 seared scallops atop eggplant, tomato, pine nuts and olive oil. As much as the scallops were pretty tiny, they were prepared more or less properly being buttery and soft. We thought the sear was  pretty consistent. Underneath them, the puree was definitely eggplant in flavour and texture. My dad had the Moules Poulette au Pernod with parsley and cream. The smallish portion sported buttery mussels in a very mild and slightly creamy broth.  We felt there could've been more acidity and wine essence.

My mom wanted to try the Salade Gourmande because of the smoked duck. Yup, she ate all the duck and left the frisee, endive and walnuts in a champagne vinaigrette for my dad. It’s exactly what she does with pizza, eating only the toppings... (my daughter does that too, I wonder where she gets it from...). The duck was indeed smoky while sufficiently tender.  We felt the vinaigrette exhibited a nice acidity. We also shared the Escargot Bourguignonne with classic garlic herb butter. Normally, this dish can be pretty salty, but it wasn’t the case here as the soft escargots were bathed in a tasty butter.

For my main, I had the Filet de Boeuf Grille consisting of grilled beef tenderloin, Portobello mushrooms, Roquefort cheese potato gratin and green peppercorn sauce. Although the tenderloin was rare (I asked for medium-rare), the steak was so buttery soft, it didn’t matter. I thought the peppercorn sauce was balanced and impactful while the gratin was terrible (being severely underdone and crunchy). The theme of underdone was definitely in play with my mom’s Carre D’Agneau Rotis where the rack of lamb was quite rare (she asked for M/R). Although it was seasoned well, she had to send it back because it was just not cooked enough.

Her replacement dish (which my son had as well) was the Duo de Canard featuring seared breast of duck and duck confit, Parisienne potatoes, French beans and Madeira sauce. The duck confit leg portion of the dish was on point being fork tender and moist. Bathed in the flavourful, yet slightly salty Madeira sauce, even my son ate it willingly. However, the duck breast fat was not rendered enough while the meat was on the chewier side. My daughter’s Filet de Saumon D’Atlantic was also underdone, but in a good way since it was salmon. Hence, it was flaky and still buttery moist inside. Interestingly, the morel mushroom cream sauce was very similar to the soup. That was actually a good thing as it was super flavourful and Earthy.

Possibly the best dish of the meal was the Bouillabaisse featuring scallops, shrimp and snapper in a tomato, saffron and pernod broth. All the proteins were prepared expertly where the scallops were buttery, the shrimp with a rebound and snapper was moist and flaky. They all sat in a light broth that was spiked with enough saffron and was easy on the salt.

For dessert, I had the Chocolate Napoleon constructed of flourless chocolate cake, hazelnut crunch and Gianduja cream. Attractively plated, the dessert was a bit clumsy to eat where the layers did not want to cooperate with each other. However, it was chocolaty without being super sugary. Even lower on the sweetness scale was the Caramel, Vanilla and Lemon Profiteroles. Despite being a bit dry, the profiteroles were topped with enough sauce to moisten things up. Nothing was particularly sweet and in fact, the lemon was rather tart.

My dad opted for the Chocolate Fondue with pineapple, strawberries and banana accompanied by a liquid chocolate dip. Nothing particularly interesting about the fruit other than being cut up into bite-sized portions. The silky chocolate fondue was mildly sweet with some bitterness. My mom went for her standby being the Vanilla Creme Brulee with berry basket and sable cookie. This was a pretty textbook version with somewhat thick custard that was easy on the sugar which meant the torched sugar topping was necessary.

The Good:
- Seemed to be more care put into the food compared to the main dining room
- Fairly balanced flavours
- Service seemed more attentive

The Bad:
- Undercooked proteins (okay in most cases)