Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering

www.digg.com www.overviewtours.com http://www.google.com http://www.google.com

Waves crash in white noise, something from the Edo period. The landscape is lush and green and the mountains rise above the Pacific in dramatic fashion. Big swells, the shade of the banyan trees, and the Barack Obama Presidential Library. I finally made it, Oahu, one of the several islands that make up Hawaii, I always thought they seemed to be floating, and I have this same feeling now.

I had asked a friend to take me to what islanders might consider an authentic place to eat. So here we are, she usually pushes the gray beamer, but now it stands still, traffic. On an Island this size, there are only so a many routes to take, and this ones under constructions. After some route changes, and sitting in more traffic, we finally make it Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering.

Tanioka’s sits in a strip mall in Waipahu, an area in greater Honolulu. It sits next to a seven-eleven and sans the palm trees and great weather, for a second I think I’m somewhere on Long Island. The sensation dissipates quickly as we make our way through the door.

Its around lunch time, but from what I hear, you should always expect lines. Fear not the line moves quickly. As we make our way up to the savory selections of seafood, we first pass the dessert case. My friend suggests a cake made up of three layers. The first is haupia, a coconut confection usually consumed on its own, sweetened poi a staple made from taro root, and on the bottom a kind of cookie crust.

We order fish cakes, and a octopus salad. From the various poke selections, cubed raw tuna, we go with one that is interlaced with a savory crunchy seaweed. We grab a six pack and head to the beach. All the dishes are enjoyable, most notably the Poke. Beyond this, on offer is mainly Hawaiin seafood staples, lunch items such as musubi, as well as tempura.

Later in the evening we take the Haupia dessert from the fridge, I decide I will extend my stay after all.

La Palma

www.digg.com www.overviewtours.com http://www.google.com http://www.google.com

La Palma Mexicatessen sits in the myriad blocks that make up the Mission District in San Francisco. My first time in SF, I’d heard over the years that the Mexican food in the Western part o f the Country is that much better. And while I can’t attest to that, and will likely never cede to this argument, La Palma would make a great case and point.

Wondering off the cool street into this Mexican Deli I was immediately aware of the vast array of authentic Mexican goods. Past the counter the back looks to stretch on forever, though it is limited by square footage I’m sure. The store not only sell tasty Mexican staples but also produces products on site. The most stand out would be the stacks of tortillas.

I ordered a couple of items after quickly deliberating. I decided I wanted a taco, and something I had yet to try. I went with the pupusa…. is this the same as the Salvadoran food that shares its name? I wondered… and then looked it up on Google… it is.

It took about ten minutes for my food to be prepared, I believe to prep the pupusa mostly. As I waited I noticed they also had an item that I probably would have ordered had I noticed. It was a torta, where the bun is submerged in salsa, giving it a completely red color. Pambazos its called, and I have to admit I had some degree of regret not ordering this, however, c’est la vie.

I finally got my order, and made way to the outdoor seating area. The pupusa was rich and delicious, and the taco with pork soaked in salsa, was milder, and the same. I’ll definitely be back.