The last time kabuki came to Hawaii was during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Meiji Revolution in 1967. “Ka” in kabuki means sing, “bu” means dance and ‘ki” is skill and put together, the performance did not disappoint and lived up to its 400-year-old tradition. In 2005, the theater in Tokyo was proclaimed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage possessing outstanding universal value and in 2008 was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
We have been to the theater and the Kabuki shopping mall several times but never have been to a performance in Tokyo. Our son took my mother many years ago, to a long performance with several intermissions. During the breaks, folks would come around to sell bentos that were eaten during the breaks. In contrast, at the Kennedy Theater at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the performance was an hour, with no food and drinks allowed.
Our morning started, arriving in Honolulu at 10 a.m., by getting our fill of dim sum in Chinatown. Most open at 10:30 a.m. We went to the Chinese Cultural Center since there is a large parking garage, and ate at Lam Fong Chinese Restaurant, along the canal. Large groups of people are congregated around the tables along the canal, playing mahjong. You know when a Chinese restaurant is good when there are older Chinese coming in to eat.
The women with their dim sum carts are very aggressive and if you do not say “no” assertively, your table could be filled with various dishes. I judge a good dim sum restaurant by their steamed chicken feet. This dish is a labor of love and time consuming. Considering the amount you actually get to eat, First the chicken feet need to be marinated, then braised. Look at this recipe and you can understand why it is a dish I order and do not make.
Steamed Chicken Feet
Serves 4-6
Cook time: 5 hours
Chicken feet:
2 pounds chicken feet
2 quarts oil
2 quarts water
1 ounce ginger
3 pieces star anise
2 ounces Chinese parsley roots
2 ounces maltose sugar
Marinade:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
2 ounces chopped chile pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Make sure to wash the chicken feet and chop off any toenails.
Heat the oil and mix the feet with the maltose sugar. Deep fry in oil until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove feet, drain on paper towels.
Boil the water, add ginger, star anise, parsley roots. Add chicken feet and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 90 minutes. Drain.
Combine marinade ingredients and marinate the feet for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours for maximum flavor, Before serving, steam the feet and marinade together in small bowls for 15 minutes.
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Next time we are in Honolulu, we are going to try Ginger &Garlic on 1138 Smith Street, in Chinatown. It was recommended by my hanai mother, Dora Kraul, who knows good Chinese food. We walked through Chinatown so I picked up a menu and was amazed at their extensive menu. Their choices include 10 different soups, 48 seafood, 10 poultry, 20 pork, beef and lamb, 5 sizzling , 8 sizzling casseroles, 8 tofu, 16 vegetable, 7 rice soups, 11 rice, and 25 noodle and funn dishes.
Besides this extensive menu, they serve dim sum in the morning.
We went to check out the Shirokiya Village Walk for lunch. You can walk aisle after aisle to check out what you want to eat for lunch with 32 food kiosks serving bentos, onigiri, sushi, ramen, soba, udon, yakitori, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, curry, tempura and desserts. The gourmet plaza has 14 specialty bistros featuring Wagyu steak, hamburger, katsu, stew, curry, sukiyaki, seafood paella, truffle pasta, ebi chili, crab nabe, uni ikura don, maguro zanmai, lobster curry and Japanese Unaju. We opted for some sushi and udon.
After the Kabuki performance, we went to Izakaya Naru, a Japanese eatery with Okinawan-inspired dishes. Izakayas are very popular in Japan, especially for office staff after work, and one of my favorite ways to eat a lot of different dishes. In Honolulu, most open till 2 a.m. so it great to grab a bite to eat after a performance or movie. We ordered Housemade Peanut tofu, Stir-fried Bittermelon, Housemade Okinawan Soba, Seared Pickled Mackerel Sashimi, Garlic Fried Rice with Octopus, Shoyu Pork Belly, and Fried Pork Spareribs. It was enough for six of us to graze and talk. Next to us was the large group of Japanese nationals with their kabuki badges still on them. Apparently, they had come in for cocktails and some food after the show too.
There is no place like Hilo, but going to Oahu and enjoying the many restaurants is also a nice change.
Foodie Bites
Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Arts Cafeteria and Bamboo Hales is open today through Friday. Call 934-2591 for the Cafeteria’s specials of the day. The Bamboo Hale is featuring the European Standard Menu and the cuisine of France. Call 934-2591 for reservations.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.