Shirley’s Blog

It has been over ten years since the Four Seasons Resort opened, and I am surprised it has taken me this long to get back to the Big Island for my first stay there. Settling into my bungalow, this came to mind: “I can just live here. I don’t even have to leave the Resort and can be very happy.” Every day, there is a series of activities throughout the resort, including fitness walks, spinning, shell craft, yoga, ti leaf skirt making, sports stretch and ukulele lessons. You can do it all, or do nothing. I got quite a bit of exercise getting lost all over the property, but I never minded as long as I was not late for a meal, a meeting, or a massage.

After relaxing in the room, I had an early dinner at The Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong. The beautiful restaurant is located across from my bungalow so it is a simple short walk. I was convinced to try the Tasting Menu ($70.) My favorites included a “Soup and Salad” – chilled red and yellow tomato soups offered in a yin-yang design, served with a foie gras, kalua pig grilled cheese sandwich.
(Read on …)

Merriman’s Culinary & Farm Adventure
Hawaii Forest & Trails: info@hawaii-forest.com www.hawaii-forest.com 800-464 1993

We begin this exciting culinary tour at Peter Merriman’s restaurant, our meeting place. This tour includes a visit to the Honopua Farm – where owners Ken and Roen Hufford give us a private tour and samplings from the farm. They show us where organic vegetables, lavender and cut flowers are grown. We also visit the the Kahua Ranch, with its sweeping coastal views at the 3,000-foot elevation in the Kohala Mountains. Today the ranch is home to range-feed sheep and cattle ranches. After this wonderful tour, we return to Merriman’s Restaurant in Waimea for a four-course dinner prepared by Merriman’s chefs using fresh produce from the farms we visited, and award-winning ingredients. On the evening we were in-house, our fabulous dinner was prepared by a talented young chef, Texas transplant Chef Kenneth Barthel. Peter Merriman, peter@merrimanshawaii.com

Now that I feel more comfortable about driving around Kona, or at least the areas I’m familiar with, I mosey along Ali’i Drive and stop at the Hale Halewai, a community center. Inside, mostly senior citizen volunteers offer complimentary classes in arts and crafts, such as basket weaving. I walked across the street to check out a farmers market.
(Read on …)

I anticipate a great evening of tasting the food prepared by the WINNING chef for the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. The drive is leisurely and stress-free, a straight shot from my hotel to Ali’i Drive. Huggo’s is like wearing a comfortable old sweater - the place is very big and has oceanfront seating, but it feels like a neighborhood joint filled with happy customers in the dining areas and bar, casual yet with million-dollar views.

Island Sashimi, thinly sliced fresh local ahi is a nice start. The Calamari Cocktail presented in a martini glass is packed with delicious fried calamari, vegetables and seasoned delicately with Hawaiian chili pepper water and a yuzu remoulade. My entree was a Monchong fish, poached in coffee for several hours, but not tasting overpowering.

Korean-born Chef Loetree Berry has a California connection - he is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and worked at China Moon under Chef Barbara Tropp. He returned to Hawaii in 1998 and has been at Huggo’s since 2001. I was pushed over the edge with dessert, Pele’s Chocolate Tart and the Haupia Cake, a light white cake with coconut custard filling. I’m a sucker for coconut.

Huggo’s, 75-5828 Kahakai Rd., Kailua Kona, HI 808-329-1493

November 3, 2007: Arrived in Kailua-Kona airport. The island of HAWAII, the Big Island, is divided into three beach resort areas and Kailua-Kona is the oldest. I rented a Chevrolet Fusion at Hertz and set out to get lost, but instead, stayed on the right road to Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, my host hotel for the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. I drove to Keauhou Shopping Center, just a few minutes away from the Sheraton, and poked my way into a modern-looking restaurant, Kenichi Pacific.

One of the best things about hanging out with local chefs is that they give you ideas of where to eat, besides at their respective restaurants. My good friend Chef David Paul suggested two eateries in town: Fujimama and Original Thai.
(Read on …)

I am a member of ACCT, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary on January 20 at Merlion Restaurant and Bar in Cupertino. If you’re up for some fun and good food, please join us in celebrating ACCT’s silver anniversary as well as Chinese New Year, Year of the Rat 4706. We want a full house of 150.

The merlion is the symbol of Singapore: a lion’s head atop a fishtail mermaid body resting on a wave crest. Opened 7/7/2007, Merlion Restaurant blends Singaporean, Thai, Malaysian, Indian and Chinese cuisines into superb dining. It has two-story rotunda front glass windows, a curved glass vast wine cellar, an open kitchen and a gorgeous bar. Sommelier available. Seating are booths and oblong tables. Come experience elegance with the two food demonstrations planned.
(Read on …)

Wok Wiz Tours is featured in this episode of “What Makes San Francisco Tick”.

Twenty years ago, I made a three-day appearance on the Wheel of Fortune. Through the wonders of the Internet and my brother Ben, I present the Shirley’s Wheel of Fortune highlight reel.

Not too many years ago, the culinary highlight of a Hawaiian vacation was a boring version of the ubiquitous “surf and turf.”

Hotels and restaurants in the Hawaiian Islands were convinced that mainland travelers wanted to try something totally un-threatening from the ocean, but only as long as they could back it up with some heavy beef.

Those days are, thankfully, gone with the Pacific trade winds.

Because of its fresh and sundry seafood, Hawaii is now the epicenter of the fusion-cooking world.

Its fish have a celebrity status with many of the best chefs in Asia and America. They also have the endorsement of environmentalists and hopeless romantics like my honeybear and traveling companion, Wroburlto, aka “Wro,” seen above.
(Read on …)

A number of Bay Area restaurants are celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Boar. People who are born in the Year of the Boar are said to be brave and chivalrous and treat their loved ones with great kindness. They are usually known for their honesty, tremendous inner strength, and patience. They appear well informed on the surface, but upon further investigation reveal rather limited knowledge. They prefer to solve all their problems alone rather than seek help.

Shanghai 1930, San Francisco
133 Steuart Street
415.896.5600
Supplementing the regular a menu is a special holiday menu that is available through March 1. Highlights include Sweet Rice Cake and Pork Omelette Roll Soup, Tea Smoked Duck, Crispy Chicken “Sizzling” Style, Crystal Shrimp with Black Mushrooms, “Good Fortune” Red Cooked Pork Belly, Steamed Whole Cod, and Wok Braised Fresh Winter Bamboo Shoots. My FAVORITE dessert is the Sesame Balls filled with CHOCOLATE, one with Peanut Butter, and one with the traditional lotus paste…

E & O Trading Company, San Francisco
314 Sutter Street
415.693.0303
This restaurant, in keeping with its tradition of serving Southeast Asian cuisine, is celebrating from February 17 through March 3 by adding attractively priced holiday inspired a la carte offerings to the menu. Among the special appetizers are Sea Scallop Pot Stickers and Hot & Sour Soup. Entrees include Long Life Noodles with Pork, Firecracker Chicken, and Crispy Whole Tai Snapper. Hours of operation vary depending on the location. Call for details.

Scott Howard, San Francisco
500 Jackson Street
415.956.7040
Chef Scott Howard deliciously demonstrates his affinity for Asian cuisine with a holiday three-course prix fix menu for $47.05 (on the lunar calendar, the Year of the Boar is 4705) that will showcase dishes prepared from recipes written by Howard’s good friend Cecilia Chiang. These dishes, originally served at the culinarily historic Mandarin Restaurant, include Mandarin Minced Chicken, Pork Meatballs (Lions Head), and Steamed Tai Snapper. The holiday menu, available in addition the restaurant’s regular a la carte offerings, will be served from February 26 through March 3.

I’ve been spending extra time in Half Moon Bay this month, a mere 30 minutes from my coastal hometown of Pacifica. I attended the pre-opening for the much-anticipated Sam’s Chowder House – located right on the water with beautiful views and lovely interiors – focusing on seafood, and of course, chowder. Give them a few weeks to "get it all together" and Sam’s may well become a destination restaurant for locals and travelers.

I was excited to be a judge for the second annual Chefs’ Challenge and Grand Tasting, at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay. Traffic was a little slow, but once I checked into the cozy Old Thyme Inn, 779 Main St., 650-726-1616, oldthymeinn.com, I began to feel less stressed. The 1898 Princess Anne Victorian is operated by Rick and Kathy Ellis, a charming couple. I was shown to my Mint Room, a spacious room with pale green walls and a sky blue ceiling, hardwood floors, a “remote” fireplace; an old-fashioned bathtub, lace curtains, hypo-allergenic down pillows and a featherbed. I knew I would be enjoying my night here.

(Read on …)