As my meal today will focus on moi (known as threadfin elsewhere), a fish, let me start with a continuation of my fishy posting yesterday (scroll down to see it). A friend said he has an explanation of how my dozen or so red mollies and swordtails suddenly disappeared. The algae eater ate them! Surely enough, various sites indicated that algae eaters don't only consume algae. However, I still find it hard to believe that, having lived in harmony for a year, one weekend my algae eater suddenly ate all those fish.
In any case, I saw another article that an algae eater can be compatible with goldfish. So far, so good.
A couple of years ago, O'Kim's Contemporary Kitchen opened up on Smith Street in Chinatown. Kim connotes Korea food, but the O' and contemporary denote something fusion-like. This was a tiny place with Hyun Kim (of course) as chef.
She has moved to Nuuanu Avenue (the #4 bus passes right by), and instead of two chairs, she now has inside and outside dining areas seating almost 50 people:
From all reports, the moi was her specialty, so that's what I had. Note on their sign above the term BYOB. A block away is a mart where a can of Steel Reserve sells for $1, including tax.
However, you can't see well what is under the moi, so:
Below the fish are two thick slices of marinated turnip, and at the bottom is a layer of tofu. This combination with green onions, another crispier turnip slice and green beans, with the beer, made for my best $21 meal ever, including tax and tip. Frankly, the moi was only okay, but the daikon (turnip) was exceptional.
This particular plate of perfection compares well with what I get at Benu in San Francisco, for ten times that price. Well, that might not be fair. Eight courses here cost $295. I accidentally walked into this Corey Lee restaurant almost a decade ago. The concept of Korean fusion was unknown then. I've been back a couple of times. Benu is now a Michelin 3-Star restaurant. Only a very few years ago SFO had no stars. Today, they are up to 57.
Michelin has yet to come to Hawaii, and O'Kim's will never attain 3-Star status. You can almost predict your bill/person at these Michelins, with $300 for 3-Stars and $200 for 2-Stars.
However, if they ever bother to evaluate Hawaii, O'Kim's deserves one star. Here is a list of the cheapest 1- and 2-Star Michelins, the following I'll consider on my Spring trip throughout the Orient:- #3 Hamo (Seoul)
- #4 Chugokusai S. Sawada (Osaka)
- #5 Jay Fai (Bangkok)
- #6 Ginza Ibuki (Tokyo)
- #13 Ten-you (Kyoto)
Incidentally, #1 is Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle in Singapore for $2.20 and #2 is Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong for $3.80.
I'm not sure yet exactly where I'll be in France next month, but
- #16 Le Pousse-Pied in La Tranche-sur-Mer, a set menu for $22.40
- #41 Pertinence in Paris, a set menu for $51.60
Wines at these 1-Star Michelins in France tend to be reasonably-priced. Further, supermarkets sell red wine for as low as $2 buck Chuck's, where they now cost $3.
If plans work out, this weekend will be my most fabulous weekend cuisine splurge in Honolulu, with the Blood Moon on Sunday part of the scene.
If plans work out, this weekend will be my most fabulous weekend cuisine splurge in Honolulu, with the Blood Moon on Sunday part of the scene.
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