15 CRAIGSIDE GOES TO GYOTAKU

The dining outings for 15 Craigside have evolved from high end cuisine to food for locals.  On Saturday, we went to Gyotaku.  There are three of them:

Pearl City • 808-487-0091  98-1226 Kaahumanu Street • Pearl City, Hawaii 96782

South King Street • 808-949-4584  1824 South King Street • Honolulu, Hawaii 96826

Niu Valley • 808-373-2731  5730-B5 Kalanianaole Hwy • Honolulu, Hawaii 96821

We picked the one on South King Street, which once was called Suehiro.  The story of Gyotaku is worthy of a read.  The term refers to Japanese fish art.

This restaurant is located close to that teppan-yaki place in the Onodera name, across the street from Zippy's next to Washington Middle School.  15 Craigside went there four years ago, where I paid $300.  They don't charge tax and don't accept tip.  Everyone thought this outing was wonderful and worthy.

In Gyotaku I started with a flight of cold sake.  I wonder why I do, for you can buy a two-liter carton of sake for $8, and these were three tiny glasses cost $14.  Like most wines, I can't tell the difference between expensive sake and a cheap one.

I certainly can't fully appreciate the junmai daiginjo quality by taste.  Came the soup and salad:

They sell the salad dressing at the check-in/out counter.  I was tempted to buy one.  The 15 Craigside diners (note the gyotaku on the wall).  

I ordered a threesome:  sashimi, miso butterfish and tonkatsu (pork cutlet):

This was the best Japanese meal I've had since my last trip to Japan.  The miso butterfish was spectacular, while the pork tonkatsu was not as fabulous as the Nagasaki version, but better than as served anywhere else in Hawaii.  I would guess that the cost with tax and tip was around $35.  When you consider that a guest lunch at 15 Craigside goes for around $17, and as three meals/day are free for residents, it must be hard to justify going out for most.  Me?  I don't have much time left, so why not enhance my current state of Euphoria 3.

I might add that when I returned to my apartment, two water lilies were in bloom.  In all the time I've had this plant, this is the first time that there has been more than one flower:

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Hagibis, that ocean storm I mentioned yesterday, increased in strength by 100 MPH just over the past 24 hours, and is now a Super Typhoon at 160 MPH.  While it is too early to determine landfall, it seems to be headed towards Yokohama and Tokyo:

However, The Weather Network today headlined:  Super Typhoon Hagibis may become strongest storm on Earth.  Not just today, but perhaps in the recorded history of ocean storms.

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