CHICKEN IN HONOLULU

Day 155 of the Lower  Puna Eruption, and nothing new to report at this time.

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I've spent the past two weeks tasting chicken bentos in Honolulu.  It's hard to rank them because they're all so different.  I purposefully avoided KFC, Popeye's and national chains.

Let me start with Mitsuken, which specializes in garlic chicken.  First opened in 1992 as a hole in the wall, the restaurant moved five years ago to North School Street (across New City Nissan), with better parking.  A decade ago the fast food site was shaken when one of the owners was arrested for sexual assault of a minor.  They make the best garlic chicken.  Here is their bento plate.  However, the mini-bento, not shown, is their best buy.

Sumo Ramen and Curry is located in the Market City Shopping Center.

Above, their mochiko chicken on curry rice.  Mochiko has a little less garlic, otherwise they are similar in texture and awfulness to general health.

Zippy's has a fried chicken and spaghetti bento that reminds me of their marathoner's special:  spaghetti, rice and macaroni salad, with a hot dog on top, or carbo overload with some protein.

I get a craving for this fowl bento twice a year.  If the chicken is just made, fabulous.  If not, not.

Off Kapahulu Avenue, next door to Zippy's, is Hawaii's Favorite Kitchens.  HFK specializes in that rotisserie chicken with the leg sticking out of the bento box:

You will need to bring a box of wipees or equivalent, because the above chicken meal can only be eaten with your fingers.  

I enjoyed all three at the Diamond Head Lookout.  Here, the view can be spectacular:

Many times you can see Molokai and Maui, and sometimes even the Big Island, on the horizon.

While not a bento, yesterday I was in town and saw across the bus stop on Nuuanu Avenue where I jumped off:

I've never been to Burma and don't recall ever having their cuisine.  Burma has been re-named Myanmar and Rangoon is now called Yangon, which was the former capital.  No one knows the present one:  Naypyidaw.  Texas and Myanmar have about the same geographical size, but Myanmar has twice the population, around 57 million.

Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is the current head of government, which is still run by the military.  Persecution of the Rohingya people remains a scourge, but she has no real control over what is happening.

I dropped by Longs and picked up a large bottle of Sapporo.  Very attractive restaurant:

It was more than half full.  I asked many questions and settled on their coconut chicken noodle soup, for I felt compelled to continue my chicken dining:

Burmese food is a blend of Indian and Thai.  I liked my soup, very much.  The whole above cost, around $20, including beer (BYOB), tax and tip.  I'll be back.

The September issue of Honolulu magazine said:  hits high marks with an extensive menu of curries, salads, soups, rice dishes and more.  Rangoon Burmese Kitchen, 1131 Nu‘uanu Ave., open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Saturday, (808) 367-0645.

For the record, Brett Kavanaugh will tomorrow be voted on in the U.S. Senate to become our next Supreme Court justice.  Chicken in DC?  I found Senator Susan Collins' justification for her vote inadequately disappointing.  I stand by my post of September 27:

BRETT KAVANAUGH IS DOOMED! IF NOT, THEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ON NOVEMBER 6.

There will be some backlash.  Enough to overturn both houses of the U.S. Congress?  We'll see in just about a month.
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Typhoon Kong-Rey has weakened, but will affect Cheju Island and areas around Busan with hurricane force winds and some flooding, then head towards Hokkaido.

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