Side Green Salad Side Green Salad

A refreshing mix of crisp greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots drizzled with a light vinaigrette.

Panya Bistro Bakery

Panya Bistro Bakery

1288 Ala Moana Blvd Shop 116, 96814, Honolulu, US, United States

Pizza • Cafés • Seafood • Fast Food


"The world food tour continued …. At Panya Bistro in the Hokua condo. We stopped in for an early dinner after seeing Beautiful at the Concert Hall (a bravura performance by the cast). We arrived early (4pm) so the restaurant was pretty empty but were told by the hostess about their 90-minute time limit policy. Okay, better to tell us up front than during our meal. Service was leisurely so that might have been somewhat of a concern but it worked out satisfactorily. We started with a couple of Hendricks gin and tonics with limes instead of the more proper slice of cucumber. A very refreshing beginning …though I wish bartenders would note what garnish goes with certain gins. We ordered three dishes: Pork Chops over fried rice, Pad Thai with chicken and Stir Fried Vegetables with Beef. First off, the pork chop dish is huge! Slices of breaded boneless chops are placed over a subtle fried rice (Chinese style … on the drier side) and covered with a very sweet tomato sauce. The texture and taste reminded me of waffles with maple syrup. It was very good but the sweetness of the tomato sauce was off-putting to me; not bad, but unexpected. The Pad Thai was fine; nothing to complain about. The highlight dish for me was the stir fried vegetables with beef. The vegetables (broccoli, green beans, slices of carrot and mushroom) were crisp and the cubes of beef were very tender. The sauce was thin but savory; it let the beautiful vegetables take center stage. I could have just eaten this dish with a bowl of rice. No room for dessert but I finished my meal with a Thai iced coffee. The coffee was excellent and shone through the generous serving of milk. So cool and refreshing; I could have consumed two glasses. Final thoughts … we hadn’t been to Panya Bistro in a long time; the food was very good and the service was fine (we left after 93 minutes). Parking in the Hokua is convenient and free with validation. Best of all, the prices were very reasonable."

Lovin' Oven

Lovin' Oven

62 Trenton Ave, Frenchtown, United States

Cafés • American • Breakfast • Farm To Table


"I could list many reasons to visit Lovin' Oven. Large, open and colorful, the space itself lifts the spirit with lots of light and a cheerful bouquet of fresh flowers on every table. The owners are dedicated to using seasonal and local ingredients, which not only creates a fresh and flavorful menu, but also supports local farmers and nurtures a sense of community. The menu offers an array of interesting vegetarian and vegan options; the owners' keen understanding of the vegetarian diet helps to ensure that everyone in your group can fully enjoy their meal with peace of mind. But the main reason I urge you to come to Lovin' Oven is simply this: They Do Good Food. We stopped in for dinner during a recent visit to the area. One of the days' specials was a Roasted Red Beet and Blue Cheese Salad, and we decided to start off with that. The green salad was simple and fresh, with plenty of blue cheese crumbles and sweet beets, lightly dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. For my entree I chose the Sauteed Dark Greens and Cannellini Beans over Herbed Polenta. Two huge squares of creamy, savory polenta served as a base for a mountain of sauteed kale and white beans, redolent of garlic and olive oil, with a splash of balsamic-kissed broth finishing it off. Each component of this rustic dish was amazing on its own perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned. Together it was just fantastic. My boyfriend opted for the Quiche of the Day, which was served with a cup of soup and a small green salad. The quiche was tasty, with a flaky crust, its custardy filling dotted with chunks of delicata squash and onions; Locatelli cheese added a sharp note. The Spiced Pumpkin Soup, though, was the real star of this show, with loads of fresh ginger to give it a kick, and just a touch of sweetness. I was tempted to get a container of this stuff to go! (It should be noted that all 3 of their soups that day were vegetarian We were excited to see that they served ice creams and sorbets from The Bent Spoon, and decided to share a 3-scoop bowlful for dessert. The ice cream was, of course, delicious but I found myself regretting the fact that I didn't try one of their amazing looking homemade desserts (Apple Caramel Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie looked especially tasty; vegan sweets offered, as well). Mugs of excellent coffee capped things off nicely. We enjoyed our meal so much that we returned for breakfast the next day equally awesome. We look forward to returning here soon and often!"

Phyllis' Giant Burgers

Phyllis' Giant Burgers

1774 Piner Rd, 95403, Santa Rosa, United States

Meat • Salad • Casual • Burgers


"Pretty good food. Stays close to it 's diner roots/inspiration without venturing too much into the unknown ... or the exciting really. I typically just go for the basic burger the first few times I eat somewhere, and here was no exception. It 'd be a lie to say I was disappointed ... I ate the whole meal and felt satisfied, but around here I feel like you need just a little more to get that fifth star experience. So the food wasn 't particularly amazing, the folks and atmosphere was certainly nice, but nothing outstanding, the value for the food wasn 't horrible, but if start ordering anything more than basic food and tack on a milkshake or two, you could be leaving a diner over $30. The real hinge-point for me between the 4 and 5 star mark was the flavor of the meat. I 'll give them credit that it tasted much more juicy and natural than it did greasy and burnt, but in the end of the day it lacked flavor in a big way. I don 't feel that it was even properly seasoned on the salt front, let alone with any additional seasonings; although they did cook a pretty good medium-rare, which if you 've ever been to a burger place without a Michelin star, you know that 's how you get a medium, so that was pleasant. If I 'm ordering a $18 grass-fed, shade grown, fair trade, cruelty free, no antibiotics, the-cows-got-to-play-pacman-6-hours-a-day-and-little-Betty-read-them-bedtime-stories, ground beef patty in a burger filled with very fresh ingredients, I can easily forgive under-seasoning in an effort to highlight the complexity of the freshness of the dish; but although this burger was good, it wasn 't that good, and some simple ground beef seasoning tricks would 've made all the difference. But ... it was still good food, and I 'll still probably be back, it 's just shy of greatness, and in Sonoma County, it 's just too easy to find a better burger."