Gustatory Travelers

Posted by May - "Succulent Garlic Shrimp"
This is the absolute best shrimp I have ever tasted in my life. I could eat their version of GARLIC SHRIMP everyday. It's nothing but a million explosion of creamy flavors in your mouth. For $8.00 at the most popular, Shrimp Station, Kauai.

photo by May

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Posted by Olivia - "Bibingka"

One of the most popular food for Christmas season in the Philippines is Bibingka. It is like a pancake but made of ground glutinous rice (malagkit na bigas). The best Bibingka must have the salted egg and melted cheese on top then to be served with sprinkled shredded old coconut (niyog) while it is still warm. 

I just had one of it today. : ) yum, yum, yum

This was my share...yummy! :) (photos by Olivia)

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Posted by Tess - "Fish and Chips"

I am a big fan of Filipino foods. Perhaps it's because I am not a good cook at all. My brothers used to tell me that my dishes are very rich in Vitamin C because they are all sour - and I have one word for that accusation - GUILTY!

Though I am not a big fan of gourmet foods, every time I dine in a restaurant I always ask the waiter  if there's Fish and Chips in their menu. I first tasted this dish in London in 1998, and since then it has always become one of my favorites. Not many restaurants have this dish in their selections and, so far, from all the places I've tried it to, the only place that has its closest taste is in Holiday Inn Hotel located in Lido Beach, Florida.  You have to try it. It's yummy, yummy, yummy!

photo by Tess M.

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Posted by May - "Say Cheese!"

Being a wife, entertaining guests as well as the husband without going over the top is a big requirement to a success in the kitchen. Back when I was still single, I often attended parties by couples who served finger foods and booze and many thought, hmm, they were simple, enjoyable and easy to prepare. Now, all I know is nothing beats fruits. But then again, who serves fruits at a party? Then it hit me. Cheese.

Marched down to Costco and guess what, there are so many types out in the market! Swiss, camembert, cream, cottage, goat cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, etc. And I asked confused, "What cheese should I pick?" I'm doing my research on cheese. And while I'm at it, I gotta learn the nutritional values of these yummy flavors before I start serving them on a platter.

photos by May @ Costco

1. Cottage cheese is low in calories and high in protein and calcium (which many women neglect to take in). So I guess I'd try serving this for the meantime. Here's a suggested recipe, just combine cottage cheese and unsalted peanuts together. Voila!

2. Ricotta Cheese is not yummy. It looks like TAHO but a stinky version. It's grainy and it takes bland. I was able to use this for my "chef day" making lasagna. Ricotta cheese must be mixed with parmesan and beaten egg to get the best taste out of it.

3. Swiss & Cheddar Cheese blend well with any sandwich. They are salty and creamy. They go with crackers and can be eaten as they are.

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Posted by Elizabeth - "Veggie Whenever"

Our home date nibbles. Never "NO" to Doritos.

“I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli”. George W. Bush


I guess, you can say that my conversion to vegetarianism was more of a romantic choice more than a health option. When I had a dinner date with Mom for the first time in Tokyo back in early '08, he sheepishly confessed to having just quit eating anything eggy, milky and carnivorey. I was about to offer sushi, btw (and he was about to order sushi too because he said he didn't have to be a vegetarian that night). Well on that "very memorable" date, we gorged on edamame, veggie tempura and cucumber sushi. The whole time during my first vegetarian meal with Mom, I was imagining what our dining table would look like when we had our future kids. I guess it was the effect of sake but in retrospect, probably, it was plain vanilla love at first sight. 


Vegetarians don't have easy lives once in a while (whether or not one's lifestyle is dining out forever or homecooked meals a la Martha Stewart). In Japan, I used to get an obligatory wince from the typically polite servers when I said, "Bejetariyanu desu" (I'm vegetarian). My trips to HK, Korea provoked more raised brows than ever. Europe is more forgiving though. Yet still, I won't say Mom and I have as many happier options as the general folks who are on top of the food chain...but then again, this must be love, you know?! oohh--lala--la!  ;b

Blank and Chips (UK)

Paella de Verduras (Espana)

Gnocchi con il sugo di pomodoro (Italia)

Po Lin Monastery Monk Lunch (HK)

Atatakai Soba/Inari + Ume Onigiri (Japan)

Bap minus Bulgogi (Hanguk)

Pechni Zelentchutsi (Bulgaria)

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Posted by May - "Hawaiian Lobster Poke"

Excerpt from my past article: Island Food 101: What is Ahi Poke?

Today, poke (poh-kee) is considered a comfort food for many Hawaiians. Wide variety of flavors and ingredients on any seafood make delicious poke. Everything from fresh Ahi and crab to octopus and lobster are great to dice and mix with other herbs, spices, marinades, vegetables, nuts and even mayonnaise.

Visiting Hawaii? This is a must-have dish. Available everywhere.

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Posted by May - "Korean fave dish: Kamjatang"
Of all the dishes I learned how to make, this is one that I won't ever attempt to try. It will spoil the idea of the dish for me once I try. We found this Korean community in CO and guess what, authentic Korean cuisine!! Meaning, cooked by Koreans, served by Koreans.

kamjattang by May

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Posted by May - "Vietnamese Pho"

First time to eat at a vietnamese restaurant here on Kauai. First time to eat pho. It resembles the taste of Korean dish without the heat. All in all, I say Pho is perfect for people who love soup and noodles. I love soup, not the rice noodles. And for $8 bucks, this is a perfect, healthy meal.