"Curried Goat"..."Jerk Chicken": A taste of Jamaican cuisine

In New York, there's more to fast food than just burger & fries
- and if you know how to choose the "right" food, it's easy to eat healthily, even when you're at fast food joints.
I'd recommend "Curried Goat" and "Jerk Chicken" - available at a Jamaican fast food joint -Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill

Whatever your choice of meat is, be it Goat, Beef, Chicken or Fish (yes, they do serve fish :) real fish. Not McD stuff) - they come served with vegetable + bean & rice

The best part of it all - they're all MSG-free
The gravies are flavoured using natural ingredients - spices (cardamoms, anise, ginger, fennel, etc)

I went to the Golden Krust outlet nearby 135 St. station
The ambience is nice
It's quite spacious for a fast food joint
Oil paintings of Jamaica on the walls...

Clean chairs & tables

Why is "Jerk Chicken" called Jerk Chicken?
Well, I don't really know
but from what I found out,..."Jerk" means "spicy"
Jerk Chicken = Spicy Chicken

Pastizzi: Ricotta-filled traditional Maltese snack :)

Pastizzi (cheesecakes or peacakes) are ricotta or pea filled pastries which are the most popular and best known culinary export of Malta).

(Image source: farm2.static.flickr.com/1375/145...65f6.jpg)

Pastizzi (singular: pastizz) are popular amongst Maltese people, and are also produced amongst the immigrant communities of Maltese in Australia, the US and Canada.

In Aus, traditional handmade pastizzis are available at Pepe's Pastizzi (http://www.pepespastizzi.com.au/)

Pastizzi lend their name to "pastizzerias" - the dozens of fast food outlets dotted around Malta which primarily sell pastizzi (along with pizzas, qassatat, timpana and sausage rolls).

 

(Image source: http://worldhaveyoursay.wordpres...assallo)

Pastizzerias also do a rice dish called Ross il-Forn (Maltese for Rice) that is rice cooked in the bolognese sauce and has a pastizzi pastry topping.

In recent years, an inter-family chain "Maxim`s" has taken a dominant share of the pastizzi market, though most pastizzerias are still small, local family concerns. Although a matter of personal taste Maxim's are considered to do the best pea cakes on the island.

(Image source:everywheremag.com)

Pastizzi are typically cooked in batches of 30 on wood furnaces on black metal trays. Pastizzi come in the two standard ricotta and pizelli (pea) varieties, with the ricotta version notably the more popular of the two. Pea pastizzi's are also called pea cakes, which is easier for tourists to say.

A slightly different puff pastry version of the snack is sold at more stylish cafes. Pastizzi are particularly popular snacks on Sundays in Malta, with vendors all over the islands opening in the early hours to cater for late night clubbers and early morning hunters alike. Pastizzi have a particular place of pride in Maltese culture and are light-heartedly considered one of the nation's unique achievements. Locals consider no visit to Malta to be complete without eating some pastizzi.

Hooters Girls :) (@ Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu)

To be honest, the food at Hooters aren't exceptional.

But no matter how unimpressive the cooking may be, it's still worth a visit

- just to see the sexy Hooters Girls ;)

(Image source: http://www.sporttruck.com/pinups..._16.html)

;P *salivating*

They look so sexy that even the mediocre "KFC-quality chicken wings" taste so heavenly!

...and of course, I love the colourful wall decorations at the restaurant

This pic was taken at the Hooters outlet @ Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu

Some pics of the food:)

My favourite is the "Mahi fish fillet" - which is only available at the Hooters outlet in Honolulu

What I like most about Hooters - no matter which restaurant you go to, the girls are very nice and friendly :-) With me in this pic is Brianna

Over the years, the issue of Hooter Girls have attracted a great deal of controversy - criticisms from extreme feminists

(Image source: http://www.ebcak.com/archives/399)

Well, so what if Hooters Girls are for decoration?;)

I enjoy looking, & I'm not even a guy or a bi! ;P

There are also many guys out there who are for decoration, lol - like David Beckham, Andy Roddick, the Calvin Klein models

(Image source: http://euroross.blogspot.com/200...ive.html)

Well, so what if Hooters girls or 'guys' are for decoration? ;p

It just makes life more interesting!:)


Website: http://www.hooters.com/

Umeke Market & Deli, Honolulu

Umeke Market Deli is my favourite place for yummy organic food :)
The food's so good that I went there at least 5 times!

My favourites: Tofu lasagna, spinach casserole, turkey meatloaf & "Naked" natural fruit juice ;p

(Yes, it's 100% natural! Preservative free. Unlike "Simply Squeezed" - the organic impostor)

For those of you who wonder what Umeke means, it is the Hawaiian word for "calabash". It literally can be translated to mean "wooden bowl". In ancient times, Hawaiians used the umekes for medicinal purposes as well as for cooking. Nowadays, umekes are often given as gifts or awards in both cultural and business gatherings. Umekes are also used for keeping favorite items (e.g. small keepsakes and treasures).

The deli section at Umeke, filled with dozens of salads and side dishes

Preservative-free pomegranate & blueberry juice

Trying out the yummy Free-range Chicken Curry Salad

(Cotton shirt by Arcadia, Sunglasses by Elle)

Clockwise, from top left: (1) Free-range Chicken Curry Salad, Squash & Butternut Casserole, Turkey Meatloaf

Clockwise, from top left: (1) Turkey Meatloaf, (2) Spinach Ricotta Casserole, and (3) Grilled Veggie Lasagna

Parking space for "bicycles" :)

Umeke Market is located along the Kalanianaole Highway (nearby Kahala Mall).
Address: 4400 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu

Plenty of parking spaces for cars too!

Website: http://www.umekemarket.com/

Umeke Market and Deli is a family owned and operated business by husband and wife team, Daryl and Michelle Yamaguchi and sister, Debbie Yamaguchi. The Yamaguchi family has had long-standing roots in the Hawaii food industry, as far back and the mid 40's. Their grandparents operated the "E.S. Yamaguchi Family Market" in the old Farmer's market building in Kakaako.

Daryl and Debbie Yamaguchi opened the Kaimuki Health Market in 1997 and have grown and renamed the business and added Michelle's expertise in the kitchen as a mainstay of their deli. Michelle has created many tasty and delicious menu items, including her own recipe for her tantalizing "veggie burger", the ever so popular Turkey Focaccia Sandwich, Chicken Adobo and Veggie Foccacia Sandwich.

Articles about Umeke Market & Deli:

http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/maincourse_article/fresh_natural_plate_lunches_on_bishop_street/

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/8193/108/

I didn't know PINEAPPLE ice-creams exist! ;) *yum*

My new-found love :) - Dole Plantation's pineapple ice-cream

Light, fluffy
& not too sweet (unlike fruit sorbets. I'm not a fan of sweet sorbets)

it's virtually fat-free
Be prepared for a long queue!
(but it's worth it nonetheless :) )
When I was there, I saw at least 5 other tourist buses!

(Swimwear by Blush!. Lip gloss by Estee Lauder)

A nice patio for visitors to enjoy the cool breeze while sampling fragrant pineapple ice-creams

About Dole Pineapple Plantation

(Source: Wikipedia)

Dole was founded in 1851 in Hawaii as Hawaiian Pineapple Company by James Dole, who opened his first pineapple plantation in the central plateau of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Today the company does business in over 90 countries and takes in upwards of $5.3 billion in annual revenue. It is owned by billionaire David H. Murdock.

Colourful plants along the driveway

Eucalyptus trees...

A map/directory located outside the main building

A stall selling home-grown fruits and veges- paw-paws (papayas), pineapples, sweet potatoes, etc

A souvenir shop where you can get nicely-packaged Hawaiian snacks - Macadamia nuts, sugar-free chocolates, preserved pienapples, amngoes, & coconuts, pineapple ice-cream (of course!), organic honey, cereals, fridge magnets... etc

Funny looking Monkfish @ Sydney Fish Market

Monkfish is the "cutest" fish specie that I've ever seen...

yes, "cute"
(Cute: ugly but adorable [Oxford dictionary]) ;p
I wonder what it tastes like...

Huge upturned mouth...
- it has this perpetual "sad" look
but to me, that's what makes the monkfish so endearing
you see, it has such an unhappy-looking face that I almost felt obligated to cuddle it in my arms

There are at least 5 seafood retailers @ Sydney Fish Market
- but the biggest & busiest one is probably Claudio's

Apart from monkfish, you can find the more usual types of seafood like.. umm, Salmon heads...hehe:)
(at least, these are my favourites)

Moreton Bay bugs... (they taste somewhat like lobsters)

Abalones...

and of course, the famous New Zealand mussels :) :) :)

There's a vege/fruit shop in the building that sells pumpkins for 99 cents each

& a few cafes/restaurants that offers outdoor dining (famous for Fish n Chips), where you can eat alongside the greedy seagulls ;p

There's also a gourmet shop (Blackwattle Deli) that sells cheese, wine, organic pasta, homemade sauce... etc etc

"Sydney Fish Market was established by the NSW Government in 1945.

SFM is the largest market of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and the world's second largest seafood market in terms of variety outside of Japan, SFM auctions over 100 species daily.

Sourcing product both nationally and internationally, SFM trades over 13,000 tonnes of seafood annually."

(Source: www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au)

Naughty OZ souvenirs: Kangaroo scrotum bottle openers, sheep skin nipple warmers:)

Discovered these treasures in a souvenir shop in Market City (the mall beside Paddy's Market) :)

Kangaroo scrotum bottle opener ;p hehe

"Sheepskin Nipple Warmers"

"Proudly made in New Zealand"

"Supporting you from Downunder"

"Because...it's Rude to point!" ;p

Crocodile tooth necklace

Kangaroo scrotums...

Kangaroo claws