Taste of Honolulu

[damontucker]

I love this event!

I traditionally have a cooler in my car that I will fill up with about 40 - 50 bucks worth of stuff (going in and out of the event all day)

I then have good eats all week w/ out having to do much but nuke it!

And it's all for a good cause.

Is there anything that your looking forward to trying this year?

http://www.taste808.com/

[Pomai]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Went to the opening of Taste of Honolulu tonight.

Tried the Snapper with Sun-Dried Tomato Butter and Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cheesecake (on a stick) from Hyatt's Colony restaurant booth. Both EXCELLENT.

Also tried the Karaage Chicken and Braised Ginger Pork (sort of like Rafute) from Hyatt's Musashi restaurant booth. The chix was moist and flavorful. Didn't really care for the pork.

Then tried 'Chef Ching Dynasty Beef and Jasmine Tea Smoked Shrimp Salad from Hyatt's Ciao Mein restaurant booth. If you like Schezuan style Chinese, you'll like the beef. The salad was excellent, except I wish they used a better lettuce than Iceberg.

After that I was full and didn't try anywhere else, but did browse the entire spread. There was a bunch of wine stations, but I wasn't in the mood for that.

The place was jam-packed with folks and by the time I arrived at 7pm the municipal building's lot was already full, so I had to park across the street in the Board of Water Supply lot (free) where we were redirected.

General admission is $4.00.

Plenty of good food and entertainment... definately worth checking out.

[Palama Kid]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

http://www.taste808.com/

Went to this link and was checking out some of the restaurants.

Couldn't get to Da Spot. Just curious: is it closed? Now, that place had an eclectic menu.

Were I stuck in Honolulu, Taste of Honolulu is one affair I would have attended.

[Pomai]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Went to this link and was checking out some of the restaurants.

Couldn't get to Da Spot. Just curious: is it closed? Now, that place had an eclectic menu.

Were I stuck in Honolulu, Taste of Honolulu is one affair I would have attended.

They certainly were there. I seen their booth.

This is what DA SPOT Health Food & Juices is offering at TOH '06:

• Egyptian Baked Chicken with (Rouz Asfar) Yellow Rice (7 scripts)
• (Mahshi) Egyptian Stuffed Grape Leaves & (Zabadi) Yogurt Sauce (4)
• Combo: Egyptian Baked Chicken and Stuffed Grape Leaves (9)
• Chocolate Covered Haupia Baklava with Almonds and Walnuts (7)

Da Spot Health Foods & Juices
908 Pumehana St.
(808) 941-1313
website not available

[Palama Kid]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

• Chocolate Covered Haupia Baklava with Almonds and Walnuts

Salamat for the info, Pomai.

I had the deep-fried haupia at Willows last year, but chocolate covered haupia baklava??? That took some imagination. I wish I were home now so I can go try some.

[damontucker]

HT's Own Erika Engle... well at least for tonight

Hey Erika... Good job on your reporting at the "Live" Easter Seal's broadcast of the Taste of Honolulu.

You look so young on camera!

If your watching now...tune to KHNL to watch the Broadcast Live now!

She is one of the reporters "reporting live from the Taste of Honolulu"

[1stwahine]

Re: HT's Own Erika Engle... well at least for tonight

Excellent job! Pretty Lady!!!

Auntie Lynn

[pzarquon]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Auntie Lynn, were you there? Kilinahe swears she saw you with a pack of Hell's Angels. Gotta admit, it would make sense!

So would seeing glossyp there... alas, no sign of her, either!

Yeah, the family and I went down there this afternoon. Mid-afternoon to avoid the worst of the heat and crowds, leaving just as the evening crunch began (and it became impossible to tell a line from a bunch of loiterers... let alone push a double stroller around!). Ate lots of good stuff, of course. Jambalaya and ribs from Kevin's Two Boots, stuff from The Mandalay, 3 Star Catering, The Willows, Dave & Busters, The 'O' Lounge (far as I can tell, no one was at that booth for the food), more than a few hotels... crab cakes, a couple of desserts... Mmm.

Blowing over $50 on a bunch of appetizer-sized dishes sounds a bit ridiculous, but boy, is it ever tasty. And for a good cause!

[kimo55]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Auntie Lynn, were you there? Kilinahe swears she saw you with a pack of Hell's Angels.

yea. was maddie and aunty

[damontucker]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

I was in and out... got their about 11:45 with my cooler... bought $40.00 worth of script...

and went to town for about an hour.

Was disapointed that Tudo De Bon wasn't open still yet as I was passing by my final round around 1:00.

Even though Times supermarket is considered a restaraunt... I think their sterling Steaks were way better than the Top of Waikiki's one... even though Top of Waikiki's was voted #1....

Location location location... times looked like a side swap meet... however, I'm hooked now on there steak plates that they serve at various time's market...

I also think that "The Top of Waikiki" bought a lot of their votes by giving away $20.00 gift cards early in the day...

By far the best deal of the day... the fact that Easter Seals get's a lot of money!

(never went to any of the wines or any of that kine.... )

[Erika Engle]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Thanks Manoa and Auntie! You're too kind. I love being part of the Taste of Honolulu. We figured out, during a post-Taste meeting last night, that my first year of involvement as a host was 10 years ago, when they were still doing telethons. There was a break of a couple years, after my beloved died ... but I was so happy to be asked back.

I was watching my friend and former co-worker Sweetie Pacarro on the monitor during the broadcast ... and while she's not that much younger than me, her physical antics and high energy level made me feel like an old woman!

If you could bottle her energy (or the energy of toddlers) and sell it, it would surely be illegal.

[tutusue]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

[...]I was watching my friend and former co-worker Sweetie Pacarro on the monitor during the broadcast ... and while she's not that much younger than me, her physical antics and high energy level made me feel like an old woman![...]

So, Sweetie's 3 minute power naps really do work?

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Sounds like a fantastic event. I've long enjoyed the Bite of Seattle festival here, but Taste of Honolulu? I can only imagine how wonderful those flavors must be...mmmmmmmmmmm...

[pzarquon]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Taste of Honolulu loses its title sponsorship

Easter Seals Hawai'i won't be planning another Taste of Honolulu festival fundraiser next year, even though organizers said the 2006 event was the most successful ever. That's the word from John Howell, president and chief executive officer of the organization, who said Taste of Honolulu had grown in popularity and required more and more resources. "The enormity of it has outdistanced our staff," he said. [...]

Howell said the organization would consider a partnership or transfer of the event to another organization with some assurance that it would continue as a quality family-friendly event. He also praised all the volunteers, restaurants, staffers and vendors who have worked on the festival.

I love the Taste of Honolulu, but having worked in event management, I knowthat it probably wasn't worth the effort, especially given the agency's main mission. It raised $300,000, but that's barely 2 percent of the Easter Seals' fundraising. Yet I imagine it sucked up 90 percent of Easter Seals' time in the weeks preceding it.

I am glad to read that the event could possibly be transfered to another organization, with the stipulation that it retain its spirit. The way the story was covered last night on the local television news gave the impression that the Taste of Honolulu was gone for good.

I think it's a great event, with the "benefits a good cause" part being just an added bonus. If a local event management company were smart, they'd take on organizing Taste of Honolulu for a "discounted" rate, allow it to still primarily benefit a local charity, and get lots of warm fuzzies and community buzz for the effort.

[Lei Liko]

Re: Taste of Honolulu

Taste of Honolulu loses its title sponsorship
I love the Taste of Honolulu, but having worked in event management, I knowthat it probably wasn't worth the effort, especially given the agency's main mission. It raised $300,000, but that's barely 2 percent of the Easter Seals' fundraising. Yet I imagine it sucked up 90 percent of Easter Seals' time in the weeks preceding it. [...]

I agree. The CEO mentioned last night that Easter Seals employees are NOT event planners, so I don't blame them.

Event planning is difficult and I know this because I'm in the middle of planning one right now. If the money's not coming in after putting in all that effort, then it really isn't worth it.