Red Pepper Restaurant - Red Pepper Mix

Red Pepper Restaurant is a new (less than a month old) spot on Fort Street Mall, in a strip of storefronts that has turned steadily into a food court for nearby Hawaii Pacific University.  There is already another Korean BBQ in the vicinity, the venerable 2-Go-Bar-B-Q.  This newcomer distinguishes itself by being a "fresh and healthy" version.

Red Pepper Mix

Is it a worthwhile distinction?  Well, the Red Pepper Mix ($9.59) does feel a little cleaner, less sauce heavy, and has an interesting piece item, i.e. "pepper jun."  Pepper jun turns out to be a piece of bell pepper, coated in egg batter and deep fried . . . a Korean chile relleno.  Very tasty and lots of fun.

The rest of the food is, to Umami's palate, a bit under seasoned and nondescript, which is not how Umami thinks of Korean cuisine.  Two nicely grilled, but under seasoned boneless chicken thighs, bulgogi that could have used a little more time marinating, pepper jun (winnah!), a piece of mandoo (pretty good, but "healthy?").  You get three vegetables, but unlike other Korean BBQs, you don't get to choose.  And the macaroni salad ("healthy?") is also on the bland side.

All in all, a lot of food, but disappointingly unentertaining.  Maybe opening day jitters.  Maybe Umami's palate is not in step with fresh and healthy (though that's not really a surprise).

Because Elle asked, Umami will go back to see if they have a Pepper Jun plate . . . but, if not, hard for him to see choosing Red Pepper over 2-Go.

Red Pepper Restaurant
1150 Fort Street Mall
Honolulu, Hawaii  96815
808-536-1200

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Carval Cafe - Bacon Wrapped Roast Pork

The search for Brown and White Food leads Umami further and further afield, this time to Restaurant Row to try Carval Cafe.  Actually, Elle was at Restaurant Row a week earlier to take a deposition and had tried it on the recommendation of the deponent in the case.  Elle tried the Grilled Vegetable on Foccacia and found it very good, with lots of freshly grilled (i.e., hot) vegetables and a salad with a dressing that was so good, she saved it for last.

But that's not how Umami rolls . . .   

How Umami Rolls:
Carval Cafe Bacon Wrapped Roast Pork

Bacon Wrapped Roast Pork ($8.75) is a bit of a misnomer, since the pork is not actually wrapped in bacon when plated.  Maybe when it cooked?  At any rate, the pork is tender enough to fall off the bone if there was a bone to fall off of.  There are bits of bacon in the gravy, but the key is that it infuses the gravy with smoke, salt and fat.  As Olaf ("Frozen") might say, "All good things, all good things."

The gravy is very thin and, when mixed with the rice, reminded Umami of eating Kalua Pig, when the juices get into the rice.  Fabulous!

Umami will be heading back there soon, maybe this week.  Ms. Trina gave up (legged) meats for Lent, but this coming week, all bets are off.  Maybe Umami will take a cue from Elle and go for the Grilled Vegetables on Foccacia.  Maybe . . .

Carval Cafe
Restaurant Row (across from "the Thai place" aka Payao)
500 Ala Moana Blvd
Ste 2b
Honolulu, HI 96813

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