Kau Kau A Go Go

Welcome to the Kau Kau Hotel blog on the Go.  Gogobot that is.  Gogobot is a new service linking social media with travel.  Easier to use than the Trip Apps I've found so far and less "skeevy" than TripAdvisor.

Hopefully 2012 will bring Google Account integration (a request has been logged) so the blog an my latitude check-ins will seamlessly flow.

Until then, I'll post deep links to review and stories etc.  Have a sneak peek.  I've added 70+ cities and 25+ reviews in less than 2 hours.  If only I could make blogging this easy.

Happy Christmas folks.

http://www.gogobot.com/user/kau_kau_hotel_blog

Sydney's Good Food

Sydney has some damn good food.  Witness this whole Scotch Roast (Rib Eye) from Urban Food Market in Merrickville.   This is hormone, and other nasty-stuff free beef raised by a river in Tasmania.  I don't know the recipe here but it looks like garlicky deliciousness to me.

Sydney also has some mean markets.   My favorite being the one by my office once per month.  First Saturday.  Everything is organic, the saltbush lamb is the best, the produce is fresh but pricey and truthfully you can get it cheaper elsewhere.  That said, the fruit can be really beautiful when in peak season and worth the cost.

These are the stalls set up in a small park in front of The Star Casino.  Right on the water makes it cool.  There are a few coffee stands to get am refreshment.  

Hawaii - Big Island - Manta @ Mauna Kea Beach

Mauna Kea - Manta & Pavilion Bar

This is a historic post about two meals I ate over a year ago but I still drool when I think about them, so its never too late to post...Lets go back to February 2010 on my favorite rock in the pacific, Hawaii.

This is one of my favorite hotels on earth and my favorite white sand beach on the Big Island.

I stayed at the Hotel on the last night of my vacation last year, its was a free night from Hotels.com stays so I only paid $30 in taxes for this 5 star resort.  Given that I had "saved" so much money, I immediately went and splurged on food.   I had an amazing solo outdoor diner  @ Mantas and an even better AYCE brunch at same place next AM.  Best meal(s) in years.  Sadly my wife had left for the mainland the day before, so I had to enjoy this majestic place on my own.  Trust me I ate for two both at dinner and brunch the next morning.

I highly recommend, if you are not staying at the Muana Kea Beach Hotel, to go there early one day for the "Beach Brunch."  Get a nice parking spot (best luck b4 10am), go up to the restaurant feast on some ono brunch and then plant yourselves on a primo beach the rest of the day.  That is a perfect foodie vacation day on the Big Island's North Kohala Coast.  Enjoy the food and the post-splurge "Polynesian Paralysis" aka food coma!

I didnt get dessert but if I had to choose from this list, the Portuguese Sweetbread French Toast no doubt.  Altho the Chocolate Beet cake with Corn Ice Cream and Jake & Coke sauce is a strong 2nd.  

View from outdoor table to the beach below.

Brunch buffet of subtropical goodness.

Brunch dim sum w/ sauce

Desserts and Kona Coffee

Open kitchen with a great view.

Looking down towards the buffet tables and past the waffle station.

Manapua, Rib Roast, Eggs cooked to order onion and green bean tempura, and crab legs.  Awesome sauces below with the dim sum decorations.

I've come to the Land Down Under

Gentle Readers, Its approaching my third month living in the land down under.  Its time for a great food round-up.  After reading, surf over to Youtube to hear the Thunder and see the Outback.

Best 10 Meals in Australia
01) Rockpool @ The Rocks - Sydney CBD
02) Our Place on Darling @ Balmain - Sydney Inner West
03) Churrasco @ Coogee Beach - Sydney Eastern Suburb
04) Viet Rose @ Fitzoy - Melbourne Suburb
05) Bloodwood @ Newtown - Sydney Inner West
06) Pendolino @ Strand Arcade - Sydney CBD
07) Spice I Am @ Surry Hills/Haymarket - Sydney CBDish

08) Old Thanh Huong @ Merrickville - Sydney Inner (South) Westish
09) Tokonoma @ Surry Hills - Sydney CBDish
10) Bartino @ Pyrmont - Sydney in Pyrmont Village

Best Meals 5 Runner's Up

11) Chat Thai @ Haymarket - Sydney CBD
12) Glenmore Hotel @ The Rocks - Sydney CBD [roofdeck!]
13) BBQ City @ Liverpool Street - Sydney CBD
14) Chinta Ria Temple of Love @ Darling Harbor -Sydney CBD 
15) Hannah’s Pie’s @ Ultimo - Sydney border of Pyrmont/Broadway

Worst 5 Meals in Australia

16) Hurricane's @ Darling Harbor - Sydney Darling Harbor
17) Sauce @ Coogee Beach - Sydney Eastern Suburbs
18) Breakfast @ the Inter-Continental Melbourne  - CBD Melbourne
19) Charlie & Co @ Westfield Mall - Sydney CBD Pitt Street Mall
20) There are more that were less than noteworthy but not nearly "worst"

Vegas Trip Report

Aria / City Center - Like many I have mixed reviews. I'm definitely glad we stayed there, but if I am going to go Lux I'd much rather go to the Wynn. However, my wife really liked it for its Openness and Modern Design. I have to agree, it is a nice change from the usual Rococo interiors and trimmings of Hotels in Vegas. The room is not as country clubby as the Wynn. It is "high-tech" for American Standards but probably on the low-end for any Japanese Hotel. Not that I know that, yet. Great Art all around is cool. That was a good call. Check this sculpture by Nancy Rubins. Its this amazing burst of color that is gigantic. It also happens to be mostly made out of small water vessels like kayaks and canoes of primary colors and bursts with energy.

Stay at Aria if you like tech or Modern Art vs Italianate Flair . I was always startled by the heavy vanilla scenting of the Lobbies, Casino Floor and especially the Elevator banks. Those banks had very cool purple velvet high-back couches. How high-back? Probably 30 feet. I want a house with 30 foot veltvet highback couches in my man cave. No, thats Vegas talking. And I am digressing.

The Vdara is another hotel along with the Mandarin Oriental. We went to all three. There is an overpriced mall named - wait for it.......Crystals ........for Chrissakes just call it Diamonds

On to the Kau Kau. Sage at Aria, Chef I'd say four and a half stars out of five. The Service, Room, Menu ...including options for Tasting or Signature Menus in addition to a la carte. Really well done. I can see why this place "wowed" the Vegas Food scene this year.
The picture with giant painting in background shows the "best" absinthe bar in America. It was a rolling cart going around the multi-room dining space. The soundtrack was my speed as well with downtempo and deep house muted beats which complimented the low lit, and surprisingly hushed spaced (not quiet or still - but more classic and less rowdy than any other vegas restaurant). They had a very extensive New and Old World wine list. Excellent mid-high options and very good choices but limited selection in low-end of by-glass servings. Beer Pairings. Brilliant. I had a Scrimshaw Pilsner but no one else in my party had an adult beverage.

Julian Serrano is a located open-air to the Aria Lobby, on the way to CRYSTALS! It has a design that is candy-esque and very fun. The food was very well-presented, again bright and fun but also very tasteful and hearty servings for small plates. We only had about 5-6 plates but all were solid. My favorite by far was the beef and cheese. No not an empanada. More like a gourmet open faced tapa sandwich for a giant. I'd def go back for more. They had a beautiful bar. I'll try that next time.

Bev Gannon Restaurants | Maui Catering | Special Events and Weddings in Maui

Bev Gannon Restaurants | Maui Catering | Special Events and Weddings in Maui

Yes its been a while. Its always a good time to start again.

I have yet to go to a Bev Gannon resto but I know I am going to fall in love. The aesthetic and the food choices (on paper) are simply amazing. Most of you who know me, know I love to give recommendations of places to go in my home state of Hawaii.

Here are two great eateries on Maui, in two of my favorite locations: Upcountry and The Beach (Wailea).

If anyone has been to one of these please comment and post pictures. I will update on my next trip. I guess I have to go to Maui, even tho its really my least favorite Island Country (Maui, Molokai, Lana'i). But that's another post.....

A not so Tasty Tsunami coming Hilo Way ....

Note - This post has some formatting errors. No time to fix, sorry.