Find some Ono Grinds without the plane ticket!

This past Tuesday I was finally able to put my favorite all time Hawaiian joint on my blog here after what has been 7-8 visits in the past 6 months alone, it was due time to make sure you readers became aware of this hidden gem in my neck of the woods here in Point Loma. Mind you they do have two other local store locations as well but I have yet to check those out.

Ever since my two, week long stays in Pearl Harbor via port calls for my job with the Navy, I have been in love with all things Hawaiian food from fine dining, the slow food movement, traditional Luau's, and unique mom and pop joints that have been around for decades. I love all of them!

It took some looking but I have found some solid spots in San Diego in the past 4 years as a resident. Good and authentic are not always the same thing however and this is where Homestyle Hawaiian stands above the others, their doing both very well!

On this visit, I wanted to feature my top menu items I have now had many times before among many other items as well. Musubi, spicy poke, every kind of teriyaki meat they have, you name it, I have tried it. All delicious! But the items I crave most and find myself sitting down to are what follows.

Small place with limited seating but only ever an issue around lunch hour and near closing hour. Other times this space works just fine for hungry San Dieagans seeking real deal Hawiian grub at fantastic prices. During those lunch and dinner times wait times can be 20-25 minutes as a norm so plan ahead, call it in and pick it up hot and ready. Its worth the wait people!

The board of daily specials. Big Braddah is rightfully named as you may need your big braddah to come in and help you finish the meal. Da Beast is the same deal.....only a beast could finish that 3+lb tray off yummy Ono Grinds!

They take great pride in their traditional recipes and menu items. Place is decked out with decor around the inside showing off  the legend of Eddie Aikau.

Can't decide on what to get, not sure what to try? Problem solved. Order this entree item from the specials board. "The Big Braddah" is a generous helping of the heavy hitters for a classic Hawaiian meal. Katsu chicken with an outstanding Lava sauce, a kalbi rib, kalua pulled pork and a side of mac salad and white rice. Bring the appetite as this can feed a bear!

And you cannot close a meal without some dessert right? On those hot sunny San Diego days to close out your meal or just cool off with a sweet (and healthy sorbet dessert alternative) grab a pineapple dole whip as shown here or get it "float style", dropped in a cup of cold OJ.

And then we have the Hawaiian version of the donut hole. Malsadas! A Portuguese confection of yeast bread in an egg sized ball, deep fried and rolled in granulated sugar. Served hot and melt in your mouth awesome!

And then my true #1 favorite Hawaiian inspired entree item....the Loco Moco! As shown here its a basic combo of made in house hamburger patty covered with 2 fried eggs, gravy grilled onions over a bed of white rice. The best part about Homestyle Hawaiian is that you can build your own by choosing the meat type and rice type you want. I find kalua pork is an amazing rendition as well!

Wash it all down with their made in house traditional lemonades! I got pomegranate and loved it!

The people making it happen! Tricia and Gill (husband and wife) and chef/owner couple are the magic behind this operation. They are some of the nicest and most hospitable people I have met in the restaurant biz. They truly care about their customers and enjoy what they do by putting out delicious food in a consistent fashion and amazing prices.

Ono Grinds sums it up perfectly (good food) in Hawaiian, in that your going to get exactly that by coming in here or getting some take out which many folks here do almost daily. I can say with confidence that you will find A Better Bite every time you visit, no boarding pass needed either! Oh and you should all know that they cater for groups big and small alike. Make any gathering a rocking Luau of your own!

A hui hou!

Pancakes 4 Ways

By now I assume most of you readers I have, are well aware of my love affair with pancakes. If not, you have much catching up to do on this blog as well as my social media as its riddled with shots of pancake glory. This blog adds to that collage of hotcake goodness. Many of you know that I have issue with flour and wheat (NOT BECAUSE OF GLUTEN) but simply because flour in any amount seems to make me sleepy and sluggish for the rest of the day each and every time I consume it. That being the sad truth of it, I need to pick and choose my battles wisely and in most cases, I choose pancakes! It also seems that when I consume flour right after training sessions it has far less impact on me so that has been a strategic reason for these Sunday Funday pancake outings with my boys.

In fact for the past 8-9 Sundays or so almost without fail, myself and my 2 training partners have been doing our Sunday lifting sessions and then finding our favorite hotspot pancake places to crush some carbs. This was my latest pick so read on!

You should also know by now I have my favorite go-to spots pending the kind of pancake I am seeking out. Massive buttermilk hotcakes is all about Brians 24, exotic specialty pancakes like apple pancakes, dutch baby's, german pancakes, 49er pancakes is all about Richard Walkers, but for pure variety of flavored pancakes where you can find 18 kinds of pancakes on the menu......none other than Family House of Pancakes in National City off E. Plaza Blvd. Open 6am-10am you can land some hotcake goodness all day long 7 days  week. They also have a location in Chula Vista open 6am-2pm daily but I have not yet made it into that location.

I came in about 7pm after a solid workout session at 24 hour fitness and found the place pretty mellow, not too busy at all. This was my 4th visit to FHOP this year already just to score some pancake love. With 18 types to offer you can make many visits and never get the same thing twice!

Our selections on this visit can be seen below so feast your eyes on these!

Tropical Pancake with grilled pineapple on top and inside the pancakes plus toasted coconut.

My personal favorite and pick for the night, the sweet potato pancake!

Mellow blueberry pancake

Chocolate chip pancake

Our spread of hotcake goodness!

If you happen to be craving pancakes of the non-traditional kind, this is your spot to hit up for sure! Again, 18 types to pick from each ranging from $8-9 for a stack of 4 pancakes is a solid deal and given how good they all are....it's truly A Better Bite indeed!

This weekly routine of ours is not likely to end anytime soon so if you folks know of other local San Diego pancake hotspots, please comment below and let me know about them so I can feature it here!

They don't Monkey around....much.

After just having learned of this 5th avenue location and its recent opening (6 weeks at time of visit) I was excited to make my debut to another downtown Gaslamp venue of which I do not often hit up frequently due to parking issues. This occasion, however, was a none parking issue as I made it for a mid-day 2ish lunch stop to kick off my Friday and my weekend.

At the corner of 5th and Island this place is hard to miss. A big old Monkey King mural printed along the Island Ave side of the building is easy to spot. A shot of the mural with the owner Matt and myself.

The interior is spacious and open. The front side wall/windows have natural light pouring in from 5th ave. A long bar area for folks to grab sips and drinks while watching the game on any of the multiple televisions they have up. If I recall right, Matt Nosse, the owner, says they have a custom built, 38 steel panel, floor to ceiling, LED backlit TV coming in very soon as well. It will display patterns of migrating butterflies along the back wall. From what I got a glimpse of, this will be unlike anything anyone else has in downtown!

Outdoor seating is available along 5th ave and Island Ave for about 20-25 seats for those looking to catch the bustle of the Gaslamp during their meal. Views from outside seating...

The menu is diverse and authentic in its representation of both Thai and Japanese cusines. Not a fusion as I found it but rather a blend of both styles in traditional form. My picks for this visit was the traditional pho bowl of rare steak and noodles plus fixings. I also got the Tom Kah Soup bowl. Lunch is served 11-3, dinner 5-11 with HH specials and small plates from 3-5.

Both my items were spot on delicious! Robust flavor, nothing fancy or over doctored, simple foods prepared well and served correctly.


Matt, his lead bartender/manager Garret, and one of their servers, Ulyssess were all super kind and very friendly. They like what they do and seem proud to be part of it.

Monkey King has something different going for it then I have found anywhere else in Gaslamp. A place for the more mature adult crowd to escape the club scene and yet still find a mellow, laid back lounge with an upscale, casual vibe, great drinks, and good food, Perfect for the solo diner wanting to grab a happy hour drink after work, the guy or gal who wants to catch the game and a bite at the bar or even small groups who want to get a good meal before heading out for a night on the town. All will be pleased with what they find at Monkey King.


History Lesson: The name of this 150-year-old building comes from its origins when Gaslamp used to be the primary Chinatown area of the area. A secret gambling/lottery hall survived for many years in the open basement under what is now the restaurant. Until its discovery and shut down by local police raids, it was known in secret as "The Monkey King" The picture on the hostess stand when you enter shows the building as it was in the early 60's as The Nanking Cafe.

Liking what I found at Luce!

Another debut experience for me this week! Heck yeah! Matter of fact had it not been for a really insightful podcast episode on DineLocalSD (episode 4), I may have never even bothered to make this visit happen. I had driven by Luce Bar & Kitchen many times before but never stopped in. After listening to the interview with head chef Kat Johnson, that all changed. Go check out the podcast yourself to find out why that is, but also, look on below and let your eyes do all the explaining for you!

Going on 5 years this coming September, Luce is doing well, let me say that! This place was fairly busy in my opinion for a Wednesday night but as told by the waitstaff it was actually unusually slow. I got lucky then I guess as my service was quick and responsive all night long and man can that kitchen spit out plates quick! Like a well-practiced orchestra from where I sat and oogled the dishes coming out.

I ended up going with the ceviche, the daily veg special of fried brussels sprouts and then an entree of Mary's chicken. Every item I got not only looked great, smelled great, but it was great! 3 for 3 on this visit for sure!

Ceviche very fresh and flavorful, not too citrusy, not too soupy and they use big chunks of mango, whitefish and avocado among other tasty items which I truly liked!

Sprouts I got minus parmesan cheese just cause I was not feeling it really, not sure why, just did'nt. No loss in flavor at all! Crispy sweet bacon pieces, a hint of balsamic reduction that was not overpowering or used too heavily. Perfect char and absolutely delicious. I had to pace myself as that could have been a meal by itself if not careful! Oh and DO NOT miss the house made hot sauce they serve with the sprouts! This stuff is money! Not fire hot but flavorful with a unique kick I really liked!

Mary's chicken was fantastic. Two major pluses, the strawberry rhubarb glaze works very well for this dish. Never had that with chicken before, glad I did cause I like! Now the polenta; something I just cannot make well myself worth a damn so I only get it when dining out and it's so pleasing to get it done the way it's meant to be as I found here. The chicken itself is super moist and tender.....again that glaze, my gosh!

The service here is impeccable! Everyone is friendly and kind. My server Erin was a class act for sure. Got me anything I needed when I needed it. She knew the whole menu and beer list very well. Super cool gal! You'll be well taken care of if you get her on your visit, trust me.

Now feast your eyes on the goods up close.....then go score yourself A Better Bite!

PS....Had there been room left, I would have certainly scored the daily dessert special posted up which was a salted caramel ice cream sandwich with heath bar cookies! Tell me that would not be pure $$!

H2O Sushi & Izakaya Debut

To my great surprise and something all of you need to take note of as well, more so for all you sushi lovers for sure! I just got word that H20 Sushi and Izakaya now offers their AYCE sushi all day, all week! Not just on weekends from open to 3pm anymore as I had last heard. This was music to my ears (and belly) when I called into to ask their hours. The price is just $25 for dinner and $20 for lunch. The menu you can pick from is HUGE! Hand rolls, long rolls, premium rolls, nigiri, small plates, salads and even sweet potato fries! Yes, sweet potato fries people! Do you know how awesome it is for me to find sweet fries (and really good ones) on a sushi menu!? 

This was my debut visit to this 5th ave Hillcrest hotspot which was ironic really in that just across the road (directly across) is RB Sushi, another top notch and long time favorite of mine for AYCE sushi outings after crushing solid lifting sessions at the adjacent 24 Hour Fitness. Since RB, only one other venue has impressed me and caught my attention with AYCE value, quality, and service, OB Sushi in well.....OB. 

But now I come strolling into see just what these guys have to offer compared to the already highly set bar I have for my sushi expectations given the two places mentioned above. 

5pm, Sunday evening, not terribly busy at all. No wait, grabbed a bar seat and ordered right up. 3 rounds to order as much as you want but you must finish it all in 2 hours or you get charged for leftovers. Standard rules for AYCE sushi as far as I know. Service was fast, chefs are awesome, friendly and know their craft. Server Hannah was rock solid awesome! Tentative and kind, knew the menu inside and out and made sure I was taken care of the whole visit. I spend almost an hour and a half getting my fill of some of the best sushi I have had in a long time! Nothing I had was just average or even OK. It was all outstanding! The sweet fries were even exactly as I like them to be. Thick, hot, crispy and finished with a dusting of sea salt and brown sugar. Kudos x10 just for those alone!

Take a look at the slide show of pictures of betterbites I found at H2O Sushi Izakaya

Now I have 3 rock solid places to pick from for AYCE sushi. All within 4 miles of my house, all next to a 24 Hour Fitness gym and all about the same price with the same availability for lunch or dinner 7 days a week! San Diego truly does spoil us sushi lovers it seems! 

Burger Challenge Debut Event!

THE SINISTER 6 TRUE 1/4LB 

SLIDER CHALLENGE DEBUT!

I just recently got the privilege of being able to take my favorite dining venue for burgers in any city/state I have ever lived in my 32-year life span, and coordinate the first official burger challenge they have offered! Is this real? Could a midwest born & raised burger loving carnivore/foodie like me be so darn lucky? It turns out I am and dreams do come true (yes I dream about burgers).  

Just this Sunday, March 12th, I had previously setup a date with Jeff Hall, GM of Slaters 50/50 Liberty Station to work with me to design and structure an event I have sarcastically toyed with for almost my full 4-year residence in SD. It finally caught traction with Jeff and we made it happen at last! Best of all, I got to test drive this "sinister" plan of ours and now all of you can sit back and find out what it is, how it works and perhaps even hit the course yourself and give it a shot.

The Rules:

• 36 minutes timed
• 6x 1/4lb burgers (post-cooked!)
• 1 must be the burger of the month (BOM)
• 14 burgers to pick from
• Cannot have any two burgers the same
• No veggie burgers
• No chicken burgers
• No pork burgers
• Burgers must come just as described on menu

For those brave/crazy/burger loving types like me.....if you do finish the 6 burgers in time, by yourself. Consider yourself (full) and a worthy victor for having Slain the Sinister 6 Slider Challenge!

As of this writing date, no official award/prize/wall of fame is set up. However, that is likely to change very soon now that its been proven that it can be done. And if that does not convince you......check out the photos below and that should be all the motivation (teasing) you need! 

Better yet, check out my youtube channel for the full video as it actually happened! Click here.

The slideshow of burger awesomeness awaits you! Click here!

Java Joint Opens in Point Loma

When I get wind that a new coffee joint is opening anywhere in town, my eyes and ears perk right up and I am the first guy in line to know when and where it's happening. When I am told its just a couple miles down the road from me, it's on like donkey kong!

Just this case played out this week and weekend off Rosecrans on Shelter Island Drive at a place called the Coffee Hub Cafe which is right next door to the well-known Point Loma Wine Pub (their is a reason for that I will get to!).

This Saturday morning from 8-1200, Sandy and Andy, the owners, held a grand opening event for all community members near and far to attend. They had a short half hour bike ride planned, prizes to win, a live singer, free coffee samples, games, and the full breakfast menu of bites available for the customers to try out. I had a wonderful time visiting with Mia their PR person and regular loyal customer, Sandy one of the two owners and some of the other very kind and friendly staff who were busy at work serving up the many people who were eager to try out the goods like I was! Andy was so busy do the bike thing I never did get to meet him.....next time!


Here are some unique facts about Coffee Hub Cafe you may want to know.....

-The Coffee Hub soft-opened on February 3, 2017

-It's owned by husband/wife duo Sandy and Andy Hanshaw -- Sandy is a small business owner and Andy is Executive Director of the San Diego Bike Coalition. The Coffee Hub came out of Sandy's passion for gourmet food and Andy's love for bikes.

-Sandy Hanshaw's other restaurant, The Wine Pub, shares a kitchen with the Coffee Hub -- The Coffee Hub serves coffee and breakfast/lunch. After it closes for the day, The Wine Pub serves dinner and wine.

-Sandy Hanshaw takes pride in her community and aims to give back wherever she can. She hosts fundraisers and various philanthropic events at her restaurants such as Bike for Boobs, Woofer Wednesday's and Point Loma Heroes.

-On Fridays they offer a FireFigther Fridays offer in which all Firefighters with their badges, get a free small coffee open to close. How cool is that!?

-The Coffee Hub uses only beans roasted from the (very) local SWELL coffee roasted also in Point Loma near Modern Times. 

-The Coffee Hub has an active Facebook Page for community members to interact with the owners as well so check that out!


I will say right out that this is some of the best coffee I have had in a long time! Dark, robust, fresh and an aroma that will wake you up all by itself! I did not get the chance to try out any of the bites they have (yet) but a look over the menu shows me that they have more than a thing or two I would love to come back and try out. 

Cyclist, coffee junkies, coffee house fans.....all of the above, this is the new place to come in and be seen. Grab a seat at the tables inside, the chairs outside and take a minute to relax and enjoy this Corner of San Diego tucked away in Point Loma. A cup of coffee is waiting for you! And for that matter, Abetterbite as well!


Grand Opening Day storyline of photos available here.