Where to Eat on Oahu: The Hawaii Food List I Give Friends
Eating around Oahu, organized by area: malasadas and loco moco in the south, shrimp trucks up north, giant pasta out east. The list I hand friends.
food hawaii oahu guide travel
Stories from the road
and the table.
Independent food and travel notes from an Indonesian software engineer who keeps chasing Japan, great meals, and the trips that linger.
No sponsorships or affiliate links, just personal stories, practical guides, and the occasional strong opinion about ramen.
Cherub Score 8.4
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INDO Palo Alto: Four Indonesians, One Favorite Mie Goreng
Four Indonesians try Bali ribs, smoky fried rice, and mie goreng at INDO in Palo Alto. One dish wins the table.
Start Here
A few curated paths into the archive if you are new to Plate & Passport.
Practical Travel Guides
Useful, opinionated notes for planning the trip before the good meal.
- Narita to Tokyo: What Actually Works (And What's a Waste of Money)
A no-nonsense guide to getting from Narita Airport to central Tokyo — trains, buses, taxis, and the tips I wish someone had told me before my first trip.
- Bali as an Indonesian Who Left: What's Worth It and What's Not
I grew up in Indonesia and keep coming back to Bali. Here's an honest guide to the island — the parts tourists get right, the parts they get wrong, and the spots I actually recommend.
- Kyoto: The City of Ten Thousand Shrines (and an Alley Restaurant Worth Finding)
Two days in Kyoto — the Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, the Silver Pavilion at Ginkaku-ji, and a kaiseki dinner at Mame-cha, a tiny restaurant tucked down an alley with no Google Maps pin.
Best Food Stories
The meals that stuck around in memory long after the table was cleared.
- Ginza Bairin Waikiki: The Best Katsu I've Ever Had
Turned away as a walk-in, came back the next day — and ate the best katsu of my life. Ginza Bairin Waikiki's Kurobuta pork loin, scored 9.1/10.
- Rasa Rasa San Francisco: Best Nasi Padang I've Had in the US
Rasa Rasa in SF's Mission serves the best nasi padang I've had in America — fall-apart tender rendang — plus a martabak worth the drive. 9.0/10.
- Meriken Hatoba: Where Kobe Beef and Western Cuisine Collide
A Shinkansen ride to Kobe for fusion cuisine that smashes Japanese and Western traditions together — and an A5 wagyu steak that nearly brought me to tears.
- Daiwa Sushi at Toyosu: A Sushi Set That Was Worth Every Minute in Line
I woke up at 5am, took the train to Toyosu Fish Market, stood in line for an hour, and sat down at Daiwa Sushi. Seven pieces of the freshest fish I've ever eaten — and a tamagoyaki that made me rethink eggs entirely.
- Tanaka Shoten: The Late-Night Tonkotsu That Ruined All Other Ramen for Me
A Hakata Nagahama-style ramen shop in Tokyo that looks like nothing from the outside and serves a bowl of tonkotsu that made me sit in silence for a full minute.
Flights & Hotels
Cabins, lounges, suites, and stays where the details made the trip.
- Flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class, Part 1: Jakarta to Singapore and the Hidden Private Room at Changi
Part 1 of my Suites Class trip from Jakarta to New York. First Class from Jakarta, then the unmarked Private Room lounge at Changi — the most exclusive airline lounge I've ever set foot in.
- Flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class, Part 2: Onboard the A380 from Singapore to New York
Part 2 of my Suites Class trip. Inside the A380 Suite — Krug champagne, foie gras, a real double bed, Japanese kaiseki breakfast, a Frankfurt transit lounge, and Boston Lobster Thermidor on the way to JFK.
- Flying ANA Business Class — Because Economy Cost More Miles
I booked an ANA business class ticket from the US to Jakarta on miles three days before departure. The economy redemption cost more miles than business. Here's what 24+ hours of ANA service looks like.
More Stories
Cherub Score 9.1 Ginza Bairin Waikiki: The Best Katsu I've Ever Had
Turned away as a walk-in, came back the next day — and ate the best katsu of my life. Ginza Bairin Waikiki's Kurobuta pork loin, scored 9.1/10.
food japanese hawaii waikiki tonkatsu
Cherub Score 9.0 Rasa Rasa San Francisco: Best Nasi Padang I've Had in the US
Rasa Rasa in SF's Mission serves the best nasi padang I've had in America — fall-apart tender rendang — plus a martabak worth the drive. 9.0/10.
food indonesian san-francisco nasi-padang
Cherub Score 8.8 Mari Mari Milpitas: Malaysian Comfort Food, Judged by an Indonesian
Mari Mari in Milpitas serves Malaysian classics 15 minutes from Santa Clara. I walked in a skeptical Indonesian — the char kway teow won me over. 8.8/10.
food malaysian milpitas south-bay
Cherub Score 9.0 Tai Er San Mateo: Sichuan Sauerkraut Fish, Done Properly
Tai Er, the Sichuan chain with 650+ locations across China, opened its first U.S. restaurant in downtown San Mateo. Come for the signature sauerkraut fish.
food chinese sichuan san-mateo bay-area
Narita to Tokyo: What Actually Works (And What's a Waste of Money)
A no-nonsense guide to getting from Narita Airport to central Tokyo — trains, buses, taxis, and the tips I wish someone had told me before my first trip.
travel tokyo japan guide
Cherub Score 9.0 Meriken Hatoba: Where Kobe Beef and Western Cuisine Collide
A Shinkansen ride to Kobe for fusion cuisine that smashes Japanese and Western traditions together — and an A5 wagyu steak that nearly brought me to tears.
food japanese kobe travel
Cherub Score 9.0 Daiwa Sushi at Toyosu: A Sushi Set That Was Worth Every Minute in Line
I woke up at 5am, took the train to Toyosu Fish Market, stood in line for an hour, and sat down at Daiwa Sushi. Seven pieces of the freshest fish I've ever eaten — and a tamagoyaki that made me rethink eggs entirely.
food japanese tokyo travel
Bali as an Indonesian Who Left: What's Worth It and What's Not
I grew up in Indonesia and keep coming back to Bali. Here's an honest guide to the island — the parts tourists get right, the parts they get wrong, and the spots I actually recommend.
travel bali indonesia guide
Cherub Score 9.5 Tanaka Shoten: The Late-Night Tonkotsu That Ruined All Other Ramen for Me
A Hakata Nagahama-style ramen shop in Tokyo that looks like nothing from the outside and serves a bowl of tonkotsu that made me sit in silence for a full minute.
food japanese tokyo ramen
Cherub Score 8.5 Namaaz Dining: Jakarta's Wildest Restaurant Made Me Wear a Poncho Indoors
Molecular gastronomy, dishes disguised as everyday objects, rain inside the restaurant, and a price tag to match — Namaaz Dining in Jakarta is unlike anything I've experienced.
food jakarta indonesia molecular-gastronomy
The Ritz-Carlton Bali: 40,000 Points for a Suite Upgrade That Blew Me Away
I used Marriott points to book the Ritz-Carlton Bali and got upgraded to a 145 sqm suite. Here's an honest look at what you get — the stunning parts, the practical trade-offs, and whether it's worth the trip.
travel bali indonesia hotel
United Domestic vs International Business: A Tale of Two Cabins
Same airline. Same brand. Two completely different products. A side-by-side comparison of United Airlines domestic and international Business Class — from the meal service to the lounge to the seat itself.
travel aviation japan united-airlines
The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place: A City Hotel That Earned Its Stay
Built atop one of Jakarta's most prestigious malls in the heart of the financial district, the Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place is the rare city hotel where convenience and luxury are equally well-considered. A review.
travel indonesia jakarta hotel
Bluebonnet Season: Texas in Full Bloom
For three fleeting weeks each spring, the fields around Brenham transform into one of America's most spectacular wildflower displays. Here's how to experience Texas bluebonnet season at its best.
travel texas photography houston
Flying ANA Business Class — Because Economy Cost More Miles
I booked an ANA business class ticket from the US to Jakarta on miles three days before departure. The economy redemption cost more miles than business. Here's what 24+ hours of ANA service looks like.
travel japan indonesia aviation
Kyoto: The City of Ten Thousand Shrines (and an Alley Restaurant Worth Finding)
Two days in Kyoto — the Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, the Silver Pavilion at Ginkaku-ji, and a kaiseki dinner at Mame-cha, a tiny restaurant tucked down an alley with no Google Maps pin.
travel japan kyoto food
Cherub Score 9.8 Flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class, Part 2: Onboard the A380 from Singapore to New York
Part 2 of my Suites Class trip. Inside the A380 Suite — Krug champagne, foie gras, a real double bed, Japanese kaiseki breakfast, a Frankfurt transit lounge, and Boston Lobster Thermidor on the way to JFK.
travel aviation first-class singapore luxury
Cherub Score 9.8 Flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class, Part 1: Jakarta to Singapore and the Hidden Private Room at Changi
Part 1 of my Suites Class trip from Jakarta to New York. First Class from Jakarta, then the unmarked Private Room lounge at Changi — the most exclusive airline lounge I've ever set foot in.
travel aviation first-class singapore luxury
Cherub Score 9.0 Nara Thai Houston: Don't Judge a Book By Its Gas-Station Cover
A hidden Thai spot in Midtown Houston — attached to a Texaco, easy to dismiss from the street, and home to the best Pad See Ew I've had in the city.
food thai houston
Cherub Score 10.0 I Ate at Jiro's Sushi Restaurant — Here's How I Got In and What It Was Like
After countless phone calls and a Ritz-Carlton booking trick, I got a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro's Roppongi location. 20 pieces of the best sushi I've ever had — and a photo with chef Ono Takashi.
food japanese tokyo travel
Cherub Score 9.8 Franklin BBQ: I Waited 4 Hours in Austin and It Was Worth Every Minute
The most famous barbecue in Texas requires a 4-hour wait, limited supply, and zero shade. The brisket and beef ribs made me forget all of that. Here's why Franklin lives up to the hype.
food bbq austin texas
Cherub Score 6.5 Ramen Jin Houston: A 2.5-Hour Wait for a Bowl That Tasted Like Water
A new ramen shop opened in Houston's Westchase area and I waited almost three hours on opening week. The gua bao was decent. The ramen was not.
food japanese houston ramen
Cherub Score 9.0 Pizzeria Solario: The Best Neapolitan Pizza I've Had in Houston
A wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria in Greenway Plaza that outclasses every other pizza spot I've tried in Houston — thin crust, wet mozzarella, and add an egg on top.
food italian houston
Cherub Score 9.6 Ichiran Ramen in Ueno: The Solo Dining Experience That Scored a 9.6
A tonkotsu ramen shop in Tokyo where you eat alone in a booth, customize everything on a form, and walk out wondering why all ramen doesn't taste like this. Here's what Ichiran at Ueno Station is really like.
food japanese tokyo ramen travel
Cherub Score 8.0 Sushi Zo in LA: Omakase, Real Wasabi, and a $200 Lesson in Letting Go
An omakase-only sushi bar in Los Angeles where the chef decides everything, the wasabi is real, and you don't touch the soy sauce. Here's what it's like to eat at Sushi Zo.
food japanese los-angeles travel
Cherub Score 9.5 Kata Robata: The Foie Gras That Changed Everything
A Korean drama sent me down a rabbit hole. A Japanese restaurant in Houston gave me one of the best bites of my life. Here's how foie gras sashimi at Kata Robata earned a 9.5.
food japanese houston travel
Cherub Score 9.0 Beverly Soon Tofu House: Worth the Wait in Koreatown
A tiny, packed Korean restaurant in LA's Koreatown with soondubu that lives up to the Anthony Bourdain hype — and bibimbap that might be even better.
food korean los-angeles travel
Cherub Score 9.5 Ramen Trip to Austin: Michi vs. Tatsu-Ya
A head-to-head comparison of two of Austin's best ramen spots — one a former food truck turned brick-and-mortar, the other a tiny, authentically decorated gem worth the wait.
food ramen texas travel