So my friends and I got to talking about those places to eat that have ridiculous service. Not ridiculously good but ridiculously outright in your face sassy service. We exchanged horror stories. I brought up a place called Green Door in China Town. I haven’t written about it because at the time I didn’t have a food blog but this lady was so crazy. She was definitely in a world where customer service didn’t exist. She got to us when she felt like it, straight up ignored us when we asked for something and even suggested we go else where. And then when we ordered she told us that that wasn’t what we wanted and she totally picked us out something without even confirming it with us. Crazy right? It’s straight comedy and I love it. Now, not every place could pull off service like this but those who can and still do well must have something impressive to put out on the table. My friend was like we have to go to this place called eight and a half. She said that this guy is like a soup nazi. He’ll serve food by throwing it at you, has no problem kicking people out and has a very extreme mannerism about himself. Anyhow, is wife is suppose to be super sweet and his kid is supposely some musical protege. After our conversation I had to experience soup nazi service for myself.

Once inside you could tell the owners had a love and passion for music. The place was a mix of earthy meets jazzy, a very nice mix.

We started off with some bread, free of course. I think it was the owners wife that served us. She seemed very pleasant, sweet and obedient. The owner was conversing with the table next to us. Is it crazy that I was disappointed that I didn’t get the brusque service I was so looking forward to. Ah, oh well, let’s eat.

This was my friends order, Ratiatore Verde, kiawe grilled steak on zucchini pesto pasta, $13.00. She gets this dish every time she comes. I got a chance to try it and I could see why. Very tasty.

This was my pick, Stufato Di Manzo, Italian Beef Stew with rice or mashed potatoes, $12.00. It kinda looks like cow diarrhea doesn’t it. Well despite it’s looks it was very tasty. I didn’t pick mash potatoes it just came with it. I actually was hoping for rice instead. The dish had great flavor but was very fatty. I know some fat is necessary for flavor but this was slightly overboard. Since I have no class I didn’t mind spitting out the fat on to a napkin. My ba-dunk-ka-dunk butt has enough junk in the trunk, no need for more.

My other girlfriend got the Pollo In Potacchio, chicken in wine, tomato sauce and herbs with rice or mash potatoes, $12.00. She was very happy with her dish and said it reminded her of some hearty southern food with mash potatoes. Of course I got to try it and it was exactly as she has described it, hearty souther Italian.

This was the extent of the abrupt service I was looking forward to. I’m gonna have to agree with it. It doesn’t surprise me that the owner is a San Francisco native. Anyhow, come on down to this place. I can’t guarantee that you’ll get spectacular bad service, but you will get delightfully simple Italian cuisine at a not very bad price.

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Cafe VIII 1/2
1067 Alakea St
Honolulu, HI 96813

Get Directions(808) 524-4064

The Eastside Grill is located right next to The Greek Corner. I’m a huge fan of The Greek Corner, so I was hoping its next door neighbor was would put out some tasty competition that was as equally affordable.

This was my fist time here so I didn’t really know what to expect. It didn’t surprise me to see a full array of liquor at the bar and several large televisions throughout the restaurant all playing a different sport simultaneously.

This was definitely a sports bar with a college, Hawaiian vibe.

You can always count on Old Captain Morgan to be there.

We ordered the Tomato Basil Pasta with Shrimp, $9.25 but we requested to have both chicken and shrimp and like always, money talks, and for a small fee, ($3.00) it was done. I really enjoyed the large shrimp. I think it came with a total of 5 pieces of shrimp. As for the chicken. I think there might have been maybe 5 pieces as well, and that’s giving them the benefit of the doubt. Although the flavor was good, the dish itself was dry. I mean, they should of just called it a pasta salad. Also, for $12.25 I didn’t get much noodles. Warning, objects in picture are a lot larger than they appear. This dish came with two pieces of garlic bread. I enjoyed them very much because they weren’t too greasy or salty.

Our friend ordered Chopped Steak Stir Fry, $7.95. As you can see in the picture, it’s “tender “unique” steak sauteed’ with mixed vegetables & toss greens.” I’m curious as to why they put unique in quotations. What’s so unique about this steak? Hummm? It’s like saying something has special sauce. What’s so special about the sauce? Yeah, uh huh, sure. Hold the special sauce, I’ll take ranch spank you very much. Just like the meat, I don’t need any “unique meat.” I’m a boring person that prefers my meat normal. Anyway, this was not my dish, it was Shane’s and he ordered as is. Pussy.

I forgot to take a picture of the dish but I did get to taste it and I can tell you nothing was unique about this dish. It was boring as hell. You know those prepackaged frozen stir fry meals you get at the grocery store, well that’s exactly what this tasted like. Just heat and serve.

For dessert I ordered a mud pie, $5.95. I was appalled when I got this. Seriously, are you guys looking at what was served to me. Is this not the skinniest most pathetic piece of pie, ever? The mud pies I’m accustomed to looks like a ginormous mess of “mud,” or kona coffee ice cream, then drizzled with chocolate sauce, covered in whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce again and then sprinkled with nuts and topped with a cherry. If it sounds like I have experience in mud pies it’s because I do.

Take a closer look and what do you see, frost bite.

Not just one side but on both. Unbelievable! I envisioned myself picking up the mud pie and chucking in straight in the back of my waitresses head as she walked away, turning her into the dirty whore that she is for serving me this atrocious piece of shit.

Now here’s the worst part, when Ray tried to dig into it with his fork, the thing wouldn’t budge. It was like trying to break apart a brick with a fork. This mud pie wasn’t going down without a fight and either was Ray. Then all of a sudden half of the pie shot, not flew but shot right into the direction of the table caddy corner from us. Luckily it pierced the floor directly in front of some poor strangers foot. The whole family at the table obviously thought that we threw the pie at them, I mean how else is does food get shot across the room like that. We all roared in laughter because the whole situation was hilarious. I put my hands up, letting them know that that was so not intentionally.

Needless to say I hate this place. I can’t help but to be a little offended. What person in their right mind would send something out in that condition. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with white lies. Tell me you guys are out of pie, end of story, no ones hurt. Lie to me bitch, lie to me! The pasta was weak and service was poor. I did skim over their pupu menu and it did look tempting I have to say. I’m gonna take a while guess and say people come here for drinks. They must have really good drinks.

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Eastside Grill
1035 University Ave # 103
Honolulu, HI 96826

Get Directions(808) 952-6555

Calling all pizza whores! Calling all pizza whores! There’s a ton of you sluts out there and you know who you are. I’ve struck gold. It’s time for you to drop what your doing and spread it wide open, your mouth that is. I’ve been living on this bountiful island for 8 months now and have been to a good handful of pizza joints. Off the top of my head, Antonio’s NY Pizzeria, Bostons North End Pizza Bakery, Spaghettini, Round Table, Buca Di Beppo, California Pizza Kitchen and Costco. Is Costco a pizza joint? No, but they probably put out more pizza than all of them combined, being in the bulk industry and all. In my professional opinion L.A. Pizza Rina makes the pizza pie that’s supreme of them all.

The inside is a pretty basic joint. See that lady in the red, she was our waitress and I think her husband was the cook in the back wearing red as well. I don’t know if they were the owners or not, but I’m quite certain they were Chinese. All I’m saying is that the Chinese are taking over everything, even pizza joints in Hawaii.

We decided to share a spaghetti with 2 meat balls , $7.00. and a pizza pie. The spaghetti came with garlic bread. First, I want to apologize for the picture. The sensor on my canon was off so I had to make due. Fortunately I went to Canon and got it fixed yesterday. As we all know, spaghetti isn’t rocket science, yet, so many places still manage to fuck it up. This wasn’t one of them. If I had to rate it I would give it a 8/10. The taste was right on. The sauce tasted really sweet, not like they added sugar to it, but like the tomatoes were really sweet and fresh. I loved the way it tasted. However, if your like my little sister, and freak out at the sight of grease, then order a salad, or sub instead. You can’t really tell by the picture because the camera wouldn’t focus, but there was an unnecessary amount of grease that came with the spaghetti. The meat balls were nothing special.

I know this garlic bread looks boring, but I enjoyed it. I know most of you will disagree with me when I say this but I think most places spread way too much garlic butter on bread these days. The bread comes out salty and soggy soaked with fat. Yuck! This way nicely toasted and buttered.

Drum roll please . . .

And here is the moment you all been waiting for. I’m not a pizza whore, but just looking at this picture brings back fond memories of me pulling the stringy cheese off the end of the pizza, tilting my head back, spreading my mouth wide open as I slowly lowering the cheese, sacrificing it to the hungry Goddess. She is pleased, no heart burn for me today. This picture doesn’t serve it justice. the cheese was hot and perfectly melted. It was the kind where every bite left you connected with a string of cheese that led from your mouth to the end of the pizza.

My only complaint is that the toppings were scarce. Oh, by the way we ordered a Two Topping Medium Pizza, 14″ for $13.00. There was like 3 pieces of meat on each slice, but the pieces of meat, oh boy! I mean, just look at the meat on the pizza, that’s what real sausage on pizza should look like, not the puny little slices, but nice hearty chunks.

There you have it, another great find. Lunch cost us 8 bucks each and we had two slices left over. If I had to do it again, I would add an extra topping of sausage and mushroom for .60 cents each. That would of been fucking amazing and I would of been complete.

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L.A. Pizza Rina
1425 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 941-6634