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My wife and I grew up in Northern New York so we both know that there is only one place to go when we are craving a sub. The magical sub shop we have both eaten for years and grew up with is Jreck Subs . Jrecks is a popular sub shop that many people from this area will testify is ten times better then any sub shop around, including Subway.

Jreck Subs was started in 1967 by five school teachers from Carthage Central School here in Northern New York. The name Jreck was created by combining the first letters of the five creators names. Their motto,

A Meal for Your Money – not a snack

is definitely not an understatement by any means. The really pack it on thick.

The thing that makes Jreck Subs so great is their bread. The bread is delivered daily so you know it is fresh and has a taste that is just addicting. Their prices are fair and the food is just great. I should know, I have eaten there about four times in the past two weeks since I have been home. I guess I will try to get as much of it as possible before moving away for another three years.

They have quite the selection of subs which are offered on the menu as either hot or cold. Another great thing and probably the icing on the cake is their fast and friendly service. You really cant beat it!

If you are in New York and happen to stumble upon a Jreck Subs, check it out for yourself and experience what I have loved for years.

One thing about living in Japan that I loved so much was the curry. I would have to say that my friends and I ate CoCo’s curry at least twice a month when we were in Japan. This being said, you can understand how heartbreaking it was to leave and know that I wouldn’t have this ever again.

Today I made a quick stop at the CoCo’s curry house here in Honolulu and the inside was similar in design to the CoCo’s I ate at in Japan. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the menu and noticed under favorites was my favorite dish, chicken katsu curry with cheese. The price was only $7.50, about two dollars cheaper than Okinawa.

One big heartbreak was when I asked for level four spice and they said,

sorry, only regular or no spice available here

I ordered regular spice and it arrived about two or three minutes later. The curry looked so tasty and I couldn’t wait to savor every last bite. I started to feel that people around me were noticing my curry madness so I decided to dig in and stop making eyes at it.

All of the build up and excitement led to curry that just wasn’t up to par. The chicken was different and even something as simple as the cheese mix was off. Because I like my curry somewhat spicy and they only prepare "regular spice" my curry didn’t have the kick and same great taste that I enjoyed for the last three years.

My biggest advice is that if you want Japanese curry, go to Japan!

You will notice that even though I didn’t think it was as good as it is in Japan, I still cleaned the plate.

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: Fri-Sat 11am – 11:30pm & Sun-Thurs 11am – 11pm

Phone: 808-949-4590

Location

Location: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd Honolulu , HI 96814

Our last night in Tokyo we decided to check out a place I found while doing my recent photowalk in Ginza. The place I speak of is a pretty popular and famous destination that goes by the name of Sapporo Lion Beer Hall.

The Sapporo Lion Beer Hall located in Ginza is Japans first and oldest beer hall, built in 1899. Even more surprising is how this beer hall has managed to stay standing after the massive air raids by allied bombers during WWII. The fact that this place still exists is enough for me to check it out.

We arrived around 7 p.m. and it appeared that every table had someone occupying it. It was busy but we got right in and seated. The bottom floor has very tall vaulted ceilings and an almost Gothic styling that I enjoyed. Towards the back of this massive room was a mural that covered nearly half of the wall. I thought the mural really added a lot to the atmosphere and brought the restaurant together nicely.

Upstairs was a little less crowded but it still had crowds of  excited people enjoying a cold beer. After speaking with a waiter, the difference in the floors is the menu. Supposedly, the first and second floors have somewhat different menus. I didn’t get a chance to check out the bottom floor menu but I will take the waiters word for it.

As far as the food went, I had the beef stew and thought that is was surprisingly good. It could have been the two large boots of beer that accompanied my stew though. My wife had some fondue, but I don’t think someone can really mess up fondue.

Another great bonus was every boot of beer I ordered came with a little ticket that I had to open to reveal a prize. Apparently, I won both times and received four ¥500 off tickets which I gave to the party of people sitting next to us. It was our last night and we knew we wouldn’t be back , so I figured the nice people next to us would really appreciate a couple free beers on the gaijin couple.

As far as last nights go, we are pretty happy we stumbled upon the Sapporo Lion Beer Hall. The atmosphere, food, and especially the beer were all worth while.

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Here are all of the photos from the Sapporo Lion Beer Hall.

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One of my favorite local taco restaurants on island is Charlie’s Tacos. Today I decided that I would stop by and have some tacos before I leave and really regret not getting my Okinawan taco fix.

Charlie’s Tacos has some really great tasting food. You will probably pay a little more than what you are use to for a  taco, but I am sure you will appreciate their unique style.

Charlie’s Tacos is a very popular spot and that is evident as soon as you walk through the door. Every time I have been there the place is just packed.

I generally stick with and suggest getting their two tacos and taco rice set for ¥980. One of my favorite things about this set is their taco rice. They give you the option of ordering it regular or spicy. I promise you that their spicy taco rice is definitely out of this world because every time I go there I inhale it!

Charlie’s Tacos isn’t a new place to grab a great tasting taco in Okinawa. You will notice everywhere that Charlie’s has been providing great service and amazing taco since 1956. If you don’t trust me, have a look at their walls. They are covered with satisfied customers throughout the years.

I always go to the Charlie’s Tacos right outside of Kadena Air Base gate 2. But, if you are in Naha on Kokusai street, make sure you check out their second location.

The bottom line is that I have really enjoyed going to Charlie’s  Tacos for the past three years. If you have a chance, check it out!

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Phone: 098 937-4627

Location/Directions

Location: 4-11-5 Chuo, Okinawa-City

Directions: Charlie’s Tacos is only a five minute walk from Kadena Air Base Gate 2 and is located on B.C. street.

From Kadena Air Base gate 2, drive straight a couple of lights and make a left. You will reach B.C. street. Make a left on B.C. street and Charlie’s Tacos will be on your right.

Ask almost anyone what their favorite seafood restaurant is on Okinawa and they will most definitely tell you Sam’s By The Sea . Every year Sam’s By The Sea wins numerous awards throughout the Pacific region including best seafood restaurant for what I believe is 8 consecutive times. This is hands down my favorite place to go for special occasions with the wife and frends.

Sam’s by the Sea in Awase is actually part of a chain or group of Sam’s restaurants here on Okinawa. I can only vouch for the Sam’s by the Sea in Awase though. My guess is that the quality of service at the other locations is top notch also.

The menu is a little more pricier than other establishments off base. However, the quality of food, level of service, and atmosphere are well worth the final bill. My wife and I usually order their specialty drinks which come with a really cool cup to take home, appetizers, surf and turf or King crab legs for dinner and our bill ends up around $90. Like I said earlier, we absolutely love this place.

To emphasize a point more in detail…this place is truly amazing! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone staying on Okinawa.

The best waitress ever

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: Open everyday from 16:30 – 24:00

Phone:  098-937-3421

Location/Directions

Location: Address / 1-41-15 Awase Okinawa City. code 904-2172

Directions: From Kadena Air Base gate 2, drive straight to the Awase area. You will pass through the RT 329 intersection and continue going straight until you see a large King Kong on the left side of the road. Take a left at the light right after King Kong Yakiniku and follow the signs. They have plenty of parking so don’t worry.

With less than two months left on Okinawa my wife and I realized that we better get the most out of Okinawa cuisine before we leave. One of the most popular and our favorite Okinawan dish is Okinawa soba . If you have been on Okinawa and not tried soba, what are you waiting for? There are plenty of soba restaurants around every corner here in Okinawa. The hard part is finding the restaurant that serves the best soba on island. I am not sure if I have found it yet, but I sure do love the challenge.

Right down the road from our house is a very popular soba house by the name of Hamaya Soba. Hamaya Soba is strategically located right by the Sunabe Seawall and always appears to have plenty of customers.

I really like Hamaya Soba because of its location to my house and also the seawall. I love going to the seawall to enjoy a nice sunset and walk around. A big bowl of mouth watering soba only makes the moment that much sweeter.

One thing you should expect from a great soba house are reasonable prices. A large bowl of their Okinawa soba which contains soba noodles, pork ribs, roast, and fried eggs is only ¥650. If you are not hungry enough for the large portion, go for their smaller size which cost ¥300-¥400.

I went all out and opted for the Orion draft to accompany my large bowl of soba. After everything was said and done, my wife and I were both full and happy that the bill was only ¥1400.

If you are down by the seawall enjoying the sun or doing some diving, check out Hamaya Soba for a really pleasant soba experience.

Helpful Information

Location/Directions

To get the Hamaya Soba, take Hwy 58 towards Kadena. At the stoplight right before Kadena Gate 1, take a left. Go straight through all the stoplights and try to find parking down by the seawall. After the last stoplight, Hamaya Soba is half a block down on the right just past Sunabe Gyros.

From Kadena Gate 1 – Take a left out of Gate 1 and then take a right at your first light. Head down towards the Sunabe Seawall. Hamaya Soba is half a block down on the right just past Sunabe Gyros.

I finally decided it was time to take my wife to a Yakiniku restaurant here on island. She hasn’t seemed all that interested but I thought it would be something new and fun for us to try out. I have been to several different Yakinikus and figured King Kong Yakiniku (Yakiniku Paradise) would be a great place to start because they are an all-you-can-eat joint! I am everyone can find something they will like.

I have only really gone to King Kong for lunch and their prices are pretty fair for the most part. I think they may have increased the prices in the past couple of months because they now charge ¥1500 for lunch and ¥1800 for dinner. The last time I went there I believe it was ¥1100 and ¥1500. I am not sure what exactly on the menu warrants the ¥300 price difference between lunch and dinner because you have exactly the same selections to choose from.  So, I would suggest going for lunch if you want to say some money. For my wife and I to eat dinner, the bill came out to ¥3600. The great thing is that if you don’t want to take YEN out at the ATM, they accept credit cards!

It is exactly what I would expect from an all-you-can-eat style restaurant. They offer plenty of meats, veggies, soft drinks, ice-cream, soba, curry, sushi, and other goodies to choose from. If you enjoy all-you-can-eat style restaurants…then I am sure King Kong will satisfy your needs.

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Phone: 098 934-3445

Location/Directions

Location: 1-20-30 Awase, Okinawa City

Directions: From Kadena Air Base gate 2, drive straight to the Awase area. You will pass through the RT 329 intersection and continue going straight until you see a large King Kong on the left side of the road.

Look for this guy on the left side!!

I recently went back to the Crocodile restaurant with some friends and discovered something very interesting on their special "game" menu. The something interesting that I speak of is scorpion.

For about ¥1100 I got the chance to eat a scorpion. No, it wasn’t alive! I believe the chefs may have either deep fried or pan pan fried the scorpion before serving it.

The scorpion arrived somewhat warm no more than 5 minutes after I ordered it. One of my friends had already eaten one before and said that the only way to do it was all at once. Great idea!

It wasn’t all that bad, I  personally think it tasted like eggshells and puss/maggots. Really nice, right? If scorpions aren’t quite your thing, I noticed crickets or "bugs" on the menu right below the scorpion. I will have to save that feast for next time!

If you are in the Chatan area and want to try something fun and exciting, check out Crocodile Seafood and Bar located across from Jusco.

Here are a couple photo’s.