Something Else Deli

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Ever think about eating something else??  We did!  In case you did not know, Something Else is a sandwich shop and coffee shop on the corner of Second Ave and Sherman.  It is actually housed in two buildings.  On second  is the uniquely styled  coffee shop part... with  a drive through window, serving Panache coffee...



....and on the Sherman side of the corner, is the "deli" style restaurant.

I made the mistake of referring to this place as Someplace Else instead of Something Else.  Someplace Else, which used to be on Sprague is closed.  This is a different eatery... and it is Something Else!

I think I have passed by it at least three hundred times in my life and now I can say I have finally stopped by.  I am glad I did.  I liked the home-like friendly neighbor atmosphere of the place, and the "homemade" food.

One cool thing that I have discovered about this place is that if you'd like to, you can place your sandwich order online and then pick it up!

152 SOUTH SHERMAN AT 2ND AVENUE
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON   99202
509-747-0949     http://somethingelsedeli.com/


We ordered our blended coffee from the coffee shop and sat in the Deli side to order and eat some lunch. Our coffee was delivered to our table for us when it was ready.
 We were interested in the special advertised outside, but there was a lot of selection inside.


 We tried the Beef and Barley Soup and the Spicy Chili and we each had a half of the Triple Treat Sandwhich, along with some delicious carrot cake.

What is a triple treat?  It's ham, cheese and pineapple with lettuce and mayo.  Personally, I never thought of putting pineapple on my sandwich, even a ham sandwich but as advertised, it was a treat!

KOREAN -STYLE BEEF TACOS

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SPICY PICKLED CABBAGE MADE A FEW HOURS AHEAD

KOREAN-STYLE BEEF TACOS
COOKED AT HOME 


If you follow this blog, you will find that I crave tacos and will try them anywhere they are served.  At home we cook some pretty mean tacos and have perfected recipes for shredded beef and chicken tacos as well as carne asada and fish tacos. The big thing now are Korean tacos that were made famous by the Food Trucks cruising the streets of Los Angeles.  When I saw Korean-Style Tacos being sold at Costco out of a box, I knew these were now mainstream and had to learn how to make them.  I researched a few recipes and adapted them to make my own version of the Korean-Style Taco.  First you need to marinate flank steak in soy sauce, sugar, sambal chili paste, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, salt and Korean Hot Sauce for a few hours.  Then cut up some Napa Cabbage and marinate it in garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and chili paste.  You heat up the mixture of ingredients less the cabbage.  Pour the liquid over the cabbage and let marinate for an hour or so.  I cooked the marinated flank steak on the bbq grille for only about a minute or two per side.  Placed the beef on a corn tortilla and topped with Napa Cabbage mixture, green onion, cilantro, lime juice and a nice squeeze of Sriracha Chili Sauce.  The meat and cabbage are so flavorful that all the spices explode in your mouth.  This is a GREAT TACO!

MARINATED FLANK STEAK COOKED ON GRILLE

CORN TORTILLA HEATED ON GRILLE

CONDIMENTS FOR MY KOREAN TACOS INCLUDE
CILANTRO, LIME, GREEN ONION AND AVOCADO.
DON'T FORGE THE SRIRACHA CHILI HOT SAUCE FOR KICK

MY FIRST KOREAN-STYLE BEEF TACO.   THESE WERE A HUGE HIT AND WILL
BE SERVED AT ALL OF OUR TACO PARTIES

PREMIER BAKERS HAMBURGER BUNS - DO NOT BUY!

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MEMORIAL DAY BURGERS WERE RUINED BY THE BUNS

PREMIER BAKERS
HAMBURGER BUNS
DO NOT BUY THESE! 


Don't usually post product complaints on the blog but this one really ticked me off.  I bought Premier Bakers brand Hamburger Buns at Foodland Farms in Aina Haina for a Memorial Day BBQ.  Did not look at price.  What sold me was that the package boldly stated that the buns were Baked Fresh in Hawaii.  Should be better than a mainland brand I thought.  WRONG!  These buns literally fell apart when people bit into their burgers.  Turned to mush in one second.  The entire burger experience ruined.  People could not eat the burgers.  This is the worst hamburger bun I have ever purchased.  I will not buy them or any other bun from Foodland until they pull this piece of crap product off the shelves.  I am gong back to Costco for my buns.

PREMIER BAKERS BUNS FALL APART

DO NOT BUY PREMIER BAKERS HAMBURGER BUNS
DISTRIBUTED BY FRESH START BAKERIES

PREMIER BAKERS BUNS TURN TO DUST

KISS MY GRITS

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KISS MY GRITS IS IN THE PARKING LOT IN PUCK'S ALLEY

KISS MY GRITS
HONOLULU, HAWAII 


A friend of mine recommended Kiss my Grits over a month ago.  Totally forgot about it until we were driving by Puck's Alley and my memory kicked in.  We decided to stop in for lunch.  Kiss my Grits is located in the back parking lot and cannot be seen from the street.  It is a very small place that delivers big on authentic Southern Food.  We arrived to find the small dining room packed with a few people waiting.  There are three tables outside that were also filled.  We waited patiently and were rewarded with a nice outdoor table that was cool and comfortable.  The inside seating area was a bit warm and very crowded.  Tables are packed tightly so that you get to know your neighbors whether you like it or not.  The star of the show is the food, but the guy in the front of the house who's name is Hector made the show.  Hecter talks with a slight Southern twang and makes everyone feel comfortable here.  He is a gracious host who understands how customers should be treated.  Makes you feel at home and takes the time to make sure you are happy with everything on the plate.  We started with the Brunswick Stew ($2.50 cup).  This is a thick tomato based stew with shredded chicken and pork.  Corn, Lima Beans and Potato add texture and richness to the soup.  Hector told me that the stew cooks for two days before it is served.  Loved it and wish I had a gallon of it in my fridge.  The Shrimp Po Boy ($12.95) was absolutely delicious.  The shrimp is very lightly breaded and bathed in cajun spices.  Served with lettuce, tomato and onion.  The shrimp were delicious on their own.  The Po Boy is served on a baguette that is really too much bread for the sandwich.  We loved the sandwich but not all the thick bread.  Served with Cole Slaw, Hush Puppies and a Deviled Egg.  The Carolina Chopped BBQ Sandwich ($9.95) can be ordered North (vinegar and red pepper sauce) or South (tangy mustard sauce).  I went with the North.  Was surprised to see that the BBQ Pork was not served with BBQ sauce.  I guess this is a Carolina thing.  I liked the BBQ pork but would have preferred it with some BBQ sauce.  I added some chili water and hot sauce that was on the table.  Still wanted BBQ sauce.  The sandwich got a bit soggy and fell apart.  The pork was good though.  The sandwich is served with Cole Slaw, Hush Puppies and a Deviled Egg.  The Deviled Eggs are good but really nothing special.  My wife loved the Hush Puppies served with sweat butter.  She packed up all the uneaten ones and took them home along with the butter.  I liked the Cole Slaw.  A bit of a vinegar kick.  The Sweet Melissa's Egg Salad Sandwich ($7.95) is served on toasted bread.  The wife said it was bland and tasteless.  The Smokey Mac-N-Cheese ($5.50) was a huge hit.  Flavor bomb of cheeses and topped with fried onions.  The entire table loved the Mac-N-Cheese and I think you will too.  Finished the meal with Cornbread ($2.00) that was served with the best Apple Butter I have ever tasted.  My daughter does not like apple sauce but devoured the Apple Butter and even put it on her watermelon that was complimentary.  There is so much on the menu at Kiss my Grits that I want to try. They have Crab Cakes, All you can eat Popcorn Shrimp, Fried Chicken, Ribs, Chicken Fried Steak, Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Oyster Po Boy, Fried Shrimp, Fish and Oysters, Fried Green Tomatoes, Biscuits and Gravy, Meatloaf, Fried Okra, Collards, Black Eyed Peas and Candied Yams.  All this plus some home made Sweet Things like Cold Oven Pound Cake with fruit and creme, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies, Bread Pudding and Banana and Nilla Wafer Pudding.  Oh yes, I will be back.  Maybe for dinner.

BRING A SIX PACK AND ENJOY SOME REAL
GOOD AUTHENTIC SOUTHERN FOOD 

SMALL INDOOR SEATING AREA WAS PACKED

OUTDOOR TABLES ARE THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE

CHILI PEPPER WATERS AND HOT SAUCE ON THE TABLE

DRINKS SERVED IN JARS AND YES,
THEY HAVE SWEET TEA

SWEET MELISSA'S EGG SALAD SANDWICH

SMOKEY MAC-N-CHEESE WITH FRIED ONIONS.
THIS IS A CHEESE FLAVOR BOMB!

CAROLINA CHOPPED BBQ SANDWICH WITH COLE SLAW,
DEVILED EGG AND HUSH PUPPIES

SHIRMP PO BOY WITH DELICIOUS SEASONED SHRIMP

DEVILED EGG

HUSH PUPPIES

COMPLIMENTARY WATERMELON

BRUNSWICK STEW IS GREAT!

CORNBREAD WITH APPLE BUTTER

ASSAGIO'S BISTRO - KAHALA

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ASSAGIO'S BISTRO LOCATED ACROSS FROM KAHALA MALL

ASSAGIO'S BISTRO
KAHALA 


I have always enjoyed Assagio's and have really never had a bad meal at any of their restaurants.  I normally order the Chicken and Vegetable Linguine and Cold Antipasto Salad even though they have dozens of other great dishes on the menu.  This time I started with Cold Antipasto Salad ($9.90). This is one of my all-time favorite salads served in Hawaii.  Prosciutto, Salami, Cheese, Anchovies, Marinated Vegetables and Olives served on a bed of Romaine Lettuce with Home Made Vinaigrette Dressing.  I love the cheese and anchovies and am addicted to the marinated vegetables and home made dressing.  Wish I had the recipe for the marinated vegetables and dressing.  Really my favorites!  I changed up my main course this time and tried the Osso Bucco and Shrimp Scallop Alla Bolla ($31.90).  The Braised Veal Shank with onions, garlic and lightly seasoned tomato sauce was delicious.  Especially when you mix the Veal Shank into the bland pasta served on the plate.  The Shrimp and Scallops were cooked perfectly but it was the Veal Shank mixed into the pasta that made the dish.  The Shrimp Assagio ($25.90) was a huge plate that looked like a mess.  Jumbo Shrimp pan fried in light olive oil, garlic, pepperocini, roasted red peppers, capers, olives, mushrooms and White Wine Butter Sauce.  With all this going on the plate I was very surprised to hear my wife say that the pasta had no taste.  The Pasta with Meat Sauce ($16.90 small) is way overpriced.  17 bucks for a small plate of pasta.  C'mon now this is a rip.  Our overall impression of Assagio's Bistro in Kahala is that the food quality is top notch but for some reason the taste has gone down over the years.  I will always return and make it a point to try new things.

SMALL BAR AND SEATING AREA

CLEAN AND MODERN INTERIOR

NICE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT

FRESHLY BAKED BREAD SERVED HOT WITH BUTTER

COLD ANTIPASTO SALAD

SALAMI, CHEESE ANCHOVIES, ROASTED PEPPERS
AND MARINATED VEGETABLES MAKE THIS MY FAVORITE SALAD

RIGATONI WITH MEAT SAUCE

SHRIMP ASSAGIO 

OSSO BUCCO AND SHRIMP AND SCALLOP ALLA BOLLA

LARGE SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS OVER PASTA

OSSO BUCCO

THE WORLD CRUISE SHIP - PRIVATE RESIDENCE AT SEA

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THE WORLD
PRIVATE RESIDENSEA


WOW....Some people live the life.  Just think about cruising the world with your own condo aboard a luxurious cruise ship where a very professional, highly trained and discrete staff caters to your every whim.  This is for the ultra-rich who have both the time and money to enjoy one of the greatest toys on earth.  We were given a rare peak inside the World when it docked in Honolulu.  Our passports were security checked weeks in advance of the ships arrival.  Once we arrived at the port there were three more security clearances before we were permitted to board this highly exclusive floating paradise.  We were asked to wear pants and dress appropriately and we did.  We were also told not to take photographs if any guests were in the areas we were visiting.  Also no riding the guest elevators.  Only the staff elevators and stairways could be used.  It was clear that when aboard The World, the "guests" or owners are everything.  And well they should be.  These folks are paying a fortune to enjoy their private residences at sea and should not be bothered by tourists, picture takers or onlookers who are aboard their home.  We strolled the various decks very discretely and never intruded on a single guest.  The guests that we did meet in common areas were super friendly and seemed to really want to engage in conversation.  Seems like it can get lonely on this exclusive ship and seeing new blood or strangers can be a good thing for them.  I would have loved to have the opportunity to meet and talk with many of the guests.  I cannot write about who lives aboard the ship, but believe me it is a who's who list of the wealthy.  Movers and shakers of industry and countries.  I really admire the professional staff onboard The World.  They really understand the importance of privacy and do everything possible to protect their guests.  The guest suites are not your typical cruise ship rooms.  There are two and three bedroom suites complete with living room, dining room and full kitchen.  If looking at the suites you could not tell the difference from a condo in New York or Los Angeles.  They are large and filled with all of the comforts of home.  Simply amazing.  We walked through the kitchens and found them to be as good as a five star restaurant on land.  The ship caters to a multitude of cultural and ethnically diverse guests that have very high standards.  The best wines, steaks, cheeses and everything else is stock at each port.  The 24 hour room service provides whatever they want - when they want it.  A guest can simply call up and say "breakfast at 7" and the staff knows what they want and expect.  No need to give them a list of what you want.  Each staff member must know your preferences.  The World offers several restaurants for their guests.  You can get world class sushi or the best Japanese Kobe Beef along with your $7000 dollar bottle of Petrus Champagne.  One part of the ship that I loved was the outdoor beds.  When the weather is good guests can sleep outside in comfortable beds.  The beds have phones next to them so you can order dinner and wine in seconds.  The World has all the amenities of a five star hotel.  Complete spa services, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis court, deli and wine store, gift shop, putting greens and even a virtual golf course where you can play the best courses in the world via video.
The main common areas are immaculate and filled with art, sculptures and very tasteful furnishings.  Pretty much heaven on the high seas.  This is truly one of the most amazing places I have ever visited.  The World is World Class and the stories the guests could tell would amaze me.  If any resident of The World wants to adopt me for a cruise, I can make myself available.  My sincere thanks to the staff and management of The World for letting our family visit this amazing vessel.  The staff is world class!
Out of respect for the management and owners of The World I will not post any photographs of our visit.  Trust me, the ship and everything in it is first class and beautiful.
The World Cruiseship
The World is the name for a luxury cruise ship which slowly travels the world, spending 2-5 days at each port. It is a not a typical holiday cruise liner. On this cruise ship, it is owned by its residents. People buy their apartment, and can live on board, or call it their holiday home. The World has a crew of 250 people, and 165 accommodation units - including, studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments, and a 6 bedroom penthouse suite. It also has a grocery store, five restaurants, a movie theater, among many other amenities. For those seeking a daily routine a bit more fulfilling than relaxing, being entertained, working on your fitness level and golf score, there are also many classes for which you can take part in. Need to learn a new language? Some new cooking skills? How about some dance lessons?

The World cruiseship

Do you ever wonder how best to spend your retirement years? Perhaps not, though I still have a wonderful proposition for you. How does it sound to wake up every morning in your own apartment - which just happens to have a sea-view. Then making your way upstairs, past the library, to decide if you feel like stopping for some rooftop golf, a trip to the spa, or to stay in shape with a trip to the gym. From there you can decide where to dine for lunch, fancy some french food today? A light, gourmet, soup or sandwich? How does this sound while making a tour of the world? Too good to be true? Well not for some.

How much does the World cruise ship cost?

If you're looking to rent one of these rooms, one night in the studio apartment will cost you between $1300-$2300. Purchasing an apartment on board starts at $2 million, plus the annual maintenance fees which can range from $60 000 to $270 000. Likely if you have to ask 'how much?', it will cost too much.