"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it". ~Buddy Hackett
A typical Tuesday afternoon for Paul & I. It's our day off together and we slept in until 1:30pm. So of course, we wake up famished and have major heartburn from waking up so hungry. The worst part of waking up as hungry as we were that afternoon was that we hadn't gone grocery shopping. Grrr!!!! A debate ensues. Should we just walk over to the Food Pantry and purchase a few items and cook at home? [If we do that, it'll take up so much of our energy already and starving NOW!!!!!] Should we just get our happy asses out of bed, get ready and dressed, catch a cab and dine elsewhere while we whet our appetites and gorge ourselves with the appetizers and ruin our appetites altogether and end up not touching our entrees and bringing home leftovers. So as hungry as we were, we chose the latter.
Finally made it to Banana Leaf and there were a few people already there. Paul & I decide to sit in our usual corner by the front door, facing the flat screen television on the wall that's forever playing Michael Jackson's music videos or his movie, "This Is It". The last time we came here to eat, they were playing that same DVD on the flat screen. I feel sorry for the people that have to work there and listen and watch that damn movie over and over again, day in and day out! I tell Paul and tell him that maybe we should give Banana Leaf a present from the both of us and perhaps switch up their form of entertainment and go to Wal-Mart and buy them a Beyonce concert DVD!!!! I'm sure that you can only take so much Michael Jackson in one day...
Please bear with me as I'm aimlessly rambling on due to the fact that I'm going on day 2 of going cold turkey. Yes, I haven't smoked a damn cigarette since 9:30 am on Thursday morning [4.22.10]. Getting fidgety. Gotta keep my fingers busy. Just thought that I'd throw in that random fact as I'm working on this food blog.
First thing on the menu that Paul & I order on the menu. Cheese sticks with marinara sauce for me and for Paul, his damn steamed Manila clams in garlic white wine sauce. My cheese sticks were full of cheesy goodness!!!! More cheese, less breaded! Just the way I like it!!! They were perfect!
For my main entree, I order the spaghetti with meatballs. Paul orders the Seafood Spaghettini made with shrimp, scallop, mussel, calamari, fish and cram simmered in tomato or cream sauce. I'm simple when it comes to my pasta and spaghetti. I guess because growing up I was used to pasta being all meat and marinara sauce versus the way Paul grew up on pasta with white wine sauce or seafood. We were so full that we couldn't make room for any dessert whatsoever!
Highly recommend this place! [Thanks to Jeff & Amber's suggestion!] It's located in the McCully Shopping Center. The restaurant was clean and welcoming. Staff was friendly! Prices were really good for the portion! Average price per dish ran about $9-$15. BYOB. No corking fee if you bring a bottle of wine.
Banana Leaf Pasta Cafe
1960 Kapiolani Boulevard
Suite 103
Honolulu, HI 96813
Telephone: 808.946.3338
Info@bananaleafhawaii.com
Hours: 11 AM to 11 PM
