Kaffee Imperial

2007-06-11T23:30:00.000-10:00

Sorry the pictures are blurry, we're getting used to our new digital camera.

A couple of weeks ago, we were watching Docchi no Ryori on KIKU and the two dishes were katsudon and tenpura don. This made us crave both dishes, but more for katsudon since we had never had it. I don't eat much katsu, or pork for that matter. Anyway, we sort of did some research and asked around about somewhere we could try katsudon and Kaffee Imperial came up.

We were served water and a very mild green tea, and edamame when we were seated. Their menu is very short and we knew we wanted katsudon. The workers there are Korean, and I guess their English isn't that great because at first we said, "Two katsudon," but when she repeated it she said, "Two tonkatsu, OK!" Then I said, "Katsudon," and she said, "OK, two katsudon!" When our food came out, this is what we got.

We didn't feel like sending it back. For me, it was because it looked so nice, and we've seen the movie Waiting.

It was good. Now, the last time I had tonkatsu was years ago, so I can't really say I have a standard, but I really liked this. It was crispy and juicy, nice pork flavor, and not oily at all. The katsu sauce was in a small container on the side, and it was also very tasty. Rogan loves katsu sauce and he said it was very good. He also loved the rice, but mine had some hard, dried out grains. Nothing to make me mad because it happens, though. The dish came with a scoop of (mashed) potato salad with bits of egg in it, cucumber slices, a tomato wedge that's hiding behind the mound of cabbage, a wedge of lemon, and two little dishes of veggies that we couldn't figure out. One was won bok with some kind of spicy, sour taste, but not kim chee. I think it had togarashi pepper on it. The other is something we don't know in a sweet, shoyu sauce.

The combination of the lemon squeezed on it, katsu sauce, and cabbage with the tonkatsu was really addicting. It all tasted fresh and I seriously crave tonkatsu now--me, the non-pork/katsu-eater.

Kaffee Imperial
725 Kapiolani Boulevard

My fave, so far

2007-02-16T15:26:00.000-10:00

I've only tried soon dubu jigae at Millions, So Gong Dong, Sorabol, and Jang Su (?) in Pearl City, but so far my favorite has to be from So Gong Dong. Anyone else have a favorite soon dubu? I prefer soon dubu to other jigae cuz the tofu is just so mmmmgood. I also like seafood in mine, preferably clams. If you order the clam soon dubu from So Gong Dong, it comes with huge clams! But not a lot. Their other mixed soon dubu that include clams have smaller ones, but still good. The best thing to eat with soon dubu is seafood pancake!

Your first jigae.

2007-02-16T11:54:00.000-10:00

The moment you taste your first jigae - be it soon dubu, kim chee, or any of the hundreds of variations - your life changes. jigae, or korean style stew, is the meaning of life and should be enjoyed by all.

Ho So Gewd!

Kaffee Imperial

My fave, so far

Your first jigae.