UYE Taste Table – Wade Ueoka

Another Killer UYE

Taste with Chef Wade Ueoka!
Have you ever been to Taste?
Have you ever been to Taste on a hot day?
Standing in a long line…
And starving!?!
That’s me in a nutshell.
Hot, sweaty, and oh so… Haaangry!
I see UYE hostess, Sheetal R. and Russell M. a good 8 people in front of me (the plan was to meet here before noon to grab the «secret» tables in the back). We make eye contact and wave at each other, but I promised Mom when I was 10 years old, I would never cut in line… No matter how hot, sweaty, and hungry I am. The «Patience is a Virtue» attitude was instilled at a very young age. Thanks Mom!
So I’ll wait in the sun, on the sidewalk, and chat with the random women in front of me. Heck they seem haaaangry too! Anyone who knows me… Knows I love talking story. So yes, we talk about everything and anything: The sun, the food, each other, and Unilocal!Haha! So yes, I might have another three new Unilocalers joining the Y community in the next day or two. Thank me later, Unilocal!
The line seems to move faster when you’re talking, and before you know it… It’s my turn! Nice!
Chuco T. posted the menu on the UYE page, so I knew exactly what I wanted before standing in line.
My order:
–Twice Cooked Pork Tonkatsu, Kale & Bacon w/​Kimchee Potato Salad, and Rice
–Lemonade
Taste is a small cube room with a few tables and a counter to eat your meal, however one of the coolest things about this place was the «secret» alley in the back, where more community tables are set up to eat «picnic style». Another neato thing… You have to literally squeeze thru the kitchen to get there. So, basically I had to hip-​bump the kitchen-​help and Chef Ueoka to get to the «secret» alley.
In the «secret» alley it has the real «urban» feel to it. I remember alleys like this when I lived in San Francisco. Neat. Being in urban Honolulu made it even cooler.
All the Unilocalers arrive slowly. Until there’s about a dozen of us. Good group as usual. Taking food & goofy pics. Always fun!
Part of the chat was talking about my divorce, Jamaican spices, working too much, cowboy outfits, Marina’s marriage proposal, Zumba, tattoos, foods, foodies, Delaware, Philly, San Francisco, Puna, etc. Yes, just the typical Unilocal chat session. Always fun!
The food was delicious and I’ll have the full details in my Taste Review. Stay tuned…
Note: This was Sheetal R.‘s first solo UYE and she was the perfect hostess.
Excellent food, awesome company always leads to a successful UYE!
Unilocal REVIEW #126