H2O Melon

It's hard not to think about watermelon this time of year. I'm conducting another watermelon experiment with a root beer vinaigrette! More on this later.....

Watermelon with Goat Cheese
Mediterranean olives, sea salt, shallot vinaigrette


Hawaiian Tombo
Watermelon, black olive vinaigrette, wakame, fleur de sel

Dining - Naples Florida

Coconut Shrimp Tempura
Passion Fruit infused Sweet & Sour Sauce


Short Rib Bi Bim Bap
Kim Chee, Mung Beans, Scallions, Fried Egg & Ko Chu Jang


Seared Hawaiian Nairagi
Macadamia Nut Gremolata, Meyer Lemon Sauce and Baby Vegetables


Roy’s Original Hawaiian Blackened Island Ahi
Spicy Soy Mustard Butter Sauce


Baked Goat Cheese
tomato sauce, baguette


chicken livers
apples, onions, bacon


Pommes Frites
Béarnaise, Aioli,
Smoked Tomato Ketchup


Loaded Potato Skins
Bacon, Cheddar


Chorizo Empanada
Red Pepper Aioli


Potato Pancakes
Apple Chutney, Sour Cream


Pork Carnitas
Cabbage Slaw, Warm Tortillas


Warm Apple Fritters
Caramel Ice Cream

A Few Small Plates - San Juan, PR

Proscuitto
Grilled pear and gorgonzola cheese with whole grain mustard


Fried sardines
with aioli


Best pork tacos ever!


Fried Beef Empanadilla's

Global BBQ

Patrick McDonnell made a recent trip to the test kitchen. Patrick is a frequent writer for magazines such as Food Arts, a consultant, a photographer and most importantly, he's a chef.

Patrick & I started talking about regional America BBQ a couple of months ago. The discussion evolved into international BBQ and it's enormous impact on the food truck and street food scene. So Patrick and crew came in and did what we try to do a couple of times a year, he cooked and we sat back. It's always great to see someone else's perspective and it's always interesting to be on the tasting side of the process rather than the cooking side.

Here's a small sampling of what we tasted.

Catalan Shrimp Barbacoa
La Rambla Style Grilled Shrimp
Marinated and Grilled Shrimp with, Roasted Peppers and Catalan Sofrito Aioli Drizzle


Yucatan Lamb Pastore
Slow Braised Lamb Barbacoa Tacos
Marinated and Grilled Lamb Leg with Pico de, Fruta, Queso Blanco, on Corn and Flour Tacos with Sour Cream and Guacamole Aioli


Goan Chicken Barbacoa
Chicken Cafreal
Cafreal Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast with Grilled Naan Bread topped with Chopped Tomatoes, Onions, Coriander and Mint Paste with Mango

Korean Rib Eye Bulgogi
Korean Firecracker Beef Bulgogi with White Kim Chi Slaw
Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak, Peanut Lime Vinaigrette topped White Cabbage, Julienne over Mandarin Tacos

Peruvian Chicken Chifa
Peking Lacquered Chicken
Five Spice and Molasses Lacquered Chicken with Jicama and Cilantro on Chinese Pancakes with Ginger Aioli

Chimayo Lamb Chorizo
Lamb Chorizo Slider
Ground Grass Fed Lamb seasoned with Chimayo Chile, Garlic and Sage with Fried Tomatoes and Queso and on Toasted Bolitto

Alaskan Halibut

Olive Oil Poached Alaskan Halibut
Pappardelle pasta, fennel, arugula, sun dried tomatoes, Mediterranean olives, asparagus, basil pistou, white wine clam broth.

Smoked Trout

Fruitwood Smoked Trout
Pickled cucumbers & onions, watercress, dill crème, chives, caraway crackers.

Crispy Ribs - sticky good!

Crispy Pork Ribs - street food 101
Thai chile sauce, peanut-ginger slaw, sriracha sauce.

Summer Has Finally Arrived

Heirloom Tomato Salad
"Peach" and "Chocolate Cherry" tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sea salt & cracked pepper, basil infused olive oil, balsamic reduction, micro sprouts.

When Cheese Becomes Cake

My experiment with savory "cheesecake" allowed us to infuse flavor yet maintain the integrity and creaminess of the cheese. With the right cheese and the correct ratios the flavor combination possibilities are endless.

Bleu "cheesecake" with mission figs.
Goat "cheesecake" with dried cherries.

Cross section of goat "cheesecake" with dried cherries.

Cheese Condiments
Candied kumquats, golden raisin & mustard seed relish, sweet & sour cherries.


"Cheesecakes" with rosemary crackers and quince paste

The Versatility of Crepes

Corn & Jalapeno Crepes
Sauteed oyster mushrooms with spinach and goat cheese. Balsamic reduction, fresh chives and chive flowers.



Smoked Duck Crepes
Fresh corn, manchego cheese, green chiles, radish sprouts

Vibrant Tuna

This is one of the crispest, cleanest tuna preparations we've ever developed. The base is a crisp-spicy cucumber &Thai green curry gelee.

Hawaiian Tuna Crudo
Cucumber-Thai green curry gelee, serrano chiles, candied kumquats, cilantro, sea salt and crystallized ginger.

Simple Elegance

In our family if you would have ever exhibited any small indications or early signs that you weren't a passionate food lover we would have shipped you off to be raised by wolves.

My wife Sheila, who of course is an extraordinarily passionate cook based on the criteria above, made these amongst other small bites a couple of nights ago.

The Japanese fig compote was, and will be in future preparations, the perfect accompaniment to serve with cheese. It's made by rough chopping dried figs and slow cooking them in a covered pan with orange juice, segmented and chopped oranges, orange zest, fresh rosemary and cracked black pepper.

Canapes with ichijiku compote, goat cheese and toasted walnuts.

Shortrib Tasting

Sometimes less is more, especially if less opens the door to more variety.

Crispy Beef Shortrib 'Confit'
Butter poached Alaskan crab leg, bearnaise sauce.

Tuna Crudo

After eating and cooking much tuna you get tired of every dish following the same familiar path...soy, ginger, wasabi, etc. So, with that thought in mind we began some work to part ways with tradition. The road less travel provides new scenery and fresh perspectives.

TUNA CRUDO
Fennel pollen, Hiwa Kai Hawaiian black lava salt, fennel salad, artichoke chips, preserved lemon oil.