I'M convinced that those who produce food programs on TV have a sadistic streak. The shows are pure punishment. I invariably feel a mixture of envy, love and hate for those who ooh, aah and slurp their way through exotic banquets that I can't immediately participate in. Oh, to be at Payard in New York, which glowed in an episode of the Food Network's "Dining Around." And to be with the reporting team for "Soko Ga Shiritai" when it does its sushi bar tours. Place your bets on
these croquettesA co-worker had a craving for croquettes for months after seeing the potato patties beckon like coquettes on one episode. I never saw that episode so I was spared the unrequited desire, but I understood his pain. Luckily, there is a croquette restaurant in town, Mr. Frypan.
When Mr. Frypan's photo displays came into view I became very afraid. Before me was one drab expanse of browned shells filled with who knows what. It had to be a substance from nutritionists' hell. My arteries tensed.
My fellow reporter was eager, ordering up three basic croquettes (58 cents each) -- that's two for him, one for me -- three hamburger katsu (78 cents each) and an order of chicken katsu (4 pieces for $1.58), plus the deluxe croquette sandwich ($1.28) with lettuce and tomato. Croquettes are the equivalent of hamburgers in Japan. Leave it to their ingenious food scientists to make a moist mash of pulverized potato, onion, carrot and ground beef, bread it and make it palatable. The patty is deep-fried in soy bean oil, which is comparable to canola oil in its Omega-3 fatty acid content. The oil is also low in cholesterol-raising saturated fat, which is somewhat reassuring.
Items can be mixed and matched to create your own plate, okazu-ya style. Shrimp tempura, for instance, runs 78 cents per piece. We tried fried chicken (98 cents per piece) that was soggy after having been left sitting under a heating lamp. We also sampled excellent shoyu chicken (98 cents per piece).
Deep-fried food isn't trendy or desirable these days. But I was surprised that I could walk away from the croquette experience without feeling repulsed or as if my pores were exuding grease. You'd probably do no more harm with a deep-fried, mostly vegetable patty than you would by ordering large fries and a burger.
Or skip the frypan and sample some of the other offerings, such as a Japanese-style curry beef plate ($2.58 mini/ $3.98 regular) or oyako donburi ($2.38/$3.58). The price is certainly right.
Mr. Frypan: Queen's Plaza, 801 Alakea St.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
Prices: Less than $5 per person
Call: 521-1831
It's cheaper at Mr. Frypan than my cheap pick for the week, but things that are good for you tend to come at a price. Cheap eats!
Juice and smoothies at Hang Loose Juice are good for you and because it's around the corner from Mr. Frypan, the juices are a nice antidote for residual oil. Think of the juices as nutritious fruit and veggie salads in a cup.
No less than four carrots went into the 12-ounce Pele Power ($3.55), along with spinach, beets, cucumber, two celery stalks and an ounce of wheat grass.
You have to hurry over for a seasonal special of mango-berry smoothie ($3.85), with mango puree, strawberries, yogurt and a sprinkling of li-hing powder.
Hang Loose Juice is at 801 Alakea St. Call 536-5667.
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
-- excellent;
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com
