My dear college friend, Stephanie, was visiting from Texas the last several
days, and we had a ball.

We took a surf
lesson…

and swam in a cage surrounded by wild sharks…

but maybe the most memorable adventure was dinner at Sushi
Sasabune.

Called “soup Nazi-style sushi,” this small restaurant in Honolulu is known for real
sushi, eaten the real way…only. When I
made our reservation, I was informed there would be no rolls or tempura to be
had, and if we sat at the sushi bar, there would also be no menus. The incredibly talented sushi chef picks for
you – called omakase-style – until you get full and tell him to stop. Here are the four plates I ate before raising
the white flag. I’ve eaten a lot of
sushi, and this was the best of my life.

In addition to choosing and explaining what you eat, the
chef explains exactly how to eat it – “one bite please” and “soy sauce ok” or “no
soy sauce please.” This is where the
Nazi reference comes in (I did get reprimanded once for trying to bite a piece
of nigiri in half), but in reality, the eating tips were much appreciated. Some pieces of fish already have sauce on
them, and dousing them in soy sauce ruins the flavor balance, but for many of
us is just a habit. It sounds a little controlling,
but was actually fantastic customer service.