6/17/08 - Dag-nabbit! I forgot my socks. Otherwise, we woulda thrown down a couple of games, for sure! I don't know what it is, but bowling alleys always carry such an active, fun, family-friendly atmosphere. Maybe there are positive ions running around when the pins are struck down. Works around crashing water or waves, so how 'bout bowling pins? In any case, hearing them almost shatter must flip on some kind of wake-up switch in our minds, even if unconsciously. Add to that excited kids going off on video arcade games and old-folks all getting together in multiple-lane makule leagues, and you have one "good-fun" combination!
Unfortunately, bowling alleys on the island are a dying breed these days, with only a few left outside the military bases. When Kam Bowl closed last year I was heartbroken, even despite the fact that I've probably bowled three or four times in the last five years or so. Aiea Bowl, home of today's featured restaurant called The Alley, is one of the last still standing. Hopefully, they won't let the tradition die - I mean, can you imagine a world without public bowling alleys?
At least Aiea Bowl seems to have a lot going for it. I know it costs a lot to keep all those lanes in working order and rents are sky-high, but they sure do seem to make a lot of money to offset the costs! The restaurant is almost always busy, leagues are held daily, and have you ever seen this place on weekends? It's tough to even reserve a lane or two during prime-time evening hours. But then again, what do I know? I just hope they continue, is all.
They are located on the third level of the Aiea Shopping Center, above and behind McDonald's, which is above Times Supermarket on the busy corner of Aiea Heights Dr. and Moanalua Rd. The parking lot outside the bowling alley is often packed, so you may have to park on the lower levels - just watch out for signs that specify designated parking spaces! Today, we had to park on the second floor and take the stairs to the entrance.
And here are the many aisles available. Right now it's not so busy, but when the league's hit this place hard, watch out! As you can see, young and old alike enjoy a good game together.
After you walk in, turn right and there is a pro shop to service all the hard-core bowlers, a mini video-game arcade, and more seats to accomodate people who just want to hang out, enjoy the scenery, and grab something from the restaurant. In fact, this is a great place to hold a party. They can accomodate up to 300 guests, and with a little something for everyone, it's sure to be a success!
To the left (from the main entrance), is another open area with tables and seats available. Behind the row of sofa's is the restaurant as well as the bar, where a person can be seen seated through the area entrance. There are good deals to be had here, with 16 oz. draft beers going for as little as $2.50, depending on the type and special, and that's without a happy hour, mind you!
There is also a full-blown bakery here, with personalized cake service and items like a lemon-drop crunch cake and a Mama Miya chocolate cake, featuring rich chocolate cream layered between cake and covered with chocolate ganache. And then there's the scones, tiramisu, chocolate-chip cookies, cream cheese square, apple pies, and more.
The dining room can get very crowded and they often have a shortage of servers. I've found them generally hard-working, nice, and accomodating, but during a good swamping there's only so many things a person can do at one time.
How about the grinds, you say? Well... I remember coming a few months ago for a bowling session with a small party of family and friends, most of whom had ordered a few things and all of which were very good (shmall' kine samples, I did...). I bit into a very juicy burger, dug into a huge serving of super-crunchy thin-cut fries, and chopsticked my way through the remains of my brother's yakisoba noodle plate. All I knew that day was that I was bound to come back sooner rather than later!
Sure enough, that day came and I dragged wifey and mom out to Aiea. Mom's choice was a combination teriyaki steak and spicy shrimp plate. One of the great things about this place is that you can order single items or combine them into one plate (except for a few of the higher-ticket items). Don't you wish they offered combo's everywhere?
I found that her teriyaki steak was not the tenderest cut around, but it was not bad. It was definitely very lean, and wasn't just a steak with teri-sauce slathered on but a well-marinated cut that didn't need any glaze at all.
I enjoyed the spicy shrimp much more. Before taking a bite, I wondered how it was flavored, surmising it would probably come from the familiar sweet chili sauce found at so many places around the island. I think they did use some of it, but surprisingly, to me it actually tasted like a cross between a teriyaki and one of those South American sauces. For the life of me, I forgot the name of it but never did forget the taste - maybe chimichurra? Not sure, though, which really means "forget what I just said!"
Wifey had the best order of the day. Her tasty chicken (that's what they named it!) was indeed tasty - tasty enough that juicy thoughts of getting huge pans of this stuff for the next big get-together instantly flooded my mind! There are several places that have good sauces for their fried chicken bits, but I only wish all of them came with a decent-quality chicken that didn't tax my TMJ into oblivion. Here, the pieces are reasonably tender and juicy, and the crispy skins are amazingly crisp despite taking in some of that "tasty" sauce. Definitely a winner and the best item of the day for sure.
The hamburger steak was also very good. First of all, the char-broiled taste was just like off my own hibachi and those black grill lines are always something you like to see. And then the good-sized patty didn't have much in the way of fillers like onions, bread crumbs, and eggs, which can sometimes give it that mushy or overly dense consistency. There must have been some filler because it held together well, but it couldn't have been much. I think the taste of ground beef alone, with salt and simple seasonings, of course, is much better without all the add-on's.
And last but not least was the braised pork. Actually, maybe it was the least! The decent serving of pork was cooked long enough to get it nice and soft, but it was a bit on the dry side, and the shoyu-based flavor didn't quite ring true to anyone on our table, either.
And when it comes to mac salad, I'm not sure if you like it heavy or light on the mayo. This one was heavy, and it also came with a starchy consistency that surely came from potatoes. You know, how grandma would make her potato salad, with chunks of potato as well as the portion coming "mashed" and mixed in with the mayo for that creamy but slightly gritty texture?
I guess after my first encounter here, I had some high expectations for this place. These days, there are so many good chefs out there! I personally know several fully-trained chefs coming out of excellent food programs like the one at Kapiolani Community College or even those little private schools that are popping up everywhere, but for some reason haven't been picked up by any of the nicer restaurants. Others have been trained hand's on, working their way up through the ranks at a nice Pacific Rim restaurant or two and picking up skills that are just as valuable, if not more so. Some of this talent makes its way down to much more casual haunts, upping the bar tremendously for everyone.
I knew that The Alley would be one of those places where the chefs really knew what they were doing. Ok, I didn't really agree with some of the dishes here, but flashes of greatness are apparent everywhere, and the dishes are very original, indeed. They are hearty meals served in generous portions, making it well-suited to the local crowd, and the strong flavors and tried-and-true local favorites on the menu definitely come more "kicked-up" than a typical local grindz haunt.
You'll taste the difference in the crispy fries, the juicy burgers, the "minimal-filler" hamburger steak, the very original spicy shrimp, the tasty chicken (especially!), and I'm sure a whole lot more! Combine all of that with the ability to take dishes out of the restaurant and into the many tables in close proximity to the bowling alley, and you're sure to have a great time.
Post a Comment or just say hello! Don't worry about leaving REAL names if you don't want to! Changing to Code names are fine, but just stay consistent with your code names, allright? No e-mails will be posted without consent, either way! Hope to hear from you all!
