There is this show on KCTS, “Check, Please!” where three ordinary, run-of-the-mill guests go to each other’s favorite restaurants and compare notes. Husband tapes the show. A few times, by the time we watched the episode, the restaurant discussed has closed. Often times they feature restaurants that have been around ages. Salish Lodge, for example, was features. So was Szmania’s. And Kona Kitchen is another great example. My old work pal JG, who lives in the same neighborhood, mentioned this place to me ages ago, memorable because of the Hollywood/”Karate Kid” memorabilia hanging on the walls. That’s because the place is owned and run by Yuji Okumundo and his family. Yuji was in “The Karate Kid 2”! He played the villain. The bad guy. Bad kid.

So, in the episode of CP!, Yuji is interviewed and he’s wearing his “Awesome Asian Bad Guys” t-shirt, which is where I get the idea. You see, I have an AABG shirt as well. It is the first and only Kickstarter campaign I have ever supported. And it was a success and we should all be proud. My idea is to go TO Kona, wearing my AABG shirt and all will be right with the world.

I share this sentiment with the husband, and he thinks I’m nuts. But he gets it. I have to do it. We jetted over there finally one fine Saturday for lunch (coincidentally it was about a week before AABG was to be featured in the Seattle Asian Film Festival’s outdoor movie night, which I unfortunately couldn’t attend. But still, you see the strings all getting pulled together).

Sadly, Yuji wasn’t there, but the kind hostess who seated us (maybe Mrs. Okumundo??? I have to be honest, I have no idea) was pleased to see me wearing it, and told me that she wished Yuji was there, which pleased me.

So, of course, I must GO BACK. To make things perfect.

Anyway, it was early lunch for us. Most of the customers around us were ordering breakfast. But not us. When in Kona, order like the natives. I got the Kahlua Pig lunch special.

Kahlua Pig

I more or less skipped the white rice. But that macaroni salad? Man. I don’t eat macaroni salad all that often. But this stuff is the bomb, as the kids say (or at least, they used to say).

Me and my awesome Asian sidekick:

Honey! Take this picture!

Sometimes it’s acceptable to be dorky like this. The husband accepts it. I hope the kid will understand, too.