QuickBites
Roy's 21st location opens

Roy’s restaurant opened its 21st location last weekend in La Jolla, Calif. Founder/chef Roy Yamaguchi was there for the opening and will soon be off to Florida for openings this month in Boca Raton and Orlando. The long-awaited Kihei opening has been postponed until mid-February, according to Yamaguchi, who was seen cooking at the flagship Hawai‘i Kai restaurant over the holidays. Other openings scheduled for the Euro-Asian restaurant include Buckhead and Atlanta, Ga.; Baltimore, Md., and downtown Philadelphia.

Plenty of chefs

Five hundred chefs from the western region of the United States will convene at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island starting Sunday for the Chef d’Cuisine American Culinary Federation Convention. Attendees will get a taste of Hawai‘i-style Pacific Rim Cuisine, with several Island chefs participating in the event, including Peter Merriman, father of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine; Russell Siu of Kaka‘ako Kitchen and 3660 on the Rise, and Dave D.K. Kodama of Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. Hawai‘i food producers will show off their products, too.

Sushi record

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar will try for a Guinness Book of World Records on Saturday by making the longest California sushi roll. Students from Maui Community College Culinary Arts program and Maui high schools will help create the 100-yard-long roll starting around 12:20 p.m. at Wailuku’s War Memorial Stadium, prior to the Hula Bowl College All Star Football game. By donating to the school’s culinary program, anyone can eat a segment of the sushi roll.

Warm comfort

Warm, soothing beverages and food are appropriate for January, even in Hawai‘i where the weather only gets "chilly." Byron Goo of The Tea Chest wants everyone to know that it’s National Hot Tea Month, a time focused on the preparation and consumption of tea. His company offers "The Leaf Lovers Club," a monthly sampling of teas to introduce people to different varieties of tea, its history, growing conditions, preparation and caffeine content. The two-sample-per-month mailing is $16.40 for Hawai‘i residents; call 591-9400 for more information or register online at www.Teachest.com.

January is also Oatmeal Month, the time when Quaker Oats Co. says oatmeal consumption is at its highest. Oatmeal is one of those whole grains that’s good for you: The bran, or outermost layer, contains fiber; the endosperm in the middle is a source of carbohydrates and protein, and the heart or germ contains valuable vitamins and minerals. Oats are supposed to help prevent chronic diseases. All oats - steel-cut, old-fashioned, quick or instant - are whole-grain products that provide the same nutrients in the same amounts. The difference is in the processing that affects cooking time and texture. You can order a free copy of "Oats: The (Whole) Grain Story" and a free recipe brochure, "Super Recipes for a Super You," at P.O. Box 487, Chicago, IL 60690-0487 or send an e-mail to oatoffer!@aol.com.

"Goldbecks’ Little Book of Oats" by Nikki and David Goldbeck contains 40 oat recipes in a 24-page booklet. The $4 booklet (includes postage) is available by mail from Ceres Press, P.O. Box 87, Woodstock, NY 12498.

Recipe contests

The Sam Choy Star Markets and Viking Range Cook-Off Contest is looking for your best barbecue dish. Chef Sam Choy will pick 10 top recipe entries; contestants will then compete in a cook-off at the BIA Home Building and Remodeling Show on Feb. 4 at Neal Blaisdell Center. The winner will receive a Viking 30-inch barbecue grill on cart, valued at $2,500. Entry forms for contestants 18 years or older are available at Star Markets beginning today. You can see the Viking grill on cart in a free demonstration 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday at Star Kane‘ohe and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Sunday at Star Mililani.

The eighth annual Kretschmer Wheat Germ "Delicious and Easy" Recipe Contest is looking for recipes for meatless main dishes, main dish salads and warm-weather desserts. The grand prize is $5,000; recipes are judged on taste, convenience, appearance and creativity. At least a half-cup of wheat germ must be used, but no more than 12 ingredients. Entries must include a proof of purchase; contestants must be 18 years or older and a nonprofessional cook. Mail entries to Kretschmer Wheat Germ Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago, IL 60654; e-mail to KWGContest!@aol.com or enter online at www.kretschmer.com. Rules may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address or visiting the Web site. Entry deadline is April 30.

2001 National Beef Cook-Off has a top prize of $50,000 for recipes using fresh beef, prepared beef and combinations with fresh potatoes. Amateur cooks are eligible to enter their recipes; 20 finalists will compete in a cook-off in September in Tucson, Ariz., for a grand prize and eight other cash prizes. Recipes must contain no more than six ingredients; only main dishes are eligible, and preparation and cooking time must be 30 minutes or less. For a complete set of rules, visit beefcookoff.org or call 1-800-848-9088. Entry deadline is Mar. 31.

Quick Bites appears every Wednesday in The Advertiser food section. Food Editor Joan Namkoong welcomes tidbits of food news.Write to her c/o The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Call: 525-8069. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com

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