On Jordan's List

With all the many “good eats” in Hawaii, there are an equal amount of places that deserve to be on a list of “don’t ever go there.” On Jordan’s List shares restaurant establishments, some of them local favorites, that need to be avoided at all cost. I know some of them may be right next to your house or work place but it is worth you while to give your business to other businesses.

Living in Manoa, one of your only options to eat out is Manoa Marketplace. Although some restaurants are good, there are some that need to be On Jordan’s List.

There is no L&L in Manoa so Manoa BBQ may be your only option to get a local style plate lunch. When you first enter there are numerous selections handwritten on the wall and on the crowded menu. The menu flows from mixed plate to katsu, however this is Manoa BBQ's reasons for being on the list. The closest table to the register is always piled up with the employee's newspaper, magazine and leftover food. Not to mention the right side of the eating area is jammed with boxes almost touching the brown but once white ceiling. I will admit the food is OK using normal greasy plate lunch standards and the portions and price is fair. The main reason for the list is the very poor customer service. I eat at hole in the wall places that make this place look like a John Dominis, but the food and service is good. That combination is lacking here. If you have ever been here before you might recall an Asian woman working the register with short straight bangs. If she is not checking her cell phone while you wait she is giving you the mean stink eye.

There she is.

My last experience came on my way home from grad school at UH. (Don’t even get me started on the Educational Technology program at UH. I don’t have enough memory on my computer to write about all the times they cut corners.) It was 8:45 and I knew I have only 15 minutes until all eateries closed at the Marketplace. I walk in to Manoa BBQ only to find my favorite worker at the register. As she checked her phone I looked over the menu for at least a minute looking for something haven’t eaten before. Not finding anything appealing I just went with the usual, "May I have a curry katsu plate." I would have to guess that I awakened her from her cell phone trance only to replay to me, “We closed.” A little confused I looked behind me to see a rather dirty but well it "OPEN" sign shining in the window. I asked her, “What time do you close?” Her repose was, “nine.” I then asked if you were closed why you didn’t tell me you were closed when I walked in to your store two minutes ago. With a simple shrug of her shoulders, I thought it would be best to just leave and try to go someplace else. I got back in my car and drove around to the front entrance only to the Pearl and Ramen workers turning of their OPEN signs in what seemed to be unison.

To sum things up, my top ramen dinner that night did not fulfill the hunger that was building from teaching 6th graders all day and listening to a professor giving a 97 slide PowerPoint about how she is great at what she does. Manoa BBQ Deserves to be On Jordan’s List. What do you think?