Head to Jimbo's Noodles for some good udon noodles. Curry beef set with a hot udon for me, and curry chicken with cold udon for Jason. Noodles are good, even though I'm not a fan of udon. You can tell they're different than run of the mill udon. The curry is pretty good stuff too.
Immediately after, we head back to White Plains beach for surfing part deux. Walk over to the board rental place and grab a 10 footer for me this time. Much lighter than last time, I can carry the board out to the water with no problems.
Since it's pretty much right after we eat, and I'm still burping up curry and udon, I pass on getting into the water right away. I occupy myself by trying to get some good shots of Jason on the surf. I notice a guy and a girl trying to teach one of their friends how to surf. Cool, maybe I can pick up some pointers from them.
After a while, I decide it's time to get back into the water. Packing my camera away into the car, I notice a sign that's up on a pole nearby. "High Theft Area. Do not leave valuables in vehicle." Hmm.
Back to the sand, I grab the board and jump in the water. I immediately notice that the 10 foot board, as opposed to the 12 foot whale that I rode before, isn't as stable on the water. No matter, it makes it easier to paddle and maneuver, which is I suppose the point of smaller boards.
I paddle a bit out to sea and notice the guy and two girls are out there as well. I'll just paddle on by and watch what they do. Paddle paddle paddle.
Ah, hello ocean waves.
Ah, hello water up my nose.
Mother Nature is buff.
After hopping over a few waves, getting tossed by a few others, I finally make it out to near where all the other surfers are congregating. I watch as a large wave begins to build up in the distance, and other surfers start to turn around and catch it as they pass to the side of me.
The same wave also joins a few others down my nose.
After the wave passes, I wait for the next set. Waves out here come in sets apparently, a few moments pass in between sets when the sea is calm and you can just enjoy bobbing around in the water, seeing the grand view of the island mountains and clouds, and feeling the sun and the wind caress you.
The next set of waves begin to come, and I turn the board around and start paddling to attempt to catch it.
Sploosh. Guess I'll catch the next one.
Attempt paddling again. This time the wave comes up behind me and... it catches! I pop up to my knees, test my balance for a few moments, then pop up again to my feet. I'm standing. I'M STANDING!!! VEGAS BABY! VEGAS!!!
... sploosh. Made it halfway to the shore. On my feet. Rad.
Paddling back out to the same spot, I follow a guy that seems to know what he's doing. Another set of waves come, and I decide to go for it. Turn the board around as fast as I possibly can (to me, it's kind of hard to do) and start paddling like mad. Catch!!! I pop back up on my knees, and then on my feet, and I'm totally surfing! Woooooo!
... sploosh. I decide to call it a surf day at this point, and catch one small wave that takes me back into the shore.
Jason catches a few shots of me heading towards the shore and shows me. Hey neat, I'm on my feet! A bit blurry, but I can tell it's me. I think.
I take a look at the same photo a bit later and notice that Jason was showing me the 500% enlarged one. In the original, I'm but a tiny speck in a canvas of aqua blue. Oh well, it's the best that could be done.
I return my board to the shop, and he charges $5. Man, what a great deal. Afterwards, Jason takes off to the water again and I catch a few more photos of him heading in on his board. We take off after that, making plans to pick up Kristl and head to Casablanca, a Moroccan cuisine restaurant on the other side of the island.
The inside of the restaurant is covered in intricate rugs and patterns, and lit by these tiny colored lamps. It gives it a very alien feel, like you stepped through a portal that took you from Hawaii into Africa. The meals are pre set, meaning each person chooses an entree and you get a set number of other courses that come before and after.
Look at the design of this place. Not exactly Denny's (or Zippy's, in Hawaii)
Table design. Very intricate, no?
We start off with a giant plate of appetizers, a set of six various sauces and mixes of ingredients that you eat with bread. Our server presented this massive plate to us as if it was a gift fit for royalty and not just a meal. Where are the utensils? You eat with your hands, apparently, and it makes for a fun meal where you can literally fight your friends to grab that last bit of eggplant or tomato. Not saying that we did. But we totally could have. Fought. Like children.
Six sauces, ranging from a creamy hummus dip, to a tabbouleh (cucumber) salad, some eggplant concoction, bell peppers and tomatoes, and spiced carrots. Yummmmm. We also were served small bowls of soup, which tasted like a tomato base with some beans in it. Equally yummmm.
Next came the B'stilla, a sort of chicken pie made out of a crusty, flaky outside shell covered in powdered sugar and cinnamon. The inside is made up of ground chicken with ground almonds and egg. Oh it was SO good. And so burning my fingers.
Next, our entrees came. I chose a fish entree, Kristl picked a couscous with chicken and veggies, and Jason went after the cornish hen with preserved lemon and honey. Jason's was no doubt the best flavored, reminding me of Versailles (Cuban restaurant in LA). Kristl's packed a punch of variety, with a bit of chicken in the middle, savory couscous and mixed veggies which included cauliflower and squash. My fresh fish turned out to be Ahi covered under a sauce consisting of bell peppers, tomatoes, and probably 18 million spices. It was exquisitely tender and had the acidic taste of tomatoes mixed with... 18 million spices. Fantastic.
Afterwards, we got a plate of dessert, consisting of what seemed like slices of biscotti cookie and raisins, and this other kind of dessert made with an underlying layer of glazed nuts, and layers of the same crusty stuff as the B'stilla and a tangle of what looked like cheese on top. Only it wasn't cheese. More like sweet, crispy tangles of succulent noodles.
This was followed by a mint, lemon, honey tea, which the server poured from face height. He managed to keep it all in the glasses, and we were treated to this sweet, minty tea.
Another place that I must totally recommend. Bring yourself to Casablanca Moroccan food. If you were given the choice between saving the life of a baby or going to Casablanca for tasty Moroccan food, there better be a really long, awkward pause as you consider those options. One where your friends seriously, seriously doubt your moral compass.
Yes, it really IS that good.
