Maile is the power of personality

My friend Maile is back from teaching English in China. She'll be returning to Beijing at the end of the month.

I asked her what she wanted to do while back at home.

"Eat burritos. Eat pizza. Eat a tofu sandwich from BaLe. Eat chocolate," she said.

"Ah. So you want to eat."

We started with burritos.

The burritos from Tacos El Unico fell short of what she'd remembered.

"What did you think it was going to taste like?"

"Like heaven in a tortilla. But this is not heaven in a tortilla. This is like...the Hyatt in a tortilla."

(Mental note: Too bad Maile's going back to China. I would tell her to apply for the Honolulu Advertiser's restaurant reviewer position).

The tofu sandwich from BaLe met better reviews. Maile had especially missed the crisp, crunchy French bread they use there. It was everything she remembered. Plus, Max, the owner comped our meal and gave us free coconut flavored ice cream.

This is the real magic of eating your way through town with Maile. You are bound to run into someone she knows, and they are bound to be so delighted to see her that you leave with free stuff or invitations to do stuff.

"You're like a fucking celebrity here," I told her between spoonfuls of ice cream.

She laughed. "Not really."

"Whatever. Everybody remembers you and wants to you come home."

"Fuck that. Although the girl at Tacos El Unico remembered me. When I walked in she said, 'Maile! You're back from teaching English in China!' I didn't think she even knew my name."

"What?! That girl barely says two words in English to me."

"Well I used to eat there a lot."

"Whatever. Andrea ALWAYS eats there. She has a thing for Mexican guys and all the Mexican guys hang out there. But the girl hardly talks to her either. But then again, Andrea didn't once suggest that the girl rig a pulley to deliver burritos to her apartment window."

"Hey, that was a good idea."