As many of you know I had the honor of executing something I have been planning for a little under a year, the Honolulu Grub Club’s See-Food Scavenger Hunt. It was a blast and I thank the participants as well as those who volunteered to help me set this up. Please read the following recap to see what it looked like from an organizer’s point of view
The Start
It was a bright and early Saturday morning for me as I prepared the food, prizes, and clues/answers sheets for what would be the HGC’s first (and hopefully not last) See-Food Scavenger Hunt. It was going to be a hot day as it was already 78 degrees in the morning, but I did not realize how hot and fierce the competition would be.
Team Ninjas the only team assembled on time and ready to go with all the zeal expected of deadly assassins.
The contestants slowly rolled in, taking advantage of the 15-minute grace period I had given. 10:30AM? Not on Hawaiian time, we would begin closer to 11:00AM with fully assembled teams, but the competitive talking had already begun among those who had arrived early. Only one team would win, but everyone would enjoy an awesome barbeque from the hosting party at the Moana Pacific.
Team Don't Come For Me scoring some points.
There were four teams of eighteen individuals. First to sign up, and punctual among all the teams were The Ninjas. Populated with people seasoned in home cooking and wise beyond their years they had good spirits and were ready to have fun early in the morning to the afternoon. After them was Team Rocket, a team put together of varying interests, but all brought together by charm, a competitive edge, and the enthusiasm of their namesake anime characters. Team Don’t Come For Me followed, late enough that their driver drove up to the parking lot while I prepared the instructions, but spirited enough and all of them know their way around a restaurant to be a deadly threat. Last, and most certainly least was Team Mochi’s Minions (aka Team Civil Beat, as I really am not sure they settled on a name). This team had come together literally within hours of me planning the last parts of the Hunt, but they were confident and just as a smart and savvy as their online news service. Four teams, but only one would win. Who would it be? Well, here were the clues before them:
Clues (Can you Answer Them All?)
- Combine “A” to the left for this answer.
- Gurrabi’s favorite food.
- A piss load of this stuff will sweeten anything.
- The outline is Camelus bactrianus-like.
- Majestic Crustacean.
- Complete Sustenance.
- If I am steamed, I’m white, but if baked, I’m brown. However, I’m always red on the inside.
- Go here to grab an Italian pie from the Golden Coast.
- I am the Bird of La Mancha
- When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go here with Petula Clark.
- The seed from this palm will drive you crazy.
- If being Chin Ho Kelly doesn’t work out he can always be a burger chef here.
- I’m always a staple in a salad, sold fresh, unlike other vegetables that can be sold frozen, canned or cooked.
- This Eurasian country is for the birds.
- A twin-tailed siren that will keep you up.
- Fast bamboo eater.
- I am the only room without walls.
- A room above sea that Spongebob Squarepants would be at home in.
- A cake that is not baked.
- Everybody have fun tonight, here.
- Female deer likes specks of sunshine, talking about herself, running distances, and sewing, but seeks something missing.
- This thai rooster is found on almost every Vietnamense restaurant’s table.
- Pick me up all the herbs at Scarbourgh Fair.
- The home of Napoleon’s baked goods and chili that benefits all.
- My offspring are always showing on my skin.
- He beat an iron chef and opened this restaurant.
- To “slice or cut” a fish Hawaiian-style.
- This drink’s old formula could make an addict out of you.
- A place of potent potables.
- The only Queen that has met Julius on the island.
- Made Newton move in the right direction.
- {[7(10(5(5(2×2))))] + [((765-77)/2)-24]}/2 = ?
- Leonard’s Champions.
- I slice and cut, but I also can play music.
- I can usually be found in the same places as green tea ice cream, but you wouldn’t want to eat a scoopful of me.
- I am the fish that can win marathons.
- I sum u b
- Uncooked possesors of XY chromosomes.
- Breaking the fourth wall here is fine, just don’t break the plates, glasses, or furniture.
- M Cable
- Measuring a girl’s best friend.
Here are some of the answers.
All of the answers will appear in a following post.
The Waiting
After fast thinking, driving, and coordinating all the teams headed back toward the Moana Pacific within the three and half hours given to them. Coming in close to twenty minutes before the time limit was Team Rocket. Confident and filled with braggadocio, the team thought they had it in the bag. With a quick glimpse and a slight shock to my face, they might just have. They had answered all the clues and gotten pictures for them, and were almost right for every single answer. It was a masterful stroke.
Team Rocket enjoying themselves at one of the best karaoke bars in Waikiki, Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar.
(Check out Wang Chung’s Karaoke Bar website here.)
Right on there heels, but still early, came in Mochi’s Minions. Clearly, being hastily put together the night before did not stop their accuracy or zeal in giving it their best. They too surprised me with how efficiently they answered the clues and got pictures. When the two teams met the war of words had begun, and planting the seeds of doubt of whose answers were correct.
Salmon? Awww, man that can’t be right! What did you get for the Cable M clue? And on it went.
Calling it as close as possible Team Don’t Come For Me and Team Ninjas arrived, both highly confident, but looking relaxed despite their timing. Team Don’t Come For Me looked like they had taken a break at a Starbucks or something. And actually, come to think of it Team Rocket looked like they not only figured out their clues they stopped for a drink to celebrate that fact . . .
The Winners
Well, the barbeque went forward with all teams assembled and they enjoyed their hard earned food and relaxation. The work for me came as I totaled and tallied their answers. In the end, the race was close, and the teams were all separated by three points each . . . yes three points out of a total of 140 points . . . how is that possible? I panicked and thought I had miscalculated, so I checked over the answers and used my phone’s calculator and laptop’s one. The reality was that Team Don’t Come For Me emerged triumphant defeating Team Rocket by three points, three points that a shiso leaf could have prevented.
What's that Gurabbi is eating? A shiso leaf!
Remember Grub Clubbers and readers Gurrabi the Grubworm’s favorite food and used by reviewers is the shiso leaf. Hopefully, the Cake Competition this year is equally fierce and highly attended. Look forward to all you bakers and what you can put forth!
After a long day of fun time to enjoy food!
Hopefully next year we can do a Scavenger Hunt, an Amazing Race, or an Iron Chef competition or even better yet, what if we fused all those together?
For a participant’s point of view please check out Kyle H.’s write-up here.
One of the prizes for the winning team were t-shirts of this design. Designed for the Club by Mx Media.
If you are interested in getting in on the scavenger hunting game it appears that Nonstop with Eat the Street and Foodspotting.com will be doing a similar thing later today (5/27/2011) at Eat the Street. For more information check out this link.
The Honolulu Grub Club Blog 
