BREAKFAST
Yogur Story, 815 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu
Ate some of the best waffles I've ever had here. Below is a piece of my Red Carpet Waffle with taro cream cheese and red velvet croutons. I washed it all down with a glass of passion fruit lemonade. If you have a sweet tooth, this is the breakfast for you.
Cafe Kaila, 2919 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu
A really small and very casual place, but with down home, hearty breakfast dishes. Below on the left is their Portugese Sausage Frittata and to the right is their Combo Breakfast: French Toast, Bacon and Eggs. Both were very satisfying and delicious.
Cream Pot Cafe, 444 Niu St., Honolulu (in the Hawaiian Monarch Hotel)
This place must be a grandma's haven given the way it was decorated. Full of little knickknacks, old photos and large puff cushions on their seats, looking at everything was visual entertainment along with eating a very comforting meal. Below is my Bacon Baked Eggs and Mint Lemonade (very refreshing). The baked eggs had soft yolks, which I like, and as I ate, I unearthed potatoes, spices and bacon smothered in a savory cream sauce. So good.
LUNCH
Duke's, 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu (on the beach at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel)
It's not a real Hawaiian vacation without a Mai Tai. Below was one of, eh hem, several Mai Tai's on this trip. For lunch only, Duke's serves Baja Fish Tacos. The fish was fresh and grilled to the point of just cooked, so it was very moist. Fresh and tasty ingredients.
Giovanni's and Honos food trucks, 66-472 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa
Of course, I had to experience Giovanni's famous shrimp truck in the North Shore. I was not disappointed. For $12, I got one dozen shrimp covered in a wonderfully aromatic garlic butter sauce and two scoops of rice. Also, lucky for me, right next to Giovanni's was Honos, a Korean food truck that had Kalbi (bbq short ribs) that was finger-licking good.
Highway Inn, 94-226 Leoku St., Waipahu
In a somewhat sketchy looking strip mall is this gem of a find. One side is a Poke Bar with 9 different types of poke and various toppings where you can order a Poke Bowl. Below left is their Spicy Ahi Poke with brown rice and picked daikon. The poke was fresh and the daikon was very well picked; a little sweet, a little spicy and very crunchy. The other side of the place is a restaurant that serves authentic Hawaiian cuisine. Below right is their Dried Pipikaula (beef). Delicious.
Town, 3435 Waialae Ave., Honolulu
This restaurant focuses on using local, seasonal ingredients. And I must say, they use them very well. Below is their Kuahiwi Ranch Grass-fed Hamburger with added swiss cheese and bacon on a potato roll. The fries were fried with fresh herbs like rosemary and sage (a wonderful touch) and their side salad was lightly dressed and very fresh. A very delicious burger. Their Lilikoi soda only had a handful of ingredients that I could actually pronounce and was thirst quenching.
Soul, 3040 Waialae Ave., Honolulu
With an award-winning chef from the South, it's no surprise that this was probably the best fried chicken I've had. Super crispy skin that wasn't too oily or heavy and very moist meat. The cornbread wasn't dry and their chili was a nice side without over-powering spices. The Ginger-lime Cooler was also quite refreshing and not too sweet.
SNACK
How can I visit Hawaii without eating some spam musubi? Found warm at almost every ABC store, this is a fun little snack while walking and shopping the main boulevards. Whereas I would normally scoff at processed meat, I do enjoy this treat when I visit the island.
DINNER
Siam Square, 408 Lewers St., Honolulu
I thought this Thai restaurant would be touristy and not so great since it was across the street from my hotel. I was mistaken. All the ingredients were fresh and every dish was very flavorful and was on par with what I know as good Thai food.
Below from left to right: Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce, Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce (so tender and moist), Drunkard's Noodles with beef (my favorite of all the dishes; spicy and satisfying), Steamed Fish with Lime Juice (very refreshing, tangy and garlicky).
One of my dining companions commented that he felt like he was in Las Vegas rather than Hawaii. A dimly lit lounge/restaurant, this place boasts deep colors for their decor, large booths with leather-covered cushioned seats and a very swanky ambiance. Their food and drink matched very well with the feel of the place.
Below from left to right: Sicilian-style thin crust pizza (super thin and crispy crust brushed with some olive oil) with wilted spinach, garlic cream, feta, pine nuts and red onion (The Green Greek, excellent flavor combo). My drink, the Grape Escape, with green grapes, lemon, Cirot, and moscato wine (very nice), another pizza with Maui onions, prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula tossed with a white balsamic vinegar (The Parma, also excellent), and their KFC, twice fried chicken drummettes tossed in a sweet and spicy Korean chili sauce (loved this!).
Gyu-Kaku, 307 Lewers St., Honolulu
No sushi here, but excellent everything else. With over 600 locations world-wide, including one in Cupertino, one would think the quality would be a bit lacking. Not so. The Poke was super fresh with a light, spicy sauce. The Goma Negi Ramen had a delightful shio broth that was not too salty with perfectly al dente noodles and that wonderful egg in the middle.
With a grill built into your table, you can cook your meat to your liking. Pictured below on the grill is their Harami Miso Skirt Steak that had an exceptionally tasty marinade. Next to that, the highlight of the meal, their Miso Butterfish. Butterfish is typically, well, buttery, and this one proved no different, except it had such an amazing chili sauce, I almost ordered one more. Lucky for me, there's a location in the Bay Area. I will be back.
12th Ave Grill, 1145C 12th Ave., Honolulu
For my last meal on my last day in Oahu, I had a phenomenally prepared lamb shank. This was their evening special and, sadly, I will probably never taste this again. I cannot even fathom what was in the sauce the lamb was braised in, but it was good...so good. Served with it was a cranberry chutney along with some barley. Next to that is a nice, juicy piece of pork chop served with a potato pancake and apple chutney. Also very delicious.
All in all, my epicurean Hawaiian experience was amazing. I've eaten my way through the island and have savored every bite.
