Welcome to the Hawaiian edition of Tasty Thursday. It has been awhile since my last Tasty Thursday – Travel Edition post (Austin Eats). Hope you enjoy, I haven’t shared as many food photos in my last few posts so I hope this makes up for it 
This was my first “meal” after checking in the hotel. Prior to my trip I researched the “Best Hawaiian Shave Ice in Waikiki” and Island Vintage Shave Ice popped up. Even though it is owned by a local coffee chain, many Yelpers said it was still good. Lucky for me, Kalakaua location was a five minute walk from the hotel. I had a Strawberry-Lychee Shave Ice, it was delicious! In addition to the ice cream and shaved ice, there were strawberries, mochi and boba tea. Thanks to the cashier for the recommendation!
My favorite meal(s) <–yes plural, of the trip! I went to Marukame Udon & Tempura pretty much everyday for dinner (it was also conveniently two blocks from the hotel). Cliff raved about this place and I did not understand how good udon can be until I went here. My co-worker also recommended this spot.
There were usually lines to enter the restaurant, but it went by very quickly.
The udon noodles are made fresh and there are several types of bowls/broths to choose from. I had the Nikki Udon, which included beef, sweet onions and some tempura flakes. The restaurant also sold musubi (yummm) and tons of tempura. The udon was fairly inexpensive, ranging from $6-8 a bowl. I know ramen restaurants are all the craze, but I wish we had an udon spot in DC.
I also had the chance to visit the Dole Plantation…separate post coming and finally tried a Dole Whip (my first). Sorry guys….I thought it was okay. It was good, but I guess my expectations were too high after hearing everyone rave about it. I will say, the fresh pineapple was excellent.
This was another google find, “Best Food in Waikiki”. Several news articles and bloggers recommended Leonard’s Bakery. Leonard’s is famous for their malasadas, which is a Portugese doughnut without a hole.
Based on the description, I expected the malasadas to be the size of a Dunkin Donuts munckin, but they were the size of a regular donut. I tried the original, cinnamon sugar, and custard malasadas (not all at once). The latter was my favorite.
My co-worker recommended eating at Hula Grill Waikiki. It is located above the famous Duke’s Waikiki (which was super crowded) with spectacular views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. I made reservations for 6:15PM so we can enjoy the sunset (I made that request in our Open Table reservation).
Cliff and I were full from lunch so we split an appetizer and entree for dinner. The steak and lobster were good. It was a bit on the “pricier” side, but we figured we paid for the views. The service was also great. I heard brunch is excellent there.
One of my favorite meals of the week, the Island Vintage Coffee (yes same people as the shaved ice) Acai Bowl. I know you can get Acai Bowls at your local smoothie shop, but this tasted fresher (or perhaps I convinced myself it did). They bowl came with strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and the best granola ever. I bought two bags of their granola so I could recreate it at home.
In case you missed it, here are my other Tasty Thursday – Travel Edition posts:
- Tasty Thursday – Austin Eats
- Tasty Thursday – Charleston Eats
- Tasty Thursday – Canadian Edition, Ey!
- Tasty Thursday – Georgian Eats
- Tasty Thursday – Turkish Delight
Have you had any of these foods before?
Udon vs. Ramen, which do you prefer?
