Hawaii: beautiful beaches and beautiful faces. I always thought folks in the southern US were some of the nicest people in the world, but there is something particularly special about Hawaiians...perhaps the secret is in their passion for food. Due to its location, these tropical islands are influenced by asian cuisine. There is even a good sized Chinatown in Honolulu were you can find all kinds of delicious fresh fruit and fish.
Some of my favorite food finds are:
Peppa’s Korean BBQ, Honolulu, Oahu- For $8.99 you can get a combination platter that could feed you for days. Platters include your choice of meat (BBQ chicken and beef jun both excellent), 2 scoops of rice, fried dumplings and zucchini Plus FOUR sides. I was amazed at the variety of kimchee (spicy pickled vegetable) there must have been 12 or more sides to choose from.
Kaleo’s Bar and Grill, Pahoa, Hawaii- A surprising find in the sleepy saloon town of Pahoa. The setting of this town looks like something out of an old western. The atmosphere was quaint and romantic and the food was excellent. We dined on tempura fried ahi tuna roll, french onion soup, beef tenderloin, and a roasted vegetable salad with goat cheese croquette. Ooo Whee! I highly recommend every bit of it!
Chinatown Fruit Smoothie- This ain’t your typical fruit smoothie. Choices include any combination of exotic tropical fruits like Jackfruit, Durian, Lychee and Rambutan. Everything is fresh and made to order. I had the Avocado + Mango smoothie and my DH had the pineapple + lychee. Both were amazing.
Lanikai Juice- A popular storefront in Kailua, Oahu. This family owned juice shop uses local ingredients and also has fruit/granola bowls available that looked especially hardy and delicious. They specialize in Acai juice which is reportedly packed with antioxidants and super nutrients which can aid in weight loss.
What’s Shakin- This popular stand is on the 4 mile scenic drive on the Big Island north of Hilo. Most ingredients come from the What’s Shakin farm. Everything is all natural. I had the Kona Coffee and Chocolate/Banana and my DH had the Papaya Paradise. After paying $6.50 a drink and waiting for over 40mins, the anticipation of this place got the better of me and unfortunately the smoothies didn’t live up to the hype. I found this smoothie shack a little too thick and rich for my taste.
MAUI
In Maui, the locals love fried rice for Breakfast and you know what? I love it too! Here are photos of some of the best fried rice:
The Gazebo Restaurant: bacon, kaiula pork, veggies w/ a scrambled egg
The Sea House Restaurant @ Napili Bay: kailua pork, seaweed flakes, pineapple and an over-easy fried egg
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