Reliving My Hawaiian Vacation

Last summer I went on an amazing vacation in Hawaii, well amazing until the last morning of the trip when a friend and I were mugged… But ignoring that minor incident (still haven’t gotten my stuff back, despite the fact that a lot of it is sitting in the Honolulu police department), the trip was great, and the food even better!!

eggs ‘n things

Best breakfast I had in Waikiki. Went here twice in the week we were there, both times standing in line for almost an hour with large groups of Japanese tourists. The banana pancakes were moist, fluffy, covered in powdered sugar, loaded with sweet delicious bananas, and were straight out of my dreams. Had a few bites of my friend’s potatoes and they were pretty good too, well seasoned, crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy inside, taking into account I’m not a potato or savory breakfast type of person.

Side note- I had completely forgotten about my altercation with a not so nice waiter, who when he saw I had a children’s menu, forced me to give it back and stop coloring, only so he could throw it away. I can’t help it that I like children’s menu portions over the regular ones :( So they get knocked a few notches down for bad service.


eggs n things: 343 Saratoga Rd. Honolulu, HI 96815

Matsugen

I was overjoyed when I made this find. Homemade soba noodles and very authentic without that touristy feeling of a lot of Waikiki’s dining. I got the cold soba noodles with egg and natto (a brown sticky fermented soybean that is definitely an acquired taste, but one that I love), and it was amazing! We also tried avocado tempura, nice and crunchy on the outside, and creamy in the center.


Matsugen: 255 Beach Walk, Honolulu, HI 96806

Matsumoto Shave Ice

A classic, which we luckily got to experience when we were on the North Shore for a wedding. I decided to go traditional japanese and get the green tea shave ice with azuki beans, my all time favorite shave ice, as well as many other dessert, flavor combinations. 


Matsumoto: 66-087 Kamehameha Hwy. Haleiwa, HI 96712

Mac 24/7 at the Hilton

Ok, so these pancakes weren’t that great, but after having already been to eggs ‘n things for breakfast twice, we decided to try something new, and headed to the tourist trap of Mac 24/7, home of the giant, trash can lid sized pancakes (you can see from the picture they are basically the size of my body). If anyone watches Man vs. Food, that show where the host gorges himself on all things greasy, spicy, and oversized, they filmed an episode here. We went with the blueberry pancakes, since I had already eaten my fill of banana pancakes during the trip. Between the two of us, we did pretty good damage, especially being two teenage girls. Good for those who are looking for a fun and outrageous dining experience, or for a late-night drunken binge with friends, but the pancakes were pretty average and kind of dry, so I wouldn’t recommend them as a must-have island meal. 


Mac 24/7: 2500 Kuhio Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815

Acai Bowl

Unfortunately I don’t remember where these yummy bowls were from, but I do remember they were delicious!! Sweet and refreshing acai sorbet topped with granola, honey and fresh fruit. But don’t let the hype fool you, acai may be a “superfood” and contain beneficial antioxidants, but really, it’s ice cream in disguise and eating bowl after bowl, no matter how tempting, will not result in any magical weight loss or health benefits. 

Leonard’s Bakery- Malasadas

Warm, fluffy, and sweet, these classic Hawaiian style donuts were like puffy little clouds of sugary goodness. They come in a variety of seasonal fillings as well as plain with generous sprinkles of sugar on the outside. I had a taste of my friend’s pineapple custard, which was sweet and tangy like real pineapple, but I prefer the classic!


Leonard's Bakery: 933 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, HI 96816