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CITY FOR TASTE OF HAWAII FAVORITES!

Sunday, September 28, 2014

WAIOLA SHAVE ICE

WAIOLA SHAVE ICE
HONOLULU, HAWAII

WAIOLA SHAVE ICE
3113 MOKIHANA STREET
HONOLULU, HI  96816
808-735-8886
HOURS: Monday thru Thursday 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
                Friday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
                Saturday and Sunday 10:AM - 6:00 PM

On a 90 degree weekend in Hawaii there is nothing better than an ice cold Shave Ice to cool you down.  I had no idea that Waiola Shave Ice had a location in Kaimuki.   We turned off Kapahulu Avenue onto Mokihana Street and my jaw dropped.  Here was a brightly painted building in the middle of a very dull grey neighborhood.  The colors immediately make you smile and want a Shave Ice.  I splurged on a $1.50 cup with Banana and Strawberry flavors.  I like Waiola because the flavoring is not too sweet and the ice is shaved so fine.  My daughter enjoyed Coke and Strawberry flavors with a coating of Condensed Milk while my Wife went for the Works with Azuki Beans, Condensed Milk with Butter and Strawberry Mochi.   There is seating on the side of the stand and there is plenty of parking in front and in a lot next door.  This is a place that I would have been taking my daughter for years if I had just known it was there.  Now that I know, I will be back!

WAIOLA SHAVE ICE

WAIOLA SHAVE ICE OFF KAPAHULU AVENUE IN KAIMUKI
GREAT LOCAL SHAVE ICE STAND IN THE HEART OF KAIMUKI
THE BRIGHT COLORS REALLY BRIGHTEN UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD 
INSIDE YOU CAN PURCHASE T-SHIRTS
CRACK SEED AVAILABLE HERE TOO
TWO PEOPLE AND ONE SHAVE ICE MACHINE 
STAND IN LINE AND ORDER AT THE WINDOW
CHOOSE YOUR SIZE, TOPPINGS, FLAVORS AND SIDES
PHOTO OF THE ORIGINAL WAIOLA SHAVE ICE STORE IN MCCULLY
CAST OF HAWAII 5-0 ENJOYED SOME WAIOLI SHAVE ICE
THE RAW ICE READY FOR THE FLAVORING
POUR ON A LITTLE FLAVOR AND YOU HAVE GREAT SHAVE ICE
SMALL CUP WITH BANANA AND STRAWBERRY FLAVORS IS $1.50
LOVE THE FINE ICE
SHAVE ICE WITH AZUKI BEANS, CONDENSED MILK, BUTTER AND STRAWBERRY MOCHI

KAIMANA FARM CAFE

KAIMANA FARM CAFE
HONOLULU, HAWAII

KAIMANA FARM CAFE
845 KAPAHULU AVENUE
HONOLULU, HI  96816
808-737-2840

Cruising down Kapahulu Avenue in Kaimuki and noticed that the new Meatballs restaurant was closed and in its place was Kaimana Farm Cafe.  We made a U-Turn and headed back to give it a try. A sign out front said that there was parking on the adjacent street.  This was pretty convenient and a real plus for the restaurant.  We entered to find a cute little country cafe with a large wooden table in the middle and smaller tables along the wall with bench seating and pillows.  We all liked the feel of the Cafe.  Cute girls in tank tops greeted us as we walked up to the blackboard that lists the menu items.  "Is this a breakfast place" I asked the gal.  She said they were known for their breakfast but had a few lunch items.  Three to be exact.  We ordered all three.  Each lunch dish comes with your choice of a side that you can pick from the display counter.  There was Tofu, Lotus Root, Kale Salad, Fruit, Brussels Sprouts and Edamame.  All served at room temperature.  The Kale Salad included some Pine Nuts and Grapes but no dressing.  Eating Kale without dressing is healthy I know but Kale without dressing is like eating grass.  The Brussels Sprouts were really good but served cold.  The Fresh Fruit was Cantaloupe and Grapes.  Served a bit warm.  I don't think the display case was refrigerated or maybe it was just a really hot day.  The Ahi Ahi Sandwich ($11.95) was served on a delicious and light bun.  The Ahi was just lightly seared on the outside and raw in the middle.  Perfection in my book.  The Cucumber and small bit of onion was good but I did not care for all of the seaweed.  I love raw Ahi but don't think raw Ahi Tuna belongs on bread.  I remember having Ahi Tuna Sliders at the Halekulani and wrote that it did not work.  The Taco Rice ($11) was just that.  Ground Beef with Taco Seasoning on top of a bunch of rice.  Served with a salad with again no dressing.  Just lettuce.  Note to restaurant:  If you are going to make this place work it is the little things that will make people return.  Not having a dressing for the Kale and Green Salad is a mistake.  You need FLAVOR!.  The Taco Salad had a small bit of cheese, tomato and sour creme.  Again nothing to set this apart and make you want to come back again for it.  The Roasted Chicken and Farm Veggie Curry ($12.90) was probably the most flavorful dish out of the three.  Great Curry flavor.  Served with one small Chicken Drumstick and a few Red Bell Peppers.  For thirteen bucks, you should at least get two pieces of chicken and maybe some carrots.  Enjoyed the dish but really wish there was more chicken.  I love little neighborhood restaurants like Kaimana Farm Cafe but this place needs to kick it up a notch.  Service was great.  The girls were always smiling.  More menu items and a little something extra to set their food apart and make you want to come back.  Right now, I could not get any of us to go back again.

KAIMANA FARM CAFE

KAIMANA FARM CAFE ON KAPAHULU AVENUE IN KAIMUKI
IS IT A BREAKFAST PLACE
GREAT COUNTRY FEEL AT THE KAIMANA CAFE
SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS AND PROMOTING FRESH HEALTHY INGREDIENTS
BENCH SEATING WITH PILLOWS ALONG THE BACK WALL
I LIKE THE WOOD TABLES
DID NOT SEE A FRESH DELI
LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY BUY LOCAL FRUITS AND VEGGIES
PROMOTING EATING YOUR KALE AND SEAWEED
A JEWELRY STORE TOO
SMOOTHIES, COFFEE DRINKS AND THE THREE LUNCH ITEMS
SMALL BREAKFAST MENU SERVED ALL DAY
THIS MAY BE WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THEIR "DELI".  BRUSSELS SPROUTS, TOFU, LOTUS ROOT, EDAMAME, KALE SALAD AND FRUIT
KALE SALAD WITH NO DRESSING, COLD BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND WARM FRUIT
TACO RICE AND SALAD WITH NO DRESSING
ROASTED CHICKEN FARM VEGGIE CURRY
THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF CHICKEN IN THERE
AHI AHI SANDWICH
GREAT FRESH AHI TUNA AND GREAT BREAD
RAW AHI ON BREAD DOES NOT WORK FOR ME

CHORIZO AND EGG BURRITO

CHORIZO AND EGG BURRITO
BREAKFAST AT HOME

Our local market had Spicy Chorizo on sale so I grabbed a tube of it and cooked up some breakfast burritos.  Chorizo is used often in California but I do not see it too much in Hawaii.  Cooked it up with some eggs and made delicious burritos that even my daughter loved.  
Click link below to view Breakfast Steak Burrito recipe:

    CHORIZO AND EGG BURRITO

SAUTE ONIONS, BELL PEPPER AND CHORIZO UNTIL COOKED
MIXED FOUR EGGS IN BOWL WITH SALT, PEPPER AND A BIT OF TABASCO SAUCE
WITH HEAT ON MED/LOW ADD THE MIXED EGGS TO THE CHORIZO, ONION AND BELL PEPPER
KEEP STIRRING SO EGGS STAY LIGHT AND FLUFFY AND DON'T STICK TO PAN
ADD A BIT OF FRESH CILANTRO FOR TASTE AND COLOR
HEAT FLOUR TORTILLA 
PLACE EGG AND CHORIZO ON THE TORTILLA
FOLD IN THE SIDES AND WRAP IT UP

CHORIZO AND EGG BURRITO

 ROUND TWO WITH ONION, RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPER AND JALAPENO

 COOKED THE CHORIZO

 ADDED THE VEGETABLES AND JALAPENO

 COOKED UNTIL CHORIZO AND VEGETABLES WERE DONE

 ADDED FOUR EGGS THAT I MIXED WITH A LITTLE MILK, SALT PEPPER AND HOT SAUCE


WARMED A FLOUR TORTILLA
 ADDED FRESH CILANTRO

 PLACED EGG MIXTURE IN TORTILLA

 ROLLED IT UP

 MIGHT DRAIN THE CHORIZO OF OIL NEXT TIME