“Chocolate is a suspension of particles in cocao butter.” I had to think about that for a minute. Gunars Valkirs is conducting a virtual tasting of his Maui Kuʻia Estate chocolate via Zoom, and I’m listening to him describe, in very scientific terms, what I’m sensing, tasting and feeling when I bite into one of […]
Our readers sipped, savored and then ranked their favorite versions of the iconic tropical drink in our 2020 Readers’ Choice. 1. Duke’s, Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi The Royal Hawaiian’s White Wash mai tai. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino The Royal Hawaiian’s classic bar is named after the mai tai, so no wonder they’re good at it. Try
You can always count on finding new dining adventures in Waikīkī, and now, you can find eight more in Royal Hawaiian Center’s new food hall opening on March 7. The Waikīkī Food Hall is located on the third floor in Building C, which is just past Wolfgang Steak House and above The Cheesecake Factory. Wait—food
Using chef’s plating tweezers, Brian Hirata leans over a row of black plates that look like discs of basalt, meticulously adds tiny leaves from the Rumex acetosella plant, commonly known as sheep’s sorrel, to the top of a black tuile cookie made from ti ash. He harvested the sheep’s sorrel himself, off the side of
Last summer Nik and Jennifer Lodendahn, who already run a successful brunch spot in Kailua called Over Easy, expanded into American-style barbecue with a new restaurant a short walk away. The brisket loco moco. Photo: Catherine Toth Fox I predict the most popular dish will be the slow-cooked brisket loco moco ($18) with house-made brown
Since it opened in December 2016, Senia (pronounced SEN-ya) has been one of the hottest restaurants on Oʻahu—and arguably in the state. It’s garnered rave reviews on food blogs and social media platforms and earned a number of awards, most recently the 2019 Hale ʻAina Award for Best Tasting Menu (Gold) and O‘ahu’s Best Restaurant (Silver).
About five years ago, the iconic Matsumoto Shave Ice shop in Haleʻiwa expanded, more than doubling its size and its offerings. (It’s still in the same spot in Haleʻiwa—it’s just a lot bigger.) SEE ALSO: 5 Changes We Love About Oʻahu’s New Matsumoto Shave Ice Store Now you can find more than 30 designs of
It was 20 years ago when Maria Barnette decided, almost on a whim, to buy an ice cream/shave ice spot on Monsarrat Avenue just outside of Waikīkī. She saw an ad posted and thought, “I know how to make eggs.” Without any kitchen experience—Barnette learned to cook from magazines and the Food Network—she took a
The color red can symbolize love and passion. But it’s also the color of high-quality ahi (yellowfin tuna), which, let’s face it, poke lovers are passionate about. So Redfish Poke Bar by Foodland is the perfect name for the local grocery chain’s newest venture: a poke counter and bar located at Salt at Our Kakaako
Doughnuts may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Hawaii. But local bakeries have long whipped up tasty, unusual and downright delicious yeast and cake doughnuts that you should eat any day—not just on National Doughnut Day today. (Editor’s Note: There are two National Doughnut Days—today and the first Friday
I had only heard about the famous Lady M Mille Crêpes from New York City, with its 20 thin crêpe layers, each separated by a lightened pastry cream. While Lady M has more than 30 cake boutiques around the world, including seven in China, I would have had to travel to Los Angeles or Singapore to try
If you’ve seen a postcard of Waikīkī, there’s a pretty good chance Lēʻahi, more commonly known as Diamond Head, will be in there somewhere, showing off its epic ridges and, after a good rain, lush foliage. The volcanic crater is open to visitors—more than 3,000 people hike here every day, making this one of the
