Quad Mtn Dew Kickstart
The entire line of Mtn Dew Kickstart is now readily available in Hawaii. Safeway had the new Black Cherry and Limeade in stock along with Fruit Punch and Orange Citrus. If you’re a Safeway member, there’s a sale as well. 🙂
The entire line of Mtn Dew Kickstart is now readily available in Hawaii. Safeway had the new Black Cherry and Limeade in stock along with Fruit Punch and Orange Citrus. If you’re a Safeway member, there’s a sale as well. 🙂
Had a trip to the Kaimuki area today and chose Verde Kaimuki for lunch. An excellent choice! Flavorful, fast service, and very affordable. Read my entire review on Yelp.
Here’s my filling Mexican Loco Moco.
The food was so satisfying that we ventured to the Humane Society and almost adopted a dog, Reebok. Say what?
For a moment, I considered heading down to Kakaako to wait in line for an authentic Ramen Burger at Taste. But the thought of waiting in a long line got the better of me, so instead I’m just following along via social media. Sounds like people starting lining up as early as 8:30, but the line didn’t get seriously crazy until 10:00.
With over 200 people queued up and a max of 3 ramen burgers per patron, your time is about up. Here’s what you’re missing out on.
Yup! #RamenBurgerHI pic.twitter.com/ikH94R39a9
— Olena Heu (@OlenaHeu) January 15, 2014
So if you’re like me, go home, grab that Sapporo Ichiban and May’s beef patties, and put on them sad-excuse Lugz Zosho.
And the harvest has ended. In August of 2006, a Great Harvest Bakery location opened in the Enchanted Lakes Shopping Center. At the end of 2013, this Great Harvest has closed its doors.
For seven years, this storefront sold freshly baked loaves, muffins, scones, and cookies and gave out seemingly unlimited tasting samples. Soon to fill this void is Z’s Bakery and Deli. Thanks for the years of goodies, Great Harvest!
You’ve been patient, and now you’re rewarded with pure deliciousness. The Hokulani Bake Shop has opened its latest location at Windward Mall. Gone is the wooden facade of Gloria Jeans Coffee replaced with the signature orange and white of Hokulani.
As you walk by their cupcake display case, how can you resist these temptations?
And that’s just a portion of their cakes. Here’s their full list of pure deliciousness.
It’s been so long
I’ve found you yet it seems like yesterday
Seasons change
Of course you recognize the lyrics from one of the best Exposé songs. The last time I referenced this song was back in October 2012 when Costco discontinued its pumpkin streusel muffins because, well, seasons changed. But for the time being, these seasonal muffins are now available at Costcos in Hawaii. Not sure if the supply is ramping up or dwindling so if you loved these last year, it’s best you get some now. Then crank up the Exposé.
I want you
I want to feel you by my side
I need you
Don’t you know I need you baby
Seasons change
So if you want to be strategic as a business, you need to “commit to a different future” as Fast Company mentions and create a new future, not just keep pace. Take for example, the cronut. By now, it’s all played out, and the shark has been jumped with just about everyone making their own donut-croissant hybrid…except for Starbucks.
You see Starbucks is strategic knowing the cronut’s time is near extinction so instead, they’re moving on. Forget the donut-croissant mashup, how about the Duffin, a donut-muffin creation? Now there’s shaping your future right there, changing the game so competitors will then follow. Or wait, should it be called a MuffNut?
I think either is too blasé. The real appeal is the brownie-donut mix aka the BroNut. There’s something about this that’s appealing. Kinda taboo but who doesn’t love a good chocolaty brownie? If anyone’s out there that wants to out-strategize Starbucks, then go for the BroNut. I hear once you go black, you never go back.
I’m simplifying my Yelp review criteria for shave ice places. I’m rating them based on two main questions:
Really simple right? Sure flavor and consistency of the ice counts, but that factors into point #1. Then again, so does parking, seating, and cost.
For point #2, I view shave ice as a treat, not a heavy meal. So if it’s so dense, so huge, or so overwhelming, I’m rating it down.
Because I settled on these two points, I changed my recent Yelp review for Aloha Crepes & Snow Flakes, going down a notch from 4 to 3 stars. Don’t get me wrong, Aloha Crepes & Snow Flakes is a solid choice. But I doubt I’ll go back on my own choice. I’m more of a traditional shave ice fan, not the snow ice type.
The #4 mango and passion fruit combo we got was so large, three of us easily split it. I can’t imagine eating all of it myself, so that’s a negative for reason #2.
Sorry, Aloha Crepes & Snow Flakes, but I gotta set and stick with my rules.
So Fun Factory is coming to Windward Mall and right down the way, Hokulani Bake Shop is setting up shop. Remember the corner spot of Gloria Jeans née Scrambled née Mocha Java Cafe?
Yup, it’s getting remade into a spot of pure deliciousness in a scant few weeks. Come beginning of November, the Windward side can enjoy plenty of cupcakes from this longtime local favorite. Just in time for the holidays!
Simple. Just some of the ono grinds I partook over the weekend.
My first visit to a Lawson’s Station. Heck, I didn’t even know there was a location right next to Ala Moana in the Pacific Guardian Tower across from Walgreens and Walmart. A small but interesting place. I had to pick up some food while there. The daily special was a $6 bowl of curry. Not bad, both in price and quantity.
Because both @abaggy and @melissa808 shamed me about not dining at Goma Tei, I had to make another lunch stop there. This time, to avoid the lines, I went early and to the Ward location. This tan tan ramen with ban ban ji chicken was served quickly and flavorfully.
If you ever ask for a partial pitcher of Pepsi and a partial pitcher of fruit punch, be sure to make it clear that you want these partials in different pitchers, not combined in one pitcher. Otherwise, you’ll end up with this reddish brown, sweet concoction that’s actually pretty good.
Now pair this sweet mix-up with a King Arthur’s supreme pizza from Round Table.
Breakfast at YogurStory was an experimental pick. Instead of going with my usual choices, I went with a Smoked Salmon Benedict.
I already posted my picture (and Yelp review) of the Coffee Monster masterpiece from Ice Forest.
Yup, lots of onos this weekend. Gotta hit up You Are Your Own Gym extra hard this week.
Over the weekend, I had my first exposure to Ice Forest in Downtown. From what I understand, this place is related to Ice Garden in Aiea and has a similar style.
Read my Yelp review for the details of my visit. But to summarize, I loved the flavors but not the hugeness of the creations. There’s just so much – too much in my opinion. At $7+ for my massive Coffee Monster, I think you have to be more selective of getting yourself an Ice Forest treat. Four stars, but I’d be down with smaller sizes and cheaper costs.
What a surprise! I saw this box and knew something special was in store because you know that good things come in pink boxes.
This a box of goodies from Voodoo Doughnuts homed in Portland, Oregon and recently handcarried and flown to Hawaii. I had heard about this place and its crazy creations, but this was my first encounter. Although not bakery-fresh and dried out from the flight, the colors and variety was all there (sorry no pics). I went with the Voodoo Doll doughnut, but didn’t know I was supposed to use the pretzel “stake” to pierce the doughnut body and make the jelly ooze out. Yes, the doughnut looked freaky, but it was nevertheless yummy.
After recently overdosing on cronut-like hybrids, it was a relief to get back to the (sorta) basics. Gotta add Voodoo Doughnuts to my list of places to visit when going to the northwest. And just remember, “the magic is in the hole.”