Maruwu Seicha

Maruwu Seicha opened a second location on Oahu in Mo'ili'ili. Their first location is in Waikiki. Their drinks have a very strong tea taste. I prefer the hojicha over matcha because I like the toasted taste and I don't enjoy the bitter aftertaste from matcha. For some of their drinks, it comes with whole milk and you can't substitute it for a non-dairy option. They also have matcha sodas, soft serve, and cheese tarts. I recommend the Hokkaido cheese tart. It was creamy with a buttery crust and went well with my black sesame hojicha. The drink prices range from $8 - $10.

The Mo'ili'ili location has indoor and outdoor seating but it gets busy. A lot of people are there studying so they stay long. If you can get a table inside, stay and hang out for a bit because the AC is nice and cold. For parking, the Mo'ili'ili location offers free parking in the Hale Mahana structure. For Waikiki, it's metered street parking or parking in a structure that does not offer validation. 

Mo'ili'ili
2615 S King Street
Honolulu, HI 96826

Waikiki
260 Beach Walk
Honolulu, HI 96815

Iced Matcha Latte (iced)

Black Sesame Hojicha Latte (iced)

Hokkaido Cheese Tart

 

Tempura Ichika

Tempura Ichika offers an omakase tempura experience where they serve one piece at a time. The course is paced and so each piece is fried fresh and still hot when you bite into it. The menu consistent of seafood and vegetables with ingredients sourced from Toyosu Market. There are 3 kinds of salt to sprinkle on your tempura and the server will let you know which one to use for each piece. My favorites were the ebi, ika, hotate, and the sweet potato. The sweet potato was an add on and it takes 30 minutes to fry so you need to order at the beginning of your meal. All of their tempura were crispy and not oily. The omakase is $150 per person with 15 different items. It's an expensive meal but it is an excellent meal and I highly recommend it.

The interior of the restaurant is modern and the lights are bright; it's great for photos. The space is open so you can watch the chef cook your food. The servers are very attentive and friendly. They open for dinner only and they have 2 seatings (5pm and 7:30pm). You should make reservations at least 2 weeks in advance because they fill up. For parking, the lot behind the building is free after 6:30pm but if that's full, there is street parking on Piikoi Street or Waimanu Street. 

For more information about Tempura Ichika, visit ichikahawaii.com. 

434 Piikoi St
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 888-0000

Ebi (Shrimp)

Okra, Califlower

Snow Crab

Salad

Megochi (Big-Eyed Flathead), Ika (Squid)

Potato Chip w/ Truffle Seasoning

Hotate (Scallop)

Maitake (Mushroom), Eggplant

Roasted Fig

Potato

Tencha w/ Snow Crab

Yuzu Sorbet

Dahan Skewer

Dahan Skewer is a Chinese-Mongolian restaurant in the Kapahulu area. Besides skewers, they also have steamed seafood and noodle soups. My favorites were the scallop with vermicelli and braised pork noodle soup. The scallops got topped with a generous amount of minced garlic and were delicious. The braised pork and the soup for the noodles were very flavorful. The skewers were too spicy for me and the waiter did not give us any options for what level of spice we wanted. The skewers are placed on a tray with some candles underneath so the food stays warms as you eat. You can choose between 3 skewers or 5 skewers for their proteins.

The interior of the restaurant is small and there was only 1 waiter working on the day I went. I was there for a late lunch on the weekend and did a walk in. They have outdoor seating but it's too hot to be outside during the afternoon. Their prices are reasonable. The parking lot is not so great since it's shared with a few other businesses so we parked in the residential areas and walked over.  

For more information about Dahan Skewer, visit dahanskewer.com.  

755 Kapahulu Ave Ste 6 
Honolulu, HI 96816

Pork Belly skewers, Lamb skewers

Scallop w/ Vermicelli

Braised Pork Noodle Soup

Milk Snow Ice

 

Thirty Eight

Thirty Eight is a fish restaurant located at Pier 38 in the former space of Nami Kaze. The interior space looks the same with the open kitchen and a bar on the left side. My favorites were the shrimp toast, maguro cabbage, and the fried whole moi. The shrimp toast was not greasy and the dipping sauce was citrusy with a bit of a spicy kick. The maguro cabbage was light and refreshing. The moi was amazing and I highly recommend ordering it! The fish was crispy and well-seasoned, it was partially de-boned with a few small bones near the head and the tail. Their prices are reasonable and the portions are good for sharing between 2 people. This place is good for groups since they can easily move tables together. I recommend making reservation a few days in advance.

For more information about Thirty Eight, visit thirtyeighthi.com or @thirtyeighthi.

1135 N Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 468-8562

Shrimp Toast

Maguro Cabbage

Fried Whole Moi

Braised Short Rib

Yuzu Sorbet

 

Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop

Agnes' Portuguese Bake Shop makes hot and fresh crispy malasadas. They operate out of a food truck in Kailua next to Manuheali'i (clothing store). Agnes' malasadas are ring shaped and fried to golden brown with a generous amount of sugar all over it. The malasadas take 15 minutes to cook so pre-ordering by phone will reduce the wait time. I recommend ordering at least 1/2 dozen because you'll eat a few in the parking lot before you drive off to your next location.

I always go before 9AM on a Saturday and I've never had any issues with parking. There are some tables and chairs with umbrellas so you can eat there if you like. It does get hot because of the morning sun. They accept cash and credit card for payment. 

5 Hoolai St,
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 284-4963

Malasadas (half dozen)