Supreme Dumplings

Supreme Dumplings has a location in Honolulu at Ala Moana Center on level 2 by Longs Drugs. They are known for their xiao long bao (soup dumplings) but they also have a variety of Taiwanese dishes. My favorites were the supreme pork xiao long bao, pan fried pork dumplings, fried pork chop, and string beans with garlic. For the xiao long bao, their wrappers are thick so you'll want to eat them shortly after the steamer arrives on your table or they get firm. The pan fried dumpling are a must, those have a crispy outer and it's very juicy on the inside. Before we placed our order, the waiter told us what was "sold out" or "not available" and it was because the kitchen is still in training. The service was good and the food came out in a timely matter. Our waiter was friendly and checked on us to see if we wanted to order more food, desserts, or additional drinks. 

The interior of the restaurant is spacious, well lit, and the design is modern. It's best to go with 2 - 4 people. They can accommodate 5 or more if they move tables together. I made my reservation one month in advance to eat there on the weekend. They are busy. They do accept walk ins but your wait time will be over 1 hour. 

For more information about Supreme Dumplings, visit supreme-dumplings.com.

1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Level 2
Honolulu, HI 96814
(877) 230-6165

Supreme Pork Xiao Long Bao

Black Truffle & Chicken Xiao Long Bao

Crab & Pork Xiao Long Bao

Stir-Fry String Beans w/ Garlic

Mini Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings

Supreme Tan Tan Noodles w/ Peanuts

Pork Wonton Noodle Soup

Fried Pork Chop

Onyx Golden Lava Custard Bun

Black Sesame Mochi Rice Balls w/ Peanuts

 

Egghead Cafe

Egghead Cafe is a brunch spot that offers American and Taiwan fusion. The "Egghead Special" menu is mostly Taiwanese dishes with my favorites being the pork belly bowl and the peanut butter french toast. The pork belly is tender and the sauce drips into the rice giving it so much flavor, then topped with a fried egg where the bottom is slightly crisp. For the peanut butter french toastm it reminds me of the cafes in Hong Kong where PB is between 2 slices of white bread and deep fried. It's rich but it taste delicious and I suggest sharing this.

They don't accept reservations. When you arrive, scan the QR code outside and join the wait list. Their interior space is a reasonable size and since they put a time limit on dining in, they turnover tables quickly. The staff are friendly and the kitchen is efficient. The longest I've waited for a table is 10 minutes on the weekend when I come around 830am. They are located at the Kapalama Shopping Center with ample parking. 

For more information about Egghead Cafe, visit eggheadhonolulu.com. 

Kapalama Shopping Center
1210 Dillingham Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 888-2211

Peanut Butter French Toast

2 Eggs Brekky + Mix Greens

Pork Belly Bowl

Green Onion Pancake

 

 

All That Cake Co.

All That Cake Co. sells cake by the slice with unique flavors that you won't find anywhere else on the island. They pop up at the Kakaako Farmers Market on Saturdays and Kailua Town Farmers Market on Sundays. From time to time, they will also be at events around the island. My favorite is the Fuji apple crumble. It taste like a pumpkin pie and I feel like I'm in the fall season with all those warm spices. Her cake slices are boxed and chilled in a cooler. They are $11.95 per slice. She usually has a special flavor that will be posted on Instagram, @allthatcakeco.hi, prior to the farmers market day and then 2 other flavors available. The chocolate PB&J was too rich for my liking but I've seen other combinations of chocolate cake. I do plan to visit them again soon and try other flavors. 

For more information about All That Cake Co., visit their Instagram, @allthatcakeco.hi.

Fuji Apple Crumble

Chocolate PB&J

  

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