La Gelateria

This is a whole in the wall shop but they whip up some really good gelato. They have gelato sorbets and creamy gelatos. The single scoop containers are $2 and the big containers are $4 (sorbet) and $5 (creamy). There are some unique flavors like black sesame and pandan. I go with the safe flavors like green tea, mango, pineapple coconut, and vanilla.

The downside is they're only open Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm. If you really want to try their gelato you can get it from Nordstrom. There's a gelato bar on the ground floor and all their gelato is from this place.

For more information about La Gelateria, please visit http://www.lagelateriahawaii.com.

819 Cedar St
Honolulu, HI 96814

creamy gelato

Mix Cafe - CLOSED

If you love sandwiches, you'll love this place. They serve toasted sandwiches with a big salad on the side. They only open for lunch so the best time to come is around 11:45am. You will have 6-7 different sandwiches to choose from. My favorite is the chicken sandwich. They season their chicken really well and every piece of meat is moist. If you can't decide what sandwich you want, just pick the chicken. If you love meat, I recommend the steak sandwich. It's very meaty but also greasy. Their prices are a bit high but if you only eat here once a month, it's not too bad.

1025 Alakea St
Honolulu, HI 96813

Ciabatta Sandwich

Chicken Sandwich

Italian Sandwich

Ichiriki

I normally don't go out for shabu shabu style dinners but someone talked me into trying nabe. She told me the broth was in a paper bowl. At first I didn't believe her but when I went and saw it myself, it was like "WOW!" I don't know what kind of paper they use but it's burn proof and it doesn't get soggy.

We ordered the shio (salt) broth. I wanted to ask the waiter for soy sauce to use as dipping but after tasting a piece of Chinese cabbage I realized the broth had all the flavor. It was really good. When you run low on broth, the waiter puts in more broth. The beef they use is super tender. For my next visit, I'd order the same thing but add on an extra plate of beef.

For more information about Ichiriki, please visit http://ichirikinabe.com.

510 Piikoi St
Honolulu, HI 96814

Chinese Cabbage, Bok Choy, Enoki & Shiitake Mushrooms,
Tofu, Kuzukiri, Abura Age, Chives, Gobo, Chicken, Beef, Sausage,
Scallops, Shrimp, Salmon and Tsukune Meatballs

Shio Chanko

Ramen Noodles

Mei Sum

They used to be on the corner of Smith and Pauahi Street but then they moved to this current location on Nuuanu Ave by the Post Office. The dim sum here is pretty good. I come with family on the weekends. It's usually really busy at noon but if you have 2-3 people the wait time is really short. I also come during the weekdays with my co-workers. Sometimes we'll do take out but if there's a special occasion (like birthdays) we'll dine in. There were a few times where I made a reservation and when I got to the restaurant, none of the waitresses knew about the reservation.

Like most Chinese dim sum places, the best thing to do is order everything on the first round. The reason why you do this is because the lady with the cart is probably not going to come back. If you're going to order items off the menu (like fried rice, chow mein, etc...) order it in the beginning. The chef in the kitchen needs time to cook your food. You can also ditch your manners, just yell when you need stuff. Being nice will get you no food and you're going to leave hungry.

1170 Nuuanu Ave #102
Honolulu, HI 96817

Beef Ball

Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumpling)

Siu Mai (Pork Hash)

Steamed Char Siu Manapua

Jelly Fish

Beef Look Funn

Yogur Story

This is a nice place to come for coffee or tea. The interior of the restaurant is really nice and they also have wifi so you can bring your laptops/ipads. I came when they first opened and I wasn't impressed with the food but I went back recently and the menu has gotten better. My favorite item so far is the Strawberries & Cream Waffle. The presentation was stunning and the taste was perfect. One small thing to be aware of, check the fruits on your dishes. I had a friend who had a molded raspberry on one of their dishes.

815 Keeaumoku St
Honolulu, HI 96814

Pastrami Sandwich

Belgian Waffle

Cappuccino

Hot Chocolate

Strawberries & Cream Waffle

Lobster King

A lot of people have been talking about this place and how the lobster is so cheap. You know what, their food doesn't taste good. The dishes I had were either super salty or bland. The one dish that did turn out well was the Peking Duck but don't eat the shrimp chips on the remaining plate of duck meat. The chips are oily and stale. I think it was previously fried and left in a container for a long period of time and the air got in. Don't order the Crispy Shrimp with Roasted and Honey Glazed Walnuts (aka walnut shrimp wannabe), it taste bad. There was barely any honey and mayo sauce on the shrimp itself.

Their prices are quite high. There is a long wait time so if you plan on coming here, make a reservation 24 hours in advance. Beware of the parking, if you're not lucky enough to get the stalls by the entrance, you'll have to maneuver your way in the back parking lot which has very tight spaces.

1380 S King St
Honolulu, HI 96814

Lobster w/ Ginger & Green Onion

Stir Fried Scallop

Peking Duck w/ Buns

Crispy Shrimp w/ Roasted & Honey Glazed Walnuts

Braised Abalone w/ Mushroom & Lettuce