Somisomi - CLOSED

Somisomi is here in Hawaii! They are known for their taiyaki soft serve which is a fish shaped waffle cone with ice cream inside. You can find them at Ala Moana Center on level 1 near the Makai Market Food Court; next to Curry House.

I've never had one of these desserts before but it tasted amazing. My favorite so far is the oreo ah-boong with custard filling. They are still new so be prepared to stand in line and wait for 10-20 minutes. The ah-boong is $6 but if you just want a small order of soft serve it's $4. If ice cream is not your thing, you can get the taiyaki which is the fish shaped waffle with sweet or savory filling inside. You'll want to eat that when it's fresh though, so the waffle is still crispy.

For more information about Somisomi, visit somisomi.com.

1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 206-8997

Milk & Matcha Ah-Boong

Ube & Oreo Ah-Boong

Oreo Ah-Boong

Taiyaki

Matcha Love - CLOSED

Matcha Love is a soft serve shop that offers flavors like matcha, hojicha, black sesame and vanilla. They also have mango but it's only available in the late summer. When the mango flavor is in season, they don't offer vanilla so you wouldn't be able to swirl the two flavors like how you can for matcha and black sesame. The shop has a variety of green teas in the fridge next to the register and they make shakes with the same flavors noted above. They are located inside Mitsuwa Marketplace on the 2nd level of the International Marketplace.

Most people prefer the matcha soft serve here because it's sweet and creamy. You still get some of the bitter aftertaste but it's not as strong as other places. My favorite flavor is mango but when it's not available, I enjoy the black sesame. If you have a few people with you, I recommend trying the waffle bowl. You get to choose 3 flavors to put into the bowl. The small cup/cone is under $5 and it's a good size for 1 person. If you make a purchase over $10 inside Mitsuwa Marketplace, you can get parking validation. They also offer kama'aina discount so make sure you show your local ID.

Mitsuwa Marketplace
2330 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 664-0563

Hojicha

Vanilla

Mango (seasonal)

Black Sesame

Frankie's Nursery

Frankie's Nursery is located in Waimanalo and they offer a variety of tropical fruits and tropical plants for sale. They are known for their honey cream pineapple (meli kalima) which is extra sweet, juicy and low in acid. A honey cream pineapple can cost anywhere from $10 to $25 depending on the size. At the fruit stand, they sell whole fruits, chilled pre-cut fruits, and fresh fruit juices.

If you are feeling adventurous, I suggest booking the nursery tour for $15 (per person). It's an informational tour about the nursery and you'll also get to sample seasonal fruits as you walk around. The tour is about 1 hour. You'll need to call in advance to reserve your spot. See photos below for some of the items I tried on the tour.

June 2019 update: Tours have been discontinued.

41-999 Mahiku Pl
Waimanalo, HI 96795
(808) 259-8737

Star Apple, Guava,
Honey Cream Pineapples

White Sapote

Green Peppercorns

Mammee Apple

Mamey Sapote

Cashew Apple (did not eat)

Guava

Longan

Jaboticaba