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

 

 

Guieb Cafe

Guieb Cafe offers homestyle meals with reasonable prices. This is a great place for breakfast. My favorites are the prime rib loco moco, fried chicken and waffle, and the ube pancakes. The prime rib is tender and the fried chicken is well seasoned. The ube pancakes are moist and fluffy and with some syrup drizzled over it, it was delicious. Their portions are large so you can share a plate between 2 people. The staff are efficient. The food comes out fast and the temperate is hot. Your water cups will always get filled and they clear your plate once you're done.

They have 3 locations, Kalihi, Aiea, and Wahiawa. I've been to the Kalihi location a few times and the interior is small. If you go when they open, they're not busy. If you go later in the day, there is a wait for a table. They accept reservations by phone, just call a few days in advance to reserve it. The tables are set up to seat 2 – 4 people so if you have 5 or more, reservations are highly recommended.

For more information about Guieb Cafe, visit guiebcafe.com.

1311 North King St 
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 913-2131

98-025 Hekaha St
Building 4, Unit 14
Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 762-9247

538 California Ave
Wahiawa, HI 96786
(808) 888-2121

Prime Rib Loco Moco

Adobo Fried Rice Omelette w/ Lechon Kawali

Corned Beef Hash w/ Eggs

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Ube Mascarpone Pancakes

Island Popper

Island Popper is open and you can pick up some gourmet popcorn to snack on as you continue to work from home. My favorite flavor is the Oahu Mix, it's half butter popcorn and half furikake popcorn. If you've never had their popcorn before, I suggest the 4-cup pack for $10. Once you figure out your favorite flavor, move up to a bigger size. You can also have mochi crunch added to your popcorn for an additional fee. 

They are located in Kalihi. If you live on the island, you can purchase online and get curbside pick. They have parking spaces in front of the shop. If you are on the neighbor island or the U.S. mainland, they can ship to you. They have 2 different websites so make sure you are using the correct one before placing your order. You can follow them on instagram, @islandpopper for special flavors and special pricing.

For more information about Island Popper, visit islandpopper.com. To order on Oahu, visit islandpopper.net.

1549 Colburn St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 888-0101

Spicy Garlic Butter (small)

Oahu Mix (large)

Big Island Mix (large)

Mix & Match (4 cup pack)

DT Steak House - CLOSED

DT Steak House is a Taiwanese style steak house. Your food is served on a sizzling plate with your choice of black pepper sauce or mushroom sauce. All the items on the menu are sold as a set which comes with a small salad, cup of corn soup, and small iced dessert. The prices range from $18 - $30. I recommend the flat iron steak because the meat was tender and juicy.

If you want the full experience, you should dine in because the waiter will remove the lid after setting the plate in front of you. You will get the delicious smell and see the sauce bubbling on the plate. If you're not comfortable with dine in, you can still do takeout but you will miss out on the sizzling sound and bubbling sauce since your food will be in a box. I recommend making reservations if you plan to dine in. The staff was attentive and they checked on us a few times to make sure we were okay. They also let us order drinks from Dragon Tea and bring it in. 

1339 N School St., Ste 102
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 888-2800

Flat Iron Steak w/ Black Pepper Sauce

Combo Deluxe w/ Mushroom Sauce

Fresh Salad

Sweet Corn Soup

Organic Spaghetti w/ Mushroom Sauce

Li Hing Pineapple Jam Ice Dessert

Ethel's Grill - CLOSED

Ethel's Grill is one of the best hole in wall spots I've found. They are known for Okinawan food and the tataki sashimi. I highly recommend a side order of the tataki sashimi and the taco rice. The portions are good for sharing and the prices are reasonable. They give you small salad and miso soup when you order the plates.

They are located in Kalihi on the first level of a residential building; the outside of the shop is painted red. The inside of the restaurant is small and the tables are set up for 4. If you have more than 4 in your group, you should separate or do take out. It doesn't matter what time of day you come because they are always busy and they don't take reservations. They have 4 parking spaces inside the building but if you get lucky you might get street parking. They only accept cash.

232 Kalihi St
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 847-6467

Tataki Sashimi (side order)

Mochiko Chicken

Taco Rice

Hawaiian Chip Company

The Hawaiian Chip Company has a storefront in the Kalihi area. You can order freshly made sweet potato or taro chips and season them with your own seasonings. The seasoning bar offers sweet, savory, and spicy seasonings to put on your chips. The made to order chips in a bag is $6 and the box is $15. The chips taste the best when eaten the same day or the next day. It's better to buy the chips here than the grocery store because every chip is whole; you see the oval shape of the sweet potato or taro slice. You won't have broken pieces unless you smash the bag/box.

Besides chips, they also sell other locally made products like BBQ sauce, hot sauce, and salad dressings. The entrance and parking are hard to find but look for the bright orange painted walls and you'll know you're in the right place.

For more information about Hawaiian Chip Company, visit hawaiianchipcompany.com.

1928 Republican St.
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-9868

Fresh Sweet Potato Chips

Fresh Taro Chips

Panda Dim Sum

Panda Dim Sum is known for their animal and character steamed buns. They are located inside the Chinatown Market Place at City Square Shopping Center in Dillingham. The animals/characters are different every day and I recommend going before 10am for the best selection. You can buy the buns as is or have them steamed and ready to eat right there; it takes about 10 minutes to steam. All the fillings inside the buns are sweet; they have custard, red bean paste, sweet potato paste, lotus paste, and chestnut paste. The fillings aren't overly sweet, and the buns are moist and soft. They are 2 for $3.50. If you're not interested in the steam buns, they have other dim sum items like white rice cake, jin dui, and mochi rice. This might be a cash only place since they're a tiny shop. 

Chinatown Market Place
1199 Dillingham Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 429-2018

Panda Buns

Piggy Buns

Minion Buns

Angry Bird & Doraemon Buns

Helena's Hawaiian Food

Helena's Hawaiian Food is located in Kalihi. It is a local hang out that serves Hawaiian food. They are only open 4 days a week from 10am-7:30pm and they do not take reservations. The pipikaula short ribs are highly recommend and you might want to order extra to go. If you're not sure of what to get, try one of the preset menus because it offers a little bit of everything. The preset menu can be shared between 2 people unless you have a big appetite. Their prices are reasonable and you will most likely be a returning customer.

The interior of the restaurant is run down but you're not there to admire the decor, you just want the food. There is parking in front of the restaurant but if that's full, parking is available in the residential area on Aupuni Street. Be prepared to wait 15-30 minutes for a table because they are always busy. This is a cash only place.

For more information about Helena's Hawaiian Food, visit helenashawaiianfood.com.

1240 N School St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 845-8044

Ahi Poke

Kalua Pig

Lomi Salmon

Pipikaula Short Ribs

Chicken Long Ric

Haupia & onions on the side

Thailand Cafe - CLOSED

Thailand Cafe is located at the corner of Liliha Street and Hiram Lane. It is next to a medical building and across from the Liliha Public Library. The interior of the restaurant is spacious, well lit, and clean. The decor is nice and you might find yourself admiring their paintings all night. They have a lot of specialty dishes and there is a separate board for specials. This is a good place to come with a group so you can do a family style dinner. The staff are friendly and if you do a Facebook or Yelp check-in, you can get a free scoop of ice cream. Their prices are reasonable with the amount of food they give. My favorite dish was the pad thai and I usually don't like pad thai but the chef makes it taste good here. Their spicy level is higher than other thai restaurants, I asked for mild but it was still spicy so if you can't handle the heat you should just say "not spicy or no spice."

For parking, they have street parking in front of the restaurant or you can park across the street at the library. The library has 4 stalls in the front and if you dine here after the library closes, the parking lot is empty. The restaurant also has some new stalls across the street by the bus stop. You can park in one of the last 6 stalls from the right side. I think they might have put up their signs but when you walk in the restaurant just check with the staff and let them know where you parked.

For more information about Thailand Cafe, visit thailandcafehi.com.

1502 Liliha St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 535-9928

Fried Shrimp Roll

Sweet Basil Stir Fry w/ Chicken

Pad Thai w/ Chicken

Fried Banana w/ Ice Cream

Hawaiian Pie Company

Hawaiian Pie Company is located in Kalihi between Colburn and Kalani Street. It's a family own business and they are known for their fruit pies that are baked fresh daily. Besides having fresh baked pies, they also have daily specials such as cinnamon rolls, bread pudding, manju and more baked goods. You can follow them on instagram to see what the special of the day is. Their pies are sold as whole or by the slice. You can also buy their whole pies frozen. The pies by the slice are $5 to $6 each and I recommend getting more than 1 of each flavor. I like their pie crust the most because it's buttery and it doesn't get soggy. I've eaten the pies cold and warm and they've tasted great both ways. They are very generous with the fruits and you'll taste it in each bite. I recommend the passion pear pie and apple pie.

They are open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 7am-3pm and they are closed on Sundays and Mondays. If you want their specials, you need to go early in the day. There is a parking lot in front of the shop and they accept credit cards.

For more information about the Hawaiian Pie Company, visit www.hawaiianpieco.com.

508 Waiakamilo Rd
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 988-7828

Passion Pear

Mango

Apple

Ming’s Chinese Restaurant - CLOSED

Ming's Chinese Restaurant is located in Kalihi at the Waiakamilo Shopping Plaza. The restaurant is hard to spot but you'll see McDonald's at the corner of the block and a Firestone Car Service Center. Next to Firestone, the glass doors with the big red Chinese characters are the entrance for Ming's. Ming's is known for having the best xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings) and some authentic Shanghainese dishes. The xiao long bao takes about 20 minutes to make and steam so order it first. Other dishes I recommend are the pan fried scallion pancakes, Shanghai style fried rice cake, and the deep fried buns with condensed milk. Everything I ate tasted good and the prices were reasonable. It might be best to do family-style so you can try more dishes. I went on a week night for dinner and it wasn't busy. The waitresses can speak English so you don't have to be afraid if you don't know the language. They also have photos of all their dishes so it's easy to order.

If you plan to go with 10 or more people it might be a good idea to make reservations because they only have 3 large tables. All the other tables only seat up to 4 people. They accept credit cards and there's lots of parking available in the lot, just don't park in the stalls marked "reserved."

1414 Dillingham Blvd, Ste 101
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 841-8889

Xiao Long Bao

Pan Fried Scallion Pancakes

Jellyfish

String Beans w/ Minced Pork

Roast Duck (half)

Sour Cabbage w/ Rice Noodle

Shanghai Style Fried Rice Cake

Corn Pancakes

Steamed & Deep Fried Buns w/ Condensed Milk