‘Ono = Hawai’ian for “delicious”

Grinds = Hawai’ian for “food”

Every January I have the pleasure of visiting my Mama in Waikiki, Hawai’i. She lives right in the thick of things and only 2 blocks from the beach. What more could you ask for?!? I just returned last week from my 3rd annual visit, but was on a tight budget for this trip. I spent my days kicking back at the beach or by the pool while Mama cooked me up yummy seafood-focused dinners each night. I ate sweet pineapple every day and made my usual snorkel trip to Sharks Cove on the North Shore.

SNORK!

During my first 2 visits, I had the pleasure of exploring the cuisine of this tropical paradise.   Unfortunately, I couldn’t escape Philly as Ono Cheesesteaks is right on the main strip of Waikiki. They may ship in Amaroso Rolls, but the sandwich as a whole was utter blasphemy! OH NO, is right! I made sure to stick to the amazing seafood Oahu has to offer.

The North Shore is scattered with shrimp ponds & shrimp trucks where you can enjoy the freshest variety of these crustaceans.We decided to stop at Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp Truck (which is actually quite popular on Yelp!).

Fumi's Kahuku Shrimp Truck on the North Shore

For a tourist rate of $8, we enjoyed plates of Spicy Garlic Shrimp complete with White Rice, Green Salad, & a Pineapple Wedge. Things get a bit messy as you hand-peel your saucy shrimp at tented picnic tables, so all the trucks make sure to offer a handwash station for clean-up.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp Plate

On one of my many lazy days relaxing on Waikiki Beach, I decided to pop into Beard Papa for my first taste of their famous Cream Puffs. Not only are they just splendidly delicious, they fill them fresh with your choice of cream flavor. I went with their Classic Vanilla in an Eclair Puff, however they offer Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, Green Tea, & Earl Grey. They also make sammies on their puffs, but who wants that when you can have dessert? And, why have I never heard of these amazing cream puffs before? And, why isn’t there a franchise in Philly?? I hear there’s one in NYC. Could it be true? So many questions…

Beard Papa Eclair Puff w/ Vanilla Creme

Of course, no trip to Hawai’i is complete without a super sushi indulgence. My first visit, I had a blast pulling all sorts of varieties off a conveyor belt at Genki Sushi. Last year, however, we tried somewhere new and thank goodness! Unfortunately, the name of the restaurant eludes me (Mom?). I was treated to the best (and forever my favorite) Ahi tuna dish I could ever imagine – a fresh hunk of Ahi, wrapped in Arugula, Tempura-battered & flash fried in a delicious sea of Wasabi-Soy Butter. Heaven.

Ahi Tuna & Arugula Tempura w/ Wasabi-Soy Butter

Hawai’i, I love you. See you next January with an empty belly (or hopefully sooner)!