Visit Hilo: Soup 'R Saimin

Soup 'R Saimin has parked its food truck next to Kagimoto's for night-time eats, and is open later than many spots in Hilo.

The Won Ton Min (broth was separate) had kamaboko, char siu, egg, and bok choy.  I loved the won ton, and although I didn't care much for the char siu, all the other elements were great, and it made for a perfect meal (it actually lasted two meals!).

Crispy Pork Belly Plate

My friend was impressed with the Crispy Pork Belly Plate, and said it was really tasty.

If you're on the search for some late night eats in Hilo, be sure to check out Soup 'R Saimin!

Soup 'R Saimin
2179 Kinoole St

Hilo, HI 96720

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SingSing - Thai Street Food

Pad Thai Chaiya

SingSing is a restaurant located on Smith Street in Chinatown specializing in modern Thai street food. The menu was a little overwhelming for my group so we asked for suggestions and settled on the Jatujak Baby Potatoes, Beef Dumplings, Paneng of Beef Cheek, Hulu Huli Grilled Chicken, and Pad Thai Chaiya. My favorite was the paneng of beef cheek which was so flavorful, spicy, and tender. I definitely need to return with more people so we can try more of the shared dishes. We ended our meal with the deep fry ice cream which was big enough to share. Great meal and the service was great!

Beef Dumplings

Jatujak Baby Potatoes

Huli Huli Grilled Chicken

Paneng of Beef Cheek

Deep Fry Ice Cream

The restaurant is closed on Mondays and open for lunch daily from 11am to 3pm and reopens for dinner at 5pm. Reservations can be made on their website at singsinghawaii.com.

SingSing
1030 Smith Street

Honolulu, HI

808-785-6463

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Visit Hilo: Breakfast at WSW Steakhouse

My co-worker is seeking out the best spots for Oxtail Soup, so I posed that question on my IG story, and @shobigisland mentioned that WSW Steakhouse offers a great Oxtail Soup on the weekend that has "choke oxtail" for just $20.

Oxtail Soup

For $20, this Oxtail Soup was indeed loaded with oxtail, as well as lots of shiitake.  My co-worker thought the broth was tasty, and although the soup was missing peanuts, he was very impressed with the soup overall, especially for being just $20, when most other places average near $30.

WSW Baked Potato

I had the WSW Baked Potato, which was loaded with breakfast foods - eggs, bacon, and cheddar.  I wished they used the "normal" cut bacon vs the super thin cut, but overall it was a hearty breakfast.  Basic, but I like basic when it comes to breakfast.  

Shortstack

Service was great, and my co-worker already wants to go back just for the Oxtail Soup!

Thank you, @shobigisland for the tip!

WSW Steakhouse
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
71 Banyan Dr
Hilo, HI 96720

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The Local General Store

I recently went back to The Local General Store, and in addition to my favorite mushroom danish, I made sure to get the House Made Char Siu, Pickled Mustard Greens, and Sesame Seeds Croissant as recommended by Chef Keoni Regidor.

Just look at how beautiful and shiny it is!  It is reminisicent of a manapua, but with a twist.  I loved the flakiness of the pastry and savoriness of the glaze, and the char siu, made in house with Mountain View Farms pork, was so flavorful.

From top left clockwise: Small Kine Farm Keiki Mushrooms, Bechamel, Gruyere; Lilikoi-Orange-Guava; Chocolate Croissant; House Made Char Siu, Pickled Mustard Greens, and Sesame Seeds 

In my opinion, The Local General Store is one of the best spots on the island for sweet and savory pastries! 

The Local General Store
3458 Waialae Ave

Honolulu, HI 96816 

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Yujin K-BBQ

Yujin K-BBQ is a fairly new Korean restaurant in Waipahu, and I was quite impressed with the food!

BBQ Chicken & Mandoo

The chicken was tender, smoky, and tasty, and the mandoo was perfectly crispy with a flavorful filling.

Bulgogi & BBQ Chicken

Mandoo & Spicy Pork

Meat Jun & Spicy Pork

Yujin Special

The Yujin Special comes with 2 pieces kalbi, 2 pieces BBQ chicken, Bulgogi, and mandoo.

All plates also come with rice, a piece of zucchini jun, and 5 different banchan (my fave is always the braised potatoes!).

Each plate lasted for two meals so we had lunch and dinner!

Waipahu has a number of great Korean restaurants, and Yujin can be added to that list! 

Yujin K-BBQ
94-300 Farrington Hwy B-03

Waipahu, HI 96797
Phone: (808) 200-1285

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Artizen by MW

Although I've done pick-up from Artizen by MW a number of times, for the first time recently, I dined in!

Caesar

We got the Caesar salad, which had a very delicious Caesar dressing (you could taste the anchovies!)  After the fact, we discovered that there should've been croutons, which really would've completed the salad, but it was still a good salad.

Bubu Arare Garlic Chicken Sandwich

The Bubu Arare Garlic Chicken Sandwich was so moist and flavorful.  I loved the namasu, and I especially loved the accompanying fries!  The piece of chicken was huge as well - extending way over the bun!

Oxtail Soup

My friend has the Oxtail Soup, which also consisted of corned beef and pork belly.  He really loved how the soup had all the elements of a traditional oxtail, but it was elevated.  It was one of the best Oxtail Soups he ever had!

Pumpkin Crunch Cheesecake

Of course we had to get dessert!  The Pumpkin Crunch Cheesecake was heavenly.  It had a nice firmness and such a delightful pumpkin flavor that is so perfect for the season!

Chocolate Cake

Their signature Chocolate Cake was divine as well.

We had a great meal at Artizen!

Artizen by MW
888 Kapiolani Blvd, Commercial Unit, Suite 102
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 524-0499

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Celine's Best

I tried Celine's Best's loaded fries once at a food truck event and I enjoyed it, so I was happy to see they were offering food at a recent event at a local high school. 

They once again had a lot of loaded fries on the menu, but it was a 30-minute wait for fries, so I decided upon getting one of their "Walking Tacos" options.

Birria Nachos

I had the Birria Nachos, which had shredded beef, cheese sauce, cilantro, and onions.  They did have a toppings bar where you could add things like sour cream and jalapenos, but I didn't add any.  I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it - the beef was tender and it was overall just a super fun meal.  

Doritos Snackos Tacos

They really loaded the Doritos Snackos Tacos with toppings!

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Waffle Dog

They also offered a variety of waffle dogs.  Can't go wrong with the Cheesy Bacon Ranch combo!

Follow @celinesbest on IG to find out where they'll be popping up!

 

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