Visit Japan: McDonald's

Of course we had to make a stop at McDonald's while in Japan to see what fun offerings they had there.

A few of the items we got included:

Teriyaki Chicken Filet

Grape McFloat

Lychee Shake

Gohan Chicken

The Gohan Chicken sandwich included "buns" made out of rice.  Very interesting!

The kids loved the Fanta floats and the Lychee Shake.
 

Sunday Brunch at Hoku's At The Kahala

I don't go out to Sunday Brunch very often, but after my friend went to Hoku's At The Kahala's Sunday Brunch Buffet one Sunday morning and mentioned that it has unlimited Ahi Poke Musubis and Lobster Tails, I told her we should go with our mutual friend to celebrate all of our birthdays together. 

The buffet opened at 9 am and we were one of the first to get seated. I always like to go to buffets when they first open. The buffet has several stations: salad, appetizers, carving, hot, dessert, and Ala carte items made to order. Check out this spread!

Cold: 

Hot:

My plates: 

Ala Carte Made to Order: 

Grilled (hot)

Chilled Lobster Tail (cold)

Ahi Poke Musubi

Assorted Pastries and Dessert:

And because we were celebrating our birthdays, they gave us a complimentary slice of cake!

There is seating both in the restaurant and outside of the restaurant - I would recommend sitting inside, so that you get the view of the ocean, and so that you don't have to walk through the closed doors every time you want to visit the food stations.

Hoku's Brunch Buffet is every Sunday from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, and is currently priced at $110 for adults, $55 for keiki (6-12 years old).  Ideal for special occasions!

Make a reservation on Open Table.

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Hoku's At The Kahala
5000 KAHALA AVENUE
808-739-8760

 

Paniolos Hawaii at Kahala Mall

I recently met a friend at Kahala Mall for lunch to check out Paniolos Hawaii's newest location. It was his first time at Paniolos ... I have been to the location in Kailua numerous times. 

This location in Kahala Mall is located near Starbucks, you can't miss it.  

It's similar in concept to Subway and Pieology - you basically get to create your own meal - whether it's a burrito, taco, or bowl.

My friend created a burrito - look at the size of it!

He added cilantro brown rice, black beans, free range chicken, and a bunch of toppings. 

I created a bowl with grilled steak, black beans, chopped romaine lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, corn salsa, and added guacamole (extra charge).

I really enjoyed this bowl of goodness and stretched it out over two meals! 

The ingredients were fresh, and the servings were generous. 

When you're craving fresh Mex on-the-go, check out Paniolos Hawaii!

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PANIOLOS HAWAII
4211 WAIALAE AVE
808-735-8335

 

Better-for-You Breakfast Options

Disclosure: Links are affiliate.

Typically, when it comes to breakfast, if I don't have any homemade breakfast muffins on hand, my kids will eat Cheerios or oatmeal.  There have been times we gave in to the sugary, colorful cereals, but now have been trying new grain-free and / or organic options. 

We're no strangers to Nature's Path EnviroKidz, Cascadian Farms, and Kashi cereals, but below are some of the lesser-known (at least to me) brands that we've tried lately and have since bought repeatedly.

Seven Sundays

Seven Sundays offers all sorts of breakfast options.  We're fans of the Muesli (my kids love the Early Riser), as well as the Sunflower Cereals.  My kids especially love the Real Cocoa Sunflower Cereal.  Made with real ingredients and just 1 gram of added sugar per serving, the cereal is a great alternative to more well-known cocoa cereals, which have upwards of 10 grams of sugar per serving! 

Three Wishes

We bought the variety 6-pack of Three Wishes cereal, and the kids' faves were the Chocolate and the Fruity.  This cereal is made from chickpeas, so it is high in protein compared to other cereals, is low in added sugars, and is grain-and gluten-free as well.

One Degree Organic Foods Organic Sprouted Rolled Oats

One of my kids eats oatmeal regularly, so if you have concerns about glyphosate like I do, an organic option is ideal.  What I think is cool about One Degree Organic Foods is that they have a 6 digit code on the package which you can enter on the website to find out who the farmer was that grew the oats.  One Degree Organic Foods is huge on transparency!

Purely Elizabeth Original Ancient Grain Granola

Once in a while I'll make granola, but it's so much more convenient to buy it.  This granola is so delicious - we add it to yogurt bowls and smoothie bowls, and I even use it to bake breakfast muffins.  They are great just right out of the bag too!  It is crunchy with a pleasant sweetness to it that really adds dimension to any breakfast or baked goods! (I did see it at Costco!)

Coach's Oats Organic Cracked n' Toasted Oats

This is another organic oatmeal option (I also saw this at Costco).  It's great for microwaving for a quick and easy breakfast, or you can use it in overnight oats.

85°C Bakery Cafe - Kapolei

85°C Bakery Cafe is a chain that offers sweet and savory baked treats at affordable prices.

Even though I know it opened in Hawaii two years ago, I had no idea there was a location in Kapolei too.

Bacon and Cheese

Cheese Dog

I ended up getting a bunch of savories that made for a great light meal.  

I loved all the bacon, cheese, and herbs on the bun.

Mochi Egg Tart

I also tried the Mochi Egg Tart, which was quite yummy!  The tart itself was nice and creamy with a mochi filling.

Definitely looking forward to going back to try more items!


85°C Bakery Cafe
91-590 Farrington Hwy #155

Kapolei, HI 96707

Visit Japan: Tokyo Disneyland

The last time we went to Tokyo Disneyland was when you still had to print out paper tickets on A4 paper and obtain paper fast passes.

It was a crazy experience with even crazier lines and crowds.

On our most recent visit, I was delighted that everything is now digital - from tickets, to "fast passes," to food ordering, which made for a more pleasant experience, despite the rain at the beginning of our visit.

We arrived to Tokyo Disneyland and the lines to the entrance were pretty crazy, and it was moving quite slowly, but we got redirected to a just-opened line so we entered fairly quickly at that specific entrance.

As soon as we got into the park, I went onto the app to get Disney Premier Access and 40th Anniversary Priority Passes (aka "fast passes") for various rides, such as Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.

I did not like the spinning - it got me dizzy!

Our first stop, however, was "it's a small world," since the last time we visited that attraction was closed for refurbishment.

The Disney Tokyo app also came in very handy to check wait times for rides. We would check the app for any rides with a 20-minute or less wait time, which was quite a few.

We made sure to go on our faves, like Monsters Inc., Ride & Go Seek, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters.

Of course all the fun Disney eats is something we look forward to, including our must-haves - churros, ice cream, and popcorn!

My favorite meal was actually a "hack."  I ordered a Vegetable Curry with Rice + the Chicken Tenders and Fried Cheese from Plazma Ray's Diner, then added the chicken tenders to the curry, to make a pseudo "chicken katsu curry." It was delish!

Last time the Fireworks show didn't happen because of wind, so we made sure to stay for it. We found seats near the ice cream shop which closed at 6pm. We ordered dinner and even got to watch the Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights from afar.

Then the Sky Full of Colors fireworks show began.

It was actually (surprisingly) quite unimpressive, however.  It was a short, basic 10-minute show, and one that wasn't worth staying for.

Despite that, I was quite happy with our overall visit, and the utilization of the passes that allowed us to bypass lengthy standby lines.

Tokyo Disneyland still had some pretty intense crowds, but we definitely had a fun and memorable time!