We were in Waialua and wanted shave ice, so we went to Island X Hawaii. I love that their shave ice is all natural - no artificial colors or flavorings!
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| Waialua Dark Chocolate |
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| Strawberry |
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| Mango Matcha Latte |
October 22, 2026
Island X Hawaii
October 21, 2026
ESCAPE! Alaska
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We made a spontaneous decision to do an escape room one evening, and we ended up at ESCAPE! Alaska.
We did the NOIR escape room, in which we had to determine who was a murderer, amongst other things.
You're given an hour, and you are also given a business card with which you can use a phone in the Escape Room and call a number for clues / assistance.
And we had to call the number a few times in the first 30 minutes because we are very novice escape room players.
Once we got the hang of things, it was easier for us to find clues.
We did eventually escape within the time frame allotted, with just minutes (seconds?) to spare.
I thought the experience was really fun and the clues / puzzles very clever compared to some of the other escape rooms we've done.
Of course we did not make the leaderboard, but it was impressive to see how some teams finish the room in under 20 minutes.
ESCAPE! Alaska was definitely a fun way to spend an evening!
ESCAPE! Alaska
2000 W International Airport Rd Ste A8
Anchorage, AK 99502
October 20, 2026
Artizen Halloween Afternoon Tea
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| Strawberry Hibiscus Shiso Iced Tea |
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| Black Garlic Roast Beef Sandwich, OK Farms Egg Salad, Ludovico Farms Morgina Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwich |
Of the savories, I loved the Egg Salad Sandwich!
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| Pei's Ghost-Tea, Mai's Jack O' Puff, Mel's Matcha Eye-Lien, Mummy Nutter Butter |
I loved the Mummy Nutter Butter! It was so reminiscent of the cookie.
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| Blueberry Scones with Yuzu Curd |
Artizen Halloween Afternoon Tea continues October 24 and 31!
888 Kapiolani Blvd, Commercial Unit, Suite 102
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 524-0499
October 19, 2026
The Clubhouse Mililani
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Everything I've ever ordered I would order again, but my go-tos are the Loaded Tater Tot Nachos & Dry Mein.
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| Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings |
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| Loaded Tater Tot Nachos |
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| Kalbi |
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| Miso Butterfish |
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| Ribeye Steak |
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| Agedashi Tofu |
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| Dry Mein |
The food did not disappoint, and the service was excellent!
October 18, 2026
Visit Paris - Mắm from Hanoï
After a week of French food and champagne on a recent trip to Paris, I certainly wasn't complaining. But one of my friends knew we'd all be comforted by a big bowl of quality pho and so she made a reservation for her favorite pho place in Paris for our last meal in the City of Love.
The restaurant is small, but cozy and very popular so definitely recommend making a reservation. Mam features northern Vietnamese cuisine and the must haves on the menu are their family recipe's signature pork nem (fried spring rolls) and two styles of their pho - traditional and modern. I opted for the traditional pho made of beef broth, bone marrow, and pho spices simmered for 24 hours. The pho was fragrant and delicious. After finishing our pho and two orders of spring rolls, we left completely happy and stuffed.
Signature Pork Nem
Traditional Pho
Mắm from Hanoï
39 Rue de Cléry, Paris, Île-de-France, France
Hokkaido Ramen Bonbori and Dragon Burger
Mahalo to Ramen Bonbori and Dragon Burger for the complimentary meal and the opportunity to try their offerings. As always, all opinions are my own!
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We recently received an invitation to check out Ramen Bonbori, a new eatery with an interesting concept. The restaurant is supervised by Michelin chef Makoto Ishii, who brings his French culinary background into the world of Japanese ramen.
We tried the Yoichi Soy Sauce Ramen ($17). What makes this ramen different is the broth. They use French consommé techniques to create a clear, additive-free broth made with chicken, pork, and seafood that's simmered for eight hours.
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Even the noodles are specially made! They're custom wheat bran noodles co-developed with Sun Noodles for the restaurant.
There's definitely a lot of thought and technique that goes into making this ramen, and the flavors were rich. The concept is interesting, and I'm glad we got to try it!
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Moving on, we were also invited to try a burger from Dragon Burger which shares the same stall!
The burger we tried, the "Classic", features a 5-ounce Wagyu beef patty, a spring onion, onion miso, cheddar cheese, and two kinds of mustard (American and Karashi). Dragon Burger's concept, by British chef Adam Lawson, is to create an authentic Western-style burger using Japanese ingredients.
This burger had A LOT of umami! The flavors were rich, and it was definitely a heavy burger. But wow, it was amazing! You really can't go wrong with Wagyu beef. The combination of flavors made this one memorable, and the crisp fries were a great addition to the meal.
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It was fun to try two different concepts in one visit. Come check out Ramen Bonbori and Dragon Burger and let me know what you think!
RAMEN BONBORI AND DRAGON BURGER
1515 LIONA STREET
Instagram: @ramenbonbori, @dragonburger_honolulu
October 17, 2026
Lil T Cup Cafe in Aiea
Turkey & Bacon Guava Jam Burger
Looking for a new place to lunch, I found Lil T Cup Cafe on Yelp. Located in Aiea Town Square, Lil T Cup Cafe serves up coffees, cold brews, lattes, teas and matcha as well as sandwiches, musubis, and plates. The cafe also offers Lil Tea Time at a special launch rate of $27/seat. Tea Time is offered 8am-3pm on weekdays, and 10am-3pm on Saturdays.
On our visit, we spoke with cafe owner Marisa and she recommended the Turkey and Bacon Guava Jam Burger made with house made bacon guava jam. My friend got Da Betty - a cheeseburger with bacon guava jam served on toasted sourdough. We both enjoyed our sandwiches and the bacon guava jam was definitely the highlight.
Da Betty
Spacious dining area
What's also impressive is the size of the dining area where you are welcomed to hang out. According to their website, Lil T Cup Cafe exists for the community: to uplift local artisans, support underrepresented voices, and offer a space where kindness, creativity, and care lead the way. Check out their IG for community events.
Lil T Cup Cafe
99-080 Kauhale St # C4-C5
Aiea, Hawaii 96701-4116
99-080 Kauhale St # C4-C5
Aiea, Hawaii 96701-4116
Closed Mondays and Sundays
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