Black Shamrock Tavern

We went to Downtown early to find a spot for the Public Workers' Electric Light Parade and decided to get take-out dinner from Black Shamrock Tavern.  The owner is a former partner of J.J. Dolans, so I knew the New Jersey-style pizza had to be good. 

Since I went on Shop Small Saturday, they were offering a deal for buy $100 in GCs and get a free cheese or pepperoni pizza day of purchase only, so I took advantage of that offer, and ordered a couple other items.

Pepperoni Pizza

Caesar

Loud Piggy

The LOUD Piggy consisted of Italian sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, and bacon.

I thought both pizzas were tasty, and the thin and crispy crust allowed you to fold and eat each slice, if you wished.  I did think, however, there could've been more toppings on the Loud Piggy.

Service was very friendly, and look forward to dining in one day!

Black Shamrock Tavern
902 Nuuanu Ave,
Honolulu, HI 96817

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The Daley

The Daley is known for their smash burgers.  They have a very limited menu, with just a Daley Burger, Double Down, and a Beyond Burger, plus a few extras, so you know they mastered their craft when it comes to smash burgers.

The Kauai grass-fed beef burgers are topped with their signature Boss Sauce, as well as cheese and grilled onions.  

Everyone loved both the the beef burgers, including the Beyond Burger.  

Of course you must order a side of their Crinkle Cut Fries.

Order online to minimize your wait time!

The Daley
1110 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817

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Mille Fête

I recently picked up some goodies from Mille Fête.  I got a nice selection of sweets and savories:

Classic Bells and Chocolate-PB Whistles

My faves were the Classic Bells.  I loved the dark chocolate coating, the moist chocolate cake, and the vanilla whipped cream center.  The Chocolate-PB Whistles were great too, especially if you love the ever-popular chocolate + PB combo.  It had a nice saltiness from the salted caramel.

Bubus

The Bubus were nice and buttery!

Robynne's Cake Chocolate Rum Raisin

This cake was made with ulu flour, making it gluten-free!

As for the savories, I got the Baked SPAM Bao, Japanese Potato Salad Bao, and the Kimchi Reuben, which was my fave of the savories.  The hand pie had a nice, flaky crust, and the filling was so tasty!

I also got some Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

You can order online, which I was tempted to do because I wasn't sure how the crowds would be, but when we got there (around 1030am), there was no line.

Mille Fête

1113 Smith St

Honolulu, HI 96817

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Visit San Francisco: Chinatown

After our delicious meal at Peony Seafood Restaurant in Oakland, we made our way back to San Francisco, ready to dive into one of the city's most iconic neighborhoods: Chinatown. Chinatown is always buzzing with energy, and there’s always something new to discover.

Of course, one of the main reasons we ventured here was to hunt down the legendary Golden Gate Bakery. This bakery is known far and wide for its egg custards—so rich and creamy, they’ve earned a dedicated following. However, Golden Gate Bakery has a bit of a reputation for its unpredictable hours, which led to the creation of a Facebook page called "Is Golden Gate Bakery Open?" People post daily updates to let others know whether the bakery is open or closed. It’s a quirky but beloved part of the San Francisco food scene.

Sadly, when we arrived, the bakery was closed. 😔 But our friend, a local expert, took us to another nearby bakery to try their version of the famous egg custard. While it was tasty, it just didn’t compare to the creamy, flaky perfection at Golden Gate Bakery. Although we didn’t get our Golden Gate Bakery fix this time, Chinatown gave us plenty of new sights and flavors to savor. Here’s what else we discovered as we wandered through the area:

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Ocean Side Bakery

I finally got to try Ocean Side Bakery, and I am in love!  It's a very small bakery with a window for ordering - no dine-in tables available, although there are a couple of small tables outside if you want to dine on the sidewalk, but I should warn you that the area isn't the greatest for enjoying these pastries. You're better off taking them home and enjoying them with a hot cup of coffee.

Here's what I bought home today:

Creme Brûlée Cinnabun

Basque Brownie

Bag of chocolate chip cookies

I'm a total cinnamon roll enthusiast, and this one did not let me down! It’s the perfect fusion of two of my favorite desserts – crème brûlée and cinnamon roll. Honestly, I'm still daydreaming about that Cinnabun. The Basque Brownie was decadently rich, but absolutely delicious. I could only handle a third at a time, but that just meant I got to savor it for longer!

The cookie was my least favorite of the three, but my co-workers devoured them!

 Ocean Side is currently open Tuesday - Friday 7 am - 2 pm, and Saturday 8 am - 2 pm.

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OCEAN SIDE BAKERY

1176 Smith Street

808-931-9680

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O’Kims

Before the Honolulu City Lights Electric Parade, we picked up food from O'Kims.  

Truffle Mandoo

The Truffle Mandoo included 4 different kind of mushrooms, zucchini, and mushroom paste.  The Mandoo was perfectly cooked and the filling was so scrumptious.  

Korean Chicken

The Korean Chicken plate came in a huge box!  Deep fried chicken with gochujang sauce and house-made gnocchi nuts were accompanied by purple rice, salad, and kimchi.  

Bibimbap with Spicy Chicken

My husband and son loved the Bibimbap with Spicy Chicken.  It was so good, that my son ate up all the vegetables (it was that apple gochujang sauce that he couldn't get enough of).   

Everything was delicious!

O'Kims
1028 Nuuanu Ave

Honolulu, HI 96817

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Pig and the Lady Curbside Take-out

Food has always been one of my five love languages, and so for our 13th wedding anniversary, I surprised the husband with take-out from the Pig and the Lady. 

Not only does the food never disappoint, but they offer online ordering (which allows you to place your order ahead of time for pick up later on), and curbside pick up, which is a huge plus since they are located in the heart of downtown/Chinatown where street parking can be hard to find or inconvenient (especially if you have kids with you).

The Le Fried Chicken Wings is a-must at the Pig and the Lady. The wings are always crispy, moist, and nicely seasoned and spiced.

The Pho French Dip is one of their signature menu items - 12 hr slow roasted beef brisket, spicy hoisin, thai basil chimichurri, sauteed bean sprout & onion, cilantro, toasted La Tour baguette, served with their signature pho 75 broth for dipping.  You have the option of adding a side of noodles, and we always do, because my son loves their pho noodles and soup.

I have been wanting to try their Bo Kho Tagliatelle, a pasta dish that they added to the menu late last year - it was sooooo good! It's made with stewed Maui venison, slow cooked Kaahumanu carrots, lemon grass, Vietnaese spices, and finished off with fried Thai Basil leaves and Comté cheese.

The Pig and the Lady is also open for dine-in. Reservations are highly recommended.

Click here to see the menu, book a reservation, or to place an order. You can also find them at the Farmers Markets at the Blaisdell on Wednesdays, Kailua on Thursdays, and Kapiolani Community College on Saturdays.

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PIG AND THE LADY
83 N. KING STREET
808-585-8255

 

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Ali`i Coffee Co.

Although I don't drink coffee, I decided to give Ali`i Coffee Co. (the Downtown location) a try since my brother frequents the Ward location, and I knew they served food, and I needed to pick up lunch.

Breakfast Sandwich

Turkey Pesto

Ali`i Veggie

Hot Pastrami

I had the Turkey Pesto, which I thought was good and satisfying, but I did think it could've been much better with some cheese.

A friend had the Breakfast Sandwich, consisting of egg, ham, cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, and siriacha aioli on a ciabatta.  He thought it was good as well, but did think a different type of bread should have been used.

Our friends loved the Veggie sandwich (avocado, beet hummus, pickled onions, and tomato), and the Hot Pastrami Sandwich.

The staff is the friendliest, and Ali`i Coffee Co. seems to have its share of regulars, as many customers were greeted by name.

Ali`i Coffee Co. was a good choice for lunch!

Ali`i Coffee Co.
35 S Beretania St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 532-7928

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Gochi Grill To-Go

Gochi Grill continues to offer super delicious and affordable meals, with a weekly rotating menu and numerous specials daily M-F.

They started to offer Chicken Katsu on Mondays, but as luck would have it, they decided to offer it on a Tuesday when I was nearby!

Chicken Katsu + Curry

I think they have the best chicken katsu!  They were offering sides of curry that day as well, so of course I had to get some (I'm still waiting for the day when Chef John offers ginger sauce on the side #IYKYK).

Seared Salmon with Miso Brown Butter

Bow Tyler Pasta Salad

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Whether he makes comfort food classics or adds his own spin on popular local fare, all of his dishes are so tasty, and the portions are huge!

Gochi Grill
1111 Bishop Street Suite #112
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 585-8558

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