Lunch at Formaggio Grill

Dropping the boys off at Scout camp for a week is always a mix of emotions. I'm  excited for the adventures they'll have away from home (and us parents), but the house is definitely quieter once they leave! So after saying our goodbyes, one of the other Scout moms and I decided to celebrate our "kid-free" week with lunch at Formaggio in Kailua.

Since neither of us was in a rush, we decided to order a few dishes to share. Our server recommended starting with the bruschetta, explaining that the focaccia is made fresh in-house. That recommendation did not disappoint. The house-made focaccia was the perfect base for the fresh toppings and was one of my favorite parts of the meal.

Next came the veggie pizza, which featured a thin, crispy crust. It was light, flavorful, and perfect for sharing.

We also ordered the salmon Caesar salad, and I was especially impressed with the salmon. The skin was crisp while the fish itself remained seared and moist. Combined with the fresh Caesar salad, it rounded out our well-balanced lunch.

Spending a relaxing afternoon catching up with a fellow Scout mom after camp drop-off was exactly what we both needed before a week of enjoying a little extra peace and quiet at home.

FORMAGGIO GRILL

305 Hahani Street

Kailua, HI

808-263-2633

 

Read More

ONKEE

When Hawaii Mom Blog founder/owner Gem picked ONKEEfor her birthday lunch, it felt fitting that we’d be celebrating Gem at one of Honolulu’s hidden gems!

Before heading there, I had already done some research because I’d heard the restaurant could be tricky to find if you’re unfamiliar with the area. They’re located on the second floor of a residential building (Ko'ula), and the signage is pretty minimal, so it’s easy to second-guess yourself while looking for it. I parked in the parking garage below Consolidated Theatres Ward, walked out of the Ewa side of the garage - the building is across the street from that entrance/exit.  Walk to the roundabout and look for the Onkee sign and the elevator.  

Once I arrived, the service was very attentive throughout the meal, and the staff checked in often to make sure everything was going well.

For lunch, Gem ordered the stir-fried pork meal, Nadia chose the bibimbap, and I ordered the marinated fried chicken entrée. 

Gem really enjoyed her meal:

 

Nadia's bibimbap was the most Instagram-able dish of the day:

As for me… once the chicken arrived at the table, I realized I probably should have paid a little closer attention to the menu.  I kept offering Gem a taste, but she politely declined each time. Toward the end of the meal, she pointed out that there had also been a plain fried chicken option on the menu — which, honestly, both of us probably would have preferred over the yangnyeom-style version I ordered. The chicken itself was crispy and well prepared, but the sauce ended up being a little too spicy and heavy for my personal taste.

 I also somehow missed the fact that the entrée didn’t come with sides, which left me staring sadly at my plate while everyone else had complete meals.

Thankfully, the birthday girl took pity on me and shared some of her rice and vegetables. Nothing says “happy birthday” quite like the guest of honor donating food to her friend. 

But in the end, all was forgiven once dessert arrived. The mango bingsu absolutely stole the show. 

It was refreshing, light, and the perfect way to end the meal. Looking back, we probably should have ordered one just for Gem instead of sharing one amongst the three of us.

Overall, the delicious bingsu and chicken mishap made the visit memorable. And thankfully, the birthday girl still seemed to enjoy her special lunch too. 

Still… I may owe Gem a little birthday lunch do-over in the future. 

ONKEE HAWAII

1000 AUAHI STREET, #220

808-312-3758

Read More

Mahalo May at Zippy’s: Comfort Food for a Cause

 Every May, Zippy's gives back to the community through its Mahalo May campaign by partnering with a local nonprofit organization. This year, they selected Special Olympics Hawaii, which provides sports programs, competitions, and opportunities for thousands of athletes and Unified partners throughout the islands.  Participation is always free of charge!

The featured item supporting the campaign is the Kokua Pac — a combo packed with Portuguese sausage, half of a red hot dog, Spam, Korean fried chicken, and rice. 

It has Hawaii's favorites all in one meal, and a portion of the proceeds from each Kokua Pac sold during May will go toward supporting Special Olympics Hawaii.

Customers visiting Zippy’s in person can also help Special Olympics Hawaii by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar at checkout, making it an easy way to give back while enjoying a meal.

And of course, no Zippy’s run is complete without drinks and dessert 😋 

We paired our meal with an Orange Bang and the refreshing lilikoi drink, then finished things off with this month’s featured treats from Napoleon's Bakery — the lemon napple and pineapple coffee cake. Both were the perfect sweet ending to a meal for a good cause.

Big mahalo to Zippy’s for continuing to support local organizations!!

The Kokua Pac and round-up donations will be available from now until May 31, 2026 at all Zippy's locations in Hawaii.

Read More

Aji Ramen

 One of my kids was craving ramen, so we decided to try Aji Ramen.

Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen

SPAM Katsu Curry

Takoyaki

Chicken Katsu Ramen

Shrimp Tempura Udon

Gyoza

Chicken Katsu Curry

I had the Chicken Katsu Curry. It was a generous serving at a reasonable price. The katsu was tender and the curry was tasty.    

Everyone else devoured their meals, and my son was happy to have had ramen. 

Aji Ramen
94-050 Farrington Hwy

Waipahu, HI 96797

Read More

Lunch Banquet at Natsunoya Tea House

This summer, we had the honor of celebrating an incredible milestone — the 70th wedding anniversary of my in-laws. To mark the occasion, we gathered family for a lunchtime celebration at Natsunoya Tea House, a hidden gem nestled in the hills of Honolulu that’s known for its warm hospitality and beautiful, traditional setting.

We reserved one of Natsunoya’s private banquet rooms for the event. Our party was one of several taking place that day, and it was impressive to see how the staff managed multiple private functions so seamlessly. Even with the full schedule, everything was well-organized, and the service was attentive and 5-star.

For our celebration, we chose Menu G — a generous, family-style spread. It featured:

• Bara Sushi and White Rice

  

  

• Oriental Salad

  

  
  

• Agedashi Tofu

  

• Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Hibachi Chicken

  

• Tonkatsu

  

• Steamed Fish

  

• Nishime

  

• Potato Salad

  

The menu was very family-friendly and absolutely delicious. My personal favorites were the agedashi tofu, crispy tempura, and the perfectly cooked steamed fish — each dish was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully prepared.

For our gluten-free attendee, Natsunoya prepared a special gluten-free bento, ensuring that everyone could enjoy the meal without worry. 

With its combination of great food, attentive service, and classic local charm, I’d definitely love to return to Natsunoya for another family gathering in the future.

For more information on their banquets, catering, and sushi bar, visit their website.

NATSUNOYA TEA HOUSE

1935 MAKANANI DRIVE

808-595-4488

 

Read More

The Old Spaghetti Factory

I finally went to The Old Spaghetti Factory at Aloha Tower - my first time to OSF since they moved! 

Sicilian Garlic Bread

Cotton Candy Limeade

Fried Calamari

OSF offers 3-course meals which come with bread, your choice of soup or salad, an entree, and spumoni or vanill ice cream. 

Bread

Green Salad

You can upgrade your salad to a Caesar for $3.99.  All the dressing are housemade.  I had the Creamy Pesto, which our server said was "like ranch," but I thought it was just okay and could've used more herbs.  

Minestrone

The price of the 3-course is based on your entree, but it's on average $25.

Meat Lover's Treat

The Meat Lover's Treat came with Sicilian Meatballs, Italian Sausage, and Spaghetti with Rich Meat Sauce.

SPAM 'n Clam

I'm assuming this was a Hawaii-only special.

Jumbo Lobster & Crab Ravioli

Chicken Piccata

I had the Chicken Piccata, which was good, but I've had better elsewhere.  It came with the Mizithra Cheese & Browned Butter Angel Hair Pasta.  I always thought the Mizithra Cheese was too salty for my taste.  

Fettuccine Alfredo

We all chose the Spumoni for dessert, which is chocolate, cherry, and pistachio ice cream.  Delish!  

Spumoni (plus a cupcake made by @cake.noms)

We had a large party of 12, and our server was great.  It was chaotic and she was busy with other tables (and the restaurant itself was super busy), but she had great energy.  

It was a nice family meal!

The Old Spaghetti Factory

3 Aloha Tower Dr 1106

Honolulu, HI 96813
 

Read More

Visit Big Island: Wyatt's Place

Wyatt's Place opened up in Mountain view a few months ago, and I've been wanting to try it based on all the rave reviews about the Pastrami & Cheese Sandwich. 

Pastrami & Cheese Sandwich

It was a great sandwich!  It was stuffed with grilled pastrami and Swiss, so it was very rich and filling (my friend said it was good too, but it was missing something acidic to cut through all the fat, which I agreed with).  The locally made bread was buttered and toasted perfectly.  It had the right amount of softness and crunchiness.  

Fries

The fries are hand-cut, and they were seasoned nicely!  They were not as crispy as frozen fries with modified starches, but still good! 

French Dip

My friend said the beef in the French Dip was tasty, and there was ample provolone, but he thought the au jus was too watered down. 

He really liked the Caesar.  The croutons were great, and the dressing complemented the salad nicely.

The service there was very warm and welcoming.  

What's cool is that you can turn any sandwich into a burrito or loaded fries!

Definitely look forward to returning to try more sandwiches (or loaded fries)!

Wyatt's Place
17-4003 Ahuahu Pl
Mountain View, HI 96771

Read More

Side Street Inn ʻOhana Pack

After doing some shopping at Ala Moana Center, we decided to get take-out from Side Street Inn.

We opted to get the ʻOhana Pack, which includes: 

Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Signature Garlic Chicken

Signature Fried Rice

It feeds 4-5 people, and it fed our family of 5 easily, and we had some leftovers too!  

Everything was delicious - the chicken perfectly cooked with a nice, crispy skin; the pork chops were tasty, and the fried rice was very flavorful.  

One of my kids already requested we pick up food from Side Street Inn again!


Side Street Inn

1225 Hopaka St

Honolulu, HI 96814

Read More