Pokey Okey (Burnaby): Need to Mix Things Up

Earlier this year, Pokey Okey opened up on Kingsway, near Metrotown so I decided to give them a visit in March. When I first walked inside this small little shop, I immediately noticed the large chalk board wall that’s adorned with messages from previous clients. I also noticed that they don’t have anywhere to sit to eat in here (this was before the whole coronapocalypse shut down dine-in eating). They did have some counter area along the wall where you can stand and eat however.

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Riz Sushi Bar & Catering: Aburi Salmon Bowl

Riz has been on my list for a long time… I mean, a really long time. Known specifically for their poke bowls, I had actually wanted to try some of their other menu items such as udon or katsu curry but, for some reason, they only had poke bowls available when I visited.

Coconut Kenny’s (Bellingham): Cheese Balls, Pan Pizza, and Cheesesteaks

So, how have we never stopped by Coconut Kenny’s during one of our previous sorties down to the States? This chain of Hawaiian-inspired pizza joints just came up on our radar recently so we decided to stop by after visiting Trader Joe’s in Bellingham.

Pokérrito (Marine Way): Poké in Burnaby

Recently, Pokérrito opened up a new location in the Marine Way area of Burnaby. While it’s true that most poke places in the Vancouver area have very little resemblances with the poke places in Hawaii, it’s probably unfair to compare the two. In Hawaii, the best poke spots focus mainly on the freshness of the seafood and the various marinades that they use to accompany them. At most, you’d enjoy the poke in Hawaii with some plain rice to really savour the flavours. In Hawaii, you’d rarely find all of various toppings that accompany “poke bowls” in Vancouver.

Roy’s Waikiki: Classic Pacific Rim Restaurant

We’ve always thought about trying Roy’s Waikiki in the past but timings just never worked out before. Roy’s is one of the many restaurants founded by Japanese-born Roy Yamaguchi (who has a long and storied history with cuisine in Hawaii).

Blue Water Shrimp and Seafood Market – Ala Moana (Hawaii 2019): Amazing Garlic Shrimp and Seafood

On our visit last year, we came across this great food truck in the heart of Waikiki called Blue Water Shrimp. That food truck location isn’t around anymore but Blue Water Shrimp has opened up a stall at the Ala Moana Center food court.

Koa Pancake House: Chocolate Chip Pancakes

After our morning sunrise outing, we headed over to grab some breakfast in the Kaneohe area. Specifically, we were looking for Koa Pancake House. This particular location was a bit difficult to find because it’s in the middle of a semi-industrial area and the signage says “Kaneohe Pancake House” instead of “Koa Pancake House”.

Tamura’s Market – Wahiawa (Hawaii 2019): Deli-Store Poke

One of the things that we discovered on our previous trips to Oahu is that you can get quality poke (diced raw fish) in just about any place. We found that out when we popped into a local grocery/liquor store called Tamura’s. Since that time, we’ve stopped by a few more of the Tamura’s locations whenever we’re on a road trip and needing something to eat.

Liliha Bakery – Nimitz Hwy (Hawaii 2019): Loco Moco and Butter Rolls for Breakfast

A couple of years ago, we briefly visited Liliha Bakery on N Kuakini in the Liliha area of Oahu (the original location) while on a road trip around the island. Known for their signature coco puffs, we made sure to stop by their other location on the border between Kalihi and Downtown Honolulu to grab some breakfast during our visit this year.

Steve’s Poke Bar (Lougheed): Simple and Tasty Poke

Our first experience with Steve’s Poke Bar was with their location up at SFU. While we were quite impressed with their poke, we’re hardly ever up in the SFU area. So I was quite pleased that they opened up a brand new spot in the new food court area of Lougheed Town Centre.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant (Hawaii 2018): Sensational Seafood with a Sunset

Sansei Seafood Restaurant has been one of our favourite restaurants in Waikiki for a few years. Located on the 3rd floor of the Waikiki Beach Marriot, it a great place to enjoy the sunset – mind you, the palm trees have grown a bit over the years so the view is more obstructed now. Still, the food here is great and they offer 25% off certain items before 6pm.

Eggs ‘n Things Waikiki Beach Eggspress (Hawaii 2018): Breakfast with a View

I think I’ve forgotten how many times we’ve dined at Eggs ‘n Things over the years. From the moment we first tried their pancakes topped with a mountain of whipped cream, we’ve been hooked. That being said, we like trying new restaurants so we haven’t been making a point to revisit on each trip to Hawaii (although we did visit an Eggs ‘n Things when we went to Japan last year).