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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Ramen Ono-Ya – Wakiki Yokocho Gourmet Alley (Hawaii 2019): Mazesoba, Ramen and Gyudon

Our last restaurant visit during our trip to Hawaii this year was to the newly opened Ramen Ono-Ya located in the Waikiki Yokocho Gourmet Alley under the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Similar to the Shirokiya Japan Walk in the Ala Moana Center, the Waikiki Yokocho Gourmet Alley has a collection of Japanese eateries clustered together.

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”.

Tempura Fuji – Ala Moana Center (Hawaii 2019): Deep-Fried Goodness

Tempura Fuji is one of the many Japanese-themed food stalls located in the Shirokiya Japan Village Walk of the Ala Moana Center. As you can probably guess, they focus mainly on tempura… battered, deep-fried, and crispy morsels of pretty much any kind of veggie, meat, and seafood you can think of.

Kulu Kulu – Ala Moana (Hawaii 2019): Hello Kitty Waffles

Kulu Kulu ia a Japanese-style bake shop located in Hawaii (they currently have 3 locations in Honolulu) with this particular shop located in the Shirokiya Japan Village Walk at Ala Moana Center.

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.

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).

Tim Ho Wan (Hawaii 2018): Dim Sum in Waikiki

Shortly before our trip to Hawaii this year, we heard that they opened a Tim Ho Wan in Waikiki. This chain of Chinese dim sum restaurants first originated in Hong Kong and became known as the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant after a few of their branches earned one Michelin star.