Wailana Coffee House is the place at Kalia and Ala Moana that one post mentioned. I've had both good and bad experiences there. Personally, I think Korean food is the tastiest inexpensive food available in Hawaii.

You can get chocolate mochi (and haupia mochi, too!) at Fujiya--454 Waikamilo Road. Call them ahead at 808-845-2921. They close at around 3 in the afternoon, so get there early....also they are closed on some odd day, like Wednesday or Thursday. Their mochi is very soft & silky when you eat it that day. You can also buy some other local snacks there. <BR> <BR>Please be careful not to run over their big fat cat, who likes to lie around in the tiny parking lot! <BR> <BR>Chikaramochi at 1341 River Street (533-4744) also closes early and on weird days. They have tropical flavored mochi in addition to the traditional kind and it's also pillow-soft when eaten fresh.

what area is Waikamilo Road in? This mochi place sounds special would not happen to be near that famous manpua place---one with the pink boxes? Your advice is so homy thanks to everyone. Glad to get that Haleiwa burger info. Celeste I also love the Korean food.

<BR>Waikamilo Road stretches from Nimitz to Kalihi---very industrial area. I think I usually drive along Nimitz and then turn right on Waikamilo. At that point, you have to drive up the street just a little bit and turn left to Fujiya. Best if you have a navigator in the car looking to the left so you can spot it...it's ver small and set in from the street. If you overshoot it, you can always make a U-turn....Waikamilo is set up for U-turns...and drive back to it. <BR> <BR>Not sure if the famous manapua place you want is the Royal Kitchen in the Chinese Cultural Plaza? Drive on Vineyard Boulevard and turn left on Maunakea. OR drive on Beretania and turn right on Maunakea. The other famous manapua place is Char Hung Sut, right in Chinatown (about a block from the Cultural Plaza) on Pauahi Street.

Melissa: You ARE the O`ahu food diva! (and all this knowledge from someone who stays so slim..!) I have been looking for a good mochi source since Hawaii's Best Desserts closed down at Ala Moana. They used to bring in fresh strawberry mochi from Hilo. So I'm off to Fujiya's asap. Thanks! :) <BR>k

SLIM? After I did the last post, I sat back with regret and thought, "All the people reading my posts can just imagine my cottage cheese butt! ~sigh~" So I went and ran up Tantalus this morning to make up for it! Tell me how you like the Fujiya's mochi! The lady there is really nice. <BR> <BR>When did they close Hawaii's Best Desserts? Yikes! I haven't been downstairs at Ala Moana for a while, so I guess I missed the closing.....

really Melissa this could be a quick little book you could make some money on. I never new about the mochi except for mochi coated ice cream at Hungry Lion.

For great Italian food, try Aracino's on Beachwalk. <BR>Food is just great and the prices are reasonable. <BR>Have eaten at Perry's, but last year found the food not that great. I have been to Oahu three times, but was disappointed this time with their food. <BR>

Eve your problem might be that you are looking for European food that is an east coast mainland thing. If you want great food on Oahu you need to think Polynesian or even more so Asian.

Love this post! Making first trip to Hawaii (North Shore Oahu) next month; spending one day seeing Chinatown. What recommendations for best, casual, and inexpensive dining in Chinatown?

up up up

Lots of good places to eat in the Chinese Cultural Plaza at 100 N. Beretania (where the Royal Kitchen is, previously mentioned). All casual, all inexpensive. <BR>* Forum Cafe has become a college hangout. Love their chicken salad! <BR>*Legends is great for dim sum. If you're a vegetarian, they own the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant across the hallway. <BR>*China House on the second floor has a LOT of dim sum, but they are so busy that service can be a problem. <BR>*Doong Kong Lau--I haven't eaten there in a while, but I used to like their lemon chicken. <BR>*Other Chinese restaurants in the plaza are all really good, but it's hard to describe here in detail. If you're totally into Chinese food in Honolulu, you can email this guy at [email protected] --he does extensive research on that stuff and gave me the scoops on when certain restaurants were closing. <BR> <BR>I also like Mei Sum on Pauahi Street, but it's really crowded at noon -- especially on Sundays, after church. A new restaurant across the street from them is (I believe) Little Village, which serves a lot of old-fashioned Chinese fare mixed in with contemporary. Not sure how much English they speak as I didn't really interact with the staff much except to ask for condiments (no free-flowing hot mustard or chili oil here, people).

I love this post! Keep up the good work!

Go here: <BR>http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/sp...1/anytime.html

for another thread....

topping for ScotC

the manapua place with the pink boxes...maybe libby's in kalihi? can't remember exactly where, but nearer the nimitz side. there's also island manapua (mmm, i can almost taste dim sum). this page has made me very hungry for 'local' food ... i now live in england, and am getting tired of having to make my own plate lunches. try sizzler's pearlridge for 'regular' food on the salad bar, or you can always head to makai market food court at ala moana shopping center to please all tastes. especially good after a jog/swim at magic island.

Lani, Zippy's has a website now. You can order manapua online although it is probably not as good as Libby's. I think you are right on that name. <BR> <BR>Oh, by the by I tried the black bean dungess crab at Won Kee and yes it was a great dish. Hungry Lion had great Saimin also but our hula bowls were over cooked this time. I have to say I have never really liked Zippy's but so many people go I am tempted to order online. How is the Saimin at Zippy's I try to avoid the over salted kinds.

hi rebecca, <BR> <BR>thx for the info re: zippy's online. had a look, they only ship to the US. sigh. their saimin tastes like S&S to me, only slightly salty. for ramen my brother takes me to this place near tower record's that has tan tan ramen. yum! <BR> <BR>someone posted mini garden in chinatown. my sister says it looks different now, and not as good as before. anyone else with that experience? it was my favorite place for noodles.

How is Saimin different that ramen, I always wanted to know this. One thing I have been able to find in LA but have had difficulty finding in NY are fish broth broths with soba. This is Japanese and availble in fast food Japanese joints in Hawaii and LA but I can't find here. It has been so long since I had that I can not locate. I went to the food court in alamoana mall but was very put off by the way they have extended the seating there, far too crowded. <BR> <BR>Anyway more suggestions would be helpful. Hard to find quality chinese food in England, yes? I have seen a few restaurants in Zagat's mentioning Pacific Rim cuisine in London. I lived there for a year and have made trips back.