Tour de Fat Girl – 808 edition

i’m on oahu twice a year… and even for a travel bug like myself, i keep finding myself coming back here.   i always say i need a break from this place, and then when i feel the ocean breeze and sand under my feet, i realize that i never want to leave. the one thing that keeps me dreaming about the island is the FOOD.  the food is amaaaazzziiinnnggggg….    here’s how this last trip fared in the food department.

my first stop after landing is always always always ZIPPY’S.  chili chicken mix plate!  this place is open 24 hours so it was definitely not our only stop here. the best drunk food, i swear…

up the block on Kapahulu is Leonard’s Bakery.  always stop #2 for the best malasadas ever!  the flavor of the month was Lilikoi custard but you can’t go wrong with original, cinnamon, or even li hing!

if you’ve seen Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, you’ve probably seen him at Side Street Inn.  a little restaurant in an alleyway next to Ala Moana that serves really good food at all hours of the night.  unpretentious and easy going, much like the rest of the island, and pupu platters do not disappoint.

kalbi short ribs, kim chee fried rice, furikake encrusted mahi mahi, and the pork chops.  good god the pork chops.  get em while they’re hot.

on the first morning i wake up in Hawaii, its a ritual to head over to Kailua town and hit my favorite breakfast spot EVER. Boots and Kimos. Home of the famous macadamia nut pancake sauce.   head out and order a stack of Banana Macadamia pancakes w/ the mac nut pancake sauce, mac nut french toast, portugese sausage, and a side order pulehu ribs.  dont forget to wash it down with some POG. (passion-orange-guava) GOOD GOD.  this is so freakin great we went here twice.

after conquering the Lanikai Ridge hike and laying out all day at Lanikai beach (my faveee), we headed over to Island Snow. shave ice is so fucking refreshing after laying out in the sun. dont forget the ice cream on the bottom and get the snow cap! whats yo flava, tell me whas yo flava!!

u already know im a FATASS. snack time, courtesy of Don Quixote! poke!

winner winner chicken dinner. actually, we didnt even have any chicken. BUT we headed on over to Nobu for the best. dinner. ever. real talk, the yellowtail w/ jalepno n ponzu sauce – i wanted to bathe in it. the ahi salad was amazing. the roc cod? TO DIE FOR.

the next day on our way to the north shore, we stopped by the town of Kalihi to hit up Liliha Bakery for some chantilly coco puffs. i thought i had tasted the best cream puff in america with beard papa. well, liliha bakery just SHAT all over them.

we ate it in the car ride on the way to the other side of the island. an hour later finally find ourselves in Hale’iwa town for some shrimp truck action. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is the fucking SHIT. they have another truck in kahuku right where the shrimp farms are, and these are literally the freshest shrimp i’ve ever had.

after swimming under waterfalls, and causing ruckus in the north shore, we headed back to waiks and walked over to the international marketplace for some Pukadog. i am a fan of gourmet hotdogs and after ghetto dogs (bacon wrapped street dogs) and Japadogs, these take the fucking cake. these buns are toasted from the INSIDE out. like, crunchy on the inside? soft on the outside? with shit like mango relish and guava mustard. all washed down with lilikoi lemonade. DELISH.

on our last day on the rock, we headed back to kailua town to order Boots n Kimo’s and picnic on the beach. after working up n appetite tryna keep from getting stung by the Portugese Man of War we hit up Fatboys for some crackin ass garlic chicken.

and thats all folks! too short of a trip to hit up the rest of my places (you hungry, eggs n things, mitsu-ken, garlic house) but i’ll save it for the next time i’m on the rock. EEENNJOOOYYYY..