A hand-made card by a Japanese tennis friend kicked off my week of fun! Caution: Don't read this if you are hungry....
It was from my tennis friends, with a pool party after tennis.
Another tennis friend, art collector and fellow foodie suggested a birthday dinner at a new place in Kahului. Gen Korean BBQ. It was different. Come with an appetite.
A Honolulu trip started as a simple medical visit-trip but also turned into an extended dining birthday week. We have to fly to Honolulu, no ferries, can't drive...so make the most of it! There are some things you really can't get on Maui, so when elsewhere, indulge. (BUT - note - you can't get Chipotle anywhere in Hawaii, so I save that for the mainland.) I'll diet when I get back. I have posted Yelp! reviews for all of these places if interested. A mixture of old favorites and new finds!
Happy hour first stop is Pesca, new, on top of the Ilikai Hotel where we like to stay. (Replaced Sorentos) The view was fantastic,
as was the service at the bar. Z took care with my perfect martini and the fresh oysters were flown in from Canada.
Unpacked and settled into the hotel, then we were off to meet friends at Hula Grill. The evening along Waikiki beach was so pleasant even with a blessing of some rain, it passed quickly. This is a classic spot we have visited before, fresh fish and Mai Tais, but looking back on the long weekend it was the least favorite meal.
Next morning I did a little shopping at Ala Moana Shopping Mall, and ended with a great Pho Ga lunch at Mama Pho, another new experience. Pho was enough for the next day.... yum.
Very light breakfast gave me an appetite and I looked forward to a classic dim sum lunch, at another new find, Kapiolani Seafood. Traditional dim sum is served with all my favorites cooked to perfection. We checked off the list of what we desired and it arrived!
(I have a funny story about the very first time I went to a dim sum restaurant in Toronto. Ask me some time.) Perfect place filled with Asian diners and their families, an excellent sign. A far cry from the meager, expensive, dry, shipped in dim sum at the Four Seasons in Maui. (Sorry Four Seasons, but its the only thing you don't get quite right).
My biggest treat was a re-visit to the Sky Lounge in Waikiki, atop .... along Kalakaua Dr.
Happy hour specialty is fresh oysters, and chardonnay, then shared-plate size dinners of Kauai Shrimp on saffron risotto, and seared scallops. We timed it to be there Dec. 7 in time for the Pearl Harbor Day parade. It began below us.
But wait! There's more! Another old fav, and not frequented by tourists ..but highly rated....we decided to have the last breakfast at the Harbor Pub. You probably won't want to go in there at first look; it is not fancy, and its even a bit run down "rustic" looking. but it's good, and not overpriced.
It's under the Chart House at the Marina. Solid food, classic rock playing and long tenured waitstaff are friendly and knowledgeable. We eat here every trip to Honolulu. It's 20 plus years old and still going strong.
All in all a good time, and a nice change of pace; I loved the view from the room at the Ilikai
which also had a great view of the fireworks on Friday night,
but calm, peaceful Maui is home!
#Birthday week was fun in #Honolulu at great dining spots #Mamapho #Kapiolaniseafood #Pesca #skybar #harborpub with a view-filled stay at the #Ilikai. #genkoreanbbq was a novel experience, #GOhungry.
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