Leila is a Moroccan inspired restaurant in the Kaimuki. They offer a dinner tasting menu that is $85 per person. You start with The Seven Salads which consists of 7 small dishes and the za’atar flatbread followed by the charred cabbage. The 7 dishes are shared with everyone on your table and the portions were generous. We ordered 2 different entrees since there was 4 of us and we added on the basteeya. The basteeya is a signature dish from the chef and it's a flaky pie filled with shredded duck. All of the dishes were tasty but my favorite was the short rib because it was tender and the sauce ..read more

There is a pop-up cafe inside Broome St. General Store that serves coffee, matcha, and pastries. They are located at Ward Village in Kakaako near Whole Foods Market. I enjoyed the miso caramel latte since that's not a drink I've seen anywhere on the island. The olive oil lemon cake and the chocolate banana mascarpone loaf were also delicious. The toasts are photogenic but they're $13 each. The whipped ricotta toast comes with jam and they have a bunch of different flavors. You can choose 3 jams and make it a "rainbow style" toast for an extra $1.50. The pastries are about $8 each. The drinks r ..read more

Island Glazed is a donut shop in the Aiea area that makes fluffy donuts with local flavors like guava, lilikoi, lychee, ube and more. My favorite is their OG (original glazed) donut which is similar to Krispy Kreme but without the greasy taste. I thought the flavored ones were too sweet but the lychee had better flavor compared to the guava. Their donuts cost about $2.50 each which is pricey but if you buy them by the dozen or half dozen, it's cheaper. I recommend going before 10AM for the best selection of flavors. If the trays inside the display case are empty, ask the staff and they'll let ..read more

Okayama Kobo Bakery & Cafe is a Japanese bakery in Ward Village that offers fresh baked pastries and breads. They also serve matcha, coffee, and teas. My favorites are the salt & butter roll, strawberry milk cream croissant, and the white milk cream bread. The salt & butter rolls taste amazing if you can get them fresh. It's soft with a buttery core and some salt sprinkled on the top. The pastries range from $2 - $5 and the drinks range from $4 - $7. I recommend going before 11AM to get the best selection. Their shop is small but they bake all day so you can still get some fresh it ..read more

Ellie Girl Poke is a poke shop located in Hilo on the Big Island. Their fish are locally sourced and the poke is made fresh. Most of their poke use ahi (tuna) but they'll have specials with other types of seafood and fish. I ordered by the pound ($18/lb.) and my favorites were the sesame shoyu ahi and the miso tako. They also have poke bowls with up to 3 choices of poke which range from $12 - $22. Their prices are reasonable and based on customers in front of me, they give a generous portion for their poke bowls. The interior of the shop is big. The poke display case and cashier take up a smal ..read more

Kawamoto Store is an okazuya (Japanese-style delicatessen) located in Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii. They serve local style Japanese food and it's takeout only. When you drive by their store, there is always a line because locals and tourist go there. The food is cheap and it taste very good! One of my favorites were the shrimp tempura because the batter tasted like shrimp chips, it had so much shrimp flavor in every bite. I also enjoyed the Korean chicken, which was a deep fried drumstick dipped in a delicious sauce. Other things I would recommend is the cone sushi, maki sushi, nori chicken ..read more

Moon and Turtle is an Asian fusion restaurant located in Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii. The menu consists of seafood, mainly fish and their ingredients are locally sourced. My favorites were the smokey ahi sashimi, pipkaula mac salad, mushroom risotto, and basque-style miso cheesecake. Their prices are high ranging from $10 - $20 for an appetizer and $30+ for an entree. The portions can be shared between 2 people and the staff will recommend family style dining.  They only open for dinner and reservations are highly recommended. I suggest reserving one week in advance if you plan to dine ..read more

AnyPlace Cocktail Lounge is a homey bar that serves delicious food with reasonable prices. Their menu includes local favorites like lechon, fried pork chop, fried noodles and fried rice. My favorites were the lechon, obachan's fried chicken, and kalibi. This place is perfect for large groups because they have a big space. If you plan to go with 10 or more people, I recommend calling them before you head over so they can set up the tables and chairs. The dress code here is casual, you can walk in with shorts and a t-shirt and it's fine. If you're wearing a collar shirt, you're overdressed. The ..read more

Smashed Hawaii is a food truck/trailer known for their smash burger. Their burger consists of a 100% beef patty, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and smash sauce served between a potato bun. You can add on items like lettuce, tomatoes, or jalapeno but it will cost an extra $0.25 or $0.50. The classic smash burger is priced at $9. I loved the crispy edges on the beef patty and the potato bun holds it's burger shape so you get a very nice photo. Their classic fries were golden brown, perfectly salted, and crispy. It was priced at $4.50 and the portion was enough to share for 2 people. F ..read more

Honolulu Seafood Restaurant is Chinese restaurant in downtown Honolulu. From 9:30am - 3:00pm they serve dim sum. Their menus include pictures and you mark off what you want to eat on a sheet of paper. This makes ordering easy. The staff can understand English but they speak Cantonese and some also speak Mandarin. You can also order stir fry dishes but you have to put that in with the waiter. I went during the peak lunch hours and the food came out quick. From 5pm - 10pm, they serve dinner and there's no dim sum. Their interior space is well lit and there is ample space between the tables so yo ..read more