I've just gotten back from a week back home in Hawaii.
It was warm. The beach was beautiful, and I ate a lot of shave ice, specifically from Baldwin's (3x) and Waiola (1x). I had great intentions of trying Ice Garden in Aiea and Shimazu's near Frog Lane in Kalihi, but the week was short. I also usually skip Matsumoto's and Aoki's on the North Shore. Matsumoto's is usually pretty crowded and can also have a lot of bees in the parking area.
Shave ice makes me very happy. I think I like shave ice more than I like coffee. It is the very first stop upon arrival and the very last stop prior to departure.
If you are keeping score, it would be Shave Ice - 4, Starbucks - 0. And it would have been even higher except Baldwin's is closed on Mondays, and I took a nap and missed the 'afternoon shave ice' window on another day.
It was warm. The beach was beautiful, and I ate a lot of shave ice, specifically from Baldwin's (3x) and Waiola (1x). I had great intentions of trying Ice Garden in Aiea and Shimazu's near Frog Lane in Kalihi, but the week was short. I also usually skip Matsumoto's and Aoki's on the North Shore. Matsumoto's is usually pretty crowded and can also have a lot of bees in the parking area.
Shave ice makes me very happy. I think I like shave ice more than I like coffee. It is the very first stop upon arrival and the very last stop prior to departure.
If you are keeping score, it would be Shave Ice - 4, Starbucks - 0. And it would have been even higher except Baldwin's is closed on Mondays, and I took a nap and missed the 'afternoon shave ice' window on another day.
Just like ordering your grande, decaf, non-fat 2-pump vanilla latte, there is specific jargon for shave ice. Size first, add-ons, then flavors, and only when they ask you. For example, you could order a keiki (child-sized) with azuki, mochi balls, condensed milk and li-hing powder. Then add strawberry and vanilla flavors. That could easily be a sugar-bomb of a meal. I prefer plain shave ice to get the full, pure flavor of the syrup.
Baldwin's is my favorite. Reasonable, super-friendly, family-run, and a choice of three flavors. The li-hing and banana are the best I've had. My sister highly recommends vanilla, pineapple, and coke. They used to have a lemon peel flavor but no longer, likely because it tasted like cough medicine (but props for trying something new!). My happy combos are Li-hing/vanilla/banana, Li-hing/banana/ pineapple. My kids recommend lilikoi and coconut and say in general, all the flavors are very distinct compared to other places (not just sweet).
Baldwin's is my favorite. Reasonable, super-friendly, family-run, and a choice of three flavors. The li-hing and banana are the best I've had. My sister highly recommends vanilla, pineapple, and coke. They used to have a lemon peel flavor but no longer, likely because it tasted like cough medicine (but props for trying something new!). My happy combos are Li-hing/vanilla/banana, Li-hing/banana/ pineapple. My kids recommend lilikoi and coconut and say in general, all the flavors are very distinct compared to other places (not just sweet).
Despite what you see on Hawaii Five-0, Waiola Shave Ice (in Kapahulu, off Mokihana Street and the original one on Waiola, near Kapiolani and University) does not have a humongous happy Hawaiian man making shave ice. It's more expensive than Baldwin's and you have a choice of 2 flavors. However, the texture of the shave ice is like liquid velvet. Any combination of haupia (a Hawaiian coconut cream jello dessert flavor), melona (an Asian/ South Korean honeydew melon cream flavor) lilikoi (passion fruit) and guava will make you very happy.
Would love to hear of your favorite shave ice places, or even just other happy food places! Aloha :)
Would love to hear of your favorite shave ice places, or even just other happy food places! Aloha :)
