**Update: As of 4/30/13, Sheldon Simeon is no longer Chef at Star Noodle, so it’s possible some of the menu items may change. No word yet on his next permanent spot, although he’s done collaborations at Vintage Cave and various other appearances in the months following his departure. I was born and raised on Maui,…
Every time I go home to visit family on Maui, there are a few places where I make a point to stop and Sam Sato’s is always at the top of my list. Tucked into a cozy booth, digging into my usual order “small dry, no sprouts” and looking up at my family hunched over…
For my birthday this year, my friends and I decided to do our own version of a “Circle Island Tour”. We started out driving around the east side of the island, taking in the views of Koko Head, passing the Halona Blowhole lookout, and driving through Waimanalo on the way to Kaneohe. We stopped for…
*Just a quick note: This page was most recently updated in August 2014. If you hear of any other offers, or find out that those listed here are no longer being honored, please leave me a comment or drop me a line at Malia@ShoyuSugar.com. Thanks for reading! A few weeks ago a little birdie informed…
It’s hard to believe that Honolulu’s food truck scene has grown so much over the past few years, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down! The monthly Eat the Street food truck rally continues to grow and evolve and it’s still the best way to try out the newcomers along with old favorites. Eat…
Perhaps it’s my Japanese side talking, but sushi is one of those things I could eat just about every day. There’s something about that perfect piece of nigiri – the rice with just the right vinegary tang, topped with a super fresh slice of fatty ahi, salmon, aji or mirugai… Ahhh. Bliss. If you’re a…
I read the other day that the number of fatal car crashes spike on Tax Day, which just goes to show how much we stress over this deadline. So it’s no surprise that it’s become popular for restaurants to offer deals to help you unwind and relax. This year tax day falls on Tuesday, April…
Last night a group of us got together to try out the yakitori offerings at Kohnotori. This cozy little restaurant specializes in little skewers of grilled items (yakitori) and is best experienced with a group if possible so you can try out many little plates, as you would with tapas. Ice cold pitchers of Asashi…
When I was on the Kona side of Hawaii Island, a friend who lived there told me they go to Hilo to eat. After having visited, I can understand this. While there is some spectacular food on the Big Island – fresh, locally-sourced, and sometimes pretty pricey, there’s something to say for good old home-style…
My disclaimer for the next post: I’m the type of person who plans my vacation around meals. I like to get suggestions from friends and family who have lived or visited there, and if all else fails, I turn to Yelp or Twitter. There’s nothing I hate more than being forced into “just grabbing something”…
My first morning waking up in the mountains of South Kona and the stillness of the forest outside was almost overwhelming when compared with the city of Honolulu I’d left behind. Huge, stately ohia trees reached up to the sky with lush, green ferns and colored hibiscus flowers scattered throughout canopy below. A little bird…
While many think of beer (or sake) as the beverage of choice in Hawaii, you may be surprised to hear just how many spots there are for wine lovers in Honolulu. Wine Bars Restaurants Amuse Wine Bar – Self-service wine tastings (sold by the ounce) are accessed by a wine card purchased from the bar…