Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

A 10-minute drive south from the North Shore in Oahu leads you to a cluster of shrimp trucks. Everyone has their favorite, but the unanimous favorite among my Hawaiian native and transplant friends is Giovanni's. I was told it was a "must-try" so even though we were full from a complete Hawaiian breakfast, we pulled over from the highway to try it. At $12 a plate, the shrimp and rice plates, served out of a beat-up food truck, aren't cheap. But after one life-changing bite of the garlicky, savory shrimp scampi, served over rice with extra garlic and scampi sauce, I was a convert. Giovanni's shrimp might quite possibly be the BEST SHRIMP I have ever had in my life.

Giovanni's shrimp truck

A perfect plate of food - Giovanni's shrimp scampi and rice

Food rating: *****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
Location: 83 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, Oahu
Average price of meal for two: $30

M. Matsumoto

When I first heard about Hawaiian shaved ice, I expected it to taste just like a sno-cone. After all, isn't that what a sno-cone is? Shaved ice with fruit-flavored syrups. But I was told by Hawaiian locals that M. Matsumoto was "the best Hawaiian shaved ice," and well...if it's the BEST, then I must have it. Thus ensued a two hour drive (including traffic) to the North Shore area from Honolulu.

Verdict? Delicious! Nothing like a sno-cone! Hawaiian shaved ice is made with the most delicate, fluffy shaved ice possible, topped with your choice of various fruit-flavored syrups, and if you really want to indulge, a "snow cap" of condensed milk. And if you want to go the whole nine yards, you can also get red bean and ice cream on the bottom of your cone. So delicious and refreshing, totally worth the drive!

Food rating: ****
Bang for buck rating: 5

The essentials:
http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/
Location: 66-087 Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, Oahu
Average price of shaved ice: $3

OGO Ona-Loa

When anyone mentions "Hawaiian food" the first things that come to my mind are: loco moco, spam musubi, kalua pig and poke. It's not the most refined food but it's quite delicious when done right and in Tokyo, the real deal can be found in the unlikeliest of locations, on the 5th floor of a small building one block from Akasaka Sacas. Walk through the cloth curtain and suddenly...you're in Hawaii. It's a tiny space with just 4 or 5 tables, but the decor, the laid back vibe, the big blown up Spam and the occasional surfer dude or jolly looking Polynesian make you feel like you are in Oahu rather than in the middle of a major business district of Tokyo.

I don't know how they make their Kalua pork taste so authentic - slightly smoky, pulled chewy-tender pieces of pork seasoned with sea salt, it's really delicious. But the real star is their tuna poke - fresh pieces of bright red tuna cubes marinated with a slightly mayonnaise-y soy concoction, mixed with nori and tiny fish roe. For lunch they offer only loco moco, kalua pork, tuna poke and a rotating daily special with rice, but I'm told the dinner menu is much more extensive.


Combination lunch platter with kalua pork and tuna poke - the poke is some of the best I've ever had!

Food rating: ****
Bang for buck rating: 5 (for their lunch deals!)

The essentials:
http://www.ogo-onoloahawaii.com/
Location: Akasaka Sacas, Tokyo
Average price of meal for two (lunch): 2000 yen (~$22)