Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 2

Day 2 was a busy day for us. We had a lot of things planned! But first things first, a delicious breakfast to start the day!

Eggs n’ Things - Waikiki Beach Eggspress

2464 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

Eggs n' Things is a popular place for breakfast and brunch. There happened to be one located a couple steps away from our hotel! Score! This particular one is a quick and convenient sit-down style fast food version instead of a traditional restaurant.

We had to line-up outside, study the menu while waiting in line, and when we reached the front, an employee took our order and gave us a buzzer to place at our table (which vibrated to let us know our food was ready). After placing our order, we lined up again to pay at the cashier and then waited again for the next available table inside. When we sat down at our table, we enjoyed the views of Waikiki Beach while waiting for the server to bring out our food.

Spinach, bacon and cheese omlette with pancakes ($11.95) - made with 3 fresh local eggs, with choice of cheddar, mozzarella or pepper jack cheese

As always, W and I chose what we wanted to eat and then we shared it together. W ordered the omelette which came with a stack of pancakes. The omlette and pancakes were not bad but they weren't very exciting either haha... 

Hawaiian Loco Moco ($12.25)

When I looked at the menu, I immediately knew I wanted to get the Loco Moco. Come on, it's a Hawaiian staple dish! The Eggs n' Things version had a ground beef patty on top of white rice, with sauteed mushrooms, onions, carrots, a gravy sauce and 2 sunnyside-up eggs. It was a pretty heavy dish for the morning but it was a delicious savoury medley of beef, rice, and eggs. The loco moco felt very heartwarming and homey.

Plantation Iced Tea ($4.25) – iced tea with pineapple juice

I also had the Plantation Iced Tea to drink. It was sweet and refreshing; perfect for a warm sunny day!

When we finished breakfast, we hopped in our convertible Mustang (top down, of course!) and drove to the Byodo-In Temple located within the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. Look at the backdrop behind the temple! Stunning and awe-inspiring mountains!

The park was peaceful and serene. And walking towards the temple really felt like I was suddenly in Japan rather than in tropical Hawaii! We walked leisurely around the temple grounds and a small bamboo forest. If you do visit here, be sure to spray lots and lots of mosquito repellent. I didn't feel it at the time but I was attacked by a swarm of hungry mosquitoes here ~_~ I had about 2 dozen bites all over my arms and legs. So, y'know, you've been warned!

It was really hot and muggy in the afternoon so we decided to hit up a beach. What better way to relax and cool off?! We drove east and made many pit stops at places that caught our attention. Finally, we arrived at Waimanalo Beach! The soft sand, white sea foam and the turquoise water all together were so beautiful! I could just sit there for a long time listening to the waves crashing against the sand but alas, it was getting close to evening and we had to nurse our empty stomachs.

Ichiriki
510 Piikoi Street, Honolulu

Heading back into Honolulu, I suggested we try a Japanese restaurant that specializes in 'nabe' (food cooked in hot pots filled with savoury broth) called Ichiriki. I noticed this place when I was doing research for the vacation and it was recommended by a magazine but I didn't realize it was immensely popular! We waited probably 45 minutes for a table... Other than the food, I would say reservations are highly recommended as well!

Miso Chanko nabe for 2 

Miso flavoured soup stock, served with Chinese cabbage, enoki mushrooms, tofu, kuzukiri, abura age, chives, gobo yam, beef or pork slices, homemade Tsukune pork/chicken meatballs in a bamboo holder, and rice

At Ichiriki, there are pre-set meals like the one we chose or you could select your own combinations from the menu. There’s also sukiyaki, happy hour appetizers, and extras to add to your meal. 

What was unique about our hot pot set was that the "pot" was actually a paper bowl set inside a mesh basket! Of course, the paper was coated with some sort of food-safe, non-flammable material so the fire wouldn't burn it to ashes.

The ingredients were fresh and plentiful for the 2 of us while the miso broth was incredibly rich, thick and flavourful. AMAZING. It was fun to scoop out our own meatballs too!

When we finished the meats and veggies, the waitress brought us ramen noodles to cook in the leftover concentrated miso broth (or more like a thick miso sauce by then!). There was a selection of udon, red bean rice, or ramen noodles but we picked the ramen. By this time, we were stuffed to the max.

This Japanese nabe dinner was so so satisfying. A great marker to end the night!