Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 6

Aloha Center Café @ Pacific Beach Hotel
2490 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

We heard from a friend that when she and her husband went to Hawaii's Pearl Harbour, they spent nearly 8 hours there! Learning from their experience, W and I planned a full day trip to the historic site.

Waking up bright and early, we had breakfast at the hotel's outdoor café for some quick and cheap eats. The cafe also served coffee and espresso beverages, smoothies, fresh juices, and various baked goods and pastries. They're also open in the afternoon for Pupu’s (appetizers) and happy hour too.

$5 breakfast plate – 2 eggs any style, a choice of apple and pork breakfast sausages or Portuguese sausages, and a choice of breakfast potatoes or fried rice

There weren't a whole lot of choices on their $5 breakfast plate menu. I took reign and decided to mix and match two plates so we could try a bit of each choice. On my plate, I had 2 sunny-side up eggs, apple and pork sausages and fried rice as the starch. On W's plate, there were eggs (over easy), Portuguese sausages, and pan fried potatoes. For 5 dollars, it was not bad. The apple and pork sausages were pretty dry but other than that, everything else was adequate. The iced latte wasn't anything special, it did its job to perk me up in the morning.

Pearl Harbor


Just like many tourist in town, W and I got tickets to ride on the boat to visit the USS Arizona memorial. We also bought tickets to go on the USS Missouri battleship along with a visit to the Pacific Aviation Museum. We spent so much time on the USS Missouri we almost ran out of time to go to the museum! A full day is definitely needed when visiting Pearl Harbour! Although costly, the admission to see the memorial sites and the different historic sites and artifacts were worth it. We learned a lot about Pearl Harbour and reminded us to appreciate the peace and freedom we have right now in our country.

USS Missouri

Uncle Bo’s
559 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu

After leaving Pearl Harbour, we drove back to the Waikiki area for dinner. A good friend of W's recommended Uncle Bo's so we headed over there with the help of our trusty GPS system.

Uncle Bo's is a modern casual dining restaurant and bar. The front dining section is more modern like a lounge with all the noise and action of the bar while the dining section at the back is a little quieter with quirky décor and dated furniture. Their menu changes every so often but I think the more popular items are regular mainstays. 

We decided to share 2 pupu's (appetizers) and 1 entree between the two of us.

Uncle Bo’s Oyster Shooters – toasted garlic, cilantro, sesame-ponzu cocktail sauce

Even though W is not fond of oysters of any kind, cooked or raw, I was quite adamant on having the oyster shooters so I got my way haha... They were cold, creamy and refreshing when paired with the ponzu sauce.

Ahi Katsu – panko crusted Ahi tuna deep fried with rare center

W picked the Ahi Katsu as our second pupu. The exterior crust was crispy and warm while the perfectly rare tuna was still soft and cool. It could have used more sauce though.

Seafood Stew - lobster, crab meat, shrimp, scallop and clams, served with jasmine rice

The seafood stew had an actual name for it on the menu but I completely forgot what it was called! Regardless of what it's called, this stew was chock full of seafood bathed in a deliciously creamy, savoury, and lightly spiced sauce. We would have licked the bowl clean if we could!

As our last dinner in Oahu, Uncle Bo's left us with great memories. We would absolutely return if we visited Oahu again! 

Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 5

After visiting Shirokiya the previous the night, we wanted to see the rest of Ala Moana Center. So, the following morning, we went back! We just had a simple, boring lunch at their food court and proceeded to do some window shopping. Even though it was hot and sunny outside, a lot of the shops at the mall were selling winter clothing… We could easily find such attire back at home so we were more interested in the unique, local items like the revered Koa wood and cookies from The Honolulu Cookie Company LOL!

Rokumeikan @ Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu

Aside from Shirokiya, we found other Japanese influences in the mall too. We noticed a really elegant, ritzy, fancy-schmancy looking store and it turned out to be a Japanese specialty store selling intricate, dainty sweets and pastries. Their sweets were showcased in an enclosed glass case with beautiful decorations all around, just like a jewellery store. They were quite pricey so we didn’t get any… 

However, they had a small stand just out front selling, what I call them, red bean wheel cakes! A comforting street food typical of Japan and Taiwan (since Taiwan was once colonized by Japan), these were more affordable for my wallet so I got 2 for W and I to have as a snack.

Imagawayaki

According to a quick Google search, I believe these red bean wheel cakes are called imagawayaki. The ones from Rokumeikan were stuffed to the max with red bean filling! They were freshly-made and piping hot, which made them even more awesome and delicious!

Ala Moana Beach Park

Being nearby, we stopped by Ala Moana Beach Park in the late afternoon to chill and soak up some rays before dinner. It’s a pretty nice beach park; lots of space and family friendly, and there’s a pretty good view of Diamond Head too. We didn’t stay too long though because, as cheesy tourists, W and I wanted to have a “romantic” walk along Waikiki beach during the sunset haha!

Cheesecake Factory

2301 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

We walked from end to end of Waikiki beach. By the time we looped back to the “main strip”, Kalakaua Avenue, the sky was dark and we were tired and hungry. Not wanting to waste time thinking of, and walking to somewhere further to eat, we decided to head back to the Cheesecake Factory one more time. As usual, we ordered take out and took it back to our room.

I know, I know… I should try new places when abroad. The Cheesecake Factory is also a huge chain restaurant and I can go there whenever I head to Seattle or Portland. But when you’re HANGRY, you just want to eat at wherever is the closest place. At least we didn’t go to McDonald’s! =P

Guacamole Made-to-order ($11.95) – ripe avocado, onion, tomato, chilies, cilantro and fresh lime, served with tortilla chips, salsa, and sour cream

BBQ Kalua Pork sandwich ($12.95) – Island style slow roasted Kalua pork with BBQ sauce piled high on a brioche bun

What I like about the Cheesecake Factory is that the quality and flavours are consistently good. The guacamole was fresh and just how I expected it to be.

Knowing that the portions will be pretty large, we opted to share the Kalua pork sandwich. Since we were in Hawaii, I picked the most “Hawaiian” sounding one haha… Similar to a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, we really enjoyed the tangy sauce mixed with the moist meat. 

Good thing we opted to have dinner back the hotel. We needed more rest for our full day trip to Pearl Harbor the next morning. Gonna be busy with a lot of walking!

Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 4

Still plagued by multiple swollen mosquito bites, W was very concerned and advised that I should go see a doctor at a walk-in clinic. So, in the morning, we walked to a clinic nearby. Turned out that I was having an allergic reaction to the mosquito bites!!! After waiting some more to get the 3 types of medication the doc prescribed for me, we had to go prescribe something for our hungry stomachs.

We initially decided on a Chinese restaurant to have dim sum but the place looked like a tourist trap and their menu didn’t really feature a lot of dim sum variety. Then we remembered a place that one of W’s friend recommended – Ramen Nakamura for some good ol’ comforting, authentic Japanese ramen.

Ramen Nakamura

1 – 2141 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

Located just a few steps away from the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Ramen Nakamura is a tiny Japanese-operated ramen shop with a U-shaped counter seating area. It’s a no-frills kind of place where one comes in for quick eats so they can get back out for more surfing.

Shio ramen with gyoza

I opted for the traditional shio ramen and added a plate of gyoza to make it a combo. Maybe because we were spoiled by all the authentic ramen shops that we have in Vancouver, I found Nakamura’s ramen to be average. I mean, the broth was not bad but the toppings and the chashu (bbq pork slice) were just ordinary. Nothing really wowed me. The gyozas were great though! Thin and nicely crisp wrapper with juicy, seasoned pork stuffing! Yum!

Hakata Tonkotsu ramen

W went for their specialty ramen which was the Hakata Tonkotsu ramen. The broth was the same as mine, made from roasted pork bones. The toppings were different though as it was "Hakata" style. I wasn't very fond of those toppings but then again, I think it was because I wasn’t familiar to having pickled ginger and pickled mustard greens on the ramen.

Shirokiya

1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu

In the evening, we paid a visit to Shirokiya, a small Japanese department store inside the Ala Moana Center. Why go to a Japanese department store during dinner time? Well, the whole second floor of Shirokiya is dedicated entirely to good eats!! A food court/market area occupied the floor with different stalls of made-to-order food, pre-cooked items for take-away, fresh seafood, sushi and sashimi, donburi, and even a beer garden!

We took a quick stroll around the floor surveying our choices and decided to order one item from a couple stalls to share.

Kimu Katsu @ Shirokiya

First, we tried the tonkatsu from Kimu Katsu. Their large poster of their golden deep fried mult-layered pork cutlet caught our attention! This was what they proclaim about their pork cutlet:

“The secret to our popularity is the combination of a crispy, texture-rich batter surrounding a juicy flavorful 25-layered select pork cutlet. We select only the highest quality pork, which is sliced thin and stacked into 25 layers. This layered cutlet is covered with our special breadcrumbs from Japan and fried slowly in low temperature for 8 minutes. It is then set vertically for 2 minutes to steam, allowing the heat to spread evenly inside. This is all part of our original recipe and process, which helps to bring forth the maximum taste.”

Kimu Katsu (single $9.80) - with rice, shredded cabbage and original tonkatsu sauce

Though a little pricey, their tonkatsu was really delicious. The panko-breaded exterior was crispy and not oily at all. Just wish there was more tonkatsu sauce to go with the rice.

Yama-chan Takoyaki @ Shirokiya

At Yama-chan’s stall, we originally wanted to try their okonomiyaki but we arrived late and they told us they actually stopped making the pancake after 8pm so we had to settle with their takoyaki instead. The round golden spheres stuffed with octopus pieces were still good but I don’t think it would have been as satisfying as eating their okonomiyaki...

Sashimi @ Shirokiya

For the finale, we shared a small platter of sashimi! There were quite a few stalls selling fresh fish, sushi and sashimi so we just picked a random place and selected a platter that had regular tuna, red tuna and salmon sashimi. 

The pieces were kind of small but the taste and the quality of the fish was present. It was definitely a cool experience sampling a variety of Japanese items while sitting in a beer garden inside a department store!

And you know, while W and I were eating and talking about our day, we felt like we were in Japan more than in Hawaii! Not that we're complaing haha... It's like a 2-in-1 vacation!

Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 3

Getting towards the middle of our vacation in Hawaiian paradise! The sky started to cloud up with some bouts of showers but it was still nice and balmy outside. By this time, my mosquito bites were growing in size and irritated the heck out of me so W decided that we take it easy today and do some simple sightseeing nearby.

We started off the day with lunch at Nico's. As the name suggested, it was located right on pier 38 in Honolulu Harbor.

Nico’s Pier 38

1133 North Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu

I learned about this place when I was watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network! Guy Fieri visited this location for his TV show so I put Nico's on my radar ever since.

Since the restaurant is located right in an industrial, fishing pier area there is somewhat of a water view.

Nico's is a casual eatery where you browse the menu at the cashier, make your order, and then you find a table to wait for your food to arrive. They also have their own fish market beside the restaurant. If one prefers, people can buy fresh seafood to cook at home or get take-out items like poke, soups, and snacks.

It wasn't very busy when we had lunch there but I think they would be bustling around happy hour during the evening since they have a large bar area.

Grilled Ahi Tuna Sandwich ($12.95) – served on French baguette with spicy wasabi aioli, tomato, arugula

Back to the food! We ordered 3 items to share starting with the grilled ahi tuna sandwich. There was nothing wow about it but I gotta say that everything on the bun was nice and fresh. The wasabi aioli gave the otherwise bland tuna steak a bit of zing. 

Seared Ahi Poke Salad ($10.95) – tuna cubes, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil, flash seared and set upon ‘Nalo greens with plum vinaigrette dressing

I thought the salad was better than the sandwich. Aside from the fresh greens, the cubed tuna was marinated and quickly seared which gave a nice warm and cool contrast. The dressing was savoury and tangy; a nice meal to wake up the palate.

Bouillabaisse – herbed tomato soup with tuna and mussels

The soup was my choice and I loved it! The soup had just the right tartness from the tomatoes while there a was a slight taste of the salty ocean from the heaping chunks of tuna and large meaty flesh of the mussels. Since W does not like eating mussels, I got to eat them all too! Yay!

For our sightseeing activity of the day, we drove up to the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout. It wasn't the best of days to visit. It started to rain and the low lying clouds covered up the eastern horizon. However, the views of the windward side of Oahu and the Koolau mountain range were still breathtaking.

Since the weather wasn't too awesome, we stayed close to the city after leaving Pali lookout. For dinner, we headed back to our hotel for their seafood buffet. Unfortunately, the photos I took didn't turn out very well. I was also very irritated with my dozens of mosquito bites so I was pretty distracted and wasn't feeling particularly excited about the buffet overall. The live mermaid show inside the 3-storey tall aquarium in the restaurant was pretty cool though!

Well, it sucked that the rain and the mosquito bites put a damper on my mood but tomorrow's another day...another day in Hawaii!! 

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!

Honolulu, Hawaii - Day 1

Our first official full day in Honolulu, Hawaii!!!! This was the view from our hotel room and it was phenomenal!! We overlooked Kuhio beach park and the vast expansiveness of the Pacific Ocean. It was awesome!

McDonald’s

2476 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu


For our first breakfast, we decided to head to the McDonald's across the street from our hotel to try the "famous" breakfast only available in Hawaii. This particular McD's was open 24 hours a day so that was pretty convenient for us hungry travelers when we arrived really late the previous night due to a delayed flight.

Back to breakfast. When people think of a local food specialty of Hawaii, what do people think? Loco moco? Pineapple? How about Spam? Yup! One of the well-known items of Hawaii is the ubiquitous Spam and rice. At McD's, you can find it on their deluxe local big breakfast platter. 

Deluxe local big breakfast – Spam, Portuguese sausage, scrambled eggs with rice, packet of soy sauce for seasoning, orange juice

It also came with a couple slices of Portuguese sausages. W and I shared this for breakfast and it was just enough for the two of us. That's a pretty hefty portion of rice you know. Aside from the eggs not being the fluffy scrambled eggs that I wanted (what else do you expect from McD's?), everything else was the way you'd expect it to be: salty, meaty goodness paired with plain, tummy filling starch.

Marukame Udon

2310 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu

After breakfast and a breathtaking (literally and figuratively) hike up Diamond Head, we headed back down to the city for lunch. A couple of our friends recommended Marukame Udon for their fresh, handmade, authentic udon noodles.

Marukame is famous for their Sanuki style udon noodles. Sanuki is a region of the Kagawa prefecture in Japan known for producing their signature chewy, toothsome, al dente noodles. I think, on any given day, the line-up to eat here goes out the door. There's also a window at the front to let you see the noodle-making and cooking process.

The restaurant actually employs a cafeteria-style ordering system in which you walk along a counter and go through the following:

Step 1: order your choice of udon (employees will take your order and cook it on the spot)

Step 2: add your choice of tempura or musubi (each type is differed by price; self-serve style)

Step 3: add your own sauces and condiments to your liking; also self-serve style (tempura sauces, chili flakes, wasabi, tempura crumbs, green onions)

Zaru Udon – cold udon served with a side of cold dipping sauce

It seemed pretty logical to eat something cool on a hot sunny day so that is why I chose the Zaru udon. For my sides, I had tempura prawn, asparagus, Kabocha squash, and a piece of deep fried chicken.

Ontama Bukkake Udon – bukkake sauce topped with a soft poached egg

W had the Ontama Bukkake udon which was a bowl of noodles bathed in a savoury and sweet-ish sauce and topped with an incredibly silky soft poached egg. Breaking the egg yolk into the sauce added extra depth and helped the sauce adhere to the smooth noodles. YUM! For his sides, he selected a tempura prawn, Kabocha squash, and mushrooms on a skewer.

Waiting in the line up was definitely worth it as the noodles were everything I expected. The sides were actually a bit of a let down but the fresh, toothsome udon, the Ontama egg, and sauces more than made up for it.

Cheesecake Factory

2301 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

For dinner that day, we decided to get take-out from The Cheesecake Factory. There was no way we were going to wait 2 hours for a table inside. That's crazy!! From ordering to cooking to retrieving our food, it only took 30 minutes. I felt so smug when we walked away with our dinner passing through the huge crowd of hungry, waiting patrons HAH!

I forgot to take pictures of our meal that night but this was what we ordered.

Garlic Noodles ($15.50) – spaghettini, fresh asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, oven roasted tomatoes and parmesan in a delicious garlic sauce

Seared Tuna Tataki Salad ($18.50) – fresh ahi tuna lightly seared rare with avocado, wasabi pesto, tomato and mixed greens, tossed with shallot vinaigrette 

From taking in the view up the top of Diamond Head to taking a dip in the crisp blue waters at Kuhio beach, while filling up with tasty, satisfying food along the way, I'd say our first day in Honolulu was a blast!

Van Soba @ Tama Organic Life

2 - 1600 MacKay Road

North Vancouver, BC

Reading the newspaper daily is good for you. Not only will you learn about the current events happening at home and around the world, you will learn of any new, unique, or good eats that you would not normally encounter.

Case in point, Van Soba @ Tama Organic Life. This little hole in the wall is literally hidden from the main street, tucked away inside a tiny organic grocery store. Even from the side street you wouldn't be able to find it! I only found out about it through The Vancouver Sun with specific instructions on how to get there!

Van Soba is located beside the Ethical Kitchen cafe, with access either through their parking lot-slash-garden entered through a back lane or actually walking through Ethical Kitchen's door and bee-lining to the cafe's patio to get to the back (which we did). I wouldn't suggest walking through someone else's cafe to get to another business but the staff at Ethical Kitchen were really nice and even let us sit on their patio for lunch.

Van Soba is actually a small shop owned and operated by the same folks who run Tama Organic Life, the organic grocery story. The son of the Japanese owner specializes in freshly made soba noodles so that is their selling point. Since they only open during lunch hours, their menu is small and concise. The set-up is that you walk up to the cashier, make your order, and then step outside to find a spot to sit at one of the picnic tables.

After ordering, we wanted to find a shady spot to sit so we sat at Ethical Kitchen's patio (don't worry, we bought a drink from them so it'd feel like we were patronizing them too =P). Our view was of Tama Organic Life's garden beside the parking lot. We picked a really nice day to go! It was sunny and warm; perfect for alfresco dining.

Buckwheat noodle in hot soup ($9.95)

Rice mixed with mushrooms and carrots ($1.95?)

Since there were only 2 choices for the soba noodles, it was natural that we ordered one of each to try! To showcase their buckwheat noodles, they were served plain without any toppings aside from sliced green onions. This hot soupy version also had some lemon zest to bring out the umami flavours of their broth. The owner recommended that we try their bowl of home-made mixed rice too. 

The fresh soba noodles were definitely different from the dry, commercial-grade noodles. They were toothsome and you could feel a slight gritty texture from the freshly milled buckwheat flour that the owner-chef used. The simple bowl of rice added to the warm, wholesome feeling of eating a home-cooked Japanese meal.

Cold buckwheat noodle ($8.95) - with green onions, wasabi, and dipping sauce

Although the cold soba noodles were pure and plain, they were refreshing on a hot day. The owner taught us how to eat their cold noodles with the savoury dipping sauce. We were to pick up some noodles and dip it slightly in the concentrated sauce. After finishing the noodles, a tea pot filled with hot water that the buckwheat noodles were cooked in is to be poured into the remaining sauce and drunk like soup. Despite being a hot sunny day, the buckwheat water soup was calming and gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I like experiencing the small traditional touches of Japanese food.

This place is definitely out of the way for some, but if you do happen to venture out to North Vancouver, or you're in the area, it's nice to step back and appreciate the simple things in life.

Crepe Montagne

116 - 4368 Main Street
Whistler, BC

For my birthday, W treated me to the Scandinave Spa up at Whistler!! What an awesome fiancé (now husband!) eh? We only planned an overnight trip so we didn't have much time to venture around.

I found Crepe Montagne on the Internet and it seemed like a quaint place to have breakfast so off we went to Whistler village before our spa day!

Crepe Montagne states that they are an authentic French creperie. In addition to sweet and savoury crepes, they also serve Western style breakfasts, raclette, cheese and chocolate fondues, and ice-cream sundaes.

Since their namesake has "crepe" in it, W and I both decided not to deviate and just stick to their savoury crepes for breakfast.

Slalom ($11.95) - 1 egg, Ham or Canadian Bacon, 3 cheeses and fresh tomato

There weren't any photos of their crepes so I was expecting one of those triangular folded crepes with the ingredients tucked inside. To my surprise, it was square folded crepe that has an egg enveloped inside and the ingredients on top like a pizza! Regardless of the construction, this was still one tasty crepe. The crepes here are of the buckwheat variety and it's a nice change from regular flour as it adds a slight nuttiness to the flavour. The gooey, melted cheese under the lean, but juicy, Canadian bacon and the fresh tomatoes creates a delicious breakfast that satisfies the four food groups!

Freestyle ($11.95) - 1 egg, Ham or Canadian Bacon and 3 cheeses

W chose the Freestyle which basically is the Slalom without tomatoes. W does not like to eat tomatoes =P The crepe at the edges were a bit dry because the toppings and the egg inside didn't reach all the corners. The browned, crispy cheese crisps stuck to the side were really addictive though!

I really liked Crepe Montagne. The servers were warm and attentive and the décor of the restaurant was also charming with a rustic flair. The crepes, although not anything to-die for, were simple and yummy and we left with our tummies filled without a greasy feeling in our mouths. It felt like a healthy and delicious way to start our spa day!