Ezogiku

Best for: Cheap ramen
Location: Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center



Pizza to Anthony is like ramen to me - even bad ramen is good ramen. Before ballet class, a bunch of us used to buy those huge spicy ramen bowls from the convenience store downstairs and eat and gossip in the hall. Ramen and ballerinas...that's not something you'd expect to see everyday. Once in a while, when my dad was lazy and the temperature in Hawaii actually dropped below 70, he'd make ramen using the noodles from the Top Ramen package and create his own broth using bouillon, char siu, and fresh vegetables. My brother and I always looked forward to these days. I even enjoy those crappy Cup Noodles, with too much salt and nondescript vegetables.

"Oh, there's the noodles!"

Ezogiku doesn't offer the best ramen (go to Yotteko-ya for that), but it's cheap and convenient and looked a hell of a lot more appetizing than the other fast food restaurants in the food court, e.g. Maui Tacos, Kenny's "Hawaiian" Express. Considering I only enjoy eating in food courts when I'm in Singapore, the fact that I happily brought Anthony to this place already says a lot.



For about $13, he ordered the ramen + gyoza combo and a drink - slightly cheaper than Goma Tei's ramen + gyoza combo, but smaller portions and not quite as good. In other words, you get what you pay for. And, as someone who loves ramen of all qualities, that works for me.