Honolulu Coffee

Best for: Macarons and coffee
Location: Waikiki, Ala Moana, Downtown

Honolulu Coffee is similar to Island Vintage, specializing in Kona coffee beverages and sprinkled throughout Waikiki, catering to tourists who don't mind paying the price. While I tend to prefer the coffee at Island Vintage, Honolulu Coffee definitely has a better selection of pastries.

chocolate mousse in the shape of a cup!

Unlike Island Vintage, Honolulu Coffee has a branch in downtown, which is really convenient. Macarons during your lunch break -  need I say more?

peppermint macarons

So far, these are the macarons in the state. And these are no typical macarons. There are lilikoi, Hawaiian salt, and Kona coffee flavored macarons - only in Hawaii!

lilikoi, pistachio, and caramel & hawaiian salt maracons

pistachio, kona coffee, and caramel & Hawaiian salt

studying at Bishop Square

at the Moana Surfrider Hotel

Mariposa

Best for: Lunch, View
Location: Neiman Marcus (Ala Moana)
Foodgasmic dish: Popovers

House-Smoked Pork Tenderloin ($24), with Yukon mashed potatoes, brown butter appleshire sauce, & sautéed kale

Honestly, I could come here just for the popovers (their complimentary freshly-baked light, airy bread served with strawberry butter). Also complimentary is a cup of consommé (clear broth). By the time I'm done with the popovers and broth, I could care less about what I order as an entree. However, everything I've had here is delicious.

the famous popovers

Dessert: $7.50, Iced mocha

It gets really crowded during lunch, so either make reservations or be prepared to wait. Trust me, the food and view of Ala Moana Beach Park are worth it. Service could use some work, but I suppose they're doing their best considering the crowd. Also, if you want popovers, make sure to come during lunch or dinner. I once made the mistake of coming right between lunch & dinner and was horrified to discover that they don't serve popovers then!

seared diver scallops, with ricotta gnocchi, english peas, pancetta, leeks, and lobster vinaigrette, $24

Barnes & Noble Café

Best for: justifying a seat in the bookstore
Location: Ala Moana, Kahala Mall

honey roasted turkey pesto wrap, sea salt chips, pepperoni pizza, double chip frappuccino

I know it's a bit superfluous to write a review for the Barnes & Nobles café, but did you know that the secret to finishing one of those turkey wraps and/or frozen mini pizzas that tasted amazing for the first ten bites but eventually made you feel sick from all the grease is to add crushed potato chips to them? It's all about texture.

I know. Mindblowing.

Longhi's

Best for: Americanized Italian food, View
Location: Ala Moana

I've tried to like this place. I really have. There must be something wrong with me because two of my best friends, whose tastes I'd normally trust in a heartbeat, love Longhi's. After dining here a few times, I'm sorry to say that I still don't see its appeal.

artichoke

Located on the third floor of Ala Moana, on the same level as Morton's and Mariposa, Longhi's faces Ala Moana Beach Park and the Pacific Ocean. Thus, theoretically, the view should be breathtaking. However, there are hedges in the way (similar to the hedges obstructing my view at Orchid's), and I am always way too hot to enjoy the view. Longhi's needs to take a note from Mariposa because Mariposa knows how to keep its open-air restaurant cool despite the inevitable Hawaiian sunshine. At Longhi's I can feel like my butt sticking to the black faux leather seat cushion. How unappetizing. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with black-and-white checkered floors, huge spaces between each table, and white walls reminiscent of old Hawaii. The designers of Longhi's obviously had a vision. Too bad I can't say the same for the food.

Longhi's is an "Italian" chain from Maui, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the food is completely unauthentic. The pasta is drowning in sauce, and the noodles are way too soft. Last time I was here for lunch, I remembered that I was disappointed with my pasta on a previous visit, so I made sure to only order seafood and vegetables: longhi longhi salad and clams. Neither dish was very good. The salad was a glorified Caesar salad, while the clams in olive oil were a sad, watered-down version of what my mom can make at home with her eyes closed.

remnants of my clams

I usually order dessert just to give them another chance to redeem themselves. It should be easy; I have a huge sweet tooth. However, both times I've had dessert here have been disappointing. I've ordered a grasshopper (mint chocolate cake) and a chocolate mousse. They tasted like frozen Safeway cakes - those huge slices you can pick up by the bread section. Also, the portions are gluttonous. I know we're in America, but a place as expensive as Longhi's should really work on quality over quantity. This isn't the goddamn Cheesecake Factory.

I did have my first kir royale here, and I'd have to say that it was the best thing I've ordered (although, that may be just because I was so excited to finally have a kir royale). All in all, I have always come with good company, so despite the mediocre food and bad ventilation, I end up leaving satisfied. However, for a worthwhile meal with an equally stunning view and much better food, go next door to Mariposa.

Jade Dynasty

Best for: Dim Sum
Location: Ala Moana

Foodgasmic dish: Snow Mountain

tripe with curry sauce, har gao, and scallop look fun roll

Jade Dynasty has taken the place of Mandalay as my favorite dim sum restaurant in Hawaii. Convenient and consistent, Jade is an elegant gift from Hong Kong that serves some of the most unique dim sum on the island.

snow mountain, jin dui, and jasmine tea

pan-seared seafood tofu - the perfect texture!

I recently tried their Snow Mountain bun, which is a white, flaky bun with char siu inside. Unlike the typical baked char siu bao (one of the dishes I always order while getting dim sum), the exterior of the snow mountain tastes almost like a cookie and melts in your mouth. Delicious! I hope to see this in other dim sum restaurants. I usually order har gow, look fun roll, siu mai, seafood seaweed roll, and jin dui - all of which were fantastic. The scallop look fun roll tastes very fishy, perhaps too fishy for some people, but I think it makes perfect sense that seafood tastes like food from the sea. Their pan-seared seafood tofu is the perfect texture - a little crispy on the outside and soft inside. Each dish is about $2.95-4.50, similar to Mandalay and Kirin.





Jade has surprisingly good service for a Chinese restaurant and has a beautiful interior of high ceilings and the perfect balance of white walls, dark wood and splashes of red. Smaller rooms are available for private parties.

the infamous mango pudding

fried chicken with ham ha

Clockwise from top: Siu mai, Seaweed seafood roll, Tea, Snow mountain

Mermaid Bar

Best for: Salad
Location: Neiman Marcus (Ala Moana)

Bistro Turkey Panini

 As I explained earlier, I hate eating in mall food courts, which is why Mariposa, Jade, Goma Tei, and Panya are perfect for me. However, when I'm sick of dim sum and Japanese food (which is rarely) and am on a tight budget (which rules out Mariposa and Longhi's), the Mermaid Bar is a convenient place to go, especially when I want to pretend to be healthy. Like Mariposa, the Mermaid Bar is also located in Neiman Marcus, but it has a much smaller, less interesting menu and is usually less crowded. The menu basically consists of salads and sandwiches, all within the $10-15 range.

NM Sampler (soup + 1/2 sandwich)

Some sandwiches include the Duke of Windsor ($10.50), which consists of roast turkey, grilled Hawaiian pineapple, chutney, and cheddar; and the Bistro Turkey Panini ($11), is made of grilled onions, apple, arugula, goat cheese, sweet toasted walnut bread, and honey mustard. The Mermaid Bar's specialty, however, is their customized salads. For $10.25 you can choose different greens, dressings, proteins, and up to 7 toppings (artichoke, shaved radish, edamame, hard-boiled egg, pine nuts, etc).

Royal Garden

Best for: Dim Sum
Location: Ala Moana

  
I tend to alternate between my four go-to places for dim sum, depending on my mood: Mandalay for the best char siu bao and siu mai; Kirin for a more traditional Chinese atmosphere; Jade for the best service and snow mountain; and Happy Day for the best deal. Royal Garden is the last of my top five.

Like Kirin, Royal Garden is one of the remaining Chinese restaurants at which waitresses still push carts around the room, and you have to call out to them and point at the dim sum you want, which is always a fun experience. The dim sum here is good, but none are really memorable, unlike at the others, which each have a few unique dishes. However, the parking is more convenient since you can easily park at Ala Moana and walk over.

Goma Tei

Best for: Ramen, Gyoza
Location: Ala Moana

I always forget that Goma Tei exists because it's located on the ground floor of Ala Moana, a floor I tend to avoid. However, it's great when I do remember because Goma Tei happens to be my second favorite ramen place (after Yotteko-Ya). You can tell they take their ramen seriously because their spoons are those huge wooden ones.

It's a fairly large space, with half of the restaurant dedicated to tables and the other half dedicated to a double counter with a walkway in the middle for the waiters, which is a pretty cool arrangement. I usually order the gyoza ($6.25), which is stuffed with fresh pork and vegetables, cooked just right to provide the perfect amount of crisp on the outside and warm filling on the inside. You create your own dipping sauce using the various ingredients on each table. Next I order the char siu tan tan ramen ($9), which is a hearty, slightly spicy broth with juicy pieces of char siu. There are other ramen variations, such as chicken or seafood. Service is always efficient.

Panya Bistro

Best for: Happy Hour, Japanese pastries
Location: Ala Moana

Japanese cheesecake and a mango-tini

I can't stand eating in shopping mall food courts (unless I'm in Singapore), so Panya Bistro is my default place when I get hungry for a snack. The atmosphere is chic, their Japanese pastry selection is large, and the food is a good deal.

On Sundays and Mondays they have all-day happy hours, which is kind of ridiculous. $5 cocktails and $5 appetizers. The cocktails are okay; the happy hour cocktails at Plumeria and Hiroshi are much better. Stay away from the martinis - they're basically sugary slush. The mojitos aren't too bad, but pretty weak.

strawberry lemondrop martini

$5 lychee mojito

As for appetizers, I usually order the gyoza, which, again, is only okay. The best food at Panya has to be the desserts. Their Japanese cheesecake reminds me that Asians do, in fact, make everything better. They also have a huge selection of bread pastries at the front. 
 

Japanese cheesecake with cream