MENSHO Hawaii

MENSHO recently opened at Ka Makana Aliʻi, and we were lucky enough to be invited to a special media tasting event on a Friday night. Normally, Friday nights are tough for us schedule-wise, but once I read that Mensho was a Michelin-recognized restaurant, there was no way I was passing this one up.

We arrived right as the doors opened and were immediately greeted by the cheerful staff. First impressions? The space is beautiful — modern, sleek, and energetic without feeling overwhelming. The menus were already waiting at our table, and honestly, my stomach was rumbling before we even sat down.

To kick things off, we were served a bottle of Kikusui Japanese sake. Smooth, crisp, and exactly what we needed to unwind after a long week. It paired perfectly with everything that followed.

And then… the food started coming.

First up was the A5 Wagyu Uni Ikura. 

Wow. Rich wagyu, creamy uni, bursts of ikura — amazing.

Next came the enoki chips. Fried enoki mushrooms? I had never tried them before, but somehow it totally works. Crispy and dangerously addictive.

Then came the corn wings. Yes, corn wings. The presentation alone had us doing a double take, but they were delicious.

But of course, the real star of the evening was the ramen.

We first tried the Shrimp GKO ramen, and let me warn you — you really have to love garlic. The flavor was intense, and garlicky. Garlic lovers are going to appreciate this one.

The MVP of the night was the Wagyu Truffle Shoyu Ramen. And this moment felt extra special because the owner himself, Tomoharu Shono, came to our table to shave fresh truffle directly over the bowl before we dug in.

I honestly cannot describe how good this ramen was. Everything just worked together perfectly. The broth was light, the wagyu was incredible, and the noodles? 

Absolute perfection — chewy, springy, perfectly al dente. Every bite made me want to keep the bowl all to myself. Sorry to my plus one… aka my husband. LOL.

MENSHO's grand opening happened just a few nights ago, and from what we heard, the line wrapped around the corner. The word is definitely out. Since they’re currently walk-ins only with no reservations and open for dinner service only, I have a feeling the hype is going to stick around for a long time… if it ever dies down at all.

If you’re a ramen lover in Hawaii, this is one spot you’ll want to experience for yourself.

 

Hours: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Daily

MENSHO HAWAII

91-5431 KAPOLEI PKWY

808-260-9300

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Visit Mexico: Mini Market Anita

When it comes to travel, I'm all about the snacks and omiyage.  While at La Bufadora market, I saw Mini Market Anita, which was full of Mexican snacks. 

They had all sorts of cookies, chips, and more.

There were all sorts of flavors of familiar snack brands that were new-to-me.

Prices in this Mini Market were cheaper than the convenience store near the top of the market lane.  

Definitely worth checking out if you love snacks as much as I do!

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Happy Hour at Thirty Eight

I got to join my media pals for a super fun Happy Hour at Thirty Eight.

Having just recently launched, the Happy Hour menu is offered daily from 2p-5p, and features an array of dishes that are a reflection of Chef Daysen Masuda's Hilo home, his Honolulu career influences, and his culinary instincts.

I first met Chef Daysen in Hilo, having bought one of his highly sought after sushi omakase sets that he was (and still is) known for.  He had since moved to O‘ahu, where he continued to hone his craft, and is now at the helm of Thirty Eight.

Cabbage Caesar

Poke Cracker

Edamame

Kamaboko & Crab Dip

Fresh Oysters

Calamari Katsu

Maguro Cabbage

My faves were the Kamaboko Crab Dip (our table had 3 orders because someone who shall remain nameless could not stop eating it . . . combined with Mae Bo One Ton Chips - addicting!), the Cabbage Caesar (loved the textures!), and the Calamari Katsu (I could've been happy with this for my meal!).

Go for Happy Hour, and stay for dinner (stay tuned for my dinner post!).

Thirty Eight
1135 N Nimitz Hwy

Honolulu, HI 96817

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Visit Mexico: La Bufadora Market

On the way to La Bufadora is a market, where numerous vendors are lined up, waiting to sell you their food, drink, and wares.

They'd approach you with plates of food or beckon you into their stall to sell shirts, ponchos, blankets, tequila, designer bags, and more (for some reason, there were many phallic objects for sale - I Googled and could only find that it was a touristy thing).

It can be an unsettling experience, but you have to just hold your ground and not be swayed or intimidated, especially by the very assertive / aggressive vendors.

Most vendors were just overly friendly, simply wanting to make a sale.

While at the market, we did a tequila tasting, bought some souvenirs and snacks, ate churros, and dined at a taco stand.

Pay-per-use bathrooms are available, and they were clean!

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Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya Expands to Windward Mall

Ramen lovers, we’ve got news for you. Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya is noodling its way to Kaneohe with its seventh Hawaii location at Windward Mall. The new restaurant will bring its signature ramen, hearty rice bowls, and flavorful izakaya dishes to the Windward side when it celebrates its grand opening on Wednesday, May 13. Located near Ninja Sushi and HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union, the 2,400-square-foot space will offer seating for approximately 70 guests.

Grand Opening Specials: To celebrate its grand opening, guests can look forward to the following offers throughout the month of May:

• Buy One, Get One 50% Off (May 13 only): All guests can enjoy 50% off a second ramen or rice bowl of equal or lesser value when dining in on May 13 before 5 p.m.

• Lunch Combo Special (May 13-17): Guests can enjoy Tanaka’s lunch combo which includes a special lunch-sized portion izakaya dish, your choice of a lunch-sized portion of a Tanaka Classic, Tanaka Spicy, or Tanaka Combo Ramen and any soft drink at a special price during lunch hours from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. throughout the grand opening weekend.

• Grand Opening Weekend Beer Special (May 15-17): Guests dining in at the Windward Mall location can enjoy a Sapporo beer for just $4, available all day.

• Receipt Bounceback: Guests who bring a receipt back from opening day, May 13, within 7 days will receive a complimentary izakaya dish of their choice with any ramen or rice bowl purchase.

• Giving Back: A portion of all proceeds from the month of May will benefit a local nonprofit. 

• Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya Gift Card Deal: Guests who purchase a $50 gift card receive a $55 gift card. Guests who purchase a $100 gift card receive a $110 gift card. Cash only. 

“We are excited to continue our growth in Hawaii with the opening of our newest location at Windward Mall,” said Tina Wang, owner and founder of Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya. “Since launching in 2020, our expansion has been driven by the ongoing support of our local community. We are proud to bring our signature ramen and izakaya offerings to the Windward side and to bring new options to our loyal guests.”

The Windward Mall restaurant will be the company’s first and only location to offer a selection of yakitori sticks, including chicken thigh, chicken thigh with green onion, chicken meatball, and chicken kawa.

Windward diners will enjoy the restaurant’s signature ramen dishes including the restaurant’s Tanaka Classic – a pork broth, pork chashu, kikurage, spicy bean sprouts, green onions, fried onions, garlic oil and a seasoned egg served with thick noodles – and their popular vegan ramen, Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen – a vegan broth, green onions, spicy bean sprouts, spinach, atsuage tofu, crispy onions with garlic and chili oil served with kale noodles. 

Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya also offers a variety of rice bowls like their Beef Sukiyaki Don or Karaage Don as well as Tokyo curry bowls including a Pork Katsu w/ Curry and Pork Gyoza w/ Curry. And to start off any meal, you’ll want to check out their selection of appetizers and izakaya options including their house-made Pork Gyoza.

Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya’s Windward Mall location will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday & Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant will also be offering its full menu of lunch and dinner items for takeout. To place an order, call 808-367-0293 or order online at www.tanakaramen.com.

All University of Hawaii system faculty and students, Windward Mall employees, and military members receive 10 percent off with proof of ID. 

Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya currently operates seven locations across Hawaii, with locations at Ala Moana Center, Kailua Town, Kapolei Marketplace, Maui Mall Village, Pearlridge Center, and Town Center of Mililani, and Windward Mall. For more information on Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya, visit www.tanakaramen.com. Also be sure to follow Tanaka Ramen & Izakaya on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at @tanakaramenhawaii to stay up-to-date on the latest information on special giveaways, promotions and much more.   

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Special Mother's Day Desserts by b. Patisserie at Kona Coffee Purveyors

Two special desserts by b. Patisserie will be available at Kona Coffee Purveyors exclusively for one-day only, in honor of Mother's Day: 

Courtesy b. Patisserie at Kona Coffee Purveyors

The Passion Fruit, Orange, and Guava (POG) Cake ($7.75) is a refreshing cake composed of a crunchy sable Breton base, layered with guava ganache, passion fruit curd, vanilla bavarois, and topped with a guava gelee, finished with chantilly cream and orange segments. 

Courtesy b. Patisserie at Kona Coffee Purveyors

The Chocolate Raspberry Dome ($7.75) enrobes a light chocolate mousse, raspberry coulis, decadent ganache, crispy chocolate pearls, and a delicate chocolate cake in luscious chocolate, adorned with flower petals.

These desserts will be available on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10, from 7:00 to 4:00 p.m..

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Visit Catalina Island: Golf Gardens

We had zero planned for the Catalina Island port, and as we roamed around, we saw that mini golf was nearby.  

Golf Gardens turned out to be a lot of fun!

There were all sorts of tricky holes, and as the kids gave the trick shots their best efforts, lots of laughter ensued!

It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours on Catalina Island!

Golf Gardens
10 Island Plz

Avalon, CA 90704

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