If you want to enjoy the decadent pleasure of Ted’s Haupia Chocolate Cream Pie - just mention it to your Private Tours Hawaii guide - we’ll get you there and try to save you from eating an entire pie - of course, if that’s what you really want to do - we are always glad to help!
For those lucky enough to spend any amount of time on Oahu’s North Shore, affectionately known as the ‘capitol’ of big wave surfing, no trip is complete without a stop at the local landmark known as Ted’s Bakery. This unassuming little place is easy to zip by and miss and frankly, from the outside it doesn’t look like much. To miss Ted’s though is to miss the delights of a very special chocolate cream pie - Ted’s World Famous Haupia Chocolate Cream Pie. Sure, there are plenty of other pies and treats you can buy at Ted’s and they are all delicious - but have one bite of this delicacy and chances are that it will become the only thing you ever buy there. Haupia is a traditional coconut milk dessert - so when you put it between chocolate and cream layers on a flaky crust - what you have can only be described as heavenly. Ted’s Bakery has deep roots on Oahu. Ted’s grandfather came to Oahu in the early 1900s to work in the sugarcane industry. Eventually, he had the opportunity to purchase land on the North Shore that was owned by the Kahuku Sugar Plantation but was deemed too rocky for the cultivation of sugarcane. Decades later, the Sunset Beach Store was built by Ted’s father, Takemitsu Nakamura in 1956. Mr. Nakamura and his family ran the local store until 1987, but at that point, his son Ted opened an adjoining bakery from which he sold donuts and other pastries. Almost a decade later, Ted started sourcing cream pies to local stores and restaurants. The pies were an instant hit everywhere they went - but they always seem to taste best when you get them at Ted’s. If you want to enjoy the decadent pleasure of Ted’s Haupia Chocolate Cream Pie - just mention it to your Private Tours Hawaii guide - we’ll get you there and try to save you from eating an entire pie - of course, if that’s what you really want to do - we are always glad to help!
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If you love fresh seafood, you have to check out Nico's at Pier 38, near downtown Honolulu. Nico's offers an amazing fresh fish market and open-air restaurant. Nico's is the perfect place to relax and enjoy some of Oahu's freshest seafood! Nico's Fish Market gets their local fish directly from the Honolulu Fish Auction. The Fish Market is open from 6:30am to 6:00pm M-Sat and serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Their specialties include:
Nico's also has a restaurant that is a big local favorite. Nico's restaurant serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The setting is partially open-air so that you can enjoy the perfect weather of the Hawaiian Islands. Nico's Restaurant has a full service bar and features live local music throughout the week. Restaurant hours are 6:30am to 10:00pm M-Sat and parking is free. The Moana Surfrider Hotel is the oldest hotel on the island of Oahu today. She was built on the tropical shores of Waikiki Beach in the year 1901. Also known as "The First Lady of Waikiki", the Moana Surfrider truly embraces classic Hawaiian-style in these modern times. Other than a historic landmark, the Moana Surfrider offers one of the best dining experiences on the island of Oahu. In regards to overall local experience (food, ambiance, location, etc.), Beach House at the Moana Surfrider Hotel is top of it's class for oceanfront dining in Waikiki. Beach House offers amazing dining options for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. For additional details about the Beach House menu and how to make a reservation, please visit the restaurant website at http://www.beachhousewaikiki.com. When visiting the Hawaiian Islands, most travelers indulge in some of the island's local food. Whether experiencing Hawaiian food at a Luau or at one of the famous local Hawaiian food restaurants, you will most likely sample a unique type of sweet at the end of your meal. Haupia is a Hawaiian recipe that consists of coconut milk and other ingredients to create an creamy coconut gelatin. Haupia is often cut into small bite-sized squares and piled high onto the plate. There is an awesome bakery up on the North Shore of Oahu called Ted's Bakery. Ted's became famous because of their amazing Chocolate Haupia Pie. This local creation includes a layer of chocolate and a layer of haupia in a homemade pie crust, then topped with whipped cream! The PTH Team highly recommends trying Haupia or one of Ted's famous Chocolate Haupia Pies during your next trip to Oahu. Not to be confused with the Hawaiian Luau (dinner party with live entertainment), Luau is also a local dish in Hawaii. Luau is made from the green Taro (kalo in the Hawaiian language) leaf and coconut milk. It is generally seasoned with the meat of your choice (squid, chicken, butterfish, etc.). Luau is often included in the local "Hawaiian Plate" at many restaurants in the Hawaiian islands. Below is a fantastic recipe for Squid Luau if you want to try this at home:
The PTH Team has a couple recommendations for amazing luau on Oahu:
Aloha and Bon Apetit!! In Honolulu, a local favorite for Hawaiian Shave Ice is Waiola Shave Ice. Just outside of the Waikiki area, Waiola Shave Ice was founded on Waiola Street back in the mid 1940's. So, after serving up this cold, refreshing delicacy for over 70 years, Waiola had made quite a name for themselves. Hawaiian Shave Ice (finely shaved ice topped with sweet syrup) is their most popular item. To make things even more sweet, Waiola offers a wide variety of "goodies" that can be added to the shave ice, as well. Sweet additions like:
The PTH Team always recommends a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the bottom of your shave ice. However, we also advise you to explore the many other delicious options that Waiola Shave Ice has perfected. Conveniently located on 2135 Waiola St. (original location) in McCully, Waiola Shave Ice is just a ten minute taxi ride from Waikiki. They have a total of three location in the Honolulu area. For more information about this local favorite for Hawaiian Shave Ice, please visit http://www.waiolashaveice.com. Paniolo (Cowboy in the Hawaiian Language) were first introduced to Hawaii in the early 1800's. As the beef industry grew in the Hawaiian Islands, local-style was added into the mix. Pipikaula is a local-style dried beef dish, very similar to beef jerky. Pipikaula (Beef Rope in the Hawaiian Language) consists of strips of beef that are marinated in spices and soy sauce and then placed in Hawaiian-style drying boxes. Drying boxes were also used to dry fish and other seafoods in the fierce Hawaiian sun. Pipikaula is often served as an appetizer at local luau and Hawaiian food restaurants. At PTH, our favorite places for Pipikaula are Ono Hawaiian Food in Kapahulu and Tamura's Market. When searching for an amazing cup of coffee, visitors and the true coffee connoisseur find themselves with few options in the hustle and bustle of world-famous Waikiki Beach. Unless one is content with the more popular chain coffee shops that have burrowed their way into every neighborhood and become the marquee on most street corners of the planet, Waikiki Beach may not be the solution to your artisan coffee needs. But, fear not....a short drive up to the beautiful North Shore on the island of Oahu is your answer! The Coffee Gallery is located in the North Shore's most famous surfing village, Haleiwa. The folks at the Coffee Gallery take their craft very serious. Each batch of green coffee beans is roasted in-house on the North Shore of the island. Hawaiian Gourmet Coffee Roasters was founded in 1987 and has been offering exceptional artisan coffee and homemade food (pastries, desserts, sandwiches, soups) on Oahu ever since.
So, when you crave a proper Espresso or even a not-so-common Flat White, please remember that help is not far away. Located at the North Shore Marketplace in the town of Haleiwa, the Coffee Gallery operates from 6:30am to 8:00pm, seven days a week. While visiting the island of Oahu, travelers will find a wide variety of options for food. If you happen to be craving an amazing hamburger, go no further than Kua'Aina Burger. Kua'Aina Burger is a locally owned business that started on Oahu in 1975. They feature juicy burgers, hot sandwiches, fresh salads and their homemade "shoestring" french fries. Kua'Aina Burger locations on Oahu include:
With locally-owned Teddy's Bigger Burger running in a close second place, Kua'Aina Burger takes first place honors for the PTH Best Burger on Oahu rankings!! The earliest Hawaiians are believed to be Polynesian settlers from the Marquesas Islands, a ring of ten steep volcanic islands about 2,500 miles southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. These skilled navigators sailed to the Hawaiian Islands between 300-500A.D. With them, they brought approximately 30 introduced plant species (mostly for food) to the Hawaiian Island chain. These edible plants were combined with fish, seafood (seaweed, octopus, limpet, crab and sea turtle) and indigenous birds to offer one of the most healthy diets in history. At the core of the ancient Hawaiian diet was the taro (kalo in the Hawaiian language) plant. Taro was used most commonly used to create the Hawaiian's staple food, poi. Poi is made by roasting/steaming the taro corm (or root) and then mashing it into a paste. The final product is generally purplish in color and traditionally eaten by hand.
Other than the taro plant, the ancient Hawaiians introduced a variety of other edible plants. These included:
Non-native animals where also brought to the Hawaiian island chain for food and pets. These included:
Hawaiians utilized the ocean for net and deep sea fishing. Hawaiians were also very proficient in aquaculture. In the coastal shallows they built large loko i‘a (fishponds), which they kept well stocked with ‘ama ‘ama (mullet), and awa ( milkfish). |
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