Let me tell you about our, very quick little getaway to the beautiful island of Oahu! I wish we could have had more time to explore, but this was not a trip we planned or paid for so, we just felt fortunate to be able to go and made the most out of the time we had. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, which was great because, it was within walking distance to some excellent restaurants and a really great surprise……they put on a fireworks show every Friday night!!!! I took this sunset photo just as we were getting out of the hot tub to run up to our rooms to get ready to watch the fireworks show.

 

Hatsuhana Japanese Restaurant

Our first stop after a long day of travel…….SUSHI! I totally went with the flow (actually, that became the theme of the whole trip and it was awesome!) We ended up at Hatsuhana Japanese Restaurant. upon entry, the restaurant seemed very casual and I wasn’t sure what to expect however, I did see Cakebread Cellers Chardonnay on the menu and all was well with the world! I’ve learned that a crisp chardonnay and sushi is my match made in heaven. Here’s a photo I grabbed off the web so you can see what the restaurant looks like from the outside. It was travel day and I was not on my game just yet.

Our friend Mike ordered and he killed it! I couldn’t tell you what we had, but everything was fresh and delicious! Our server was so kind, helpful and patient. It was a wonderful experience, surrounded by good people, delicious wine and food…..what more could you ask for?!

 

Day 1: Goofy Café & Dine

 

You are going to have to wait in line, but once you try the food, you’ll understand why! Goofy’s is also very unassuming from the outside. We waited in line for about 20 min or so. It felt a little longer because we were all nursing a bit of a hangover and were STARVING. I was so excited because this restaurant was on my list of places to check out and just happened to be the groups choice. Again, going with the flow seemed to be working in my favor.

Once we were seated we were all in need of a little “hair of the dog” so, first things first, a round of cocktails! Don’t judge, it was almost 11am and even if it wasn’t, one word: VACATION!

 

 

 

“Local First Organic Whenever Possible” I think that sums it up right there. How much do we love this place already?! Then the tricky part, ordering the food! If we were staying in Waikiki longer, I would have come here multiple times to try all the options. I went with the Local Green/Bowls; An egg scramble with farm fresh goat cheese and mushrooms and a mango margarita! Ahhhh! I was so happy!

 

 

Steve had been craving a traditional Hawaiian dish called the Loco Moco and he was not disappointed! I had a few bites too and it tasted like the perfect definition of comfort food on a plate. I didn’t know food could actually give you a hug.

Exploring Waikiki on bikes!

This was a really fun way to see Waikiki! We simply downloaded the Biki app, added $20 to our account and were able to ride these bikes around all day! when you want to stop in at a bar or restaurant you find a Biki dock location using your app, (they were everywhere in Waikiki).  While we didn’t have time to go on an actual waterfall hike, we did get some pretty impressive pictures that looked like we did!

 

 

Duke’s Waikiki

We worked up an appetite from our “waterfall hike” so we rode our Biki Bikes down to Duke’s! Duke’s is right on the beach and has a great vibe! It was the perfect spot to refuel from our bike ride with some cocktails and excellent food. The service there was top notch. From the time we stepped through the door to the time we paid the check, everyone who helped us was friendly, helpful and added to our overall experience! I highly recommend the Korean Steak Street tacos and Cajun Fish Tacos for lunch! The Caramelized Beet Salad was a favorite with everyone too. We had ordered so many appetizers, that by the time the tacos arrived, no one had room! I’m still thinking about them! If I had one chance to go back in time, I would seriously order those tacos!!!! So Good! I was so hungry when the food came, I failed to take pictures! I did get one of my drink!

We took a walk down beautiful Waikiki Beach before getting back on our bikes and heading back to our Hotel. We stopped to have a friendly competition of “who did it better?”  I think us ladies nailed it!

 

 

Day 2: North Shore, Steve and Gretta’s Road Trip

We had rented a cute little white mustang through Budget Car Rental so, we decided to break off from the gang and explore North Shore! Just the two of us! Steve and I had stayed in North Shore at the Turtle Bay Resort 14 years ago. After checking out some tide pools, Sharks Cove and lots of singing to the radio at the top of our lungs, we headed to Turtle Bay Resort to reminisce and see how things have changed…..Now, let me tell you about the incredible lunch we had at Roy’s Beach House!

Our fabulous server guided our entire order and we were so very grateful for him!!! He started us off with their Signature Hawaiian Martini made with Maui Gold Pineapples (fresh pineapples soaked in Rum) Stolichnaya Vanilla and Malibu Rum…….paired with that view and ahhhh……Perfection!

Next up, our server highly recommended the Crispy Curried Brussel Sprouts….not something I had in mind at all for lunch on the beach in Oahu……..but OMG!!!! This is a “drop the mother bleepin’ mic dish, right here!!!!  The flavors were so unexpected yet, so incredibly delicious! The Original Blackened Ahi was excellent as well, but who would have thought, the brussel sprouts would steal the show.  These salads were fresh and delicious, but again, everything sorta paled in comparison after those brussel sprouts.

 

A refreshing mango raspberry sorbet was just what we needed to complete our meal!

Cheers to Roy’s Beach House!!! Thank you for an incredible experience, we will always remember, on Oahu’s North Shore! Until next time Oahu! Mahalo!