Mission House Tea Parlor is a sweet town side hideaway!
I love working in Honolulu. But come time to eat I get a little sick of concrete and outdoor cafes next to the street with cars belching exhaust on my lunch. And oh how relaxing to grab a coffee with a bazillion people rushing past you yelping into their cell phones or running into lamp posts head down while texting…
Can you believe we are in the city?
So it was delightful to discover the sweet tranquil oasis of the Café Tea Parlor at the Mission House Museum. Nestled on the grounds of the Museum this quaint hide away is a prefect spot for breakfast, lunch and a delightful Saturday High Tea! And you have to love a tea parlor that tweets as @cafeteaparlor !
Tea Time at the Cafe Tea Parlor
Lunch time and Breakfast fare is hearty and priced well. The Lunch menu features paninis, wraps, salads, Teriyaki Chicken & Steak plates, yummy desserts and a variety of drinks. The Hibiscus Iced Tea has no caffeine but I love it anyway! And you can take everything to go and eat back to your desk. (Please do, as that will free up a table for me to enjoy my meal in this piece of paradise in town!)
Scones and Clotted Cream and Lemon Curd
What I love is the afternoon tea on a beautiful Hawaii Saturday. Reservations are required so grab a bunch of friends and relax in style! Yummies are baked fresh every day featuring award-winning soft scones, delicious desserts and tea sandwiches. Be sure to try the variety of premium full leaf loose teas from around the world, encased in silken sachet bags.
They create their own delicious homemade lemon curd, clotted cream, and the scones are soft and delightful! I ♥ scones and these are some of the best in town!
The band of usual suspects got together recently for an Episode of Mix it Up Hawaii from@HawaiiIRL and were treated to the rocking Uke skills of instructor Christoffer Salvador (left) and `Ukulele Hale instructor and owner Jody Kamisato (right).
One of the things we like to do best in Hawaii is eat. A gathering of friends and family, a celebration, a contest… we can find some excuse to go for “Da Ono Kine Grinds”!
A group of Twitterers have banded together, lead by the formidable organizational skills of@HawaiiIRL and @WaikikiBeachwlk, to undertake the daunting task of finding the best Loco Moco in Waikiki.
Hula Grill view in Waikiki. Lucky we live Hawaii!
Jimmy Buffet’s Loco Moco
What is “Loco Moco” you ask? A favorite local dish that originated in Hilo on the Big Island after World War II, it consists of a heap of white rice topped with a hamburger patty and a Sunnyside-up egg, and then smothered in gravy. Down Home Regional comfort food is found all over in every country on earth. Think Chicken Fried Steak, Matzo Ball Soup, Mac & Cheese… we all have our favorites we turn to.
Some friends of mine on the Mainland think it sounds disgusting. But break the egg first then blend the burger, egg, rice, and gravy at each bite and you will know the true meaning of why people don’t care about clogged arteries.
Traditionally this has not been a high-end entrée in finer dining establishments, but rather a quick “Local Style Plate Lunch” often served out of the back of a food wagon as well as whipped up in Auntie’s kitchen for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. Recently some designer versions are coming on the scene featuring sirloin steak, Wagyu Beef and other better cuts of meat, good rice and eloquent styles of gravy. I have to admit that I had one Loco Moco years ago when I first came to Hawaii and thought I’d rather eat smothered shoe leather…it was NASTY! So it was with some trepidation I agreed to start on the path to Cholesterol Nirvana in Waikiki. And I’m happy to say I like the Loco Mocos I’ve tried so far; in fact each one gets better!
Plus I am getting a chance to explore really great places to eat I have previously sniffed at, turned my nose up and declared “Hmph! Tourist Trap!” I find myself now eating my words along with really superb food…
So lets cruise to some Waikiki eateries and see what’s “Fo Grindz, Brah!”
We start our adventure at Jimmy Buffet’s at the Beachcomber Hawaii. Located along the main drag of Kalakaua Ave., this funky interior design is not where you would hold an elegant candlelit dinner for two, but you are guaranteed a great time and awesome food at a reasonable price.
Here are some shots from some of the Twitteratzzi in attendance:
Our next stop was the big kick-off event held at the Cheeseburger Beach Walk . This was the “get ready to rumble” competition where some local celeb contestants rose to the challenge of who could eat the most Loco Moco while blindfolded! Hilarity ensued…as well as some yummy snacks for us cheerleaders!
And winning the prize for the poorest photos via the HTC G1 Phone: MOI! All those poor people that have to use the blur tool in Photoshop…I’m a contendah! (Cue “Rocky” theme song here)
Hula Grill brings it ON!
*WHEW* I’m getting full! But it is my duty as a sworn sleuth on the path to Loco Moco Enlightenment that I press on to our third (but not final!) destination: Outrigger Reef Hotel’sHula Grill. The Grill is also an avid Twitterrer so be sure to follow them @hulagrillwaiks.I was pleasantly surprised entering the restaurant; I had never been there before and was expecting the younger crowd rowdiness of their downstairs neighbor. What a great space up above Waikiki Beach, filled with beautiful Hawaiian antique furnishings and old school Waikiki memorabilia!
So here are sets from @PHOTOluluTV online here, And mine are here. I also put up some vids on my Neighbor Hood Crusin’ section of this blog. You will see why I am in Real Estate and not a professional videographer…
Well, I’m stuffed! Need to take some time off to digest all this great food and soak up the fun atmosphere of the restaurants I’ve visited so far. But the quest isn’t over yet! We still have more places to seek out the Holy Grail of Loco Moco over the next few weeks. I’ll be sure to keep y’all up to date.
So, no matter where you live, get out there and find some local home grown favorite dishes that you may normally not even think about tasting, you may be pleasantly surprised! And in the process find some new locales to eat at that you had not tried before. Let’s hear it for Loco Moco!
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