Hau Terrace at the Outrigger Canoe Club

Honolulu $$ *****
Unfortunately, you can't really eat here unless one of your party is a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club, but hey - the food was great, so I'm going to write about our dining experience anyway. I have so many memories of this place... sipping mint chip milkshakes while walking along Waikiki Beach with my friend.
On this day, we actually sat at the terrace and ordered a full lunch. It was a particularly chilly day (well, chilly to Hawaii standards - about 70 degrees), so we had to order coffees to keep our hands warm. And we weren't complaining at all - their coffee is amazing!! I ordered the clam pasta, which was delicious as well. The clams were out of their shells already, which I guess is good for lazy people, bad for those who want all the fresh flavors. I couldn't decide which one I was. Regardless, I was quite satisfied with it, and the service was laid-back but friendly. Can't wait to return!
Hau Terrace at the Outrigger Canoe Club (Waikiki)
2909 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm
Dinner: Daily 5:30pm-9pm
Breakfast: 8:30am-2pm

Leonard's Bakery

Honolulu $ *****
In case you are not from Hawaii, malasadas are a Portuguese treat made of deep-fried balls of dough covered in sugar, and Leonard's Bakery is the iconic Hawaii chain that makes them.
My friend and I went to the big one in Kapahulu. Busy as usual, a no-fuss type of place. We stood in line, passing by other snacks they serve (but we were there for malasadas only). I ordered a regular and a chocolate-filled one. You can also order them with cinnamon instead of plain sugar. For about 79-cents each, you can't get a better deal!
We were lucky enough to find a bench available outside and watched the world go by while eating our malasadas. Delicious!
The outside is slightly crispy and very sugary, while the inside is warm and soft. This place is a must if ever in Hawaii.
Leonard's Bakery (Kapahulu)
933 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
Mon-Thu 5:30am-9pm
Fri-Sat 5:30am-10pm

A's Bistro

Ewa Beach *****
A's is definitely my favorite Filipino restaurant - in the world. Whenever my family and I are on the west side of Oahu, we always find some excuse to have dinner here. A's is a casual restaurant with about five televisions playing Filipino soap operas (how adorable, right?). I'm not going to embarrass myself by attempting to spell the dishes, but the noodles, soups, and barbeque pork dishes we always order are wonderful.

A's Bistro (Ewa Beach)
91-1001 Kaimalie St
Ewa Beach, HI 96706

Beachhouse at the Moana

Honolulu $$$$ *****
This was my first time having brunch at the Beachhouse and, as usual, I had to compare it to my all-time favorite, Plumeria Beach House at the Kahala Hotel. The service was efficient, but not as warm as it could have been. Unlike at Plumeria, which is literally a few steps from Kahala Beach, the Beachhouse offers merely a stunning but distant view of the blue Pacific Ocean (you only see the ocean, not the beach as well). However, I am being much too picky, just because I can.
I ordered a latte and french toast. The french toast was perfect - perhaps the best I've ever had. Great texture, just enough crisp but softer in the middle, full of cinnamon flavor, and the syrup was delicious. My latte was another story. I don't have particularly high standards for coffee, so when I say that my coffee was not good, that really says something. Perhaps I should have just gotten a plain coffee instead of a latte because I had to add so much cream and sugar to it anyway.
Regardless, the Beachhouse is still a wonderful restaurant, perhaps on the same level as Orchids at Halekulani (both of which are one step below Plumeria, of course). I look forward to returning.
Beachhouse at the Moana (Waikiki)
2365 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815-2943

Panya Bakery

Honolulu $ *****
Apparently Panya is a huge chain, with bakeries in Hong Kong, Honolulu, and now even in New York. Good for them. This particular one is new, located on the first floor of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. After roaming around Waikiki, my friend and I stopped for a much-needed dessert. My tiramisu was amazing. It doesn't follow the traditional tiramisu; instead, it was Panya's spin on it. The texture was fluffy, and the ratio of coffee, cocoa, and cake (instead of lady fingers) was perfect. Unfortunately, my friend ordered the chocolate coffee brownie, which was much too heavy to be enjoyable. Lesson to be learned: order the tiramisu, not the brownie.
Panya Bakery (Waikiki)
Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center
Honolulu, HI

Soul de Cuba

Honolulu $$ ****
Before gallery-hopping on First Friday, my friend and I decided to try Soul de Cuba, a fun Cuban restaurant right next to another favorite of mine, Brasserie du Vin. It was as lively as a Cuban restaurant should be. I ordered the lechon asado (marinated roast pork sauteed with onions), arroz moro, and platanos. The lechon asado was so juicy! Unfortunately, I don't like bananas, so I couldn't appreciate the platanos, but they did look good and probably would have perfectly complemented the meat. Prices were pretty reasonable for dinner.
Soul de Cuba (Downtown)
121 Bethel Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm

Himalayan Kitchen

Honolulu $$ *****
This is an adorable Nepalese and Indian restaurant, almost completely hidden from the rest of Kaimuki's restaurant row. After going up some stairs, past an open courtyard with some tables and chairs, I entered a festive room filled with Himalayan art. For lunch, I ordered the lamb kachoura (curry), which came with rice, some vegetables, and my choice of the following: eggplant, matar paneer, aloo gobi, mix vegitable curry, or house special lentil of the day. I ordered the matar paneer, which is a savoury curry with a surprising mix of peas and cheese. The naan was as good as always, and service was friendly. This has become my new favorite Indian restaurant in Hawaii.

Himalayan Kitchen (Kaimuki)
1137 11th Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816