oahu day 3: beach & beer

//day 3
//wednesday 
//kapahulu/waikiki, hawaii kai.

omg. so boring. like, no photos (ok, one). promise LOTS of photos in the next post.

BRUNCH_ono seafood (kapahulu). 
not the same as ono hawaiian foods, but just down the street, a few blocks away.

specializes in ahi (tuna) and toro (octopus) poke. they mix up each batch fresh after you order it.
we got there early, near when they opened for best and freshest selection.

me: wasabi ahi poke bowl - delicious & sinus-clearing, but not too spicy.
keep in mind my spicy tolerance is pretty high, although nowhere near the thai bear's.

bear: combo shoyu ahi poke/spicy tuna ahi poke bowl

doesn't look like much food, but it's a lot. and filling. and fresh. and delicious.
so freakin' heavy, too. they stuff that little container full.
anyway, BOTH of these "flavors" were delicious.
shoyu was our favorite of the 3 (shoyu/soy sauce, limu/algae, red chili flakes, sea salt, and maybe limu nut).

winner, winner, chicken dinner! 
our favorite poke spot. nice variety, fresh fish, perfect rice, reasonable prices.

ate at the one picnic table outside/in the parking lot.

SWIM/SURF_i swam inside the breakwater/jetties. the bear surfed (waikiki).
there is calm water that gets as deep as chin high on me (so 4-1/2 feet or so) in which you can swim. it's a little east of the BIG hotels (moana surfrider, outrigger, etc.) between two crescents of black rock.
the beach is crowded. with tourists.
but the water is warm, clean, and lovely to swim in.

the bear said the waves were mushy, and it was too crowded to be able to catch much.
i much prefer mushy potatoes to mushy waves.

PIT STOP_gifts/souvenirs and beer from the food pantry
(cheap spam & jalapeno macadamia nuts!!)
grocery store that was very close to our condo.
scored some snacks and souvenirs to bring back.

DINNER_koko marina pub/kona brewing company (hawaii kai).
we only went out to this suburb so we could do a beer tasting at kona brewing company's koko marina pub. we love their kona longboard ale, available (and ironically cheaper) at home, but we always wanted to try some of their other beers that come in big packs at our local store before investing in a whole case.

the food was not so great. it was like a wanna-be bj's. but with worse food. they didn't even have a deep fryer! no fries to go with your burger! chips only! overpriced! meh.

good thing the beer was good. we tried:
firerock pale ale - bear's favorite, and the one that is sold here in our grocery stores as part of a variety pak).

red ale - another good ale. not as hoppy as the pale ale. probably my favorite of the night.

koko brown - VERY coconutty.

black sand porter - rich. yummy. great when mixed with the koko brown.


DESSERT_bubbie's mochi ice cream (hawaii kai).
stopped here on a whim since dinner left me a little wanting.
ordered some mochi ice cream.
best. mochi. ice cream. ever.
the mochi itself is flavored/colored to match.
passion fruit/lilikoi.
strawberry.
lilikoi is the way to go.
fun to say.
fun-tasting on your tongue.
bear doesn't like passion fruit normally.
he LOVED this mochi ice cream.
sweet, tart, tropical.

NIGHTCAP/WALK_beer in room. then walked waikiki. again.