Like any island vacation should begin, our breakfast started with a dose of tropical fruit and a basket of freshly baked Hawaiian pastries. The papaya was carved to perfection, and ideally sized to split among the four of us (although it was so sweet we easily could have feasted on another). The dense sweetness of the fruit combined with the acidic bite of the lime squeezed on top created a twofold combination of sweet and sour flavors. It was absolutely the best papaya any of us have eaten! The bakery items included a coconut cream croissant, orange macadamia muffin (my personal favorite), guava and plain croissants.
With so much Japanese influence in the local cuisine, there are few better places to get a traditional Japanese breakfast than in Hawaii. The breakfast set included a miso glazed butterfish filet, miso soup, rice, pickles, tamago yaki, and fresh fruit. In contrast to the salty pickles and soup, the tamago yaki is a sweet, dense omelet that is rolled and sliced with acute precision. It is usually made by pouring thin layers of an egg mixture into a square pan. By rolling the mixture from one side of the pan to the other, pressing it into shape, and progressively adding more egg, the omelet grows thicker while still holding a fluffy texture.
Then came lunch. Believe me, I was still not quite hungry after our delicious and satisfying breakfast, but I can never turn down a bowl of ramen noodles. My dad asked us how we could possibly eat a hot bowl of soup in 80 degree weather, but we seem to have no problem with it. Here is the mini shoyu ramen from Tokyo Noodle House in Kapolei. It was the perfect late lunch with one piece of pork, one slice of kamaboko, and sliced green onions. The broth is flavorful and the noodles slightly chewy and not too soft.