Here in Hilo, HI it is rare to find a gem of an item at a restaurant Most foods are on the average sub-par to disgusting. You learn  to put up with these bad foods, because you really have no options. Well there are the exceptions. One such exception is the AMAZING Mint Tea at Garden Snack Club.
Picture
This tea is delicious it is super tasty. The contents of this tea are mint, lime and honey. It comes out tasting like a not too sour or sweet mint limeade. Mmmm delicious. It accents the spicy Thai food offered by the fabulous Chef Tina.

Speaking of Tina, this lady is a wonderful person. She raised her several daughters on her own, and raised money via this restaurant  to bring her daughters over from Tailand to live with her in Hilo. Her dishes are HUGE and I recommend sharing them with a friend.

Price: $3.00
Price I would pay: $4.50
Taste 5/5
Originality  5/5
Best parred with: Something spicy and Thai!

Garden Snack Club
82 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI 96720
 
Located deep in the heart of downtown Hilo, Hawaii is an often unnoticed little sushi bar. Passerbyers are confronted with a cute little Princess Kitty and a list of sushi. Open only a few hours a week, this little hole is a hidden jewel of Japanese cuisine. What will you find at Hime sushi? SUSHI. A sign on the door even mentions that no Tempura, Noodles or anything of that like is available inside. As one walks in the door, one is greeted by the sweet Japanese neko(cat) lady owner, and her sushi chef behind a tiny counter. The walls are decorated with many a cat and there are three small tables and a little bar to sit at. The prices are well worth your bet. With drinks at only a dollar a pop and sushi ranging from 2.50-12 dollars a roll.
Picture
Picture
The exterior of Hime Sushi. Located at 14 Furneaux Ln., Hilo, HI 96720.
Picture
Orange Sherbet Hand roll: $5.75
This equisite hand roll is wrapped in a yellow tofu skin, and contains spicy and creamy sauce with scallops and rice.
The color is that of orange sherbet, thus the name I suppose and feels like a walk through a warm sunny day in Hilo as you eat it.
Picture
Iced Tea: $1.00
I personally try the ice tea at every place I go, and Hime Sushi's ice tea was perfect. Not over brewed or under brewed. It  has the classical flavor of ice tea but did not taste like Liptons. All you can drink for 1 dollar did not bring me negative feelings either. The round ice was very unique and made the tea feel more smooth.

Picture
Volcano Roll: $11.25(12.00 w/ fish eggs)
This item called  a volcano roll, was one of the specials. It was composed of a California roll, topped with scallops and a Dynamite sauce. The fish eggs I added for an extra $75 cents.
This roll reminded me greatly of the Yanagi's sushi in my hometowns "Dynamite Roll" it is a bit less complicated but has the same idea. At 11.25 it was one of the most expensive items on the menu but still very delicious and worth the price. The layout that came with it was a bit western, but still quite lovely. For a Dynamite roll and it's price I give this item a 3/5 but if I had nothing to compare it to I would give it a solid 4.5.

Overall I give Hime Sushi a 4.3/5 stars. The prices are a bit higher than ocean sushi, but it makes up for that in taste and atmosphere. So if you are looking for a new sushi experience on the big island of Hawaii give this tiny bar a chance.
 

While at Two Ladies I also got a box of mini bites, these assorted mochi are colorful and full of tiny bits of brownie, chocolate, and white chocolate macadamia nut.  The box also came with long strips of guava and papaya infused mochi.

Picture
 

So today I had this great lust for Mochi, so to curve my appetite I decided to go buy myself some at 'Two Ladies kitchen' a famous homemade mochi place here in Hilo. As I walked up I noticed they had a sign up that said they had strawberry mochi. Excited as this place is famous for their mochi I bought two. At $2.75 each I really hoped they would would be tastey and they definetely did not disappoint, The size of a tennis ball, this giant mochi also known as Ichigo Daifuki was made to please. On first bite the splash of Waimea fresh strawberry was perky and succulent dulled down with the overly sweet been paste and complemented by the chewy delight of the mochi. As I finished my quite large treat I felt my self filled and satisfied. A 9.5/10 stars for strawberry goodness ^_^

Picture
Picture
Picture