When my daughter, Tiffany, her husband, Ed and our granddaughter KC were here last month they took us to another wonderful restaurant that we would never have gone to if they hadn't introduced us to it. It's called Marukame Udon and is on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki. There are often LONG lines outside, but it seems to move pretty quickly.
When we went for lunch, the line wasn't too bad.
Tif took this photo when they passed by the restaurant one evening last month.
Edward Sugimoto did a thorough review on his blog, Around Hawaii. Click on this link to find out more about this place if you're interested.
When we were in Japan we were introduced to something called Sanuki undon. We really liked it. I'm not a huge fan of the thicker noodles, but this was great. It was silky and soft and just plain yummy.
Marukame Udon is sort of cafeteria style. You order your udon, pick up whatever tempura or musubi you'd like, get a drink and pay at the end of the line in cash.
Only then do you search for a place to sit.
We managed to avoid the long lines by going a little early. Art thought it was going to take a long time so he put enough quarters in the meter for an hour and a half. We were done in 35 minutes so we decided to walk around Waikiki's International Market Place to work off some of the carbs we'd had.
Mom says she has never been to the International Market Place. That was a surprise! She enjoyed walking under the huge shady branches of the gigantic banyan tree.
There's a lot of kiosks under the banyan selling tons of tourist trinkets.
We gave our 36 minutes left on the parking meter to a happy local person who drove up behind us and we headed back to Auntie Grace's home to drop her off before heading back to our house.
As we were waiting for the light to change there was a huge accident that happened before our eyes. Art says he saw an SUV plow into a car, 4 cars up that crumpled like an accordian. I saw another car who might have been trying to avoid the crash plow into the sidewalk and store.
Emergency vehicles arrived right away. We were going to try to back up and head out but the person behind us said there really wasn't another way to get up to Auntie Grace's place from where we were.
Two ambulances carried away the injured. We saw one woman on a gurney. One person had to be treated on the sidewalk first. A tow truck arrived to pull away the SUV.
Eventually the police came and told us that they were going to hold up traffic so we could get onto the highway to find another way to get where we all needed to go.
We were all counting our blessings that we weren't that first car at the intersection.
In the evening we were watching the news tonight and heard about a couple who were injured when a large branch from the banyan tree fell on them at the International Market Place in February.
I guess you never know when something bad might happen. We were lucky this time, but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
We can only hope for the best.
When we went for lunch, the line wasn't too bad.
Tif took this photo when they passed by the restaurant one evening last month.
Edward Sugimoto did a thorough review on his blog, Around Hawaii. Click on this link to find out more about this place if you're interested.
When we were in Japan we were introduced to something called Sanuki undon. We really liked it. I'm not a huge fan of the thicker noodles, but this was great. It was silky and soft and just plain yummy.
Marukame Udon is sort of cafeteria style. You order your udon, pick up whatever tempura or musubi you'd like, get a drink and pay at the end of the line in cash.
Only then do you search for a place to sit.
The food was excellent! They cook it right in front of you so it's extremely fresh (and very reasonably priced). We were grateful to Tif and Ed for introducing this place to us and decided that we would take mom there someday.
POSTSCRIPT:
The above was supposed to be my post for the day, but then some pretty extraordinary things happened.
We took my mom and her sister, Auntie Grace to Marukame Udon restaurant today. They both pronounced the sanuki noodles excellent. They especially liked the broth. We all had the Kake Udon and different kinds of tempura.
We managed to avoid the long lines by going a little early. Art thought it was going to take a long time so he put enough quarters in the meter for an hour and a half. We were done in 35 minutes so we decided to walk around Waikiki's International Market Place to work off some of the carbs we'd had.
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| Mom at International Market Place |
Mom says she has never been to the International Market Place. That was a surprise! She enjoyed walking under the huge shady branches of the gigantic banyan tree.
There's a lot of kiosks under the banyan selling tons of tourist trinkets.
We gave our 36 minutes left on the parking meter to a happy local person who drove up behind us and we headed back to Auntie Grace's home to drop her off before heading back to our house.
As we were waiting for the light to change there was a huge accident that happened before our eyes. Art says he saw an SUV plow into a car, 4 cars up that crumpled like an accordian. I saw another car who might have been trying to avoid the crash plow into the sidewalk and store.
Emergency vehicles arrived right away. We were going to try to back up and head out but the person behind us said there really wasn't another way to get up to Auntie Grace's place from where we were.
Two ambulances carried away the injured. We saw one woman on a gurney. One person had to be treated on the sidewalk first. A tow truck arrived to pull away the SUV.
Eventually the police came and told us that they were going to hold up traffic so we could get onto the highway to find another way to get where we all needed to go.
We were all counting our blessings that we weren't that first car at the intersection.
In the evening we were watching the news tonight and heard about a couple who were injured when a large branch from the banyan tree fell on them at the International Market Place in February.
I guess you never know when something bad might happen. We were lucky this time, but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
We can only hope for the best.
Oi, I'm sorry for all those injured but thank God it wasn't you!
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right, we have to be thankful for every day we stay alive (and especially so here in the Middle East).
Glad you enjoyed the restaurant and that it did not turn out to be your last meal.
How could you eat all that in 35 minutes??
I guess that's why they're able to serve so many people even with the long lines outside. It's very efficient and the noodles are so easy to eat.
DeleteHope for the best, and continue to live and enjoy each day to the fullest, like you did today.
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived on Pearl Harbor back in the 1960s, one of my favorite places was the Ala Moana Shopping Center. I think that is where the International Market Place is located? Dianne
ReplyDeletePS I love the way Mom keeps up with her family.
International Marketplace is located in the heart of Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue.
Deleteenjoy your food and family today for who knows what tomorrow brings...
ReplyDeleteYou just never know when something will happen, so you have to keep your eyes open and hope for the best. Fortunately yesterday was not your time to do anything other than chronicle the events. The restaurant does look good indeed, BTW.
ReplyDeletewow, what a day! That looks like a very nice meal, yummy!
ReplyDeletewhat an adventurous outing after such a fabulous day Kay...yes, nothing we can do about uncontrollable events...how awful.
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky it wasn't you. Appreciate the present, because who knows what tomorrow will bring?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you came out of that okay with nothing lost but some time. There is always sympathy for the victims and relief for ourselves in those situations.
ReplyDeleteThe noodle place looks wonderful. A new noodle place just opened up here and you have made me want to go try it.
The food looks wonderful. I know your mom & aunt enjoyed the outing. That sounds like a terrible accident. I always feel guilty about being impatient when something like that delays me from reaching my destination.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Linda. We felt terrible for all the people involved in the accident, but mom needed to use the bathroom so we were grateful that the police finally came to help us all get to where we needed to be.
DeleteThank you for sharing another great eating spot on Oahu. Never been there. The broth is what makes the dish and of course the noodles is the icing lol.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get scared just thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Life is full of tragedies and losses. I guess we have to be grateful for what we have and do our best to enjoy our precious time here.
L. from W.
You are so right! I have to keep remembering that! Right this moment I'm not sick. I don't feel any pain; I have a roof over my head and a full refrigerator. Those are all amazing blessings and I need to enjoy this precious time.
DeleteFirst off, so glad you were spared in that accident. When I saw that line, I thought "never in one thousand years would I do that." Then when you said it was cafeteria style, I relaxed. Those lines move quickly. Food sure looked good.
ReplyDeletethat space use to be the old Jack-in-the-Box restaurant on Kuhio Ave. Was boarded up for quite a while after Jack vacated.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely right! My niece-in-law used to work at that old Jack-in-the-Box.
DeleteI always enjoy it when you write about and show pictures of the food you eat, as it's so completely different from what we eat. If ever I visit Japan or Hawaii I'll have to ask you for advice on food!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to learn what else the British eat. All I remember right now are those delicious, decadent breakfasts and the yummy scones with clotted cream. And yes... the tea with cream.
DeleteYour Mom reminds me of a New Yorker who has never been to the Empire State Building!
ReplyDeleteHank, did you see the post I did about those five authors who stood to write? Thanks very much for the good idea. More reason for me to stand.
DeleteWell, I don't think any Brit drinks tea with cream. Milk, yes, but not cream. And I don't have either, I drink mine black. And for most people cooked breakfasts are just for weekends perhaps or holidays. Most people settle for cereal or toast for breakfast. Scones with strawberry jam and cream are another rare treat, again for high days and holidays, though tourists get through bucket loads of them. Lunch for us tends to be a sandwich or a salad or something on toast such as baked beans or eggs in some form or other. And Christopher and I eat very simply in the evening. Some meat or fish probably, with rice or potatoes and a couple of other green vegetables. Occasionally I make a curry or a pasta dish. I know that a lot of families eat pizza, but I haven't yet found a good gluten free pizza so we don't have that very often. I expect that a lot of people eat quite simply when they're at home, but wonderful food can be had in restaurants these days.
ReplyDelete