I went to Matsumoto Shave Ice on my Hawaii trip the same day I went to Plantation Grill, which I also reviewed. You may not have heard of it, but Matsumoto’s is the most famous shave ice in the world. Well maybe Hawaii only, but shave ice is a Hawaiian specialty, so perhaps that’s not hyperbole!
We went to Matsumoto’s on a holiday, and we were not the only people who had the idea of going there to say the least. The line was extremely long. It went all the way out the door and into the courtyard, as you can see from this picture outside:
What Is Shave Ice?
Hawaiian shave ice is like a snow cone, or bowl, and originated in Hawaii. Often it is misspelled as “shaved” ice, but there is no “d”. It is just “shave” ice.
Shave ice has gained popularity in the lower 48 states as well, as a sweet, cold dessert alternative to ice cream. At Matsumoto’s they have several ice-making machines. The staff puts giant ice cubes in, and out comes shaved ice, that has the consistency of snow. Then they add flavored syrups, ice cream or other add-ons according to the customer’s order.
Passion Fruit, Mango and Peach Shave Ice
I ordered a Passion fruit, Mango and Peach snow bowl, with ice cream.
I liked how the ice and ice cream blended together. It hit the spot on a hot day.
The Bees!
One more thing about the line. It moved quickly, so it was not bad, if you did not mind the bees. Yes, the bees! The trash cans in the courtyard attracted bees, undoubtedly due to the sugary sweet shave ice leftovers discarded in the cans. Both myself and my dad are afraid of bees, so thankfully Christy was there. That’s a benefit of knowing someone who is fearless about bees! You could say, when Christy’s around, bees can just let you bee.
Location of Matsumoto Shave Ice
Matsumoto’s is located on the North Shore of Oahu, in Haleiwa, about 25 miles north of Honolulu:
Matsumoto Shave Ice
66-087 Kamehameha Highway
Haleiwa, Hawaii 96712
