this truck looks busted.
but admittedly, it serves some hoppin' delicious skrimp amongst all the shrimp trucks lined up in oahu's north shore.
giovanni's aloha shrimp truck is easily located by the use of a gps (a godsend when you're driving around hawai'i). their menu is concise and basic because you get skrimp, or you get skrimp...and maybe a hot dog, but i'm not sure why you're going to get a hot dog at a shrimp truck.
the shrimp scampi ($13) was pretty DERICIOUS. huge skrimps swaddled in a garlic butter sauce dotted with finely chopped garlic accompanied by two scoops of rice. although simple and probably replicable in your own home, i can see why you would want to drop by giovanni's if you so happen to crave shrimp and you so happen to be in north shore. i sure did.
on the other hand, their hot and spicy ($13) shrimp was pretty terrible. the hot sauce turned out to be dominated by this vinegar funk which gave these shrimps a very one noted flavor profile. i am not a fan of eating things that taste like vinegar. to add insult to injury, there is a a warning for it on the menu board "very hot. no refunds." omg, bye, bye $13.
before we headed back to our hotel, i HAD to stop by ted's bakery for their infamous chocolate haupia cream pie which is also located in north shore. oh boy, thick, decadent, chocolatey, with a whisper of coconut haupia in the mix. oh dear, how i wish they had a storefront here!
we also picked up a slice of ted's pineapple cheese pie because we had visited the dole plantation earlier that day so i still had prickly pineapples on my mind. though this slice was delicious, it was pretty clear to me that the chocolate haupia pie was the be all and end all dessert in hawai'i. in fact, i think i will be dreaming about the chocolate haupia tonight.
ted's bakery also serves bento boxes and various lunch items which were delicious. alas, we were hungry and scarfed them down before i could take pics. just another reason for me to head back with my belly and my camera. good times!
Giovanni's Aloha Shrimp Truck
66-472 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 293-1839
price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!
Ted's Bakery
59-024 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 638-8207
i love ted's bakery! and giovanni's! i think there's a better shrimp truck near yokohama beach on the northwest side. i mean there's not a lot else to do on that side of the island, but one great shrimp truck. :)
ReplyDeleteTED'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletepineapple cheese pie! shut up i want this now!!! and the garlic shrimp and rice looks so good.
ReplyDeletekish- what's the name of the shrimp truck near yokohama beach? i'm intrigued!
ReplyDeletejustin- i knooooooooooooow! so freakin' goooooooooooooood.
nastassia- the desserts were near perfect. ugh, now i'm obsessing about sweets that are thousands of miles away :'(
Aw... Drool... Garlic + Shrimp = Match made in heaven. Sorry the spicy ones weren't nearly as good.
ReplyDeleteAnd top it all off, PIE. You eat like a champion, woman.
cathy- i eat like a fatty :)~ *jiggle, jiggle, wiggle, wiggle*
ReplyDeleteI guess the old cliche is right, you can't judge a book by its cover. Who woulda thought a run down truck could have such yummy treats!I'll be in Maui soon, can't wait to try the eats as well.
ReplyDeleteI think I can pass on the shrimp, but the desserts are calling my name!
ReplyDeletebianca- i need to go visit maui next!
ReplyDeletedanny- oh man those pies were the best!