FORKED UP

SALMON TOAST
BILLS HAWAII
280 Beach Walk, Waikiki
Phone number (808) 922-1500
website billshawaii.com

Toast is trendy right now, weird as it is. It seems counterproductive to pay $9 for a single slice of bread, but we threw caution to the wind and were richly rewarded with this loaded slab of rye, topped with smoked salmon, onions, pea shoots, cucumber and edamame. It’s like getting a salad on a bread plate: an unexpectedly refreshing and light accompaniment to Bills’ more solid fare of ricotta pancakes and sausage-rich breakfast platters. Next time, we want to try some of their sweet toast options — that brioche with raspberry and vanilla jam sounds enticing.

VEGETABLE TAN TAN RAMEN
GOMA TEI RAMEN RESTAURANT
Ward Village 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., suite 42
(and other locations), Honolulu
Phone number (808) 591-9188
website gomatei.com

Ramen joints in Hawaii seem to come and go, but Goma Tei Ramen Restaurant is a tried-and-true destination that serves up a mean bowl of tan tan ramen. For those days when you’re just not feeling a meat dish (which, honestly, might be kind of rare), Goma Tei’s Vegetable Tan Tan Ramen will swoop in and save the day. Although lacking in char sui, the veggies are so abundant that the dish fills you up in no time. Three types of mushrooms swim in Goma Tei’s signature sesame broth, along with carrots, celery and choi sum, making for a savory flavor packed into each bite.