On Monday, May 6, take a pause from your diet if you wish to celebrate International No Diet Day. That could mean one day of no intermittent fasting, no keto meals, no paleo options, or whatever it is that makes you hesitate from gorging down a double cheeseburger, supreme pizza with extra cheese, or fried chicken with ranch dressing. If you must diet for health reasons, you may not want to take a pause, but for those who are doing it to feel better about your appearance, this is the day that social media folks want to embrace body acceptance, and to not feel ashamed about your size. So, if you are going to cheat for a whole day, make it really count.
Royal Lobster
Probably one of the best lobster rolls in Honolulu, Royal Lobster’s sandwich may sound luxurious at $29.99, but each brioche is filled with a full tail, claw, and knuckle, with no fillers whatsoever. Lightly seasoned, these 100% fresh lobsters from Maine are finished with warm butter, allowing the crustaceans to express their natural sweetness and succulence. Each roll comes with chips and a house cole slaw as the perfect accompaniments. Get there early because they occasionally run out.
SIMPLY BUTTER’D LOBSTER ROLL
Royal Lobster >> Get a special offer!
Location: 2250 Kalakaua Ave. LL 102
Hours: 10:30a-9p *closed M
Phone: (808) 888 – 0332
Tea Spot
If on the West side of the island, consider a stop at Tea Spot in the Waimalu Shopping Center. You may consider it worthwhile to take a drive just for the Coco OREO Souffle pancakes. Imagine three ethereal pancakes topped with chocolate cream, OREO cookies, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Eating the pancakes is like taking a bite of air, but with the OREO and chocolate accents, you know you are inhaling calories, making this truly a treat worthy of a cheat.
Fluffy and delicious strawberry soufflé pancakes, made with fresh strawberries and whipped cream!
Tea Spot >> Get a special offer!
Location: 98-020 Kamehameha Hwy. 104, Waimalu Shopping Center
Hours: 10am – 8pm (Sun – Thur), 10am – 9pm (Fri & Sat)
Phone : (808) 888 – 0366
Lawson at Moana Surfrider
Craving something frozen? Consider the ALI’I MEGA Soft Serve featuring a healthy portion of DOLE pineapple soft serve topped with chunks of pineapple, diced mango cubes, diced strawberries, and a mango sauce. This makes for an amazing dessert that does not feel as decadent as your regular scoop of ice cream, but still feels like you are treating yourself to something sweet. So don’t fret too much about the “mega” size.
Lawson at Moana Surfrider >> Get a special offer!
Location: 2365 Kalakaua Ave.(at Moana Surfrider)
Phone: (808) 926-1819
Hours: 9am – 11pm daily
*Store hours subject to change.
Kamukura Ramen
Those avoiding carbs will certainly be craving noodles, and Kamukura Ramen’s are always comforting. Known for their consomme-like soup base, Kamukura Ramen offers an irresistible Aburi Char Siu Ramen featuring charred, thick fatty cuts of roasted pork belly over noodles in soup. The fat just seems to melt in the mouth, imparting beautiful pork flavors that beautiful pair with the delicate French-inspired soup. The proteins are so delightful, you may almost forget you have noodles in the bowl.
Aburi Char Siu Ramen: Irresistible thick cut house made char siu with Kamukura’s signature soup.
Kamukura Ramen >> Get a special offer!
Location: The Lanai Food Court,
Ala Moana Center 2F (Macy’s side)
Phone: (808)400-0705
Hours: 9am-8pm (Mon-Thu until 7:30pm)
If you play your cards right on International No Diet Day, you can get away with three cheat meals–breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But don’t overdo it because if you decide to jump back on the diet bandwagon again from Tuesday, you may feel compelled to work out even harder. We hope that you are able to enjoy at least one of these amazing decadent meals and not feel too bad about the calories. Bon appetit!
