Beat the Heat

MONSARRAT AVE SHAVE ICE 
Raspberry, blueberry and strawberry shave ice = mixed berry shave ice, topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. 

This was berry good! 

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I have a feeling the summer months are going to be sweltering. Already, we are seeing high temperatures and it isn’t even summer yet. But there is a local treat that tends to make those summer scorchers a bit more tolerable…Shave Ice. Called Ice Shave on Hawaii Island and Shave(d) Ice on the other islands…the sweet, cold, tasty treat that leaves your fingers sticky and your tummy happy is sure to satisfy that craving for something to cool you off in the summer sun. 

I had the pleasure of discovering a new location along the slopes of Diamond Head recently and I think this place will become a sure fire hit, no pun intended. Monsarrat Ave Shave Ice, is hidden along an alleyway next to Pioneer Salon, which has delicious upscale plate-lunches by the way, the shave ice stand is along Monsarrat Avenue just after the eatery and before the bus stop on the right hand side if you are headed makai (3046 Monsarrat Avenue). They opened mid-February and word is spreading quickly about the delicious treat.

Cups are: small $4, medium $5 and large $6 but the charming little shave ice stand is not known for their affordable treats, it’s best known for it’s delicious syrup flavors. Each made fresh, without food coloring and using all natural ingredients. Flavors like mango, strawberry, green tea, acai, pineapple just to name a few. The syrups are so natural and pure you can taste the natural fruit essence as soon as you take a bite. Sometimes when you visit the other guys it just tastes like sugar and they don’t put enough flavoring in so you are left with a bunch of white snow. Here the owner and shave ice maker Kenta is eager to help and quickly makes your shave ice in less than a minute, but with each layer of ice he adds the fresh homemade flavoring; this way your shave ice is full of sweet, yummy, goodness instead of having to go back for a touch up of added syrup. 

In addition to the shave ice there are added toppings like fresh fruit, sweetened condensed milk, azuki beans and more. But the best topping of all is a nice scoop of ice cream. They offer a variety of different toppings depending on the day, they also offer specials. Don’t be shy, give it a try and ask if there is anything that is not listed on the menu. 

By they way, this place is so popular that some of the specialty flavors run out early like yuzu and mango, so go as early as you can. 
Hours are sunny days only from 11am-7:30pm. 
Cash only. 
Additional cost for add-ons .50 and etc.
When you have your shave ice and you sit down on the bench take in the art, stickers, little trinkets and potted plants that surround you. Its fun, makes you feel like a kid again. 

Here’s to those hot summer daze.