Matsumoto Shave Ice

A long-time friend and former Bay Area roommate was in town with his wife and baby daughter last month, and they wanted to check out the North Shore. Together we headed out on a Sunday for a late lunch (not by design, both families were running a little behind) and then to the famous Matsumoto Shave Ice before driving to Sunset Beach for playtime in the sand.
It was my first trip to Matsumoto! I'd been meaning to check it out and try it for a long time, but never made it. It's a little store, in the old-fashioned general store sense, that sits on a small lot very close to a busy highway. And the line is always out the door with folks waiting to get shave ice. Our kids were pretty restless during the wait and I didn't get the sense that I'd be able to enjoy anything that I ordered for myself, so I decided I would just try some of whatever Noel ordered so we could trade off watching the boys. Except he ordered vanilla ice cream. My friend's wife did get the shave ice, some red variety which she shared with me. She also shared a secret with me that she learned while living in Thailand - add the extra condensed milk on top! Yummy. Hands-down better than any copycat I've tried in Waikiki. Next time shave ice will be mine!
A little tip if you're ever there - be prepared. I felt like I was living the Hawaiian equivalent of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi. The staff is a well-oiled machine. Despite the hoards of tourists who come in, they give you blank stares when you fumble about and ask questions. They're nice and all, but let off an aura that they can't believe you botched an order for a simple cone of ice.