If you visit O'ahu, you have to visit the historic North Shore town of Haleiwa. And if you visit Haleiwa, you have to get some shave ice. The typical visitor will naturally gravitate toward M. Matsumoto's Store, which has been written up so many times, the line to get one of its cones can stretch down the street. But my choice will always be Aoki's, just a few yards away.
Sure, Aoki's might seem like the Portland to Matsumoto's Seattle, the also-ran, the hanger-on. But in addition to the practical benefit of having a (slightly) shorter line, it's no less a cozy, charming neighborhood store that happens to also excel in one of Hawaii's favorite icy treats.
There's no rocket science to shave ice, and I'd probably fail in a taste test between the two, but Aoki's shave ice is delicious, and my underdog preference.
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