True Hawaiian shave ice can be tough to find on the mainland. Key ingredients: good ice cream, adzuki (sweet red) beans, house-made syrup (and a variety of choices), and powdery, properly shaved ice.
You’re probably best off going to Teri Hawaii, where syrup flavors include strawberry, lilikoi, and pineapple–and you can get them together. Ice cream and adzuki beans are available, and the result is creamy, fruity, and delectable.
Teri is Hawaii-authentic, if not the same quality as Matsumoto, the famed shave-ice spot on Oahu’s North Shore, says ek. Mike Q, though, hands Teri the advantage for serving the shave ice in a good-size cup, not a paper cone. A serving is about $3.
A couple other recommendations: Maui BBQ, where shave ice is served with ice cream and adzuki, and about eight flavors of syrup. And in Simi Valley, of all places, there’s Tutu’s Hawaiian Ice Cream Shack, where they’ve got all the fixings.
Teriyaki Hawaii [South Bay]
a.k.a. Teri Hawaii
1425 W. Artesia Blvd. #34, Gardena
310-327-0307
Locator: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt=Typ&tuid=9116243&ck=2351538837
Maui Hawaiian BBQ [North OC]
1323 S. Harbor Blvd., Orangethorpe, Fullerton
714-278-0688
Locator:
http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt=Typ&tuid=29650734&ck=3752632365
Tutu’s Hawaiian Ice Cream Shack [West San Fernando Valley]
4332 Cochran St., Simi Valley
805-522-6922
http://www.tutushawaiianicecreamshack.com
Locator: http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?Pyt=Typ&tuid=25746120&ck=1765202388
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ISO Hawaiian SHAVE ICE
I agree!! I drive all the way down to Teri Hawaii from Ventura just to have a shave ice!!!! We are talking about 100 miles……but it is worth it….of course we stop at Bob’s Okazuya first to grind some grinds…..chicken long rice, lau lau…..good stuff;)
Geeze! Go to Tutu’s in Simi Valley! It’s SO much closer!!! They got lots of flavors to pick from, plus ling hing powder, and sour spray! Heck, they even have Lappert’s ice cream now… Not to mention that it IS real shave ice — not that crunchy stuff.
Okay, shave ice fans in L.A./Ventura County areas. You have to try “Shave It” shave ice – in Thousand Oaks next to Office Depot on Hillcrest and Moorpark Rds. This is a fairly new place started by two moms who fell in love with Hawaii shave ice. They are doing it right, too, nice and soft, with lots of flavors and ice cream, too; though I am a purist and eat mine ice only. They are also franchising these stores, so I am hopeful that there will start to be shave ice available here. (Check it out at shaveicenation.com) I have lived in Hawaii for the past twenty years and am a big shave ice addict and I always miss it when I am visiting my old home here in L.A. For when you visit Oahu, I do recommend Tropicana for the softest shave ice, Waiola for the best homemade lilikoi syrup, and I recommend Shimazu’s on School Street off the H-1 for the biggest (ask for the Larry) and the best selection of lots of different syrups – plus it has been there for over fifty years!. On the big island, in Kona, the Scandanavian shave ice store is solid and they make the biggest shave ice ever – though you might need to ask them to make it extra soft, sometimes they are so busy their employees speed up the machine and that results in a coarser ice. In Waimea on the big island is the fantastic Mauna Kea Snow shave ice store (on the main highway heading out of town toward Hilo). She makes it super soft and big! Delicious. I love shave ice so much that my husband finally bought me a big commercial machine, so now I can have several a day. The key to the soft ice is the way it is shaved – slower is softer and it melts faster, but my trick is to not put too much syrup, then the ice lasts for the whole time. If you want the ice wet and slushy, then you can leave the block out for ten minutes or so before you shave it. If it is right out of the freezer, then the snow is super dry and soft but doesn’t hold a shape as well, so you might not be able to make it as high. My big rule when I am travelling and looking for shave ice is that I will never get it if the machine uses ice cubes – that is a snow cone – it can only be a shave ice if it is extremely soft. I actually get mad at stores (like Lappert’s) that call their coarse snow cone things shave ice – that is plain wrong – we need to protect the term shave ice and only use it when it is the real thing or else people get the wrong impression and miss one of the most wonderful treats in the world. I have been saying for years that the mainland needs to discover shave ice and hopefully, the Shave It moms will get it going with their franchises here. Happy eating, all!
Tutu’s has authentic Hawaiian shave ice. Its soft and heavenly.
The syrups (over 30) flavors are made on site. (With real Hawaiian C&H Cane Sugar).
The portions are big and their prices are very reasonable.
They are part of no franchise but, do sell the best ICE CREAM GOING… (LAPPERT’S) also over 30 flavors to chose from.
They just added Pineapple D O L E W H I P to their menu.
You can have it under the shave ice or, just by itself.
Walk into this place and you’re instantly transported back to Hawaii.
Shave it blows Tutus out of the water, I give credit to Tutus for the effort in trying to create the shaved ice experience from the islands but there is no comparison with Shave It. I heard that the franchising is already in the works which hopefully means we will have a shave it on every corner like we do starbucks. The Shave It website is shaveitnation.com. You gotta check them out its awesome. They are are located right next to the Habit in Thousand Oaks, its a once shot stop…lunch and then a delish treat. You should all try the tropical swell which is pineapple, coconut, banana, vanilla Ice cream. Its seriously so good your be hooked. They played the hipest music and the vibe is so rad in the store. I highly highly recommend it.
ricky — Do you have some type of vested interest in Shave it?
I’ve been to both Shave it and Tutu’s. I happen to like Tutus.
It’s a nice, mom & pop type place — and totally reminds me of being back in Hawaii. Sorry, ricky, in my eyes, Shave it just is too, well… plastic?
Oh great ! Another Starbucks! Just what I’m looking for. I much rather have an authentic relaxing experience. Shave it is about as authentic as Taco Bell.
Okay, now, let’s show each other aloha. I agree that the mom and pop places are wonderful. There is nothing like them. Slow and easy, done just right. At the same time, having to drive 100 miles to get a shave ice isn’t always realistic. For those who like to have a shave ice once in a while, driving all the way to Tutu’s will be worth it, even now that California’s gas prices have matched ours here in Hawai’i! But I crave shave ice everyday when I am in California and I would love to have it more readily available. It will help all the mom and pop places if more people discover shave ice and it catches on with people. Here in Hawai’i, many, many shave ice places have closed. There are only a few left on each island, even here in Oahu shave ice can be hard to find. I would hate to see it die out. Yes, the Shave It moms picked a slick surfing ocean theme for their shave ice shops, but it is attractive to young people – and let’s face it, from one old Calfornian – slick “plastic” modern hip, etc. attracts most Californians – always wanting to check out the latest thing. And if that is what it takes to spread the wonderful aloha delight that is soft shave ice, well. There will always be those of us who will still seek out the authentic versus the mass produced. By the way, speaking of wonderful Mexican food, be sure to try Las Fuentes one block northeast of Reseda and Vanowen in Reseda, cash only.
ricky started it. ;)
Anyways — when I moved here to Cali from Oahu, I totally craved the real stuff, too. I could not find it anywhere. I was totally happy when I finally found Tutus. They have the real soft ice, not that crunchy stuff that some places have. Not only that — they reminded me of being back “home.” Sorry if that offends anyone. I tried Shave it, too, ’cause it was there and I wanted to see if it was better (as some folks had said here on Chow). I just couldn’t get in the mood there at Shave it as I ate my shave ice staring at a huge picture of a couple of crazy haole kids goofing off in their underwear in the snow. I just found it, well, un-Hawaiian. Not to mention more expensive than Tutus. I couldn’t believe that they charge extra for multiple flavors! I’ll stick to Tutus. Plus, I live in Simi Valley, so Tutu’s is close enough for me to go every day to get shave ice — if I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong, I’d actually drive quite a distance to get something I like. :) Even with the sky-high gas prices.
So — you live in Hawaii? How often do you make it over here to the mainland? What shave ice places have you been to over here in California?
Oh, wait, cathdwyer, I see in a previous post that you’ve obviously been to Shave it. You didn’t mention if you’d ever been to Tutus…? But, I’d imagine with your own professional machine, you’d have no need for either place…
Oh, one more thing to address your previous post — Tutus is not a Lappart franchise store. It is totally independent. Some other Lappart store might have had the bad, crunchy, snow cone stuff, but that could not possibly have been Tutus.
I actually have found myself hooked on the Dole whip at Tutus now. I get it more than the shave ice these days. But I have a tendancy to go on these strange food kicks sometimes… I have a hard time believing that there’s no dairy in that soft serve Dole whip. (But the sign says so…!)
It saddens me to hear that many small mom and pop shave ice shops have gone out of business back home. I also noticed when I was back there that so many small places have been taken over by big corporations. It only goes to show that we need to support the small mom and pop shops like Tutu’s. If we don’t, everything will start to look and be the same, sanitized and diluted. By the way, if it’s aloha you’re looking for… Tutu’s has it in abundance. I guess that’s why we defend her so fiercely. Oh, by the way, it just depends on which way you’re travelling as to which place is closer. The two places are just one township away from each other and driving distance between the two isn’t a real issue. I know that driving from Honolulu to Kaneohe you have to pack a lunch…. But, If price is an issue, Tutu’s has Shave it beat hands down. The selection is larger, the sizes at Tutu’s are WAY bigger and the syrups are fresher and more flavorful. I disagree that most Californians are attracted to plastic and slick. It has been my observation that the people here in California are pretty savvy and recognize when they are being duped. :)
Cath, it sure sounds like you are about to open a Shave it franchise in Hawai’i.
Cath, please tell us that you aren’t planning on starting a shave it franchise over there in Hawai’i.
They really don’t need yet another corporate franchise that will most likely devastate as you say, the already fragile small mom and pop shave ice places in the islands. A word of advice (You can’t OUT HAWAIIAN A HAWAI’IAN). But, If you are planning on opening a shave it sham, you certainly have a vested interest in this CORPORATE FRANCHISE and have no place on this site.
People of Hawai’i WATCH OUT, here they come … AGAIN ! :(
Well, somebody has been away from Hawai’i too long. I am sending you a big wave of aloha right now. I hope you can feel it. I thought this site was a place to celebrate delightful food – and I love shave ice. A friend who knows how much I search for shave ice when I am in the Los Angeles area sent me a link to this site. I was hoping to hear about places to get true shave ice. Anyway, I do not have any vested interest in anything (we are farmers and we have no money) – I just love shave ice. I eat several a day. (I am anemic and I used to chew ice cubes – shave ice saved my teeth!) Anyway to answer a few questions here, I have a used shave ice machine from Ebay. (Before I got it I was buying shave ice one, two, sometimes even three, times a day.) When I go to California, I can’t take my machine with me – it is too big. I have not been to Tutu’s in Simi Valley – on this site is the first I heard of it and it will be one of my first stops next time I am in L.A. I am looking forward to it! I have been looking for shave ice places every visit to California for many years. My brother told me that the Lappert’s Ice Cream store on the Redondo Beach Pier had shave ice, but when I went there it was just a crunchy hard snow cone type thing. Now, Lappert’s ice cream is delicious, I agree, and my daughter, who loves ice cream in her shave ice, will be glad to have it at Tutu’s. And I am going to try that Dole whip, too – sounds good. I have gone to a flea market place in Canoga Park that does a weak version of a shave ice, pretty crunchy and just a few flavors, but I was so desperate I went there a few times. There is a place across from Reseda Park that says it has shave ice, but it is just crunchy crushed ice. Well, I didn’t think I would be getting into a franchise discussion war when I went to share a shave ice place that at least had soft shave ice and that might be opening other places. It would be wonderful to me to have a shave ice place in Reseda that has great shave ice. Any chance that Tutu has a daughter who might want to open another store? And if I could just find some great Mexican food here in Hawai’i, well that would be wonderful, too. I have been asking Las Fuentes to come here for twenty years – they just laugh at me and say they’d love to come to Hawai’i.
I’ll take you at your word. My apologies. Whew, from the way your posts were going it sure did look like we had another big brother take over to fight on our hands. It’s bad enough the big corporations are squeezing out small mom & pop shops over here on the mainland, I just lost it when it looked like Hawaii was being threatened, again. Any time away from home is too long. I’m jealous, wish I could afford the plane fare back for visits. Yea, I have been away too long, Aloha :}
The saddest thing for me was when the big stores, Walmart and Kmart came to Kona. People get all impressed because the store is so big and they just flock there. Those stores are always crowded and lots of the small shops have suffered. An example, Walmart carried lots of craft stuff until they put Ben Franklin out of business in Kona. Then Walmart stopped carrying all the craft stuff they had. It is such a racket and their stuff is such junk, too. Our world would be a much better place if we just stayed small and local with local folks you know and who do right by you because they care. Lots of people in Kona came to our farm there to buy food. They knew us and they knew how we grew our food (organic and healthy). We had great kalo, too. Since we closed our farm and moved here to Oahu, we have tried to find some land to use for farming, but all the ag leases are being converted for housing developments. These islands need to be producing their own food and it will be bad if some disaster comes because most of the food is imported now. People really need to think long term and support the little guys, because it is the little guys who will be there for them when things get rough. And the same goes for the mainland – most of the food is imported now, too. Anyway, that’s my two cents on it. Aloha :)
I must tell you, I have interviewed these ladies, the moms you are speaking about that own Shave It. If is is Aloha spirit you want then maybe you guys should spend some time speaking with them. I will tell you there is more Aloha spirit in that store then anywhere in all of Southern California hands down. My idea of aloha spirit starts with its very essence of the word, to me Spirit equals “giving back”. Shave It was created to help foster kids everywhere, they have even started their own foundation for it. In order to do that and do it well their product has to sell, and in order for them to sale their favorite treat it had to be the real deal. First it had to come from Hawaii. (they basically spend thousands of dollars in shipping and only buy from the local Hawaiians in support of the mom and pop.) You won’t find corn syrup anywhere here, What you will find, people all day laughing, telling stories, enjoying the TV bloopers and even an occasional snowball fight. You will find true Hawaiian flavor in every ounce, you will find the kindest employees anywhere in Ventura County, and if you happen to visit Camarillo you will find the Shave It van as it drives up and serves all of the foster kids who are being processed and awaiting a foster family, so now when the 6 year old takes her plastic bag for a suitcase to live at some strangers house she can add something to her belongings the experience of “shave ice”. These two moms set out to change corporate america into a cooperate america. They have given 20% more to all of the local schools in an effort to help with the schools decreasing budget. I noticed they educated their employees on giving back. You will find most of the entire staff running to help fight cancer in Relay for Life. Is this not the true Aloha spirit in which you speak. If this one tiny store has figured out a way to attract 100k customers and franchisees then by all means grow 1 million of them. I would be thrilled if these two had a Shave It on every corner!
I think this place is not only the best shave ice around but the best American Ideal. It may not be a mom and pop it may just be better, a mom and mom.
This post is not a food review, therefore not relevant to this site. Furthermore, it appears that you may be associated with Shave It.
Me and my husband first discovered Tutu’s when we came back from our honeymoon in Hawai’i in April ‘07, trying to feed our shave ice addiction in Southern California. Of all the places we’ve tried, Tutu’s is hands down the best. For the past year, we’ve pretty much gone to Tutu’s every weekend (52 miles each way from Redondo Beach to Simi Valley). We go so much that she remembers us and mentions to people how far we drive when we’re in. It’s such a friendly, family atmosphere. Sunday nights you can usually her family having dinner with her. The Dole whip is really good, as well as the popcorn with hot pepper spices. I was having the Dole whip more than the shave ice for a while, but we just got back from Hawai’i again so I’m back on the shave ice. Plus the syrups are GOOD. She makes them herself with cane sugar.