After much doubt and hesitation, I bring you the start of my new blog Neverfull. It captures moments of food, travel and other pieces of my life, hopefully to share the best that I’ve come across with you all. I'm sure a future post will answer more questions regarding the name of my blog and more about me, but as of now I wanted to start this all off with a bang and what better topic than my first trip to a farmer's market? Hope you love it and let me know what you think so far!

The KCC Saturday Farmer’s Market in Honolulu, Oahu was the first farmer’s market I’ve ever been to and I’m almost sure nothing will ever compare. Located at the Kapiolani Community College off Diamond Head Road, this market opens every Saturday early in the morning from 7:30AM to 11:00AM. While it’s brutal to wake up that early for anything, KCC is definitely worth it. Don’t let the fact that it’s a tourist destination deter you from coming; there’s a reason it’s so popular.

KCC has all the farmer’s market staples: fresh produce, beautiful flowers, friendly locals and more. While I didn’t expect to see as much ready-to-eat food as I did, I am not one to turn away a snack (or several). With so many options, it’s hard to decide what to line up for so let me narrow down my top three picks.

1. Right at the entrance there is a fresh abalone stand and while I don’t remember the name, I’ll never forget the taste. Simply grilled, $6 will buy you two (or three if you come later). Abalone is usually a pricier fare, especially in Chinese culture, so six bucks was a steal! The simple process of grilling this treat brings out the natural sweet and meaty quality of this treasure, finished off with condiments on the side. There will almost always be a line for this place but if you’re a fan of shellfish, you should give this a try!





2. Aside from the occasional craving for a slice, I’m not a big fan of pizza and even I loved the North Shore Farms LLC “Ultimate” Pesto Grilled Pizza. The crust of the pizza is thin but still able to support the toppings loaded on the surface. Opting for a pesto base lightens the conventional pizza, with bright and ripe tomatoes and stretchy, fresh mozzarella. Finishing off with some fresh basil echoes the herby-ness of the pesto sauce. “A true slice of Hawai’i” indeed – all about yummy, fresh and local treats!




3. Lastly, the delicious acai bowl. This is the first time I’ve ever had an acai bowl and it was amazing. Daizu Tei’s are “organic acai bowls with milk from locally grown soy,” topped with fruit and agave nectar if you want. Fresh, bright and not to mention healthy; a great dessert to finish off a lovely morning!


Honorable Mentions:

“Ono Pops: Chef Josh mixes the perfect flavors together in making his locally-sourced gourmet paletas, the popsicle of Mexican cuisine.  Over 24 flavors – Mexican Chocolate, Li Hing Pineapple, Lychee, Okinawan Sweet Potato Pie, Lilikoi 50-50,  and my favorite Mountain Apple Rose and much more.





Kukui Sausage: Original and specialty sausages: Portuguese, Italian, Chicken, Pineapple, Chorizo & more! Grilled on a stick or a bun, frozen packs too.



Two Hot Tomatoes:  fried green tomatoes, zucchini and Maui onions.


Waimanalo Farm/Golden Melon: Lemonade with lemons straight from there farm flavors: original, strawberry lemonade, and li hing lemonade.”


(*quoted from the http://hfbf.org/markets/markets/kcc/#tips page)

Last Tips:

1. Come ready to eat! There’s so many options that there’s bound to be something for everyone.

2. Bring cash. It’s a farmers market and there are tons of things to buy, generally $5-10 for things so cash just makes it easier.

3. Bring a bag (or cooler). Since it’s early in the day, it’s a great opportunity to pack snacks of fresh fruit or prepared options for a lunchtime picnic to travel with wherever your day takes you.

4. Take the bus instead of driving. Oahu is not a hard place to navigate by bus and they come around pretty often, that way you don’t have to worry about the fuss of parking.

5. Come early. Even though it’s early, it’s a great atmosphere to be around and a good reason to start a day of adventuring early. You’ll get picks of the best before things start selling out and lines get too long (the longer in the day, the more tourists by the busload).

*Bonus Tip:

If you can’t make it Saturday morning, KCC runs a smaller farmer’s market Tuesday nights 4:00PM – 7:00PM. While there are fewer options, it makes a simple evening, great option for a laid-back date. Remember to check online for a weekly list of vendors if you’re more of a planning type. If you’re busy Tuesday and Saturday, don’t fret Oahu offers several farmers markets throughout the week!

Vivian C