Once in awhile you come across something that a lot of people agree that they like but are unable to explain exactly why. You lack the terminology, the experience in the appreciation and study of the item you are interested in to properly explain your feelings for it but that doesn't change the fact that you feel whatever it is you can't describe is good. Real good. Even though I don't know if I can properly describe the voodoo they do I want to recommend Matsumoto's Shave Ice.

Located on the Kamehameha Hwy. in Haleiwa, which is on the North Shore of O'ahu, which is in the state of Hawai'i, which is more information than you probably need, Matsumoto's specializes in shave ice. For those not in the know, shave ice is just what the name implies, a scoop of tiny shaved off bits of ice with different flavors of syrup poured over it. Y'know, a snow cone. It's a treat you would enjoy on a hot day but wouldn't think much about other than that it was much cooler than your surroundings. Fortunately, someone at Matsumoto's has put some thought into the art of shave ice.

First off they give you a generous serving of goo covered ice. A person going solo could slug one by themselves on a sunny Hawaiian afternoon but the ice blob is large enough that a couple could easily enjoy one together if they were feeling romantic and/or cheap. The serving is also so big that it has a very good chance of starting to melt before you can finish eating it. The good folks at Matsumoto's have a solution for this. For a bit extra you can also purchase a plastic cone holder that not only keeps the paper cone from leaking on your hand but fans out on the sides to catch any shave ice chunks that might come off while you eat. I don't know who thought up this device but they are a genius.

Sure, you can enjoy your shave ice with nothing more than the dozens of different flavored liquid that are on hand but why stop there? Along with the shave ice you can get the combo of ice cream and Azuki beans. The ice cream and beans are packed down into the cone giving you a treat at the bottom of your snack. You could root through your syrupy ice to get to them immediately but the three snacks work best if you eat them in order. These two items are things I wouldn't have thought of as good shave ice condiments but they not only compliment the shave ice perfectly but they give you the feeling that you bought something a bit more substantial than a ball of frozen water.

If after eating your snack you're still jazzed on the shave ice lifestyle Matsumoto's offers plenty of items for sale that will help you remember your visit to a concession stand. Matsumoto stamped t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and all manner of other swag is available for purchase. There are non-shave ice items for sale but who cares about them? You can buy a Snickers bar anywhere but where else are you going to be able to buy a shirt that has a picture of store founder Mamoru Matsumoto on the back? Nowhere else, which is why I had to buy one the moment I saw it.

There are a million things to do in Hawai'i -most of which are legal- but if you happen to find yourself in the 50th state you owe it to yourself to make the time to stop in at Matsumoto's Shave Ice. Taking the "do one thing and do it well" slogan to heart, the Matsumoto family has created an international name for themselves through nothing more than selling shave ice. Seeing a success like that first-hand makes a visit to Matsumoto's Shave Ice well worth your time. That, and the Lychee and Melona with Azuki beans and ice cream is so tasty it will knock you flat.

Questions, comments and discussions about shave ice can be sent to gleep9@hotmail.com. Once you're done here return to either the Pop Culture or Main page.