I recently was reminded (through the so-called “coconut wireless”) of two Hawaiian shaved ice wagons in town, one in the NW, and the other in Sahuarita & sometimes in & around Tucson.

What is shaved ice? Well, it’s basically soft fluffy particles of ice, shaved off a large chunk, and then served in a cone-like holder, with flavored juice poured all over it. It’s wildly popular back home in Hawaii. (Here in the U.S. Mainland, it is often confused with those hard “snow cones” but Hawaiian shaved ice is “mo’ bedda” (pidgin English for more better) since it’s a lot softer.)

Shaka Shave Ice parks their wagon (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays only) in front of the super-large Asian supermarket Lee Lee’s at the NE corner of La Cholla and Orange Grove (1990 W. Orange Grove). Their website is http://shakashaveiceaz.com/ and is operated by Lynn Miyazaki Bronaugh, husband Jeff, and daughter Michelle Munoz. Phone # for Shaka Shave Ice is 520-531-2367, email is shakashaveice@hotmail.com. Lynn grew up in Kaneohe, Oahu and ate a lot of shaved ice there, and all 3 in this family have lived in Hawaii as well. The flavors they serve:

banana • black cherry • blue hawaii • blue raspberry • bubble gum • cherry • coconut • cotton candy • dreamsicle • grape • guava punch • li-hing-mui • lime • lychee • mango • margarita • melona • orange • passion fruit • pineapple • rootbeer • strawberry • vanilla • watermelon

…and The Combinations

keiki special • rainbow • hawaiian grinds • mauna kea • POG • SHAKA kone

Shaka Shave Ice's wagon

I tried their shaved (shave) ice a while ago when they were parked outside of the Foothills Mall, and it’s “onolicious” (delicious using the Hawaiian word “ono” for yummy), especially the POG (combination of passion fruit/orange/guava).

The other wagon is Da Kine Hawaiian Shave Ice operated by Elisha Wintch, who used to live on Oahu as well, and whose grandpa is from there. She operates mostly out of a city park in Sahuarita and has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/DaKine-Shave-Ice-of-Sahuarita/209145055767019.

Da Kine’s bright yellow shaved ice wagon was there at 2nd Saturdays Downtown in Tucson on June 11 and is sometimes parked near Palo Verde High School on E. 22nd St., west of Kolb. I recommend you call ahead to (801) 360-5319 to find out where they are for the day, or check out their Facebook page. I also noticed their wagon at the recent Fiesta Grande on May 7 & 8 in Barrio Hollywood.

Da Kine Hawaiian Shave Ice's wagon

As the summer temperatures get hotter & hotter, I start yearning for a cool shaved ice…though growing up on the Big Island, we called it “ice shave”. Whatever you call it, it’s wonderfully refreshing on a hot day!