The Ripple Of Smiles

If you are into pho, this is a great spot to check out! If I were to describe how their pho tastes, I would say full of flavor, fresh ingredients (which make the pho have a smooth clean taste to it) with plenty of noodles, meat, and veggies. They also have lots of vegetarian and vegan options on their menu for those who are curious. The summer roll is a nice and safe way to start before your meal as the veggies are nice and crisp, the peanut sauce goes really well with the rolls, and is not too filling before your main dish. This place is my go to spot when I'm craving pho and have even changed some of my friends opinion on pho after trying it here. One thing to look out for is that parking is extremely limited, so ubering might save you the headache with finding parking. Also if ordering takeout, double check to make sure your bag of veggies are fresh. Although they leave the veggies in the fridge and are fresh, on rare occasions I've received the bag of veggies with freezer burn (bean sprouts brown and the basil leaves wilted). Also if you order summer rolls they sometimes forget to add foil or a sheet at the bottom to prevent the rice paper from sticking onto the paper container, so I suggest double checking. I would rate it 5 stars if the takeout issues are resolved.

This place pushes very hard on a “clean cusine” marketing angle for their food. They do offer lots of vegetarian and vegan options which are not readily available in other places. However the promise of “your mind being blown” by the vegan house special etc falls a bit short - I tried the special with tofu myself. There are some nice flavors but definitely not mind blowingly good. The iced coffee is definitely worth a try though. Another random note - when I visited (early dinner) the music was of the obnoxious smooth jazz variety and a bit too upfront in the “outdoor dining” area. It did change for the better as the evening progressed.

I really love this place, the food is so delicious and fresh and the people who work here are really great and accommodating. I get out of class right before they close for a few hours before dinner, but they always squeeze in my favorite tofu summer rolls! They have vegan options, but also plenty for someone who wants a heartier meal. The outdoor dining is shady and the perfect spot to nibble on some spring rolls, cool off with cold tea and enjoy a healthy light lunch w friends. My only complaint is I can never remember the name correctly when I recommend it to ppl 😂

The Ripples of Smiles has easily become one of my favorite spots on Oahu. They specialize in “healthy” portions and also have a great vegan menu. Parking in the area is kinda limited, but well worth the trip for the quality of food. I’d definitely recommend this for a first date spot. The outside portion has nice fairy lighting as well (feels very intimate).