Whatta Waffle Hits the Road

If you like waffles, get ready to find the Whatta Whaffle food truck in the Hilo area.

Whatta Whaffle owners Sharla Sares and her husband, Craig, are turning out delicious waffles from their tiny truck.

The unusual combinations, ranging from sweet to savory, have people lining up for more.

On the very day I met Sharla and Craig, the man in front of me was eating a waffle. He was ordering a second one. The lady behind him was calling her family to see who else wanted them.

My original intention was to just go by and introduce myself, but the Sares said no, quite firmly, and insisted I try some on the spot (I didn’t argue very hard).

The waffles are light and fluffy, but crispy on the outside.

I asked Sharla why she chose waffles as the theme of their food truck.

“I have always loved waffles since my dad and I used to make them from scratch every Saturday morning,” she explained, “and I love to create different recipes and toppings.”

Since her father’s passing five years ago, it has been a goal to carry on the tradition and share it.

I asked Sares about their most popular sellers.

“It varies, but the favorites seem to be Pine Trees [Chicken and Waffles with Pepper Gravy, $8] and the Hapuna [Blueberries and Strawberries with Signature Coconut Sauce, $7.50].”

The chicken and gravy combo was my favorite, too, owing to a gravy better than mom used to make and crispy fried chicken.

Toppings include blueberries, mac nuts, bananas, raspberries, biscoff and nutella. Syrups range from traditional maple to boysenberry and lilikoi.

Owning a food truck is fun, but it’s not easy. I asked the Sares about their biggest challenge.

“Finding a place to service the public, who ask where we’ll be next,” they said. “We would love more support from the county.”

Locate the Sares duo and their delicious waffle truck by checking their Instagram account (@whattawaffle808 ) or their Facebook page (@SareOhana).

Customers lining up for waffles at Whatta Whaffle. PC: Marla Walters

Sharla Sares describes the special Apple-Bacon Waffle at Whatta Whaffle. PC: Marla Walters

The sleek, black Whatta Whaffle truck. PC: Marla Walters

Whatta Whaffle! PC: Marla Walters