Vacation Journal: New Hawaii Finds

Another fine trip to Hawaii!. Here is a list of some of my new and exciting finds on this trip.

Sconees Bakery. This Kaimuki bakery makes light and flaky scones as well as absolutely amazing lilikoi bars. The bars are nice and tangy with a good lilikoi flavor on a rich, buttery shortbread crust...mouth wateringly good.

Sconees Bakery
1117 12th Ave. (between Harding and Waialae)
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 734-4024


Kauai Chocolate. I wasn't a huge fan of the two Hawaiian chocolates I tried earlier this year, which I found too sweet, but I enjoyed the Kauai Chocolate Company's 72% bar. According the their website, Kauai company chocolate is a blend of Peters, Callebaut and Hawaiian chocolate (though no word on the percentages of each. It has a clean, dark flavor with a good mouth feel. The 72% bar is available at the Shirokiya store in Ala Moana at $7 for a 5 ounce bar.


Fatty's Chinese Kitchen. Good food is hard to find in the Waikiki area, but Fatty's is a solid Chinese lunch stand adjacent to, of all things, the International Market Place. A popular spot for local hospitality workers, Fatty's has tasty noodle plates and a particularly good pork chop on rice. The pork is spiced with peppers, scallions and a touch of anise, almost a Shanghai meets Sichuan preparation minus the peppercorns.

Fatty's Chinese Kitchen
2345 Kuhio Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 922-9600


Liliha Bakery. Every time I visit I buy some excellent coco puffs at Kalihi's Liliha Bakery, but I also try something new there and have yet to be disappointed. Last year, it was chantilly cake. This year, it was the guava chiffon pie (pictured above). The pie is as light as air, like a very light mousse, with a strong, sweet guava flavor, topped with a sweet, guava glaze and whipped cream. It's like biting into a guava flavored cloud.

Liliha Bakery
515 N. Kuakini Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 531-1651

Well, it's back to the Mainland and back to work, but I always savor my bites of the Aloha State.