Honey toast @ Shokudo
In Honolulu, I've wanted to try Shokudo's Honey Toast since seeing it pop up on friend's FB check-ins. The Yelp reviews back up its popularity and inherent goodness. On the Oahu leg of our vacation, we tried it ourselves.
Honey Toast is over-rated. There I said it. Ohana, please do not disown me! It's not that it tastes bad or looks funny. But literally, it's toasted white bread, honey and vanilla ice cream. You can make it at home in about 15 minutes with a loaf of white Cherry Blossom bread, Haagen Daaz and the cute little bear-shaped squeezy bottle of honey.
Honey Toast is over-rated. There I said it. Ohana, please do not disown me! It's not that it tastes bad or looks funny. But literally, it's toasted white bread, honey and vanilla ice cream. You can make it at home in about 15 minutes with a loaf of white Cherry Blossom bread, Haagen Daaz and the cute little bear-shaped squeezy bottle of honey.
And for $7.45, it's a little pricey for its simplicity. If you add chocolate, stawberry, or azuki, it can quickly become a $10 dessert. Better to go there the bar menu and side dishes.
For a pure dessert craving near Ala Moana, try Mariposa. You will pay a whole nickel more for dessert at $7.50, but these were a much better value. Delicious, big enough to share, and I could NEVER make any of these at home, let alone in 15 minutes. Warm lilikoi pudding cake, in particular, is just so fabulously ono. Just know that this is much more of a "Ladies Who Lunch" environment than Shokudo's "Young Hip Asian" bustling vibe.
A Sampling from Mariposa--all $7.50
For a pure dessert craving near Ala Moana, try Mariposa. You will pay a whole nickel more for dessert at $7.50, but these were a much better value. Delicious, big enough to share, and I could NEVER make any of these at home, let alone in 15 minutes. Warm lilikoi pudding cake, in particular, is just so fabulously ono. Just know that this is much more of a "Ladies Who Lunch" environment than Shokudo's "Young Hip Asian" bustling vibe.
A Sampling from Mariposa--all $7.50
Liliha Bakery Coco Puffs
Looking for takeout dessert? Head out early to Kalihi and grab a box of Coco Puffs from Liliha Bakery. It's a puffy pastry filled with a light chocolate pudding and topped with a dollop Chantilly frosting, which is a not-too-sweet vanilla-butter and almost caramel flavored slightly hard frosting. It's definitely one of those things where the sum is much, much greater than the individual parts. If I could figure out a way to bring a box back, I would do it every time.
Keep them refrigerated. Less than $1.50 a piece. Plays very nicely with coffee.
I'd go to Shokudo for the food and hip and bustling vibe. But for a pure dessert experience, I'd return to Mariposa for proper sit-down, or wake up early to make it to Liliha Bakery before the Coco Puffs sell out.
Eat Well. Be Well.
Looking for takeout dessert? Head out early to Kalihi and grab a box of Coco Puffs from Liliha Bakery. It's a puffy pastry filled with a light chocolate pudding and topped with a dollop Chantilly frosting, which is a not-too-sweet vanilla-butter and almost caramel flavored slightly hard frosting. It's definitely one of those things where the sum is much, much greater than the individual parts. If I could figure out a way to bring a box back, I would do it every time.
Keep them refrigerated. Less than $1.50 a piece. Plays very nicely with coffee.
I'd go to Shokudo for the food and hip and bustling vibe. But for a pure dessert experience, I'd return to Mariposa for proper sit-down, or wake up early to make it to Liliha Bakery before the Coco Puffs sell out.
Eat Well. Be Well.
