Liliha Bakery // restaurant review // Hawai’i

by Kris   ⋅   January 21, 2006   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

It seems like forever since my last Liliha Bakery breakfast, where the pancakes are bigger than your head. The fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth Japanese-style (according to my friend) pancakes soak up syrup like a sponge and beckons for more, glistening wtih desirable air pockets. The gigantic, perfectly golden brown bad boys are prepared right in front of you, where you watch them gently puff up and expand on the griddle next to the shameless mountain of pure grade A butter and neon strawberry jam. When you receive the enormous (did I mention these things are HUGE?) yet delicate hotcakes, you have no choice but to slather on even more butter, just to watch it disappear as quickly as the knife can spread it. To complete the carb-fest, I got a side order of their fried spuds, which are basically cut width-wise into ~1″ thick slabs and simply browned on both sides. Add your own salt and pepper; I love it dunked in a pool of Tabasco. The menu says “4 or 5 pieces”, but I’ve never received less than six. Can you say generous?

Chris went for a veggie omelet; theirs is more of a scrambled rather than folded mass with lots of diced bell peppers, tomatoes and onions. It usually comes with your choice of breakfast meats chopped up in there, but we’re vegetarian so we skipped it. It’s served up with a hefty scoop of rice and toast (white, “brown”, cinnamon or raisin) which of course is served with Liliha’s fluorescent red jelly and more butter.

That’s not nearly enough carbs for us, so we had to get their signature CocoPuffs* (pictured bottom left corner), airy creampuffs bursting with rich pudding-like chocolate filling. In an interview with a local newspaper, they explained the not-too-sweet filling was a blend of evaporated milk, cocoa powder and a “secret ingredient that has a lot of butter”, surprise surprise. Their special hand-piped Chantilly topping (also loaded with butter) completes the mini-heart-attacks. No worries, Kuakini Hospital is right next-door!

Although I miss their old-school brown and ochre menus (now replaced by feminine-product pink and purple sweetpea-esque bouquets), the friendly and lightning quick service and onolicious (scrumptious) food are just as I remember it. Liliha Bakery breakfasts and pastries are guaranteed to make you gain five pounds on the spot, but you’ll be so happy you won’t even notice.

*Note: CocoPuffs have steadily increased in price– now 95cents each but worth it.

Liliha Bakery
515 N. Kuakini St. Honolulu, HI - (808) 531-1651
HOURS: Opens Tues 6am, closes Sun 8pm, 24 hours a day. Closed Monday.
Expect a line; this place is packed even at 3am.

About the Author:

Kris Kobayashi-Nelson has zero cavities and has had dentists place bets against her. She is a pie and onion ring addict. She prefers pared-down diners, late-night/early-morning eats and hole-in-the-walls with heaping plates to “two-bite” five-stars.