Aroma Italia

Aroma Italia is the go-to place for Italian comfort food. They have 2 locations on Oahu, 1 near Diamond Head and another in Manoa Marketplace. A lot of their ingredients are imported from Italy and their menu consists of pizza and pasta. The pasta is portioned for 1 person and the pizza can be shared between 2 people. Their prices are reasonable if you were to compare them with other Italian places that are also locally owned. My favorite is the linguine meatballs because the meatballs were tender and there's enough sauce. All pastas come with parmesan cheese so if you don't want that, let your server know when you order.

For the Diamond Head location, I recommend going for lunch instead of dinner because it's less crowded. Their space is small and if you sit outside, there's so many cars driving by and people walking past to get to other businesses. The lunch prices are a few bucks cheaper. I've always done a walk in but if you have 3 or more people, I suggest making a reservation 1-2 days in advance. They can move tables around and accommodate a larger group of needed. For parking, you can park on Monsarrat Ave or in the residential areas because the parking lot is always full and the spaces are tight.

For more information about Aroma Italia, visit aromaitaliahawaii.com or check their Instagram @aromaitaliahawaii.

Diamond Head Center
3045 Monsarrat Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 888-2229

Manoa Marketplace
2756 Woodlawn Dr
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 492-1221

Garlic Bread

Linguine Meatballs

Beef Short Rib Tortellacci

Tirimisu

Leila

Leila is a Moroccan inspired restaurant in the Kaimuki. They offer a dinner tasting menu that is $85 per person. You start with The Seven Salads which consists of 7 small dishes and the za’atar flatbread followed by the charred cabbage. The 7 dishes are shared with everyone on your table and the portions were generous. We ordered 2 different entrees since there was 4 of us and we added on the basteeya. The basteeya is a signature dish from the chef and it's a flaky pie filled with shredded duck. All of the dishes were tasty but my favorite was the short rib because it was tender and the sauce was flavorful. For dessert, the date cake was the best because the sweetness of the dates balanced with the salted caramel sauce. The yuzu custard was a lighter dessert and very refreshing with the seasonal fruits.

The interior of the restaurant has dim lighting and the noise volume is loud. The service from the staff was excellent. If you're looking for a place to have a fun dinner or to try a new kind of cuisine, this would be the spot for you. You should make reservations at least 2 days in advance. For parking, there is street parking along 12th Ave or paid parking in the Kaimuki Municipal Lot. 

For more information about Leila, visit leilahnl.com.

1108 12th Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 888-0884

The Seven Salads

Charred Cabbage

Basteeya

Mediterranean Fish

Short Rib

Yuzu Custard

Date Cake

Broome St General Store

There is a pop-up cafe inside Broome St. General Store that serves coffee, matcha, and pastries. They are located at Ward Village in Kakaako near Whole Foods Market. I enjoyed the miso caramel latte since that's not a drink I've seen anywhere on the island. The olive oil lemon cake and the chocolate banana mascarpone loaf were also delicious. The toasts are photogenic but they're $13 each. The whipped ricotta toast comes with jam and they have a bunch of different flavors. You can choose 3 jams and make it a "rainbow style" toast for an extra $1.50. The pastries are about $8 each. The drinks range from $4 - $10 depending on what you add in (espresso shots, oat milk)

If you are in the Kakaako area, this is a nice spot to hang out at since they have outdoor seating. There are 2 tables that have an umbrella and the rest are partially shaded or might be in the sun depending on the time of day you go. They do get busy and you'll see the line coming out the door but it's worth the wait for the drinks and pastries. If you eat there, I'm not sure if we're supposed to clean up our own table but we did. Some customers don't clean up and just leave their dirty cups and plates and another customer does it so they can use the table.

For more information about the cafe at Broome St. General Store, visit their Instagram @broomestgeneralhawaii.

310 Kamakee St B
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 480-9031

Whipped Ricotta Toast

Olive Oil Lemon Cake

Chocolate Banana Mascarpone Loaf

Avocado Beet Hummus Toast

Iced Aina Cloud Latte

Iced Miso Caramel Latte

Iced Ube Horchata

 

Island Glazed

Island Glazed is a donut shop in the Aiea area that makes fluffy donuts with local flavors like guava, lilikoi, lychee, ube and more. My favorite is their OG (original glazed) donut which is similar to Krispy Kreme but without the greasy taste. I thought the flavored ones were too sweet but the lychee had better flavor compared to the guava. Their donuts cost about $2.50 each which is pricey but if you buy them by the dozen or half dozen, it's cheaper. I recommend going before 10AM for the best selection of flavors. If the trays inside the display case are empty, ask the staff and they'll let you know if there's more of that flavor in the back. Besides the yeast donuts, they also have cinnamon rolls, filled donuts, donut holes, drip coffee and a few espresso drinks.

They are located inside the Pearl Kai Shopping Center next to Ricado's Italian Restaurant. They have a leather couch with a coffee table inside and a few chairs with counter seating against the wall. There is parking in front of the shop making it easy to grab and go breakfast in the mornings.

For more information about Island Glazed, visit @islandglazed on Instagram.

Pearl Kai Shopping Center
199 Kamehameha Hwy #98
Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 777-7505

OG (Original Glazed)

Lychee, Guava

 

Senia

Senia is located in Honolulu Chinatown. I recommend their tasting menu which is only available on Fridays and Saturdays with one seating at 6:30pm. You sit at the counter with 7 other diners and get a front row seat of the kitchen staff and Chef Anthony preparing and plating. The food tastes amazing and the plating is beautiful. Every dish is photogenic. My favorites were the caviar, foie gas, and squab. I was impressed with the squab because it's cut up and prepared in multiple ways, then plated into one dish. This is pricey meal and worth splurging to celebrate a birthday or other big occasions. The tasting menu can be reserved online or by phone and it's $288 per person with tax and gratuity included. This cost is only for the food and drinks are separate.

If the tasting menu is out of budget, they have an ala carte menu and the entrees are priced between $20 - $40. They also have dishes you can share with a small group of people which are priced between $100 - $140. The service from the staff is excellent and they are very knowledgeable about pairing your food with beverages. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance and I would suggest business casual dress code since this is a nice place. For parking, the Marin Tower Municipal Parking is the closest and it's a few minutes walk to the restaurant.

For more information about Senia, visit restaurantsenia.com.

75 N King St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 200-5412

Spicy Tuna Taco
avocado, smoked trout roe

Premier White Sturgeon Caviar
burnt bread, white chocolate

White Guy "Sushi"
kona kampachi, english pea, sherry vinegar

Foie Gras
nectarine, lychee, honey

Kabocha
hazelnut, sage, maple brown butter

Hamachi
shiso, heart of palm, prosciutto

Squab
artichoke, confit tomato

'Cream Tea'
triple cream, plum, earl grey

Coconut
lilikoi, hibiscus, ube

The Septagon
(closed)

The Septagon
(opened)