Getting ready to shop for the holidays? Keep your spirits high and take a buying break at these Ala Moana Center (alamoanacenter.com) eateries.
A variety of puffs at Liliha Bakery
An outpost of this popular bakery at Ala Moana Center offers its classic pastries that have kept Liliha Bakery’s (lilihabakery.com) locations in business since 1950. Look for everything from malasada doughnuts—including one flavored with likikoi—to two-bite cream puffs in flavors like coco and green tea. A little sugar fix is just what you need before another round of stores.
Mama Pho’s signature filet mignon pho
The signature dish at Mama Pho (mamapho.biz) is obviously pho, of which there are a whopping 17 different varieties from which to choose. Everything from shrimp and beef to tripe and fish bowls can come in the form of a steaming hot bowl of pho, the perfect comfort food no matter the weather. Not feeling soup? Try com (rice dishes) or bún (vermicelli noodle bowls) instead, all topped off with a Thai tea.
The gussied-up version of loco moco at Mariposa at Neiman Marcus Ala Moana
Try Mariposa’s loco moco and enjoy a grass-fed wagyu beef patty topped with steamed white rice, a local organic sunny side up egg and hamakua mushroom truffle gravy for an elevated spin on the classic comfort dish. Specializing in Pacific cuisine, Mariposa’s open-air lānai is the perfect place to grab a bit of respite and take in the gorgeous sunset.
The freshest poke possible from Poke & Box
Every morning, fresh ahi is caught in Hawaiian waters, fresh salmon arrives from the Pacific Northwest, delicious scallops are delivered from Hokkaido, Japan, and succulent shrimp come from Vietnam to Poke & Box (pokeandbox.com). In addition to traditional sides like cucumber and avocado, you can choose from Asian favorites like KimChee daikon (radish), daegu (spicy cuttlefish), edamame (soybeans) and Okinawan sweet potato. Sauces are handmade, ranging from mild to very spicy.
Photography by: Rae Huo and Adam Jung
