This week we continue our recurring feature in 5 Things We Love spotlighting stuff you have got to do, see, hear, wear, use or eat in Oahu neighborhoods. Today: Mililani. Coming up: Waikiki, Keeaumoku and Kailua. Send your suggestions to features@staradvertiser.com.

Dog park is the place for pooches

Wide-open space and plenty of benches beneath the shade of trees make the Mililani Dog Park a great place to visit with your canines. I’ve been to this off-leash park only a handful of times, but if I lived in the neighborhood, I would probably be a regular. (Just be aware there are not separate areas for small and large dogs.) Open daily during daylight hours (except Wednesday mornings for maintenance), it’s located at the park-and-ride at Mililani Mauka District Park, 95-1069 Ukuwai St. Visit the Hawaiian Humane Society at www.hawaiianhumane.org/dog-friendly-parks.html for a list of dog-friendly parks on Oahu. — Nina Wu 

Cupcakes! Get your cupcakes here!

For years now I’ve been saying that Mililani is the perfect place to open a cupcake shop. It baffled me why no one had tapped into this growing community of upwardly mobile residents with the disposable income to shell out $3 for a cupcake. Heck, there isn’t even a bakery, cupcakery or otherwise, in the town to compete with (sorry, Foodland and Safeway don’t count).

Finally, Sugar Coated Hawaii has filled the void, opening in Mililani Mauka, at 95-1057 Ainamakua Drive, last month. The selection changes daily, with prices ranging from $2.75 to $3.25 per cupcake, but among those offered regularly are red velvet and chocolate, both topped with a wonderfully sweet cream cheese frosting that I absolutely love. Call 625-2253. — Stefanie Nakasone 

Golden Mart offers tasty snacks

OK, so it’s a hole-in-the-wall that feels a bit claustrophobic, but Golden Mart at 95-119 Kamehameha Highway is the spot to grab snacks for a picnic, potluck or trip to the beach. My son enjoys the garlic peanuts ($3.89 a bag), but you can also choose from pickled mango, soybeans, pipikaula and an array of poke — a little something for everyone. Barbecue sticks, sushi, musubi, fried chicken and other grab-and-go items are offered as well, but the selection varies. Call 625-2442. — Nancy Arcayna 

Fried saimin is good to go

There’s a reason fried saimin is the top seller at the simply named Mililani Restaurant. The Chan and Palola families that run the eatery have gotten the recipe right, cranking out 300 to 600 pounds of house-made noodles daily from their spot in Mililani Shopping Center, 95-221 Kipapa Drive. The enormous mounds of noodles are simply seasoned and fried with shredded cabbage and carrot, then piled high with strips of ham, egg and green onion for $6.99. Add crispy wonton or eggplant tempura for $1.75, or chicken katsu, teriyaki chicken or teriyaki beef for $2.29. It’s our family’s go-to place before tailgating. And with University of Hawaii’s football season starting Saturday, we’re planning for a quick stop on the way to the game. Call 625-2000 or visit www.mililanirest.com. — Donica Kaneshiro

Car wash puts on a show for niece

One of my favorite people is my 8-year-old niece, Dara, who once resided in Mililani. If she were still living there, this item would be about her. Instead, it’s about something we love to do together: relax in my car during a car wash. The place we go for this pleasure is Aloha Island Mart, the gas station-minimart across from McDonald’s, at 95-280 Kipapa Drive. It’s fun to watch the giant brushes descend on the car while sitting cozily as a storm cloud of water rinses the grime away. Dara heightens the experience with a few candy selections and a colorful slushy drink from the minimart. Select from four grades of car wash, ranging from the economical Express wash ($5) to The Works ($9), complete with a triple-foam soap, underpanel wash and wax. Prices are $1 cheaper with gas purchase. The car wash is open 7 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. daily. It’s multi-tasking at its finest, both practical and enjoyable. — Joleen Oshiro