Jamba Hawaii’s popular lychee smoothie lineup has returned. It will be available at Jamba Hawaii locations through June 8. In addition to the popular Lychee Dream (contact for price), Jamba Hawaii has two brand new flavors — lychee lemonade and lilikoi mango lychee (contact for price).
Lychee lemonade is a bright, citrusy smoothie with soy milk, lemonade, lychee puree, vanilla frozen yogurt and lime sherbet. The lilikoi mango lychee is a tropical fusion of passion mango juice, lychee puree, vanilla frozen yogurt and mango.
The Lychee Dream, a returning favorite, is a smooth and fruity mix of soymilk, white grape peach juice, lychee puree, vanilla frozen yogurt and raspberry sherbet.
This lineup is exclusive to Jamba Hawaii and meant to bring back memories of sneaking lychee from a neighbor’s tree or peeling open a fresh harvest with sticky fingers.
For more information, visit jambahawaii.com and follow Jamba Hawaii on Instagram (@jambahawaii).
Café serves popular Korean fast-food item
A new eatery has opened in Kaimuki Shopping Center. Rice Burger & Café Korean Cuisine is located in the former Coco Bloom space and specializes in “bapburgers” — which are popular in South Korea. What’s a bapburger? It’s a burger or sandwich with rice replacing the bread.
So far, the menu at Rice Burger includes a Spam burger ($6.99), which features Spam, kimchi and tuna mayo; a spicy chicken burger ($6.99); a bulgogi burger ($6.99); and a kimchi bulgogi burger ($7.99).
While the rice burgers are the star product and likely to draw the most curiosity, Rice Burger also serves tasty Korean side dishes, such as kimbap, bibimbap and ttekbokki (contact for prices).
More items may be coming to the menu soon. For the latest information, follow the eatery on Instagram (@rice_burger_hawaii).
A celebration of Italian cuisine
Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park (525 Coral St.) will be transformed into a “festa in strada” — that’s Italian for street festival — from 4 to 9:30 p.m. March 22. It’s all part of the annual Festa Italiana event.
Admission is free and the community is invited to sample Italian and Italian-inspired food from dozens of vendors, including Black Shamrock Tavern, Bambino’s, Arancino, Aroma Italia and many others.
There will also be live music, street performers, an Italian-inspired film showcase, and a beer garden offering Italian wines and spirits.
Parking is $5 with validation at Waterfront Plaza (stop by the Festa Italiana booth for a validation sticker).
For more information on this free street festival and other Festa Italiana events, visit festaitalianahawaii.com.
Poolside eatery unveils new menu items
SWIM Restaurant + Bar at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa (2424 Kalakaua Ave. Ste. 315) has unveiled its spring menu.
The skirt steak sandwich ($28) comes with sauteed onions, provolone cheese, cilantro-avocado aioli and Kanekoa Farms arugula. The smoked brisket sandwich ($24) features housemade pepper jelly, crimson-picked red onion, cilantro and melted jack cheese. The fried chicken katsu sandwich ($21) has tonkatsu aioli, shredded cabbage and namasu cucumbers and is served on a brioche bun.
Those who want to share a poolside snack may opt for the assorted crudite (contact for price), which comes with fresh local vegetables, warm naam and housemade edamame hummus.
SWIM has also introduced its Classic Cadillac Margarita ($23), which features a private reserve Codigo Reposado tequila.
For more information, follow SWIM on Instagram (@swimathyatt).
Artisanal café opens in Kailua
Kailua recently welcomed a new eatery. Lilikoi Kitchen (539 Kailua Road Ste. 102) is owned and operated by chef Bianca Alsip-Freeny and her wife, Querida.
This is the eatery’s second location; the first opened on Uluniu Street in Kailua in 2023.
Lilikoi Kitchen is known for its high-quality, fresh and locally sourced organic ingredients. Popular options are its food-truck-style garlic shrimp plate ($18.99), artisanal paninis ($16.99-$17.99), macadamia nut pancakes ($18.99) and Lilikoi Kitchen vinaigrette ($8.99 a bottle).
The new location will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and will also be able to provide catering for special events.
“We look forward to welcoming local residents and visitors to Lilikoi Kitchen in Kailua Town with great food, a warm smile and a commitment to community connection,” states Alsip-Freeny.
For more information, visit lilikoikitchen.com
Eatery introduces dinner and a show
Coco Deck Lahaina has launched its Front Street Magic Show, which combines the culinary artistry of executive chef Alvin Savella with the mesmerizing magic of David Kuraya.
The dinner takes place at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday evening starting April 1. The magic show follows at 8 p.m.
Guests can expect a four-course dinner featuring fresh seasonal ingredients. Savella is known as “The Kitchen Assassin,” for his bold, innovated approach to cuisine. Before opening Coco Deck Lahaina, he led Mala Ocean Tavern, The Banyan Tree at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua and Humuhumunukunukuapuaa at the Grand Wailea.
Kuraya is renowned for his blend of magic, mind-reading and comedy.
For more information, visit cocodecklahiana.com.
