In the decade I lived in Kailua, I watched it grow from a humble beach town into a heavily trafficked, millionaire enclave. It was time to pull up stakes and start over, and I landed in decidedly uncool, sleepy Liliha.
But gentrification has followed me. A house nearby is on the market for $1.1 million, and commercially, the first sign may be the arrival of Jay’s Cafe in a spot that had been vacant for two years. The cafe is the coolest little shop to ever open on Liliha Avenue. Literally.
Jay Wu deals in a combination of fluffy Taiwan-style snow ice, light Japanese-style confections and sushi, bringing to his shop a combination of skills gleaned from having worked in a couple of popular eateries around town.
Sushi ranges from basic ahi nigiri to a “spicy tuna bomb” of ahi and rice tucked into an aburage pocket, and torched garlic ahi or ebi nigiri; orders are two pieces for $2.60. Jay’s also offers unagi tempura, salmon tempura and ahi tempura rolls, ranging from $6.95 to $8.50. And for your next party, sushi platters are available from $30 to $44.
With just Jay and his wife working, a little patience is required when waiting on sushi rolls.
Conveniently, there’s a bus stop right outside his shop, and drivers have been known to rush in to pick up his airy, golden, melt-on-the-tongue piped butter cookies. One bite and you’ll know why.
Considering the size of Wu’s oven, it’s amazing how prolific he is, turning out batches of cookies, pastry, cupcakes and custom cakes with lettering in English or Chinese characters. My favorite desserts are his mango or strawberry mousse cakes in a cup ($3.50 each).
Jay’s Cafe is at 1630 Liliha Ave. Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Call 586-1628.
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“Bite Size” documents the small, the new, the unsung.
