At new Liliha Bakery, stick with burgers, breakfast

I was wondering what a contemporized Liliha Bakery would be like, considering that owner Peter Kim is coming off the opening of the upscale Signature Prime Steak and Seafood restaurant.

On the one hand, there would be a temptation to appeal to a new generation of foodies. On the other, a sizable audience believes if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. And the 64-year-old institution ain’t broke and ain’t suffering from an identity crisis. The company’s website states, "Some things never change. At Liliha Bakery, that’s a good thing." The lines for Coco Puffs, pastries, cakes and the elusive counter seat at the original 515 N. Kuakini St. address are testament to that.

The die-hard fans are people who know what they like and don’t want changes. And they’re the ones whose lead the rest of us should follow. They’re ordering breakfast, loco mocos and the classic cheeseburger at all times of day. Veering from this formula can be disappointing, although Kim is trying to change that by introducing more aspirational entrees such as 10-ounce prime rib ($19.50) and spicy baby back ribs ($15.95) in coming weeks.

Still, I found it hard to resist taking a look, like hundreds of others who crowded into the new store during opening week last week.

The new bakery/restaurant makes good use of the space that originally housed Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab. Where the original Liliha Bakery is all light, low ceilings and glass, in 1950s style, Liliha Bakery 2.0 is built for today, spacious and luxurious in feel, with dark wood floors and posts, accented with golden lighting, the color of chantilly frosting. I guess you could say it’s like being in the center of a Coco Puff.

Up front are display cases full of the bakery’s signature pastry, plus cakes, butter rolls, turnovers and cupcakes that instantly put me in a good mood. There’s no way you could not feel like a kid again when eyeing such colorful confections.

Behind the bakery section a partition separates diners from the takeout crowd. Seated there, you’re oblivious to the commotion on the other side. There’s more seating at tables in the back and, in homage to the original bakery, expanded counter service as well, giving diners a behind-the-scenes glimpse.

The new restaurant accommodates 150, compared with only 21 at the original bakery, so you probably won’t have to worry much about waiting or being turned away. Because of limited seating at the original address, I ate there only once, even though I live only a block away.

Lunch and dinner can be a "meh" experience, with pork cutlet ($9.99) and grilled mahi ($13.95) just average. The best part was the butter rolls — crunchy, light and delicious, served with the restaurant’s signature strawberry jelly that is almost a neon red-orange.

"I love that stuff," a friend told me.

"What is it?"

"I don’t know."

Your best bets, for now, are burgers or breakfast items, available from opening to close.

The burger has a homemade flavor and texture, and is full of onions. It starts at $4.99 and runs to $8.49 for the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe. Don’t expect fancy cheese. It’s orange American, and that throwback quality is part of the restaurant’s charm. Like being offered an option of tomato, macaroni or potato salad with your entree, and opting for the tomato, to find that means three slices topped with a dollop of mayonnaise. Commercial mayonnaise was developed in the Depression Era, so it’s mostly old-timers who learned to eat it straight as a dressing.

Liliha Bakery’s pancakes hold their own against any contemporary breakfast rival. A trio of 10-inch pancakes is $7.50, $1.50 more if you want them shot through with blueberries or bananas. A single pancake is $3.99; 95 cents for the extra fruit.

You can create your own omelet ($7.79) or opt for the country-style ($7.99) scrambled omelet, with its combination of green and white onions, tomato and your choice of breakfast meat.

I opted for the vegetable omelet ($8.09) with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, also asking for Portuguese sausage. But, having found only two pieces of sausage in it, next time I’ll ask for a side (four pieces, $4.69) instead. The mushrooms had a rubbery, canned quality. Considering the other ingredients are fresh, I don’t think it would take much to make this one change.

For dessert, choose your basic chocolate, vanilla or strawberry milkshake ($4.99), ice cream soda ($4.25) or ice cream sundae ($4.95). Pies and cakes of the day are $3.99 for a slice of pie, $4.25 for a slice of cake. But, considering the newness of the place, not all of these choices have been available. I thought ordering anything from the bakery department would be easy, but even when I knew certain cupcakes were under glass, they were not available as dessert, and even at the end of the day, they won’t cut into a whole cake. So be prepared to be flexible.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Email nkam@staradvertiser.com.