JJ’s famous chocolate pyramid is back at the new Tiny Pyramid

Ten months after JJ Bistro & French Pastry closed in Kaimuki, a smaller cafe with the full array of fancy pastries has opened as Tiny Pyramid in Iwilei.

Chef Praseuth “JJ” Luangkhot is still in charge of the kitchen, which opened last week in the remodeled Na Lama Kukui complex on Nimitz Highway.

His daughter Natda Luangkhot is one of the new owners, along with other friends and relatives, freeing Luangkhot to concentrate on cooking. “He worked so hard to build it, I couldn’t let it close up,” Natda said.

The menu — offering breakfast, lunch and dinner — is 90 percent the same as at the old JJ, with more grab-and-go items to feed the lunch crowd from offices in the building. These include curries, stir fries, and sandwiches.

Luangkhot displays his pastries in glass counters. “I designed it as a jewelry box,” he said.

Known for his unique pyramid- shaped chocolate mousse cake, Luang­khot now offers a bite-sized pyramid for $1.75, in addition to larger sizes. The tiny version is like “an after-meal pill,” he added. The cafe’s new name describes both the mini-morsel and the younger generation taking over the business with a smaller, younger staff.

After JJ Bistro closed, Luang­khot said, he still got calls from patrons asking to buy the pyramid cakes. He made himself easy to find, keeping his Kaimuki business number, 739-0993.

Tiny Pyramid is at 560 Nimitz Highway, the old Gentry Pacific Design Center, in the space formerly occupied by Eat Honolulu. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.