Hidden gems | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Champs Sports Bar & Grill. Photo by Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

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Manoa Chocolate Hawaii. Photo by Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

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Kalo Bombs North Shore. Photo by Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

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Talk about hidden in plain sight — foodie friends recommended that I check out these local businesses, and I’m so glad I did (you will be, too).

Football Sundays

Champs Sports Bar & Grill (3457 Waialae Ave.) recently started its Sunday brunch, available from 7 to 11 a.m. Kick things off with a bloody mary or lilikoi mimosa while you watch kickoff. The brunch menu features breakfast sandwiches with fun names like NYC ($14), Super Freak ($16) and 1949 ($16). The latter features a beef patty, umami rice patty, mushroom gravy and an egg on top.

Call 808-737-4101 or visit champssportsbarhawaii.com.

Check out this chocolate factory

You’ll find Manoa Chocolate Hawaii’s (333 Uluniu St. Ste. 203) retail shop and factory tasting room in Kailua. The business offers an in-depth tasting tour for $25, during which participants learn about the bean-to-bar manufacturing process and can enjoy chocolate tea service and a guided tasting with a team of chocolate sommeliers. The biz also offers complimentary 10-minute, walk-in chocolate tastings.

Call 808-263-6292 or visit manoachocolate.com.

This dessert is ‘da bomb’

Kalo Bombs North Shore (56-270 Leleuli St.) specializes in — you guessed it — kalo desserts. The biz serves up ice cream sundaes loaded with paiai (taro before water is added to make it poi), which is thicker and has a denser consistency. This business’s Kahuku location is different from its Waianae one because of its specials. The most popular special is the Love Bomb ($14.50) — choice of Dave’s Ice

Cream, paiai, Nutella, fresh strawberries, cookie dough and coconut cream and flakes — but keep an eye out for any seasonal specials. Featured fall flavors include caramel apple bomb (ice cream, paiai, caramel drizzle, caramel apple crumble, coconut condensed cream and flakes) and pumpkin crunch bomb (ice cream, paiai, pumpkin crunch bits and Teddy Graham topping).

The biz is currently open noon-6 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. Follow it on Instagram (@kalobombsnorthshore).

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta’s column features a variety of tips and insider knowledge about Oahu’s dining scene. Follow Kelli on Instagram (@kellishiromabraiotta).