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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Doing chores after a wonderful weekend in Hilo for Merrie Monarch Festival...

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<title>Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Check out this kāne's chore-ography</title>

sis.on.a.mish's husband's moves had us wondering if he actually competed in Merrie Monarch, or if they just watched from home.

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Check out this kāne's chore-ography

Doing chores after a wonderful weekend in Hilo for Merrie Monarch Festival... 

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Hawai‘i's lawmakers voted in line with virtually every other lawmaker in the U.S. House and Senate to publish files relating to Jeffrey Epstein.

Both chambers of Congress overwhelmingly voted in favor of the 

 introduced in July by California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna calling for the U.S. Attorney General to release all Department of Justice documents and records relating to the late Epstein, convicted sex offender and one-time financier.

Specifically, the bill calls for the release of all materials relating to Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, their flight logs and travel records, names of all individuals or entities associated with Epstein’s criminal activities and the nature of any immunity deals or sealed settlements involving such people or entities.

On top of this, the measure also demands all internal DOJ communications regarding the investigation into Epstein, all communications — including metadata — surrounding possible destroyed or deleted data involving Epstein, and all documentation surrounding Epstein’s imprisonment at the New York Metropolitan Correctional Center and his subsequent death, which was ruled as a suicide.

None of this data would be allowed to be withheld “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity” for any person, the bill states.

The only redactions permitted by the bill would be personal details and files concerning victims, images of death or physical injury, child sexual abuse materials, data that would compromise and active federal investigation, and classified information “established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy.”

All this data would be made available within 30 days of the bill’s final passage.

Hawai‘i Reps Ed Case and Jill Tokuda did not speak Tuesday as the House held more than an hour of discussion over the measure. But at the bill’s sole roll-call vote in their chamber, they joined nearly every other representative to vote for its passage.

The measure passed 427-1. The sole dissenting vote came from Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins, who later 

 that he believes the bill “reveals and injures thousands of innocent people” whose names will be exposed to “a rabid media.”

The bill went before the Senate just a few hours later, with the entire body voting unanimously in favor of its passage.

Hawai‘i senator Brian Schatz made a brief statement following the Senate vote: “Now that Congress has weighed in on a bipartisan basis, it is the job of the Department of Justice to actually release these files and not cook up a new set of excuses.”

With the Senate’s support, the bill next goes before the desk of President Donald Trump.

The House also will proceed with a motion to censure Stacey Plaskett, Democratic delegate for the U.S. Virgin Islands for having been in contact with Epstein in 2019 during a hearing with lawyer Michael Cohen, often described as “fixer” to President Donald Trump.

According to a resolution discussed on Tuesday, Plaskett had received text messages from Epstein that appeared to be coaching her on questions to ask Cohen during a hearing where Cohen was testifying before the House Oversight Committee.

House Democrats proposed a motion on Tuesday to refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee for further discussion. Republicans largely rejected that motion, calling for Plaskett to be removed from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

All House Democrats, including Case and Tokuda, voted in favor of the motion to refer the Plaskett issue to the Ethics Committee. But despite two Republicans breaking ranks with their party to side with the Democrats, the motion failed 214-213.

Whether Plaskett actually will be censured will be decided in a future vote.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Lawmakers 16x9

<title>CONGRESS WATCH: Congress votes nearly unanimously to release Epstein files</title>

Hawai‘i's lawmakers voted in support of a bill to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein

CONGRESS WATCH: Congress votes nearly unanimously to release Epstein files

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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Honolulu Kitchen is popular for its deep-fried mini manapua. While the original location is in Waipahu, Honolulu Kitchen Little Corner Cafe opened this past year in 

While its steamed and deep-fried mini manapua are still customer favorites, the cafe offers an extensive menu.

Both steamed and deep-fried manapua feature a variety of sweet and savory fillings. Savory options include char siu — the most popular flavor — kalua pork, barbecue chicken and curry chicken. Sweet fillings include custard, ube cream cheese and Azuki bean.

[{"type":"text","text":"Ube cream cheese is especially popular because of its vibrant color."}]

Besides manapua, you’ll find a variety of dim sum and snacks like gyoza, spring rolls, wontons and more.

The homemade dumplings ($11.95) are a customer favorite, but if you prefer some heat, go for the spicy garlic wontons ($11.95). 

The char siu look cheong fun ($7.50), which features steamed rice noodle rolls, is a unique option. The noodles boast a nice chew, and we liked how we could adequately taste the char siu.

The café’s assorted dim sum selection includes pork hash ($1.60), shrimp dumplings ($1.60), half moon ($1.85) and mini sticky rice ($1.95). While these snacks aren’t as popular as the mini manapua, they’re still a nice option, and we’re told the sticky rice is a customer favorite.

If you want a sweet treat, opt for the café’s acai bowl ($14.95), which is topped with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, granola and a honey drizzle. The acai is refreshing, but not overly sweet. 

 The café’s drink menu is extensive, ranging from fruit teas($6.50) and milk teas ($5.95) to smoothies ($6.95-$11.95).

The most popular smoothie flavors include strawberry banana ($6.95), passion fruit mango ($6.95), dragon fruit mango ($7.95), matcha green ($7.95) and lychee strawberry ($6.95).

[{"type":"text","text":"Limited customer parking stalls are available in front of the cafe."}]

Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays, 2-9 p.m. Sundays, closed Tuesdays

Honolulu Kitchen ube manapua 103125

<title>You can now find this deep-fried manapua in Honolulu</title>

Honolulu Kitchen Little Corner Cafe opened earlier this year in Mōʻiliʻili. The café offers steamed and deep-fried manapua, along with dim sum and smoothies.

You can now find this deep-fried manapua in Honolulu

 is known for being a premier source of local products, meat and dairy. The business is popular for connecting local farmers and food producers directly to O‘ahu residents.

The business just opened its first-ever grocery store and deli, Hōʻiliʻili Market. The store will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The market is located in the space of ‘ili ‘ili Cash & Carry, which is temporarily closed (its chef, Aker Briceno, is undergoing cancer treatment).

The new market is designed to bring Hawaiʻi’s food system together under one roof, and will feature products from local farmers, ranchers, bakers and brewers.

Prior to this in-person market, customers could only access Farm Link’s selection of locally sourced produce, meats and prepared foods by ordering online for pickup and delivery across O‘ahu.

“We’ve been operating online only for many years, which has been wonderful because I think this selection of products being available across Oʻahu has been very important,” says Claire Sullivan, CEO of Farm Link. “For those of us who really want to touch and feel a product for ourselves — there’s this incredible bounty of local products in one place that we get to be inspired by.

“We don’t see ourselves at Farm Link as solving all of the food system problems by any means,” she adds. “We are just a partner to many producers who are.”

Hōʻiliʻili Market is designed to be more than a grocery store, and is an extension of Farm Link’s mission to make good food accessible to all, while increasing local food production.

There are a few products Sullivan is especially excited about.

“This is the first time local milk is available on Oʻahu since 2018,” she says. “This is the fruition of a partnership building with our friends at Meadow Gold Dairy, to be able to sell the local milk here.”

Sullivan also notes that the business makes its own butter. They learned how after the proprietor for Naked Cow Dairy, which was the only butter maker in the state for many years, had to move to the Mainland for family reasons, according to Sullivan.

“We got trained by Monique (of Naked Cow Dairy); we bought her churn, and learned how to make butter,” she says. “We make the butter in house with cream from Kohala.”

Customers can also look forward to local product tastings and collaborations between farmers and producers. Look forward to favorites like Neko Koneko’s lattes and cold brews; Mille Fete’s frozen kūlolo and Rocky Road ice cream, cookies and breadcrumbs; ‘Ulu Mana’s ‘ulu and cassava chips; a variety of breads from La Tour Bakehouse; and more.

“We weren’t able to do ice creams previously on delivery because we don’t deliver with dry ice,” Sullivan says. “Finally, we have ice cream in store!”

Not only will you find a curated selection of locally sourced produce, pasture-raised meats, fresh-baked goods and artisan honey, but you can also enjoy deli offerings from two renowned chefs — Chuck Wakeman, formerly of Butcher and Bird, and Robert Urquidi, formerly of Ethel’s Grill.

“I’ll be in charge of all the fresh local meats,” says Chuck Wakeman, culinary manager for Farm Link Hawaiʻi. “We make our own sausages in house. We get lamb, pork, and venison; it’s all 100% local. We’re also doing ‘ili ‘ili Cash & Carry’s pizza and hoagie menu. We’re going to run that for them; it’s kind of a collaboration.”

The deli’s opening week menu will feature customer favorites from ‘ili ‘ili Cash & Carry, including subs, salads and Choke Garlic Balls (fried dough coated in Parmesan and garlic butter), originally made by Briceno.

“Starting out, it’s going to be mostly sandwiches during the day,” Wakeman confirms.

On the market’s first day, mortadella ($17), veggie ($16) and Italian combo ($20) sandwiches were available. The Italian combo ($20) — which is filled with turkey, salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, local tomatoes, Lanai mixed greens, pepperoncini, shaved onions, oil and vinegar — is a customer favorite.

Additional menu items, like meatball subs, will eventually be added.

The deli will also feature the square-shaped Sicilian pizza slices that ‘ili ‘ili Cash & Carry was known for.

Wakeman also encourages customers to check out the market’s housemade sausages and locally sourced meats.

“We’ll have Molokaʻi venison — all the cuts you can think of,” he says. “I’m excited for people to come in and see how revamped it is, and get a look at this selection of local stuff that’s now all in one place.

“Hōʻiliʻili means a collection or gathering,” Wakeman adds. “We’re gathering — Aker’s people — Robert and I have worked with him in the past. And then just a bunch of producers, famers and community — this has been the focus, goal and mission for a long time.”

The company will offer 50% off all local poi and produce for customers paying with SNAP-EBT, both in-store and online. This initiative is through The Food Basket’s DA BUX program, in an effort to make Hawai‘i-grown vegetables and fruits more affordable.

“Eating local is so powerful,” Sullivan says. “It’s this accessible way we have to participate in the local economy. It doesn’t mean we have to be 100% (local) all the time — that’s a very high bar. I think getting comfortable with the idea that you can just swap out an ingredient here and there (for something local) … that’s meaningful for producers who are keeping our islands growing and need us as the consumers to be their partners.

“That’s really the reason Farm Link exists,” she adds. “To make that connection and make it more accessible for folks to participate in the food system that way.”

Limited on-site parking is available; nearby street parking is also available. Visit 

Hōʻiliʻili Market will be open daily, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Hoiliili storefront 102125

<title>Farm Link just opened its first-ever grocery store and deli</title>

Hōʻiliʻili Market by Farm Link just opened on South Beretania Street. It’s in the former space of ‘ili ‘ili Cash & Carry (which is temporarily closed). Here’s a preview of what you’ll find.

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Check out this kāne's chore-ography

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Authors

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