Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Guieb Cafe’s new downtown Honolulu location in Davies Pacific Center isn’t open to the public yet. However, there’s another downtown Honolulu space where customers can find the cafe’s popular ube mascarpone pancakes and pork adobo omelets.

 — operated by the Guieb Cafe team — opened this month in the cafeteria space of the Prince Kūhiō Federal Building in downtown Honolulu.

“We were presented with an opportunity to take over a federal building cafeteria — which was not something we are used to or even knew anything about,” general manager Precious Guieb remembers. “We checked it out and we were stunned by how big the space is.”

The cafeteria space — which is open to the public — had been vacant for a while, according to Guieb. She says she had returned from visiting the cafe’s Las Vegas location during the summer, and checked out the current Pīkake Cafe space in August.

“We got this up and running the whole month of September with inspections and such; our first day open was Oct. 1," Guieb says.

“Since we already do catering already, we thought, ‘Maybe it’ll work out,’ so we gave it a shot,” she adds. “We serve similar items to Guieb Cafe and similar dishes from our catering (menu), so it’s kind of a blend of both, while catering to the whole cafeteria vibe.”

Guieb says her dad is the chef and owner, and the cafe’s name was inspired by his favorite scent.

“My dad really likes the pīkake flower,” she says. “He felt like this was a good name for it; he was mentioning how he wanted to bring life here (in this space).”

Even though Pīkake Cafe is in a federal building, the cafeteria is open to the public, according to Guieb. Individuals need to pass through a security checkpoint, then catch the elevator to the fifth floor, where the cafeteria is located.

The cafe serves breakfast from 6 to 10 a.m.; options range from breakfast burritos ($12.48) and croissantwiches ($12.48) to ube mascarpone pancakes ($14.56) and ube waffles ($10.40).

“Everything is made to order,” Guieb says. “We brought our ube mascarpone pancakes (from Guieb Cafe) here; it’s a smaller portion. That, the ube waffles and pork adobo omelet have been a hit in the mornings.”

Breakfast burritos feature spinach wraps stuffed with sausage, eggs, cheese and potatoes, and they’re served with a potato medley. The cafe’s croissantwiches (croissant sandwiches) include sausage, eggs and cheese.

During lunch — served from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — customers can opt for an all-you-can-load salad bar ($14.56) or go for one- or two-choice plate lunch-style entrees. The salad bar includes Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, artichokes, boiled eggs, bacon bits, fresh-cut seasonal fruits, creamy basil pesto rigatoni and more, according to Guieb.

“You can fill up (your plate) as much or as little as you want,” she says. “We’re getting great feedback on that.”

Entrees change daily for the plate lunches. For instance, Mondays feature shoyu chicken and chicken long rice, with roast pork and mushroom gravy ($15.60) as a special; on Fridays, customers can choose from Korean short ribs kalbi, hamburger steak, chicken adobo and kalua pig and cabbage. Plates usually come with potato mac salad or steamed veggies and rice.

Many specials feature popular options from Guieb Cafe or the business’s catering menu, according to Guieb.

“Our Korean short ribs is very popular on our catering menu,” she says. “We have hamburger steak and garlic shrimp (as entrees), which are popular from the Guieb Cafe menu.

“Yesterday, we had oxtail soup on special; next week, we’ll have chicken papaya soup and clam pasta,” she adds. “Things that we don’t normally get to do at Guieb Cafe, we’ll try to incorporate here.”

Guieb notes that, while parking can be limited at the federal building, it’s a short walk from Waterfront Plaza, where there’s ample parking.

“We get a lot of HPU students coming here for breakfast and lunch,” she says. “People are always like, ‘I’ve been wanting to visit (Guieb Cafe),’ so in a way, they get to try our flavors. We’re not sure what to expect, but we’re excited. We’re trying to give them (the state and federal workers) something to look forward to.”

300 Ala Moana Blvd. fifth floor, Honolulu

Open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, closed all federal holidays

Pikake Cafe Precious Guieb 100526

<title>Pīkake Cafe offers local-style comfort food in downtown Honolulu</title>

The sister business of Guieb Cafe is located in the cafeteria space of the Prince Kūhiō Federal Building in downtown Honolulu. The cafeteria is open to the public — customers have to go through a security checkpoint — from Mondays to Fridays. Diners can expect some of the most popular dishes from Guieb Café, including ube mascarpone pancakes, pork adobo omelets and hamburger steak.

Pīkake Cafe offers local-style comfort food in downtown Honolulu

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

The Washington man charged with throwing a rock at a Hawaiian monk seal earlier this year can travel somewhat more freely now.

 in May with violating the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act by allegedly hurling a rock at an endangered monk seal on a Maui beach, narrowly missing the animal’s head.

Lytvynchuk was released on a $25,000 bond with several conditions in May. Those conditions restricted his travel to only the Western District of Washington — which covers Washington west of the Cascade Mountains — and O‘ahu, although he was only permitted to travel to the island for court purposes, and was prohibited from accessing any beaches while in the state.

However, at a status conference last week — at which Lytvynchuk was not physically present — Lytvynchuk’s travel restrictions were loosened to allow for work-related travel within Washington.

An agreement signed by Magistrate Judge Rom Trader now allows Lytvynchuk to travel within the full state of Washington. While he is only allowed to travel to O‘ahu for court purposes, with any travel to the island to be approved in advance by the court’s probation office, the restrictions do not mention any requirement to avoid beaches or marine animals.

While the status conference also established a trial date of Nov. 16, Lytvynchuk’s attorneys filed a motion Monday requesting that date be postponed to an unspecified date in 2027 for multiple reasons.

In particular, Lytvynchuk’s attorney’s are seeking to subpoena evidence from Delta Airlines — the airline he used to travel from Seattle to Maui — about whether the airline made any announcements or advisories regarding Hawaiian monk seals, endangered species or any prohibited actions on Lytvynchuk’s flight.

In addition, Lytvynchuk’s attorneys have outstanding requests with the state Attorney General, Department of Land and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding records of previous Hawaiian monk seal-related investigations.

Those records are intended to investigate “whether similarly situated persons accused of comparable conduct involving Hawaiian monk seals were treated differently from [Lytvynchuk]” and whether any differences in treatment indicate that Lytvynchuk’s right to equal protection is begin impeded, according to the motion filed Monday.

In any case, the subpoena and outstanding records requests are unlikely to be resolved in time for a November trial date, hence the request for a postponement.

Whether that request is granted will be determined at a hearing on Oct. 13. Lytvynchuk will also not appear in person at that hearing.

Screenshot 2026 05 13 at 3 19 31 PM 16x9

<title>Travel restrictions eased for man accused of throwing rock at monk seal</title>

Igor Lytvynchuk can travel throughout Washington state again, although is still barred from Hawai‘i save for court business.

Travel restrictions eased for man accused of throwing rock at monk seal

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

A Tantalus home that once belonged to actor Richard Chamberlain 

Perched above Honolulu, the 1.8-acre property at 3711 Round Top Drive — listed by Derek Kamm and Schyler Murakami with Coldwell Banker Island Properties — offers views of Diamond Head, the Pacific and the city below.

Murakami told Aloha State Daily Thursday that there are three homes on the property: a 4-bed, 3.5-bath main house that's roughly 3,700 square feet; a 2-bedroom, 1-bath guest house that's about 1,100 square feet; and a studio — along with some large, grassy areas; a tennis court; and an infinity-edge pool.

"It's pretty unique once you're up there," he told ASD. The property, he says, is peaceful and secluded.

"What the current owners like about it is how secluded it is, yet you're 20 minutes away from Honolulu or from Waikīkī."

According to Murakami, the current owners have owned the property for about 20 years and purchased it from Chamberlain's estate. The property hit the market about two weeks ago.

Murakami says you'd likely see a handful of homes for sale on Round Top Drive and in Tantalus each year, but it's rare to see large estates like this.

Chamberlain, a longtime Hawai‘i resident, was known for his leading roles in the 1960s TV series "Dr. Kildare," 1980's "Shōgun," 

3711 Round Top Drive interior

<title>Tantalus home that once belonged to Richard Chamberlain on the market for $8 million</title>

Perched above Honolulu, you'll find the 1.8-acre property at 3711 Round Top Drive.

Tantalus home that once belonged to Richard Chamberlain on the market for $8 million

Government & Politics

A new report from the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization says that legal action related to construction defects is becoming an "increasingly significant source of uncertainty and risk in Hawai‘i's housing marketing."

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Here's how construction defect litigation is affecting housing in Hawai‘i

Honolulu Board of Realtors President Trevor Benn offers some context to understanding that $1.19 million price point.

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Median home prices on O‘ahu hit new high

The city is seeking a development partner to transform the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use, transit-oriented community.

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Keliʻi Akina

More than 2,500 non-residential and 100,000 residential structures in Hawai‘i were built between 1970 and 1980, and they are aging into the historic category, triggering lengthy reviews by the Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Division before owners can change or replace them.

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Community Viewpoint: If we’re not careful, nearly everything will become ‘historic’

Arts & Entertainment

Victoria Ward Park Makai sits between residential towers Victoria Place and Kalae, and is bordered by Auahi Street on one side and Ala Moana Boulevard on the other.

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Ward Village opens first phase of new park in Kaka‘ako

Hawai‘i History

Aloha State Daily recently spoke to architect Willa Trimble to find out more about some of Downtownʻs notable and historic buildings.

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Historic Honolulu: a look at some of Downtown's notable buildings

Sitting on 1.5 acres along Kāhala Beach, the Hale Hanohano estate includes more than 11,800 square feet of living space across three separate residences.

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This Kāhala estate has been listed for $65 million

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Hawaii’s Roman Catholic Church recently sold its 6.5-acre property to the senior living community in Kahala.

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Kahala Nui closes on $90 million land sale

Buying a home in Honolulu became nearly 5% costlier last year.