Chef Kate has always been super nice and provided an amazing spread of pastries and desserts. I'm not gluten free but my sister is, and I have to say that these are some of the best GF items I've ever had. Some of my favorites are her brownies and spinach stuffed pastries. Would highly recommended going to visit her farmers market location at Jefferson Elementary on the weekends. Be prepared to wait in line as everyone else is also wanting her products! 5/5! read more

Was curious about the Saturday Jefferson Elementary Farmers Market so stopped by today. Free parking in the school lot (enter from Kapahulu before Kuhio). 8 am to 2 pm (or sold out). Not Just Desserts is run by Chef Kate Wagner, a very personable and friendly lady who introduced herself (French trained baker) and asked for my name as well. She had two tables of items and a cooler in back. Everything is covered and there are no labels, so you need to ask what is what. She said her breads have no sugar (sounds so European!). I tried the scallion pastry (super ono), lemon poppyseed cake (really enjoyable), brownie (good chocolate flavor without being too sweet), and got a chocolate pecan pie to share. Definitely going back! read more

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I've gone to Not Just Desserts at the KCC farmers market at least 5 times now and each time I have NOT been disappointed with my selections. My boyfriend says that I only go to the farmers market to get her desserts and he's pretty right! I told him that it was a necessity for the desserts and the produce that I pick up are bonuses. Haha Chef Kate's speciality is NO SUGAR and she also makes gluten free items. SCORE for me!!! She uses honey, fruit or agave as sweeteners. She also makes her own taro flour for her chocolate cakes and chocolate bread (grain free, semi paleo friendly!), she makes her own chocolate since her family has a cacao farm and she doesn't use rice flour or soy. OMG, I am in heaven! If you can't tell by now, I'm paleo and don't eat certain things since it messes with my body big time. I overheard her speaking to another customer one day and she mentioned that she makes all these goodies bcs of her family and I just think it's wonderful that she makes these healthy treats! I'm so serious when I say that this is my go-to place for any kind of dessert or baked goods. Chef Kate changes things up at the market every week so I've had the pleasure of purchasing quite a bit of deliciousness from her over the last month. She's even cut me off a couple of times. Haha Yesterday I picked up her grain, gluten and sugar free key lime bar and that thing was awesome! I usually don't like bars bcs they can be dry, crumbly or just bla. Hers was moist with enough tanginess from the limes and it was refreshing. I couldn't stop eating it. Then I got a strawberry boston cream slice or is it strawberry shortcake? Whatever it was, it was beyond delicious! My first instinct was to just buy the whole cake but I told myself that I would just get a slice to try it out bcs what if I don't like it? So I should have listened to my instincts bcs that thing was that good! I ate some yesterday and forced myself to save the rest for today. Today rolls around and I ate it for breakfast. Then I told my bf, "I'm going to order that strawberry cake for my birthday. I'll let you have some too" haha Some other favorites of mine: cherry chocolate cake or any of her chocolate cakes, pistachio cake, lilikoi cheesecake and her infamous truffle coconut flour brownies. She has some gluten free muffins and sometimes she has scones. My bf eats wheat so he likes her cinnamon rolls. Chef Kate's desserts are not only good but even healthy since she uses quality, local and seasonal ingredients. Her pricing is so reasonable that it's truly unbelievable! Her and her staff are always amazed at how much I buy and how fast I finish it all. I've been tempted to go to her shop for my treats but have held back on it. I like the variety at the market and the poor woman spends all night and day to make it. It truly is a labor of love and I for one am very grateful for her genius! Baking with non-traditional flour is super hard work, it's not only a science but an art form and she's a true artist! Check her out at the market or shop. I should stop by the shop since I've seen pictures of her lobster salad and that looks amazing. read more

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I stumbled upon Not Just Desserts with my friend Michelle, at the last I Love Chinatown Festival. We were surprised this adorable eatery not only serves delicious desserts, but also offered meals created by Chef Kate Wagner. But the main reason I fell in love with Not Just Deserts is Chef Kate choosing to only hire male staff vs. having the traditional female staff. Last week, I planned to work on my one year anniversary blog posts until my hair appointment at Ryanjacobie; but I could think about was eating food. I used Yelp to find places around Chinatown that weren't too far to walk & would satisfy my hunger; it seemed like a good decision to eat at Not Just Desserts (which is across the street from Ryanjacobie). Whenever I'm starving & on the verge of turning into the Incredible Hulk; I always have difficulty deciding what to eat. Luckily, Chef Kate saw me standing outside contemplating what I should order for lunch, she came outside to go over the lunch specials. Even though it's been several months since my last visit to Not Just Desserts, I loved that Chef Kate remembered who I was & makes everyone feel like they're starring in an episode of "Cheers" (where everybody knows your name). After devouring my Meatloaf & Rice, I decided to eat one of the cinnamon rolls that were displayed on the counter & while I waited for Chef Kate to heat up my dessert, she gave me a snicker doodle right out of the oven. Normally, I'm not a fan of snickerdoodles but this cookie was mind-blowing & I inhaled every morsel of that gigantic cookie. The reason Not Just Desserts taste so heavenly is Chef Kate's decision not to use anything artificial; the proof is in her dedication to use local products: buying beef from the Big Island, using honey from the North Shore, real sugar cane & butter. Whether you're eating a meal or dessert from Not Just Desserts, you can taste the love in every bite. If you're in the neighborhood & got a sweet tooth, I recommend stopping in Not Just Desserts, I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

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I'm so happy that I've stumbled upon this restaurant as I was roaming around during lunch trying to get away from my habitual spots. 5 stars for the AVOCADO SALAD! The portions are huge and of great quality, so it's fine to shell out $8-9 for a salad downtown. I also ordered chicken on my salad as well as an iced tea. The salad was substantial to fill me up for lunch. I absolutely loved that they included fresh dill in the salad. What was a shocker to me was that I liked the Oriental/Chinese Chicken Salad dressing they made (I usually hate that dressing!). I gobbled the salad up in no time! I will definitely be back here to try the other menu items as well as desserts! :) read more

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I pass by this hole in a wall once in a while, but never bothered to try it because there are usually no to a few people sitting inside, but after reading the reviews of you yelpers, I decided to give it a try, and yes, I agree that this place serves above average food. I noticed that the reason why nobody is sitting in the place is because we noticed a lot of people ordered take out instead. Roasted salmon w/Quinoa Rice - 4 stars - for $10, I got a nice piece of salmon that they say they roast because they try to make their food healthy. Although the fish was a little too cooked, it was fresh and what I liked is that it was served on Quinoa rice instead of your regular white or wheat rice. The Quinoa is something I have never had, and it was something different to me, so I rated the plate above average. It came with a heaping serving assorted greens, which was mixed very nicely with their lemon vinaigrette which was very refreshing and tasty - not too strong or weak. Pesto pasta - 4 stars - I don't know what type of pasta it was, but it wasn't your regular spaghetti noodles with their pesto sauce and sun dried tomatoes. For $8, my friend who ordered it (and I had a taste to rate it) said it was the best pesto pasta she has ever tasted. I agree with her because it was not oily like some restaurants, and blended very well with the pasta. Chocolate cake with marsh mellows and M&Ms - 3 stars - Order one dessert for $3, or 2 for $5. The cake was a little dry. The mixture is good, but I didn't care for it as much as the bread pudding. Blueberry bread pudding - 4 stars - The blueberry bread pudding is awesome! Although I got a corner piece when I asked for a middle piece, the inner part was soft and flavorful. The corner, though, was a bit chewy, which I was disappointed with because I usually like my bread puddings nice and soft. I think I would have given it a 5 star if he had given me the middle as I had asked. They ask if you want whipped cream with it, and will also warm it up for you if you eat it there. Service - 4 stars - As we walked in, we were greeted by the cook. They only serve what's on the menu board outside of the restaurant. The desserts except for the bread pudding are out on a table, Although there didn't seemed to be any water (but I didn't ask either), we were asked how we were doing twice. As we ordered we were also asked how we would like our food made (e.g. if my friend wanted more cheese in her pesto, if I wanted whipped cream with my dessert, etc.). They accommodated our requests and also greeted us goodbye as we left. In all, this is a very warm, quaint and more than average type of plate lunch to eat healthy (or unhealthy by blowing it by eating their dessert) for a reasonable price. They mentioned that they make a lot of their foods to accommodate for vegetarians and people who don't like gluten in their food. Also, the price on their menu is already tax included, which makes it nice. read more

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Not just desserts is usually found as a food stand at the various farmer's markets around town. They also have this storefront, albeit with limited operating hours. Even when they are open, when you drive by it is easy to miss or will seem closed, especially since there will not likely be anyone standing behind the counter when you get there. Inside is a small seating area and a single display case with a handful of the desserts available on display. Rather than choosing from there though, it is definitely better to speak with Chef Kate, who is likely working in the kitchen when you show up. She will tell you of what is freshly available in the back and what might fit your tastes. I ended up getting a slice of pumpkin ginger cake which was pretty good. It was soft and moist with a frosting that was not too overpowering. I also took home a sugarless (and flourless?) brownie which she stated was a healthier option at around 100cal a piece. This was decent as well. Overall, I liked the personal touch that this shop provided. It may be a small operation that is still finding its way, but Chef Kate is very friendly and the desserts are above average. read more

Not Just Desserts - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My mind has been blown and that is a good thing. I HEART Not Just Desserts!!! (Que DJ, rock band and electric guitar solo ) I went to Not Just Desserts today for a lunch meeting and after reading through the quick tips on my Yelp app, I ordered the spinach and artichoke pasta with chicken for $8. It was delicious and the portions were huge! (Que twenty foot high electrified letters and hot half-naked male dancers) I only managed to eat half my plate. Chef Kate walked us through her selection of desserts and I got the haupia bread pudding for $4. I will admit that I am a dessert whore but bread pudding has never been my favorite dish. Served warm and topped with freshly made whipped cream, the haupia bread pudding was freakin' AMAZEBALLS! It had a light texture and each bite was full of sweet coconut flavor. I feel like JLo!!! (Que sparks, fireworks and fan breeze to make hair waaaay sexy) So if you're ready to hit an off the beaten path, hole-in-the-wall cafe that has zero fancy but all the kick you in the pantsy flavor?! Then meet me at Not Just Desserts for a rockstar worthy meal! We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're not worthy! Yelp 365 Challenge: #90/365 (The Music Video) read more

My lovely adopted parents, Pervy Nixon & Sandy, took me to this little place for lunch. The prices are what you expect to pay in downtown for lunch which is around at least $10 a plate. THE GOOD * I loved my "smothered beef" - I had to ask the waiter what exactly is it smothered in.... and it was so delicious! It was smothered in a white gravy mushroom sauce.. and the size of meat was generous. I gobbled that up! * The salad dressing is BOOMMBBBB. I wish they sold it... I would buy a bottle. It was so delicious * My parents ordered a lobster salad, and a curry sandwich. They also loved their meals. So this place was a hit for us! * They accept the Isle Discount Card! So I got myself a free brownie! THE BAD * The waiter didn't tell me that this place is semi-vegan.... so I thought my free brownie was uncooked... and that was the reason why it was free........... hahah. But I found out that it was a vegan brownie which means there was no butter or egg and other things.... THE WEIRD * Something seemed off about the place.... I can't really point it out.. you just need to experience it for yourself... haha. :) read more

4.1 stars. We had a very pleasant experience here recently. Because of the raving yelp reviews, we decided to come here for dinner to try something new. This place is primarily popular with the downtown lunch crowd, however they are open until 7pm, so we thought why not treat ourselves to Friday night dinner and gain an evening perspective of this new joint. The place was easy to find and on the Ewa end of Marin Lane. We were the only ones there. As we entered we were greeted warmly and noticed trays of desserts cooling off on the dinning room tables. Everything looked incredible! The female chef (sorry, forgot her name!) said the desserts were for Saturday's KCC Farmer's Market. However, she offered them to us if we didn't feel like the available lemon cake, chocolate pecan tart and chocolate cake. Whoa! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Ambiance: 3 stars. Service: 4 stars. We ordered from the outdoor menu. About 50% of her offerings were out and she explained that she had a busy and successful day. Good for her! I ordered the Wild Sockeye Salmon with brown rice and local greens (4 stars). My friend ordered the Spinach & Artichoke pasta with local greens (4.5 stars). Both were cooked to order and took about 10 minutes. In the meantime we went over to a liquor store and brought us back some beer. The salad dressing was to die for and easily a 5 star asset! For dessert we had the Lemon Cake and the Big Island Chocolate Pecan Tart. The lemon cake was nice and moist with intense lemon flavor, especially in the glaze: 3.5 stars. The Big Island chocolate pecan tart was more like fudge; rich, delicious and the chocolate was deep and powerful and really amazing: 4.5 stars. Overall a very pleasant home style hole-in-the-wall establishment that we foresee returning very soon. Apparently, the chef is originally from the Big Island whose family owns a cocoa farm and she has an array of restaurant experience that expands to New York City. Impressive! *Tip: Bring your own biocompostable plate lunch container as she uses Styrofoam for the entrees and plastic clam shells for the desserts. Do your part to protect the aina! Otherwise a perfect prize at amazing prices. Bon appétit! Tally: Ambiance: 3 stars Service: 4 stars Wild Salmon: 4 stars Spinach & Artichoke Pasta: 4.5 stars Salad dressing: 5 stars! 3+4+4+4.5+5= 20.5/5= 4.1 stars. #Yelp 365: 061/365 read more

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Bread pudding may be one of my favorite desserts, and Chef Kate's is one of the best. I've been buying them from her stand at the KCC Farmer's market for a while now but it was my first time coming to her store downtown. I had already eaten lunch so unfortunately I couldn't try out of the meals other yelpers rave about but hopefully soon. The store was quaint, nothing fancy, but there was enough seating for about 20 people. There were a few people eating lunch when I came in. Kate came right out, all smiles and asked me what I wanted. There was only haupia bread pudding and to be honest I'm not a huge haupia fan so I was a little hesitant and I think she saw that because she got a fork and gave me a small bite. Yum! The haupia was definitely present, but not in a way that was overpowering. I like her bread pudding because its not too sweet (she uses agave instead of sugar) and has a nice fluffiness to it, even on the corner pieces. Every bite is like a soft custard soaked piece of bread. It tastes even better when you warm it up. They also last for a few days if you put it in the fridge. She has a 4-5 different kinds that are always rotating when she is at KCC because she sells more of them . She has chocolate, banana, blueberry, strawberry, oreo, and others. When I told her I always go to KCC rather than her store she gave me a stamp card and told me she would stamp it if I brought it to KCC. One of the things I LOVE about her is that when she's at KCC, no matter how crowded it is, will let you choose which piece you want.. I also have tried her cinnamon rolls at KCC and they are just as good as the bread pudding. Flaky with a sweet glaze on top. Its hard to stop once you start unraveling it, because its so good. I held myself back from eating the last couple of inches so I could warm it up and wow, if you like cinnamon rolls, definitely try Kates. The prices are not bad. $4 - breadpudding $7 for 2. $3 for cinnamon rolls. The prices at the store and at KCC are the same which is really nice of her. She also has a number of other cakes/breads/cookies/fruit bars/brownies at KCC read more

Not Just Desserts - Haupia bread pudding - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Not Just Desserts? What a peculiar name. From my experience this name is quite misleading. Calling this place Not Just Desserts is like calling Pokemon, "Not Just Pikachu". We clearly Pokemon is much more than just Pikachu. You have Charmander, Squirtle, Brock, Ash, Misty, and many many more. Outside this eatery is a nice hand drawn sign with the daily specials- all that sound so tasty. Once you walk in you see a whole table full of desserts. Cakes, pastries, and pies greet you at the door. We take a seat in this little dining room and the chef de cuisine comes out and takes our order. She is a friendly personable woman who is dedicated to her profession. A coworker and I had lunch at this fine establishment and we had the Spinach and Artichoke Pasta and Roast Pork Loin. The Spinach and Artichoke Pasta was fantastic! Huge portion and it was well-seasoned. The corkscrew pasta held onto the sauce very well and it wasn't too rich, making it a nice hearty lunch. The greens with dressing is a nice touch, adding a nice healthful alternative to a heavy mac salad side. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zC33SnmBINxr-jGIfjEig?select=U7yNwY9Tup040nNGfEI3AQ My coworker got the Pork Loin with Brown Rice. I love any restaurant that allows for the brown rice option. Its a nice texture and I hear its healthier than white rice. The pork loin was moist and tasty. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zC33SnmBINxr-jGIfjEig?select=Q2LHcdy0GKeZCfdUEslxww Overall, Not Just Desserts is a great lunch choice for the downtown crowd and they have a frequent eater card too! I will most def be coming back! read more

Not Just Desserts - Roasted Pork Loin - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Really interesting location. It's located on a small street across of Murphy's Bar & Grill. I got the oreo brownie and the haupia bread pudding. The bread pudding was delicious! I heard they also have a menu and serve food. I will have to come back for that next time. Just got desserts this time. read more

Not Just Desserts - Haupia bread pudding - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I love the pesto penne pasta! I've had it twice and just love the delicious sauce. You can also get it with chicken if you need some meat with it, but it doesn't need it. The pasta also comes with a mixed green salad and a vinegrette dressing. It is a little sweet and tangy and it goes so well with the pasta! The portion size is also humongous so it's major good value! Regarding the pastries, I really want to enjoy what they have becuase they offer natural sweeteners in the pastries like honey and applesauce, but maybe that's what makes them a little dry. I've had on several occasions the brownies, banana nut cake, blueberry energy bar, and oreo brownies. They have all been decent in taste sometimes bordering on too sweet and most times too dry. The energy bar and banana nut cake were both too crumbly possibly from applesauce? It seemed either overbaked or lacking a bit of oil. I understand this is more along the lines of healthy baking so I'm not complaining. Just stating the facts. The pastries are decent not mind blowing. The service and pasta will keep me coming back though. Very friendly staff and great fresh food made to order. I will give two thumbs up for that! read more

Not Just Desserts - Hours...7-7 - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I hate to write negative reviews about small local businesses so I will keep this short, but I felt it is important to share that Not Just Desserts may not accept TIPPR KITV vouchers that expire 7/31: I went to use my TIPPR KITV voucher today, 7/20, and was allowed to use it, but was told that it was the last day that it could be used, even though it expires 7/31. Luckily, this didn't pose a problem for me since I only had one voucher to use. However, I was disappointed that I could only use it on 4 entrees and various pastries. I had been excited to try some other dishes, and was surprised by this limitation. After I ordered, the owner came out of the kitchen, removed the menu for TIPPR coupons, and said she wouldn't accept any more coupons. She replaced the menu with a new sign that said "we no longer service TIPPR coupons please e-mail dealcentersupport@tippr.com." She was also irate at another customer who used the vouchers before me. The food was great - my friend and I shared the meatloaf and pesto pasta with chicken, which were both delicious. Also, though I didn't have many dishes to choose from, at least the pasta & meatloaf are fairly popular dishes at the restaurant. read more

I'm an ocassional regular at her stall at the Saturday KCC Open Market but today I stopped in for something regretful and I found she had low sugar blueberry bread pudding sweatened with agave. Tell you, I missed the sugar! hahaha she always has a great variety of stuff and so nice. read more

Not Just Desserts - Bad photo of a Blueberry Bread Pudding - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I ordered a strawberry shortcake for my son's 4th birthday. He was so excited when I brought it home, he wanted to eat the strawberries before we even got to the event location. When we have cake in the house we usually have leftovers days later but this cake was so good that there was one piece left the next day when I got home from work so I had to eat it before anyone else could! I do not like cakes from the grocery stores because they have very little flavor and way too much sugar; but this cake was so sweet and delicious and it had no sugar! Total heaven! Perfection! read more

Five stars. I really enjoyed the roast chicken. The cook/waitress related that it was fresh island chicken from the north shore area farms. It really was fresh and very delicious. The way that it was seasoned too, was flavorful and robust. I was thoroughly satisfied with the roast chicken. Also had some bread pudding, fresh out of the oven and the cook/waitress let us choose what slice in the pan we wanted. Now that was super cool!! Try it out here! read more

Not Just Desserts - Roast chicken - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Whats funny about the name and my review is about just her Desserts! My review will mainly focus on her sweet stuff. Kate's place is tucked away literally in a lane in downtown Honolulu. she has some wall decorations and paintings and tables / chairs in the place. When you first walk in, you see the table full of desserts and thats where my main focus is. There are a few rotating deserts. But a few that i tried were the Oreo & blueberry bread pudding, candy bar brownie, red relvet cake, Lemon caramel cake, but my all time favorite dessert is the truffle brownie. It is to DIE for. I always have to stop my self from eating it all when i do get it. I'll make try to get some of the lunch items next time for sure over all, Kate and her place is great and you have a customer faithful customer here! read more

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First off, the lady at the front was oh so nice, I like her a lot. She was so friendly, she took our orders, but the way she did it was fantastic. Even though this was my first time here it's like she talks to you like you're a regular and an old friend. She immediately makes you feel comfortable. Even if the food wasn't as good as it was I would go back just to see her. I got the chicken pesto pasta. The meal comes with half salad and half penne pasta. It was so good and I was starving. The small side salad has a clear sweet vinegar type dressing. The penne and pesto were mixed just right together. Some places put too much and some put too little but it just covered all the pasta and the chicken. I literally ate the entire plate and was completely full at the end, but I still want dessert. So I got the truffle brownie. It had chocolate chips sprinkled on top, dried fruit inside (I think they were cherries) and the brownie. The woman at the front offered to warm it up for me but I brought it home and ate it with ice cream. Delicious. I've been hoping for a restaurant that really rocks my world because I went to so many that I go to all the time or just have plain bad service and this was seriously like the light at the end of the tunnel. read more

Not Just Desserts - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is my second visit to buy Kate's amazingly delicious pastries at KCC Farmer's Market! Tried her haupia bread pudding, chocolate tre leche cake with coconut, grapefruit scone, chocolate croissants, and flourless chocolate brownies. YUM! Everything is delicious and recommendable (is that a legitimate word?)! She even has gluten free wares. Absolute winner! Woo hoo! William is learning the business and assits with packaging your order and collecting payment. He's so polite and cute! read more

My husband and I try to shop at the Farmers market at KCC every Saturday from 7-11am. That's if we wake up early enough...but every time we go I ALWAYS...ALWAYS stop by this stand. There is so much to love about this lady, her homemade and freshly made baked goods. There is seriously so much goodness in this business. Let me explain: At first glance it looks like an ordinary bake sale stand. Home made desserts. Not the perfectly sliced pieces and perfectly placed icing kind. But when you hear what this sweet lady has to say about her fresh ingredients and what kind of flavors and processing she throws together, you'll give in. And you'll be glad that you did! Everything I've tried thus far has been so...so tasty. On top of that, she uses fresh, non artificial ingredients. My favorite recipe is the bread pudding. She usually has a few bread pudding varieties but the one I ordered had chocolate in it. She whipped it up with whip cream, tossed in chunks of her brownies, and threw in a strawberry. Before whipping up that pretty concoction, she gave us free brownie pieces for the wait. Huge plus! I have tried her other desserts here as well and she has everything from healthy fruit bars (intentionally made with little to no sugar so it tastes healthy) to the heavy thick decadent chocolate cake with whipped cream and all that bad goodness. Bottomline: She is so sweet, prices are fair, baked goods are made with quality, love and deliciousness. read more

Not Just Desserts - Chocolate bread pudding with brownie chunks--amazing!!!! - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My mom, who has worked at Hawaii National Bank for nearly 40 years, gave me the heads up on this true "hole in the wall" that opened this week. It's hidden in a tiny space on Marin Lane, the narrow one-way street that heads Diamond Head from Smith Street to Nuuanu Avenue, facing a small pay parking lot off Nimitz Hwy. Chef Kate Wagner is known at the Kailua, Kapiolani, and Mililani Farmer's Markets, and previously managed a shop called Starpoint. This modest, downright spare space is just enough room for this artisan pastry and bread shop. If you've a special diet, she has something for you. She uses healthy alternatives to sugar, substituting agave, honey or fruit juice. She has gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan fare. The red velvet cake is easily the most notable item on the menu, but the name of the place is the truth. To start your day, you can find Kona coffee, pastries, and I've seen bread pudding and s'mores as well. There are great take-out lunches ($7 seems the price point), like lasagna, mushroom chicken, pork loin, tamales, and salads. There's parking everywhere, and Chef Kate has even staked out a small section of the loading zone at the door for "drive-up service." The menu changes daily, but it's worth stopping by to check it out. If you're especially lazy, there's a "today's special" menu board outside that you can probably read as you drive by! read more

The name says it all! They have some very good tasting desserts but i would come here for the food as well. What most people don't know is that they have fine dinning night which I will go into detail a little later, Really interesting location as it is located on a small street (110 Marin Lane) close by Murphy's Bar & Grill in China Town. There is a private lot that between Nimitz Hwy and Marin Lane that you could park (it is kind of expensive) or you could park in the Marin Tower if you plan to eat there. If you want to do take out, you can call your order in (489-3749) and there is a loading zone right in front where you can run in get your food and you will be all set. I got to try two different plates which came with spring mix salad with a light dressing and jasmine rice. 1) Roasted Chicken - OH MY I AM A FAN! Perfectly roasted, very tender and juicy. Just remembering it makes my mouth water! The chicken they served is bought locally! 2) Meatloaf - Ok, I thought I had my share of good meatloaf but this one takes the cake. Most of my friends know that I am a portion control freak when it comes to eating (unless it's a buffet, then the gloves come off or at least the belt does). It was so good I almost ate the whole thing. I had to call them up to ask them what in the world did they put inside and of course she said "i could tell you but then I would have to kill you." KILL ME NOW! lol What I did find out is they use two different types of meat which of course is locally raised and bought and with a nice amount of a mushroom gravy to where it doesn't flood the plate but enough to get on the rice. I got the freshly made brownie and the chocolate chip haupia. From the first bite the brownie was a winner in my book. Now the chocolate chip haupia.... Let's just say it had to grow on me. Maybe because I ate the brownie first that it kind of tainted my taste buds a little. But it took 3 bites and then it tasted not bad. Ok I mentioned that they have a fine dinning night. This is held around every two weeks or so on a Saturday. For $60 a person, one can feast upon a 7 course meal which I was told is truly an experience. Reservations is a must! Seating is between 6:30 - 7:00 which the doors will be closed and you will be turned away. So for people like myself who usually are late for things better set your alarm clock as you will be standing outside hearing everyone enjoy their meal. They don't serve alcohol but you can BYOB and they do not charge a corkage fee. Did I mention they support local as they buy local??? Another reason to come here as we need to support those who support local businesses as well it will be a treat for your taste buds. 110 Marin Lane (Between Smith St and Nuuanu Ave. Honolulu, HI Ph: 489-3749 Mon - Fri 8:30am - 4:00 or until food sells out. Fine dinning Saturday (check restaurant or Facebook for exact day) read more

I have a feeling that this place is a hit or miss depending on what you order. It was a miss for me today... I ordered the Taco Salad. Okay, I'm no taco salad snob but, this was just a handful of lettuce with a pile of ground beef mixed with like Tostitos Salsa. I mean... not even real salsa. And there was no cheese - no cheese?!?!?! Slivers of tortilla strips tossed in - tasted more like those Hawaii Won Ton chips. And I've read others say the portions were huge but, um not really in this case. Paid $9 bucks for that and I wasn't full nor was it good. Now, their desserts looked incredible, but it sort of grosses me out that things are sitting on a counter, in an non-air conditioned place, opened. Who knows what is flying around, and then people hover around the counter to pay for their food - what if someone is a spitter when they talk and spits into the desserts or sneeze, or... in fact, I watched as one of the customers who just finished their meal walk up to the counter to return their used fork and give back their eaten styrofoam container, and since no one was there, they just plopped it right on top of the tray of brownies. And mind you, the brownies are exposed with just a sheet of wax paper over. Eeeeewww gross. Given the sneezing and spitting and other possible scenarios and what I witnessed, I just couldn't buy a dessert. And my last gripe...there's one guy who mans the counter and then goes in the back to prepare the food. If he's in the back, you're standing there waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. It's not good. Especially when we only have an hour lunch break. Sorry Charlie...an unenthusiastic two stars only. read more

the deserts though are really good. Even though the name is cliché the food is anything but. I used to work on King and Bethel so this restaurant is just across the street under our fire door. It was a soft soft opening that just a placard showed up on our daily lunch time walks and we got to see a wide variety of deserts, ohh la la. Since we were so close, we talked to the owner and asked about catering for our non-profit events. It was wonderfully refreshing to get a no nonsense answer. She (the chef) said 'tell me your goal per head and how many people to feed and what your total budget is.' Directly straight forward, her time was important and she knew the organization didn't want to look foolish for something that they should have had prepared well. Very refreshing. Seating is small. Don't try to bring a good size group unless you call ahead for take out. If you are going to try something different that is made super fresh in an upbeat fast setting- you are definitely in the right place. There is a menu board out front and they do slide out what is no longer in stock. There are always deserts that are just to die for and super rich. Beef done different ways- roast beef or meat loaf it is all good. My coworkers love the meatloaf so much. I go for more of the meat meats and it is good for that too. Price is super reasonable. There are good size portions and it is all tastey. There is a pay parking lot in front of it- otherwise walk or street parking. Driving up nearby is cool to - paying and then going is super easy down the side streets. read more

I want to give em 3 stars, really I do . .BUT . . . . First, was disappointed that they bowed out on the Dish Walk that took place in January. That was my first experience . . . there was a note on the door "Medical Emergency" . . . ummm . . ok. Disappointment. I had heard so much fanfare about this place, i was really dying to try it. SO, I walked by the next day and amazingly, they were open . . . found that a bit strange. . perhaps they just didn't want to participate in the Dish Walk? So that kind of bothered me somewhat. . . My second experience . . . couple weeks later, decided to stop by and give them a try. First, only one guy was working there. He was on kitchen duty AND dining room duty. Apparently the regular cook was doing a wedding somewhere, thus the lack of manpower. I wanted to do a take out, as did the 2 other people waiting in line ahead of me. As we one by one placed our to go orders, people were getting up from their tables waiting to pay. . . . . I literally spent 30 minutes waiting from the time I walked in to the time I got and paid for my to-go order. . . yeesh! I was thinking this place better be good!!! AS I stood there, I noticed a couple things that bothered me: 1) there were desserts sitting out on a table kind of close to the propped open front door. Most of them were covered, however, others were not . . there were flies that kept landing on the open desserts. Not to mention that people stand around that table and breathe (and possibly cough/sneeze) in the area . . . . Admittedly, I am a germ phobe. I hate it when food places sit my order on the counter where people are waiting to place their order or pick up their food. I've been known to take my food as it gets placed on the tray, much to the dismay of the person behind the counter - no I'm not starving to death here, I just don't like people breathing all over my food! Ok, so that's why the open desserts really bugged me . . oh, that and the FLIES that kept landing on them. I asked what the ID card gets me here and he the dude working there said "Oh, one of these brownie desserts (one of the uncovered dishes). Meh, that's ok . . think I will pass! 2) The one man show prepared food and took money with ungloved, unwashed hands. He went from taking money at the register to taking an order, to going into the kitchen (which can be seen from the front door - which, that's a good thing - I like being able to see the kitchen of places I'm eating at) to preparing food, right back up to the front, ringing up the order, taking money, making change, taking orders . . all without the benefit of even a quick rinse of the hands (especially after handling money). . . ick. Again, me = germophobe. So, that being said, I am hard pressed to give a higher rating. I know its hard when its busy and there's only one person working, but that's why latex gloves are made. Ok, now, on to the food. . .which I did indeed consume without getting sick from the lack of proper hand washing . . . . was very tasty. Portions were good. I think this place just needs a little better management and it will do well. Certainly looks busy enough every time I walk by. read more

The worst. Ordered cakes on two occasions and they were dry with gritty frosting. The "desserts" were almost as bad as the rude owner, who acted like we were doing HER a favor by doing business with this place. Don't waste your time! read more

The nicest people and delicious coffee! Adam made fresh brewed coffee just for me one morning last week, and the next day the owner did the same. The coffee is locally grown and organic. (Note that there's no decaf.) The menu looked wonderful - locally sourced products - and I sure hope to have a meal there one day soon. read more

I was super excited when I saw the signs "Not Just Desserts", I've been wondering where this place was since so many yelpers had highly raved about it. It was 8am in the morning, so there were just some pastries lined up by the door. I bought the raisin bread for $3. BOY! Was I disappointed? It was like 2-day old bread. Maybe I should have try other items that everyone else yelp about? But I was very disappointed. But I am still debating whether I should go back for the lunch menu????? read more

Delish! I had the pesto pasta but my friend got the smothered pork chop... i wanted that! but all the food is fresh and delicious! and the menu changes everyday so everyday is a surprise! the desserts are the bomb, i had the banana bread pie with whip cream, that was all homemade! yummers. read more

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Stumbled upon this little place taking a weird route back to the office. It's hidden in the parking lot behind O'Tooles and the white board on the sidewalk is the best way to find it. I had the Pesto pasta with no meat ($8) and it came with a nice big fresh salad. The pasta was very good. I can't say it's the BEST pesto I've ever had, but it was tasty and the portions were large. Since I went with a few friends, I got to taste several desserts... chocolate pecan torte (the chocolate ganache is just simply amazing....), lemon cake (the lemon tastes so fresh and REAL), and a chocolate cream cheese cake? or something like that... that was ok but the cream cheese in the cake or wherever it was totally took away from the chocolate that I was dying to taste more of. I left telling my coworkers that I wanted a chocolate ganache cake from there for my office bday cake :) I can not tell you anymore how unbelievably chocolate-y and YUMMY that ganache was!!!! Can't handle even thinking about it... read more

Hit/Miss ratio: 50/50. Found this place not thru Yelp, but because it's right across the street from where I work. 1st visit: miss -Spaghetti with meat sauce tasted like Ragu or Prego. And I know that taste from my on-a-budget-ramen-noodles-everyday days. 2nd visit - HIT!!! Roasted chicken. Perfectly roasted; skin rendered until thin and nicely browned, meat juicy and flavorful. 3rd visit: miss. Taco salad tasted like ground beef tossed in jarred grocery store salsa. Chips were Mission brand type, and stale. Yes, stale. Not much greens. It was aweful; tossed it out. 4th visit: (Trying to give it a fair shot as it's a local chef and close to work) HIT!!! Meatloaf and gravy. Great comfort food and you can negate the naughty-ness of the meatloaf and gravy with brown rice and a fresh baby greens tossed salad that comes with it (at least in my mind, I do). From friends, I hear the deserts are scrumptious. I'm not a sweet-eater so don't know personally, but they look awesome. read more

I love Chef Kate!! I love all the desserts( not to sweet ) !!!! I love the coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the meatloaf!?!?!?!?!??!?!?That's right I said meatloaf! Trust me and thank me later people!!!! read more

Super good. Fresh salad with an amazing dressing. Couldn't stop eating my turkey risotto. Rumor has it that at some point in the week, there will be eggplant Parmesan! Service is extremely friendly! Will be back for sure! read more

ONLY 3.5 STARS...really, Yelpers?! I'm shocked. I always come here after I get my hair did across the street. My favorite dishes are the salmon and the meatloaf. There's a special sauce that comes with both of these that just makes them one step above the average lunch. It also helps that the salmon is always perfectly cooked and never dry. Yum! Obviously, I can't forget about the desserts...I actually don't have a favorite here because everything is just so darn good. I've tried the blueberry bread pudding, the brownie, and a slice of lemon cake. I guess if I had to choose, I'd take the bread pudding because it tastes good hot or cold. The owner is also really, really nice...she makes you feel special every time you walk in (even if it's your first time). Local businesses for the win! read more

"It's easy to make a $100 meal taste good...it's hard to make a $10 meal taste good." said the French woman chef who made our lunches. She's managed to pull it off! High end food at reasonable prices. Healthier than a lot of options downtown. Had the brownies for dessert...yum! read more

Wow! So I've been leading my coworkers on a trek for new lunch places, all thanks to yelp and we stumbled upon this place! Not Just Desserts is located on Marin Lane, next to O'Tooles in the Downtown/Chinatown area and is really a hole in a wall. The menu, which rotates, is outside, so make sure you know what you want to order before you walk in. It smelled sooooo good in here when we walked in - brownies were baking! In any case, we sat down, realized that there were no menus, went back out, then went back in. It wasn't crowded at all, since we went early at 11am. The guy who took our order kind of not all there - my coworker asked what was in the pork loin and he said "chicken." He also got our drinks mixed up, three cokes and one water and it was supposed to be three waters in one coke. But that's ok, we quickly overlooked the the guy who was taking our order. The chef and owner was awesome, and the food was even better! I ordered the vegi quinoa, my other coworker had the pork loin I mentioned above, another one had the chicken pesto pasta and another had the spinich artichoke pasta. Everything was delicious, especially the spinach artichoke pasta! My coworkers and I agreed that it tasted just like the dip! Three of us ordered brownies on our way out, since it just came out of the oven. It was delicious and had raisins in there, an unexpected but welcome addition. Great place for lunch and we'll be back! read more

Not Just Desserts - Vegi quinoa - Desserts Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I came here for the first time for their "Chocolate and Champagne" event that they held on Halloween night. It was a very low-key way to spend Halloween, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. For $15, I was given a choice of 5 desserts out of a long table filled with a variety of desserts. Haupia bread pudding, homemade bonbons made with Big Island chocolate, all sorts of cakes... definitely not the place to go if you're on a diet, but ehh. I'll just workout three times tomorrow. On top of desserts, I also got champagne to wash it all down. Yum! The owner Kate is the nicest, sassiest lady with some amazing stories. By the end of it, she was sitting with us talking story. As the name implies, there aren't just desserts here. Apparently their lunch food is amazing as well. Kate told us they'll only be open for lunch on Fridays now. Can't wait until next Friday to try some of their entrees! read more

So many gluten-free & sugar-free entrees & desserts! Truffle brownies are always a great choice! Chef Kate really outdoes herself with all of her gluten free and sugar free options. I have indulged in many of her desserts...oh, they melt in your mouth and definitely don't taste gluten free, but they are! (she also makes some items with gluten, so if you are avoiding gluten, be sure to ask what is gluten free) Let's start the list of desserts I've tried (and 100% of the time enjoyed): Truffle brownies, chocolate cakes, lemon cake, pistachio cake, carrot cake, angel food cake, blueberry pie, peach cobbler, lemon meringue pie, chocolate pies with cherries or cherries and pistachios, chocolate pies (that taste like fudge) with pecans. Oh I'm starting to salivate for more of her treats as I write this! Last time I tried her chocolate bread pudding...I didn't think I'd ever eat bread pudding again, but Kate can make it gluten free. :) On the more breakfast-y side of things, she makes delicious oatmeal/berry bars, apple cinnamon muffins, banana muffins. I've tried a few of her gluten free scones, with interesting flavors such as lavender lemon, and mango, She has a few types of whole breads, like pumpkin or sweet pumpkin. I haven't tried her chocolate bread yet. Chef Kate has a spot at the KCC Farmer's Market every Saturday. I've also eaten at her store, which is right around the corner from Murphy's and O'Toole's. She is open for lunch during the weekdays, although sometimes closed if she is catering offsite. I had her cater for an office luncheon...moist chicken breast, gluten free pasta with vegetables and pesto, brown rice with a really yummy cream sauce, salad....everyone devoured the food, and the truffle brownies we had with the lunch were gone in no time! At her store, I've eaten lunches like gluten free meatloaf (with that yummy cream sauce) and brown rice, warm veggie quinoa, My husband enjoys the ribs, but they are a bit spicy for me. You can "cut" the spice by eating the kale slaw that comes with it. He likes the pork chops too. I know she has even more lunch options, but you'll have to go and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed...portions are large and of course, delicious! If you arrive and a line appears out the door, don't worry, they are getting take out, which is usually served pretty quickly. Just look at the day's menu on the board, and go inside and have a seat. Kate or her staff will be with you momentarily. Thank you Chef Kate for bringing a smile back to my face with all of your gluten free sugar free foods and desserts! Being gluten free is fun and tolerable, now that I've found you! read more