Tilia Exquisite Aloha = Fresh, Fruity & Fun

Located in the heart of Waikiki, I heard about this fun place that serves up fresh, fruity items with lots of color and pizzaz last summer. Located on Kaiolu Street in Waikiki street parking can be a pain, but they have stalls nearby that don't have meters so at least you don't have to pay for it. Known for their acai bowls and waffles topped with gorgeous fruits, nuts and fresh whipped cream, I am glad I finally got to try this place. 

Also, known as Tilia Aloha Cafe, this place is a cute cafe within a retail store that clearly caters to the Japanese clientele. Specialty items include taro, or mochi waffles, salads, bagels, fruit bowls with acai, kona red or pitaya and papaya served with ice cream. I went with two other friends so I could try a variety of items and it was tasty, full of freshness and skillfully plated. The service was a bit slow and the waiter didn't know too much about the place, like how it got its name and etc. But it was efficient enough. Here's a look at what we had to try:

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The Original Taro Waffle: with seasonal fruits and whipped cream was delightful. It comes in 3 sizes (s, m and l). I ordered the small which was $5, it was good but only a quarter of the waffle, so it was pretty small. Nice flavor, great fresh fruits and a good ratio of chocolate sauce, whipped cream and I added a touch of maple syrup.

Bagel Sandwich: cured ham, tomato, Maui onion, capers, dill cream cheese, side salad and fruit. At $14.50 this was a pretty dish and full of freshness, on the website it says it comes with taro chips, but we didn't receive any. It was good though, maybe a bit over priced, but it is Waikiki.

Waffle Sandwich: egg salad served with shrimp, apples, lettuce, tomato and side salad. Pretty yummy and the combo of flavors and textures was fun. But it was sure hard to eat with your hands. Be prepared to have some napkins handy. $14.00.

Pitaya Bowl: this was refreshing and very much like a sorbet topped with fruit. The generous heaping amount of honey on top was nice and sweet to counter the sourness of the pitaya. $10.50

For more information visit http://tilia-aloha.com
Overall, this was a nice spot for a light brunch. The freshness was refreshing and perfect if you want something healthy with good flavors. I would go back for a nice peaceful lunch or a brunch date.