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Feed your sweeter side

Columns Jus' Desserts

April 8, 2013

Story By: Nicole Monton |

Gyu-Kaku in Windward Mall puts its own spin on traditional desserts that will make everyone at the table a happy camper.

Roasted Black Sesame Ice Cream ($4.75) with caramel is a heavenly mixture of salty and sweet.

“There’s sprinkled arashio (sea salt) on top, so it brings out the flavor of the sesame ice cream,” explains assistant manager Bailey Kanae.

The arashio also brings out the nutty flavor of the ice cream, so there’s no doubt that the flavors in this dish are paired well.

“Sesame seeds are normally meant for savory dishes, but it’s a little bit sweeter because of the caramel,” Kanae says.

Gyu-Kaku’s Bread Pudding Bites ($7.95, add $4.25 for vanilla bean ice cream) might look to be a dish meant for sharing. But one bite of this dish will have you hoarding it all for yourself.

“This is our most popular dessert,” says Kanae. “We like to serve it with vanilla bean ice cream on the side.”

The pairing of the ice cream is the perfect play of temperatures. But this is no traditional bread pudding. Think malasadas – soft on the inside with a crunchy crust on the outside.

Everyone loves a little deep-frying when it comes to dessert, and Gyu-Kaku understands this innate need deep within all of us. Its Deep Fried Cheese Cake ($8.50) is paired with vanilla bean ice cream.

“We like to add chocolate sauce, but people have choices of chocolate, caramel or cinnamon,” Kanae explains.

Exclusive to Gyu-Kaku in Windward Mall is Wasabi Ice Cream ($4.50) and Homemade Strawberry Cream Pie ($5.95), which is coming out this summer. The latter is the owner’s special recipe and will feature other local fruits, atop a graham cracker crust, cream cheese filling and balsamic vinaigrette sauce.

Gyu-Kaku is known for its excellent quality of meat and yakiniku-style dining, but many times we fill up our carnivorous side and neglect our sweet tooth.

But the desserts at Gyu-Kaku in Windward Mall are no joke, stop in and see for yourself.

Gyu-kaku

46-056 Kamehameha Hwy. #F1, Kaneohe
744-2157
Open daily at 11 a.m., last dinner seating at 11 p.m.,
Monday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday

Windward Mall, Kaneohe, HI 96744

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