Over the moon for these cakes

Minamoto Kitchoan is located at Ala Moana Center. FILE PHOTO

The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important celebration in Chinese culture, but Chinatown isn’t the only place you can get your hands on delicious moon cakes.

You can enjoy Geppei — Japanese-style moon cakes — at Minamoto Kitchoan, located on Street Level 1 of Ala Moana Center. The light delicacy features a thin layer of pastry filled with a delicious bean paste.

According to office manager Yayoi Akana, Geppei differs slightly from traditional Chinese moon cakes.

“These aren’t like the moon cakes you’ll usually eat in Chinatown,” Akana explains. “They’re more Japanese-style: It’s a delicate pastry and the flavors are light.”

The moon cakes at Minamoto Kitchoan aren’t available individually, but customers can purchase them in packs of four pieces ($17), eight pieces ($33) or 12 pieces ($49). The packs contain four different flavors: Fruit & Nut, Matcha (green tea), White Peach and Earl Grey.

Assorted Geppei, or Japanese-style moon cakes: White Peach, Earl Grey, Fruit & Nut and Matcha ($17 for a four-piece set, $33 for eight, $49 for 12)

Akana encourages customers to try Geppei since it’s a seasonal treat.

“We’ll have this autumn item through September, maybe until October,” she confirms.

Geppei isn’t the only thing Minamoto fans can look forward to this fall. Akana says the new Minamoto Kitchoan kiosk will be opening on Sept. 22 at Kahala Mall, close to Calista and Macy’s. Unlike the temporary nature of kiosks, though, this will be a permanent second location for the business, Akana states.

“The kiosk will have our most popular items, so customers can look forward to that,” she says.

Minamoto Kitchoan

Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. 1110, Honolulu
947-0870
Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
kitchoan.com