The Weekly Eater Nadine Kam

Chocolate casts
its magic spell at
Enchanted Lake shop

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I have cleared many a nine-course meal and waltzed through miles of buffets in the line of duty, but I draw the line at feasting on chocolate candies. Such intense morsels must be administered in low doses, the better to savor every bite.

So you can understand why, after picking out a few pieces of chocolate at Chocolate Sushi in the Enchanted Lake Shopping Center, I refrained from devouring all of them in one sitting.

The next day, I called Chocolate Sushi owner Oki Yucker to learn more about her unique shop, and she asked which chocolate I liked best. When I explained I had only tried one piece to start, she became alarmed. You see, she loves chocolate, and more important, is fluent in chocolate-ese.

"Oh no!" she fretted like a mother protecting her keiki. "It won't be fresh."

Fresh? We were talking overnight. Given the right conditions, milk chocolate will keep for a year, dark chocolate will keep for two. I have a history of surviving after ingesting months-old chocolate, mistreated chocolate marred by whitish powdery bloom, chocolate out of boxes on shelves for who knows how long, and chocolate left sitting -- not even wrapped, mind you -- right here in the office, for days. When chocolate cravings hit at 3 p.m. daily, I'm not exactly picky.

Yucker was afraid I had put her chocolate in the refrigerator, but I knew better. Refrigeration can lead to the aforementioned bloom as sugar and moisture condense on its surface. It also causes the chocolate to stiffen, preventing you from enjoying -- unless it's left to warm -- the silky, velvety texture that makes it so satisfying.

Unfortunately, chocolate is happiest at about 62 degrees, with less than 50 percent humidity, and, well, have you felt the heat and humidity lately? When I saw the chocolates next, they were a little saggy, but I assure you, no less delicious than if they came straight out of Yucker's display counter, where you'll find truffles for 95 cents per piece, and other delights such as amaretto bon bons, caramel-filled fish, peanut butter and milk chocolate butterflies, and solid milk- or dark-chocolate frogs and turtles for 85 cents per piece. Her chocolates of choice are Callebaut and Cacao Berry, and she has plans to add Swiss, Valrhona and Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate to her cache.

Yucker loves to deliver surprises and can also create made-to-order items such as chocolate bears filled with half-inch white-chocolate hearts.

But one of the most popular items is technically not chocolate at all, without a drop of the chocolate liquor that makes chocolate chocolate. It's Yucker's lilikoi-filled white chocolate, a confection that's earned the name "Lilikoi Heaven" because patrons are heard to utter "Oh my god!" after one bite. I don't even like white chocolate, but I exclaimed "Wow!"

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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM At Chocolate Sushi, Oki Yucker creates a little happiness through sinful chocolate treats and freshly made sushi.

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BY NOW you're wondering where the sushi comes in. As at any take-out sushi restaurant, Yucker has the ahi, tamago, ikura, etc. Prior to opening Chocolate Sushi, the space was occupied by a Japanese take-out restaurant, so continuing to serve sushi seemed to be a way to serve a built-in clientele, even though she initially dreamed of opening a chocolate and wedding cake shop.

Although the current mix seems odd, the cohabitation seems to work, as there is greater demand for lunch and dinner necessities than the luxury of fine chocolates. But to tell you the truth, lured by the siren song of the chocolates, I barely gave the sushi a second glance. As if this isn't enough, the menu lists a wide range of coffee drinks, and Yucker recently added shave ice for the kids.

In spite of the seemingly disparate niches, Chocolate Sushi is a pleasant place to be, and that was Yucker's intent.

"I wanted to create a happy place, especially so kids growing up could have good memories."

Reflecting on her childhood in Korea, Yucker remembers the treat of enjoying shave ice with azuki beans at Christmas.

"In Korea, we don't usually eat sweets, but we had sweet mochi rice and you remember the taste, because it was so exciting. Of course, you grow up, you taste it again and it's not the same as you remembered, but, still, it left you with a happy memory. I think it's important to create some happiness because life is not that easy."

With the holidays approaching, there will be plenty of memory builders for adults as well as she makes plans for Halloween-oriented candies, chestnut- and hazelnut-filled bon bons for Thanksgiving, and perhaps decor of a gingerbread and marzipan village at Christmastime.

Yucker's slogan is "Buying chocolate makes life mo' better," and perhaps that's true, though I pity her soon-to-be neighbors, Curves for Women, a fitness center. I tease her about being a bad influence on those who want to trim down, but she puts a positive spin on that too.

"No, it's a good thing," she said. "I tell them if you work out half an hour, you deserve a reward. Eat one piece of chocolate."

CHOCOLATE SUSHI Enchanted Lake Shopping Center , 1020 Keolu Drive D-4, Kailua / 263-7878 Hours: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays Cost: About $6 for a half dozen chocolates

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See some past restaurant reviews in the Columnists section.

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:

	excellent;
	very good, exceeds expectations;
	average;
	below average.

To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com

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