Uluniu Street is a little under appreciated even among Kailuans, but the two-block stretch is home to an eclectic mix of restaurants, physicians' and lawyers' offices, alternative health clinics, spas, an art collective, a tattoo parlor, a party supply rental business and a print shop.

“;You could say it's the heart of the business district,”; says Evan Scherman, president of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce.

The street also is the site of the Cool Kailua Nights event, an annual block party and wellness fair that raises funds for Castle Medical Center's chemotherapy unit and the Ho'ola Cancer Exercise Wellness Program.

A Cup of Tea

407 Uluniu St., Suite 101
» Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
» Tea times at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
» Phone: 230-8832
» acupoftea.biz

Darlene Pahed wants the Windward side to become a hot spot for tea parties.

In July, Pahed and her husband, Jay, opened A Cup of Tea, a Victorian-style tea room and boutique on the ground floor of the Kailua Medical Arts Building.

The décor is pretty and pink. Patrons sip freshly steeped tea and nibble on scones, soups, salads, finger sandwiches and desserts to the soothing strains of classical music.

With 15 years experience running a bridal store, Pahed knows customer service. She greets patrons as if welcoming them to her own home.

Pahed traveled to tea rooms across the mainland and abroad to shop for tea and related accouterments, including a filtration system that cost more than $1,000. She also studied to become a certified tea pourer.

The main tea room and an adjoining private room already have hosted bridal and baby showers, birthday parties and church and society group gatherings.

Pahed, who transforms her household every year into a winter wonderland at Christmas, plans a similar holiday theme for the tea room this year.

Dr. K.B. Chun and Sons

444 Uluniu St.
» Phone: 261-0813
» drkbchunandsons.com

Two of the three brothers who run a dental practice that has served local families for almost 60 years have been away from the office for months at a time over the past few years.

But Mark and Norman Chun of K.B. Chun and Sons Dentistry weren't on vacation. They were deployed to Iraq.

Mark, 56, retired in July after serving 26 years, first with the Army National Guard and then the Tripler Army Medical Reserve. Five years ago, he persuaded his brother Norman into enlisting in the National Guard.

In 2005, Mark, a colonel, deployed to Balad Air Base in Northern Iraq and in 2006 to the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.

Norman, a major with the 29th Support Battalion, was stationed at Camp Anaconda, 50 miles north of Baghdad, for three months in 2005.

On the home front, Mark, who practices general dentistry, Norman, 53, a pediatric dentist, and their brother Mitchell carry on a practice started by their father in 1949.

Lucy's Grill n' Bar

33 Aulike St.
» Phone: 230-8188

Yes, there's a fish tank, surfboards adorning the walls, and tiki torches set aglow at night. But the effect is more cool than kitsch, especially when food, drink and friends come together.

Lucy's Grill n' Bar is just around the corner from Uluniu Street on Aulike Street, next to a Laundromat.

The atmosphere is casual but the menu transcends the usual bar food fare. Popular entrees are the rib-eye steak and the Ahi Tower, a roll-your-own sushi dish with sushi rice, avocado, nori strips and ahi.

The entrees are a bit pricey, ranging from $16 to $30, but chef and owner Christian Schneider recently introduced demi-size dishes ($14 to $16).

You can sit inside or kick back in the open bar outside and enjoy the Kailua breeze.