Looking for pastry in Kailua, but don’t want to end up with the ubiquitous box of a dozen donuts from Safeway? It’s worth driving around Enchanted Lake on Keolu Drive to the tiny Nene Goose Bakery, located in the same strip mall as the Keolu Center Cinemas.
Everything is baked from scratch in the back of the store. My favorite is the long johns – unlike the typical doughy product lesser bakeries offer, the Nene Goose long john is skinny and flavorful, with just the right texture. The cream filling is placed in a valley, almost like a hot dog in a bun.
The only downsides: quality does come at a price, a cash-only one at that. Also, the bakery seems to bake just enough pastry to last through the day. If you come late (say after lunch on a weekend), you’ll find most of the good stuff already gone.
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