Paalaa Kai Bakery

Snow Puffies, my fave! This is an unusual review, as it’s not my first time trying this pastry or patronizing this long-​time establishment. Everytime I’m on the Northshore, I have to stop here, unless I’m on a strict diet… LOL!
It’s a small mom-​and-​pop, sufficient parking. I love coming here to get my fix of their signature pastry, the Snow Puffy. Since changing management/​owners a few years back, I believe, they now have better/​longer hours and more inventory. Before, if you went later in the afternoon, you would almost anticipate to walk in, turn to the right-​side showcase and see that all the Snow Puffies were gone for the day. It’s almost like they didn’t make enough or wouldn’t keep up with demand. Now, you don’t have to worry, they always have!!! :)
I do notice though, that quite often now, the chocolate swirls on top is not long enough to cover the whole pastry. I’ve often seen where the chocolate swirl is so short that you don’t get the chocolate with every bite. They need to change that and make it consistent and the way it used to be, where the swirl spanned the whole length of the Puffy. Other than that, no complaints.
They also have a nice variety of other pastries and goodies, even some made-​in-​Hawaii treats like coconut pancake syrup and jellies/​jams that are on display shelves for your picking.
Next door is the Paalaakai Mart, also a mom-​and-​pop hole-​in-​the-​wall that sells groceries, beverages, snacks, and hot food items. Their musubis and famous fried chicken is good!!! Sometimes we buy their chicken fry mix to make the fried chicken at home!

The snow puffies are tremendous, but your missing the boat if you don’t try the coconut bear claws!

Short review for this one. Pa’a La’a has a special place in my heart because it was so nearby when I lived in Haleiwa. I could get my pastry fix and if I wanted a bento then right next door was the best place!
I’ve never had problems with service here or the food but the reason I give it three stars is the parking, location, and space in the bakery. I really wish that this place had a bigger lot or was located somewhere else more convenient to access. On weekends when everyone is down in haleiwa it can get tough to find a parking spot.
Even worse is the space inside the store. On busy days it can get so cramped but even on not busy days the space to stand in the store is somewhat narrow and uncomfortable.
I love love love their ensamadas and I think most of the pastries I’ve had have also been amazing but I can’t really rate it higher at the moment because of the space issues. I wouldn’t stop you from trying to stop by, but just be prepared to squeeze by people or find parking on the road. If it’s for delicious pastries though, it’s pretty worth it.

Finally made the drive out there to try the much talked about snow puffies! I know everyone says to eat it outside but I was by myself so I opted to just take it home. It was still delicious hours later. My boys enjoyed it too!
I did call to check if they had any left and the girl said there was, but recommended that I place an order to make sure I was able to get it. That was really nice of her and she was friendly when I went in too, so 5 stars for good service :)
I also got the malasadas which were good but I would’ve liked them more fresh and hot! The brownies with the powdered sugar were amaaaaaazing!!! I’ll be back!!!

I had to make the drive over to North Shore after seeing all the reviews for this bakery. The shop is quaint and nothing impressive from outside, but don’t let that fool you. Their snow puffies are well known and worth the trip. They are much larger than I expected and just as delicious as people had said. The pastry is flaky, crispy and just buttery enough. The custard inside is chilled and the fudge swirl on top gives it just enough richness. The puffies have just the perfect amount of sweetness to them and are worth the trip.
Edit: came back a second time for puffies, but they were all out. I ended up trying a croissant dog and chocolate donut with cream, but they were just alright. I’ll just stick to the good stuff and come for the puffies next time.

After hearing about the legendary snow puffies and eating it from several people from several local potlucks, I finally came over to the North Shore to check out the actual location on a random Sunday afternoon. It is specifically located in Waialua town on Kaukonahua Rd. which I believe is in between Kam Highway and Farrington Highway. It is right next to the Paalaa Kai store. There is a small parking lot in front of both the store and bakery. Obviously the bakery will be more busy and occupied because of those bloody good snow puffies along with many other pastries like donuts, turnovers, etc. Depending on what time of the day that you are going, it could be busy or it could be free. You will most likely find many types of people going here from locals to tourists. If you are going to get the snow puffies it will be like about 12 or 13 bucks for a half-​dozen. I think it is kinda pricey but I think that it is also worth the price too. They even have a number for you to pull for the closing day special of the snow puffies or even I think the pastries in general. The staff and customer service is pretty good. I love pastries, too bad they are located here all the way down in Waialua town haha.

Stoked about the snow puffies… Bought 2 dozen right off the bat and it was totally worth it. They’re so flaky and light… The custard in the center is perfectly light and not too sweet. It’s so easy to eat 2 and not realize it haha… I can’t wait to try their other pastries next time. I heard their long johns were really good too. I can hear my pants ripping just thinking about them.

Ok so the Hype is REAL… Those Snow Puffs are MEAN!!! Fluffy, tasty, sweet and oh so delicious!!! Haven’t tried anything else, but I’m sure they’re good also… but really if you don’t live in Waialua or closer and drive to this bakery, you better hope to have these snow puffs before you leave the place. They also gave me a coupon to buy $ 5 get 5% off or $ 10 get 10% off or $ 15 get 15% off. Not a bad way to get customers back into the bakery. Grind On! Pau!

Snow Puffies are:
— dusted in (figuratively) crack cocaine addictive powdered sugar
— flakier than Napoleon’s Bakery napples
— yum, yum, yummily custardy
— choke-​ness chocolatey
— the first thing you should order
— the first thing you should eat as soon as you step outside
— very messy to eat (bring some wipes)
— all good because there’s a Green Pass in the window
— worth the drive to Waialua
— worth the headache finding parking
— worth the calories you’re going to have to work off at the gym
— the star of the show, but there are other yummy pasties to get, too

Tiny
Local
Yummy /​we tried buttermilk donut, snow fluffie, sweet bean paste and coconut stuffed donut.
Friendly
Great little gift shop, too
Must try while on the No Sho

Amazing pastries!!! The hype is real because the goodies here are legit. They’ve got a little bit of everything here like packaged snacks and drinks aside from the pastries. It would help if there were more clerks back there because it took kinda long for the line to move along with only 2 clerks and it wasn’t even crowded yet. Nevertheless the pastries are definitely worth the wait!!! Yummm! A genuine gem in the heart of Waialua!

Today was the first time back to the bakery since they reopened after their brief closure. Instead of the usual snow puffies which I personally prefer, I bought cinnamon finger puffs for the gang at work. Some tend to like them better because it’s easier to devour without making a mess.
The cinnamon finger puffs have the same filling like the snow puffies, and are about half the size. The top is of cinnamon sugar with a chocolate drizzle and slivers of almonds. No powdered sugar. For me, it’s a bit too sweet. Their main attraction remains to be the snow puffies, but they also have a large variety of fruit turnovers, breads, cookies and other pastries you’d typically see in most bakeries.

Oh snow puffies, where have you been all my life???
I’ve lived on Oahu all my life, but only a couple years ago had my first snow puffy!!! How is that possible? Delectable custard filled puff pastry topped with a chocolate swirl and powdered sugar. I must say I’m a fan if I’m willing to drive out to Wailua for pastries. I’ve also tried their turnovers (napples), but I think that Zippy’s Neapolitan’s Bakery still takes the cake on that one.
The place is small and truly a hole in the wall type establishment. Which sometimes are the best. They are all complaint with health codes now, so don’t fear.
They have new cinnamon puffies, but I have yet to try those. If you live on the island, they will give you a card for discount off your next visit. Just need to ask.
I wish I had a snow puffy right now… drool!

I first heard of the snow puffies about 6 months ago from a friend. She raved and raved about them. I put it out of my mind since I am never in that area, especially during weekdays when I work.
On Valentine’s Day this year, my boyfellow decided we should drive around the island… kind of a low-​key and frugal celebration. I’m totally down for that. We drove past it, made a U-​turn and came back. He insisted (despite not being a pastry lover) on trying the pastries.
We got ONE to share… we were still super duper full from lunch. He said a remarkable thing, «I wish we got one each. Next time I’m not sharing.» THIS IS FROM A GUY WHO DOES NOT LIKE PASTRIES AND HARDLY EATS DESSERTS. HOLY MACKEREL IT’S A MIRACLE. My jaw dropped… amidst all the powder and crumbs we were spreading everywhere.
So next time, we’ll get a couple dozen to share with family and friends!

I’m glad that I finally made it back here after the now infamous red card incident. They definitely lived up to their reputation; the snow puffies were pretty good. The only drawback is that when you eat them, you should be prepared to come out looking like a recovering addict covered in mysterious white powder. The filling inside isn’t too sweet, and the cold temperature of the cream was good since today was pretty hot.

If you are heading down to North Shore, be sure to stop by! Things that me and my family usually purchase:
–Snow puffies (probably a must try for tourist or first timers). Some people like the flaky top with powdered sugar and chocolate, others like the custard filling, others like it as a whole. Personally for me there is way too much filling but others love it.
–Cinnamon Finger Puffs (these are actually MY PERSONAL FAVORITE). It’s kinda a like a mini snow puffy with less filling topped with cinnamon/​chocolate/​almond slices. It the right size to fit in your mouth and wont get too messy when you into bite it and worry about spilling the cream filling.
–Croissant hot dogs/​sausage links
–Ensemada (my parents like this as a breakfast or snack)
–Butter rolls (real heart clogging buttery)
–Donut holes
Other people like the Malasadas here as well. Even though you have tried Leonards Malasadas, I recommend trying Sada’s Malasadas. It doesn’t come cream filled but it isn’t as doughy like Leonards.
Parking is minimal so it can be a challenge on a busy day. Go with a buddy just in case one of you has to go in and order while the other drives around and waits for a parking spot. A few times I have come here 30 minutes before closing and had some discounted pastries.

Snow puffies, snow puffies, snow puffies! That’s all we come here for, SNOW PUFFIES! Everything else looks good too but never tried any of it. Maybe next time.
Service was good as we were the only ones there but quickly got busy once we put in our order. Worth the wait and the drive.

I finally got to try a snow puffie! As I walked in I was disheartened because I didn’t see any snow puffs in the case but that’s because I was unaware of the fact that they had a special case just for the puff off to the right lol. Once I walked over to the case I was brought face to face with the infamous snow puffy and all its glory. A snow puffy is a layered puff pastry dessert filled with a custard and topped with a sweet milk chocolate swirl and drenched in powdered sugar. Oh and just a tip, there’s no sense in trying to eat it and stay clean. It’s practically impossible and you’d just be wasting your time. Anyway, back to the puff, it was very rich and flaky and the custard wasn’t too sweet which I welcomed with open arms because the chocolate on the top was sweet and it’s already drenched with powdered sugar so there’s no need for a sweet custard. I think that’s what I enjoyed most, the balance in the dish. I don’t like desserts that are overly sweet and these aren’t, they’re just right. I do come from a family of cooks, chefs and foodies and they’ve all informed me of the «Pa’ala Kai Bakery and Mini Mart Experience.» What’s that you ask? Well according to my family, there is a correct way to enjoy and get the most out of the Pa’ala Kai experience. It’s absolutely crucial that you follow these 3 steps.
1^st — Walk in to Pa’ala Kai Bakery and get your puffs
2^nd — Go next door to Pa’ala Kai Mini Mart and walk up to the hot window and order some fried chicken and a musubi and of course anything else that appeals to you.
3^rd — Purchase a drink to go with your meal
4^th — Go to a park or beach and enjoy with family.
5^th — Post a review about your experience to help the business out.
6^th — Be sure to follow me on instagram @kkuoha or on here ( Unilocal) and let me know how these steps worked out for you.
I’m from Hilo, HI so this was all new to me but when my family says to do something a certain way, I do it. I mean, I do come from a family of cooks, chefs and foodies lol. The fried chicken from paala kai mini mart was really good. So is the gyoza (meat dumpling) and ika (squid). According to my family, that is the perfect Pa’ala Kai equation [snow puff + fried chicken + musubi + family and friends = the perfect day.]

We came to 808 in 1985 and North Shore was the first drive we made on our journey around the island from Waikiki where we were staying until we could decide where we would call home. Today, driving to North Shore following the
Unilocal driving directions, I realized I have been passing this bakery all these years in total nescience. Thank you Fran for your recent review which peaked my curiosity to track down the legendary Snow Puffy delicacy.
Tiny place next door to the Paalaa Kai Market. Minimal parking but it turns over quickly so patience will get you in. No time to loiter as they want your order so be prepared when they ask. Wanted a dozen Snow Puffies. Then saw the Long Johns… half dozen please! Moving back to the register I saw the Croissant Dogs, half dozen please. Then those brownie squares… I’m a Kilani Bakery brownie fan but these are just as good so half dozen plain (with nuts) and a half dozen dusted with powdered sugar.
I have enough pastries in my refrigerator at the moment to put myself in a sugar coma but luckily for me the family will descend in an hour and save me! It was a total 23 miles from my house in Halawa Heights and a beautiful morning for a drive. Treat yourself and get in your car for a sweet excursion. I do have to sweep the kitchen floor now before someone notices the powdered sugar trail… lol or my white mustache!

I don’t want to be that Unilocaler,
that Unilocaler,
who will leave a bad review.
Nope! I won’t,
I’ve been here twice on my ventures around the island.
& I wanted to know what the hype is all about.
My cousin always tells me, «don’t forget to get snow puffies»!!
I’m like, what are you talking about, «snow puffies»!!
She said its sooooooooo GOOD!
So I Unilocaled this place, took my notes, & I was so excited to try this place out.
I couldn’t wait!
On the day of our venture,
I asked my husband, aka: our taxi driver to stop @ Paalaa Kai Bakery,
& so Happy he made the right turn. (started from Wahiawa side)
It was on the way, but make sure you slow down when you are close by to this bakery.
If you miss the turn, it is very inconvenient to have to get to the driveway of this bakery.
You will have to turn around, to get on to the only main road.
The bakery is small, very limited in & out walking space.
There are many other pastries besides the snow puffies.
I just wanted to try what this snow puffies is all about, what the hype is.
I got it, my snow puffies!
so my conclusion:
Puffies was just ok, sort of over-​rated!
I’d stop here if we were going around the island & if I’m in the mood for the mess,
but I wouldn’t go out of my way for them.
Warning: there will be a mess when you eat those puffies! There is also filling in the puffies.
Have them with coffee, if you are going to make a mess might as well wash it down with something & it goes well together.
To all: Enjoy your Snow Puffies experience but don’t say I didn’t warn you. (the mess)
Thanks cousin for the recommendation!