OK, OK. We all cherish what we can’t get anymore.
Since blogging about restaurants that have disappeared over time, I got a bunch of emails challenging me to add at least another 10 to the list already shared. For certain, there are scores more places that have come and gone.
Here’s the deal: I’ve come up with 10 not previously mentioned, so now you do the same. In the end, we’ll have a mounting list of places that live only in memory. Maybe we can go another round later.
Here we go ...
• The Third Floor, the stellar iconic restaurant of the Hawaiian Regent Hotel (now the Marriott Waikiki Beach). This one set the high water mark for the likes of Alan Wong and Roy’s to follow; loved everything here; and this was where I discovered the joy of naan bread.
• Matteo’s, the fine dining Italian place, on Seaside Avenue, across the now-gone Waikiki Twin Theatres #1 and #2,
• Trattoria, the late Sergio Battistetti’s restaurant originally ensconced on Nohonani St. in Waikiki, relocating to the Edgewater Hotel before its closure to make way for what now is the Embassy Suites hotel at Waikiki Beach Walk.
• Captain’s Table, the eatery at the former Hawaiian Waikiki Beach Hotel, boasted a lounge that also featured music and comedy (Frank DeLima was among the lasting troupers). The space now is Tiki’s; the hotel is the Aston Waikiki Beach.
• Suehiro, the old-style Japanese restaurant, on King St., where Gyotaku now continues a modernized Japanese menu. Pork and chicken tofu were staples; and the ahi belly was one winnah, too.
• Wisteria, another old-fashioned Japanese (and American menu) eatery, where the hungry liked the hearty sukiyaki and pork tofu fare; 7-Eleven now occupies the space, at King and Piikoi Streets.
• Tree Tops, the early restaurant (and catering operation) at Paradise Park; it was just fun to dine amid greenery and chirping birds, in Manoa Valley. This was a case of the place making the good taste better.
• Chez Michel, the French wonderment by the late Michel Martin, at Eaton Square. He also operated Michel’s in Wahiawa and later at the Colony Surf Hotel, and was the go-to guy for French nourishment.
• Shanghai Bistro, the short-lived restaurant of Li May Tang, at Discovery Bay. The eclectic food fused flavors and traditions of China, Hawaii, Japan and Europe, depending on the selection, and the chic, hip décor was a hit...while it lasted.
• Duke Kahanamoku’s, the restaurant, nightclub and celebrity spotting hangout, in the International Market Place. The place was named for the renowned Olympian athlete and operated by the late impresario Kimo Wilder McVay; the dinners actually played second fiddle to the room’s top banana, entertainer Don Ho in all his glory, and it was a spot to catch a glimpse of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli and other glitterati of the era eager to sing and sway to “Tiny Bubbles” and swoon to “I’ll Remember You.
You remember these? Share your list of 10 more faves that have vanished.

Restaurants come and go; we moan the loss of a beloved fave eating place and see a newbie come along, and quite often, the new arrival shuts down again.
Such is life.
I applaud but don’t envy restaurateurs, who are, frankly, community heroes. They take such risks (even sweat out the good economy sometimes, so imagine the worst of times), tirelessly work days and nights, and prepare such wonderful cuisine to whet our appetites and keep our tummies filled.
Like clockwork, at least once a month, someone will ask and reminisce about a recently shuttered eatery. Or try to recall a long-gone restaurant whose obit had been widely chronicled.
Why? (Too many reasons, but generally finances and a weak economy).What happened? (You’ve got the time to hear ‘em all out? Again, too many variables: a family doesn’t want to work hard and prefer to enjoy retirement, or a place loses its lease and the owners don’t want to bother renewing at a higher rate, or nobody showed up to eat far too many nights).Will it ever come back? (The Ranch House did, sorta, but died again).

So consider this reflection an opportunity to dust off the memories to answer some recurring queries. The latest, from two sources: Where was Le Bon? Why was it popular?
Le Bon was the singing waiters/waitresses restaurant, located on Kapiolani Blvd. mauka side, between Keeaumoku and Sheridan Streets. The food was comforting, but the workaholic servers was the reason to go; many waiters and waitresses would also appear in community theater and the restaurant provided a salary while they sought roles that didn’t compensate for their talent.
Do I miss it? Yes. Singing servers are common in New York; they work to pay the bills in-between auditions to get a real job, on Broadway. The occasional serenades by the waitstaff at Romano's Macaroni Grill are not cut from the same cloth; the focus is on opera, where at Le Bon, the fare was largely musical comedies and standards.
Or have you forgotten?

I miss many other restaurants, in all regions of town:

Kahala area:
• Spindrifter at Kahala Mall. Good steaks, seafood and a dandy business lunch destination.
• Yum Yum Tree, where ono pies were must-haves after comfort food (the one at Ward Centre, now gone, wasn’t quite the same).
• Woolworth at Kahala Mall; counter and table service came with a smile, proviing not every meal had to be “fine” or upscale).

Kaimuki:

• Hank’s Café, on 11th Ave.; one of the many short-term home for the Makaha Sons of Niihau.
• The Pottery in Kaimuki; you could get a take-home clay pot with some of the entrees, baked in an on-site oven.

Ala Moana Center:

• Prince Kuhio Restaurant, one of the original restaurants at Ala Moana Center.
• Hackfield’s at Liberty House Ala Moana.

Waikiki:

• Coco's, one of the early 24-our eateries (where deejay J. Akuhead Pupule would hang out), where Hard Rock Cafe was a long-time tenant before moving to Beach Walk; Makino Clubhouse just moved into the gateway of Waikiki that was Kau Kau Korner.
• Skillet on Ala Moana, where breakfasts were hearty and served in ceramic skillets with handles.
• Waikiki Sands on Kalakaua Avenue, where “cheap” buffets gave locals a first opportunity to fill their plates along with their palates.
• Pier 7 at the Ilikai, another ‘round-the-clock destination for after-movie, after-nightclub, after-opera outings.
• Ship's Tavern at the Moana Surfrider, a seafood emporium; the adjoining Gangplank Lounge was the home of Jay Larrin, entertainer-composer.
• Canlis’ Restaurant, one of the early fine-dining palaces popular with locals and visitors, where waitresses wore kimonos.
• Maile Restaurant, at the Kahala Hilton, where fine dining gourmet cuisine also was served by waitresses in kimono; at the adjoining lounge, Kit Samson’s Sound Advice defined dance music.

Kapiolani area:

• Green Turtle across the now-gone KGMB; at lunch, you’d see on-air personalities during their meal break.
• Cavalier on Kapiolani Blvd. where the Pan Am building now is located.
• La Ronde, the revolving restaurant atop the Ala Moana Building, where you’d get a complete “turn” every hour.
• Victoria Station on Kapiolani Blvd (ewa of Tokudo), where steaks and chops were served from a red railroad box car “restaurant.”

Ward area:

• Trader Vic's, with its Souths Seas tropical décor, where the Honolulu Club now is located
• The Black Orchid at Restaurant Row, where celebrity was part of the game — Tom Selleck (“Magnum P.I.”) was an owner.
• Fisherman's Wharf at Kewalo Basin, one of the Spencecliff organization’s iconic (and longest-lasting, albeit under new owners in later years) waterfront restaurant.
• Compadres at Ward Center, where the margaritas flowed and the So-Cal Mexican menu was especially appearing on Taco Tuesdays. (Pablo’s Mexican Cantina had aspirations to carry on the red, green and white flag as a successor, but alas, the journey didn’t even make a year).
• Sunset Grill at Restaurant Row, where an open rotisserie added odorama to the dining experience, along with a splendid and afforded wine menu. And remember the roasted garlic?
• Marie Callendar's, at Restaurant Row; short-lived, like the Windward Mall location, possibly because entree portions here, even pies, were not as gargantuan as those Mainland counterparts.

Others Honolulu:
• Pearl City Tavern, home of the Monkey Bar. Worth the drive for townies.
• The counter at the Kress store on Fort Street.
• Ciro’s downtown, the place to be seen if dining downtown, when it still was a shopping destination before the era of the suburban mall.

Any others you care to add to the list? Be my guest...

At the beginning of Monday’s “Hawaii Five-0,” Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) not only introduced Danno (Scott Caan) to the wonders of coco puffs. The expansive fan base of the filmed-in-Hawaii CBS reboot got the word about Liliha Bakery’s golden delight, the mini cream puff stuffed with an ono chocolate cream and topped with a small hill of Chantilly frosting. They even showed off the recently-launched chocolate-colored box-with-a-handle, which is toted out of the little shop of pleasures daily at $13.70 a dozen.
It’s great the show informs its viewing public about the real-life grindz of our lovely state; this might not please the local populace, regularly flocking to that the crowded gallery of eager buyers on Kuakini Street. It'll be a lot more jammed with folks who are discovering this delish delight for the first time.
Memo to bakery owner Peter Kim: move your number-picking dispenser up front somewhere inside your double-swing doors; where it is located —at the middle of the back showcased of baked goodies — creates unnecessary elbowing to retrieve a ticket.
You newbies: Gotta get the ticket with a number, and then wait for yours to be called, before you can order up the coco puffs. And have patience: if you land No. 46, you’ll likely have to wait for about 30 more other numbers to be sequentially called, before yours comes up (but there will be a handful of missing folks, perhaps 7 or 8, who are in a rush and don’t have the perseverance to simply wait).
The coco puffs mention reminds me of the time “Sex and the City” featured the cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, at Bleeker and W. 11th St., in New York. Result: Long lines just to get into the bakery; limos parked on the street, awaiting orders; no number system inside, so you wait and wait, and then chomp the treat while strolling the sidewalks.
TV does put an imprint on hungry viewers.
I imagine when Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danno (Scott Caan) mentioned chowing down at Side Street Inn after their crimeflighting, business went up a skosh. Did they have the fried pork chops? Fried chicken? Fried rice?
The CBS reboot earlier introduced Leonard’s malassadas and Waiola shave ice to the viewership. Oh, but there’s a lot more bread to break:
• The sweet potato crumble (the tempura- or manju-like deep fried Okinawan sweet potato treat), from Mitsuba, the okazuya on N. School Street in Kalihi.
• Apple Napples from Zippy's Napoleon Bakery. It’s an oldie, but still a goodie; the coconut Napple is pretty good, too, but pass on the chocolate one.
• The velvet cupcake, at Cupcake Couture, in Aina Haina. Buzz is building, too, for a newcomer, Let Them Eat Cupcakes, in the midst of a store launch now.
• The chimney cakes at Zsoli’s Chimney Cakes, formerly a kiosk at the Ala Moana Center food court; the owners are searching for another location, so be on the lookout. It’s a pastry log, with Hungarian roots, coated with sugar — or cinnamon, pecan, or sprinkles — that is both mysterious and marvelous.
• The pipikaula short ribs, at Helena’s Hawaiian Food, on School Street; you’ll see ’em hanging in the kitchen, smell it while you’re ordering.
• The spicy edamame appetizer, at Alan Wong’s Pineapple Room, at Macy’s Ala Moana. Finger-licking good; if not eating in, do takeout, since it reheats beautifully in the microwave
E’Nuff for now. Drooling, just thinking of these snackables.