It’s time to break open your piggy bank!  Don’t worry, it’s for a great cause.  Whole Foods is opening at 7 a.m. tomorrow in Kahala Mall, where Star Market, the Patisserie, and I Love Country Cafe used to be.  After much anticipation, Kahala and Diamond Head Residents will now have fantastic organic products at their fingertips.  Not only is this a great addition to Hawaii, it adds a whopping 130 new jobs for Honolulu residents!

Whole Foods follows a strictly socially-responsible consumer model.  Following its animal compassion philosophy, it does not sell traditionally raised veal or buy tuna from canneries that impact dolphins in their fishing methods.  Its charcuterie will offer specialty meats, imported cheeses as well as local goat cheese from Surfing Goat Dairy on Maui, which recently became the first Hawaii farm to earn the Certified Humane Raised & Handled label.  It will also be stocked with local beers, baked breads from Bale, and local honey ranging from Pele’s Gold from Manoa to Royal Hawaiian Honey from the Big Island.  Other suppliers include Kumu Farms, which grows fresh herbs and fruits on Molokai, Maui Kombucha and Pacific Floral Exchange on the Big Island, and Sumida Watercress Farm on Oahu.

There will be a fully-stocked Whole Body section offering body care goods as well as vitamins and supplements — none of which have been animal tested.  Local suppliers include the Indigenous Soap Co., Hawaiian Bath & Body from the North Shore, and Scents of Knowing from Haiku, Maui.

Those seeking a quick, healthy lunch no longer have to look far either!  The store will have gelato, organic juices, a bakery, pizza oven, two salad bars, Keawe-smoked meats, brown rice sushi, 25 kinds of poke, and a plate lunch station.

Hooray for Whole Foods!

Every now and then when one of us Aloha Update writers heads out to a restaurant or fun place to visit in the islands we write about it. We share the experience with you all so you can be open to new things.

We think reviews written by common folk (what we’d call ourselves) are great. You get an opinion from someone who isn’t getting paid to write it. So with that we’d like to share our favorite reviews of local restaurants on the Island of Oahu that we’ve done.

We have to start out with our latest review on the Olive Tree from Anthony. I’ve been told by many that it’s great, now read his review and see if it entices you to go.

The second review we have to send you to read is the review Dr. J did on his favorite Korean restaurant Sorabol. Again I’ve never been, but I’ve only heard good things.

Next is the review on the new Waikiki hot spot The Yardhouse. I have been to this place and with it’s wide selection of beers you can’t really go wrong anytime you go.

The last one I’m going to send you guys to is one that I wrote. It’s a review on Nico’s Pier 38. The fish there is excellent and the atmosphere is unlike most other lunch spots on the island of Oahu.

Hope you enjoy! Looking through these reviews made me realize that I have to follow some of them and try a new restaurant or two.