"A trip to Hawaii piqued pastry chef and Cakes by Gray owner Melissa Gray’s interest in Polynesian cuisine and resulted in the 2019 launch of RosaBees in the River Arts District. Working with executive chef Cookie Hadley, Gray has created a playful menu of pu-pu (appetizers), haukai (salads), maniko (entrees) and, of course, ono (dessert) that they’ve managed to transition beautifully to a to-go model. Savory items like musubi with teriyaki-glazed house-made Spam or tofu, green-papaya salad, braised octopus sashimi, saimin noodle soup, and mochi fried chicken can (and should) be followed up with one of Gray’s numerous sweet offerings. This winter, look for cinnamon-sugar banana lumpia with coconut syrup and chocolate sauce as well as the adorable s’mores, which feature hexagon-shaped, house-made honey graham crackers, and marshmallows in a rotating selection of flavors with smoked chocolate. The full menu is available on the website, and orders can be called in for pickup at the restaurant. Delivery is also available from Kickback AVL." - Gina Smith