Aloha Warner Robins. New restaurant coming will offer a taste of Hawaii

Ann and Joel Thallas are gearing up to open a new restaurant in Warner Robins that will offer a taste of Hawaii.

If all goes according to plan, the husband and wife team hope to open Abby’s Hawaiian Style Sweets by the end of the year.

Right now, they’re securing the location. Once a lease is signed, they expect to announce the location on their Facebook page and start the interior buildout to tailor the space for their restaurant.

The couple, who moved to Warner Robins about a year ago, previously owned a mobile pet grooming business in Nevada. They have two boys, Aiden, who turns 4 in October, and Kylo, who’s 1½.

Ann Thallas currently works as a groomer at PetSmart. Joel Thallas, a certified firefighter who’s previously served as a volunteer firefighter, hopes to land a job as firefighter with a local fire department.

Abby’s Hawaiian Style Sweets is named after his sister. He was born in California, but grew up and spent more than 30 years in Hawaii. He met his wife in Nevada, where they wed in November 2021.

In Hawaii, his sister, mom and mom’s friend operated a small candy company, Abby’s Hawaiian Candies, where they took Li Hing Mui powder, which is a plum powder, and coated gummies with it. Coated gummies are very popular in Hawaii. They also coated blow pops.

“Joel wanted to kind of bring that same vibe … back into our life and then here in Georgia,”  Ann Thallas said.

The couple originally planned to do the candy and shaved Hawaiian ice as a food vendor but decided to expand with a storefront and a restaurant instead.

They envision Abby’s Hawaiian Style Sweets to offer a bright, breezy island escape with its planned tropical decor and walk-up ordering window.

The small restaurant is expected to seat about 16 people, and an area will be set up where their signature gummies will be on display for sale.

To wet your appetite for what’s to come, here’s a look at some of the restaurants offerings from the menu the couple expect to launch their restaurant with:

Loco Moco – This island favorite is described on the menu as a bed of warm white rice topped with a juicy, grilled beef patty, smothered in rich savory brown gravy, and finished with a fried egg. 

Teriyaki chicken platter – Tender, juicy chicken thighs grilled and glazed with their sweet and savory house-made teriyaki sauce. Served with white rice and house-made Hawaiian macaroni salad. 

Hawaiian fried rice  – Fried rice tossed with savory ham, sweet pineapple chunks, green onions, and a blend of traditional seasonings. Can be a meal or a side.

Spam Musubi  – This “ultimate island comfort snack” is described on the menu as a slice of grilled Spam glazed in sweet soy sauce, pressed over a block of seasoned sushi rice, and wrapped neatly in crisp nori, which is seaweed.

The restaurant also will offer specials such as kalua pork, slow-roasted, smoky and tender shredded pork, seasoned with traditional sea salt, and chicken katsu, a crispy, golden, air fried chicken cutlet that’s panko-crusted and served with a tangy, savory katsu dipping sauce.

Sweets include their signature powdered gummies tossed in traditional sweet, sour, and savory island powder blends.

The Hawaiian shaved ice is described on the menu as finely shaved, snow-like ice drenched in a choice of fruit syrups and served over creamy vanilla ice cream. The shaved ice is then drizzled with condensed sweet milk.

Also, guests can add a drizzle of ube-flavored condensed milk. Ube is a purple yam with a sweet nutty taste that’s popular in desserts and is trending on TikTok.

Additional offerings include creamy haupia, which is a traditional, velvety Hawaiian coconut pudding made with rich, smooth coconut cream and cut into refreshing chilled squares, according to the menu.

Another option is an aloha fruit plate, an assortment of fresh-cut pineapple, watermelon and mango served chilled and drizzled with the restaurant’s signature specialty sweet and tangy sauces.

Among assorted canned drinks will be classic Hawaiian soda in a variety of flavors, including POG, a blend of passion fruit, orange, and guava juices.

The couple are sharing their journey into restaurant ownership on Facebook and other social media platforms. Follow Abby’s Hawaiian Style Sweets on Facebook for updates.