Alfresco Dining in Kapolei
We’ve enjoyed luscious lattes at the cafe and tasty pizzas and salads for lunch, and we are now happy to say, we’ve enjoyed Kalapawai Cafe’s delicious dinner menu. Larry and I dined at Kapolei’s newest local restaurant and gem of our second city, the Kalapawai Cafe, last night and it was absolutely delish! It was an easy walk across the street from our Ola Properties office to arrive at 7:15 PM. It’s a casual, relaxed atmosphere and they do not take reservations, however, we were warmly greeted and asked if we wanted to dine inside or out on the terrace. We decided to dine alfresco because it was a beautiful evening with a pink-painted sunset sky here on the west side of Oahu. The only downside to the outside dining is a little noise from the buses going down the street but otherwise, it is lovely.
Fresh Seafood, Vegetables, and Savings
Our server brought us water and let us know about Chef Jason Iwane’s specials which are in addition to the full menu. We shared a wonderful salad of golden beets, vine ripe tomato & fresh mozzarella w/ basil pesto, honey-balsamic reduction & garlic-grilled crouton ($14). It was a large portion so we were glad we shared it. It was a fresh twist on the well known Caprese Salad, adding the golden beets.
For my entree, I decided to try the “Auction fresh fish.” Tonight’s auction fish was a local ono sautéed with a lemongrass risotto, braised kale,local mushroom, micro cilantro, red curry aïoli ($30). The fish was cooked to perfection, the presentation was beautiful and the taste was so ‘ono (delicious). Larry had the “Mai Ke Kai” – chef’s daily seafood selection ($26) which was a seared ahi over a fresh selection of roasted vegetables. Again, it was a lovely presentation and delicious entree.
We saved a little room for dessert and I’m glad we did since they had a wonderful flourless chocolate cake topped with a layer of chocolate mousse and again it was large enough to share although I got the lion’s share!! Being gluten-free with a sweet tooth, my dessert choices are often limited to ice cream or sorbet. But fortunately the Kalapawai Cafe had a decadent gluten-free chocolate dessert for this chocoholic!
Although the restaurant started serving dinner on March 28, 2017, this was our first visit for dinner. After having lunch there a couple weeks ago and signing up for their rewards program, they sent me a 15% off dinner coupon which we used for our entire meal. The prices are reasonable for the quality and freshness of the food. Kalapawai Cafe always looks to buy from local farmers and ranchers first whenever possible.
We had a male server who was friendly and provided excellent service. One of my favorite things is that they make gluten-free pizza so ‘ono with a crust that’s nice and crispy. They also have a full-service bar, cafe, and deli. So give them a try for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and then come across the street to see Ola Properties and say “hola” or “aloha!”
http://www.kalapawaimarket.com/
711 Kamokila Blvd, Kapolei, HI 96707; Phone number (808) 674-1700
Dinner Hours:
Sunday-Thursday 5PM-9:30PM (bar open to 10:30PM)
Friday & Saturday 5PM-10PM (bar open to 11PM)
Breakfast & Lunch Hours:
Monday-Friday 5AM-5PM (kitchen opens at 5:30AM, bar open from 11AM)
Sat & Sunday 7AM-5PM (kitchen opens @ 7AM / bar open after 10AM)
