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Cafe Kaila, a closer look
Aloha!
12/21/09 - Though having absolutely no ties whatsoever, there are two breakfast houses around town that never escape being compared one to another. I mean, I can see how that happens and all - Cafe Kaila at the Market City Shopping Center and Bogart's Cafe at the bottom of Monsarrat are both hipper, trendier establishments with modern menus and modern vibes, yet at the same time, try to capture a sense of old-time goodness, shunning the chain restaurant variety of mass-market appeal. No, at both of these spots, you'll find that personal touch, that home-made feel, and that call for originality in small, bistro-type cafes, all served by surfer dudes with hair as long as my wife or beach bunnies with nose rings.
The offerings are quite similiar, with a contemporary assortment of bagels, large omelets, pretty pancakes, fruit-laced waffles w/cream, and all manner of breakfast fare, along with soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and other lunch/brunch-type meals. The ingredients are also fresh, just about everything, home-made, and healthier options, readily available. But there are also many differences, as well. First, this is a full-service restaurant, so you won't have to walk-up to order at the counter. But the most obvious difference is clearly apparent as soon as you walk through the doors:
The atmosphere here at Cafe Kaila is much more pleasant, much more well-designed, and much more a place where you can bring the whole family, including grandma, for a quiet Sunday brunch. In atmosphere, at least, it's a bit more boutique'ish, a little more Hello Kitty, a skosh more European Harajuku than the rough-edged, fend-for-yourself, take-out-friendly Bogart's. Instead of the tall, flower-power coffee mugs there, here you'll find large, ivory-white designs straight from Alice in Wonderland or Beauty and the Beast:
Though the staff is very much on the casual side, some of them even dressed in shorts and rubber slippers, that's not necessarily a bad thing, right? I mean, it's more of a hang-loose, island-style, take-a-pill type of vibe, is what it is, and more importantly, we've always received cheerful, friendly service here, every time. That's what really counts. I gotta say, though, the first time I came, we weren't too happy about waiting a good 45 minutes for our meal, but judging from our most recent meals here, and also by inquiring from trusted foodie friends I always get feed-back from, it seems a problem they've since largely corrected. And that's a good thing, too, as this is just the kind of place you wanna be rooting for. The quaint, part-European style and modern, yet homey atmosphere over-all is really quite charming, making it a very pleasant, very comfortable place to kick-back and relax.
As for the food... well-presented dishes are about as pretty and meticulously arranged as they get! I mean, for starters, check out this stack here:
If that doesn't please your girlfriend, wife, or mom, I don't know what will. Topped with a gorgeous set of caramelized apples, fresh raspberries, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar, they were a worthy complement to the pancakes sitting underneath, which were moist, fluffy, and with the right touch of sponginess, as not to become pasty or dry. A touch of maple syrup, and I was good to go!
The next dish to arrive, a strawberry banana French Toast, was once again such a pretty sight to behold, I felt guilty tearing into it! Funny thing was, the dish in its entirety almost never made it to our table! Super-sweet and friendly owner Crissie Castillo, who never uses anything but fresh fruits to top-off her breakfasts, actually spoke to us herself, apologizing for having just run out of strawberries, offering us another fruit topping in its place. I thought no worries, and settled upon blueberries instead, but in the meantime, Chrissie had actually sent someone out to purchase and re-stock the shelves with more fresh strawberries! Wow - talk about caring for your customers! I was impressed, not only because they went out of their way, but also for the fact that they don't compromise on fresh ingredients!
Like Bogart's, the French Toast slices themselves were very lightly battered and insides yet dry, making me wonder if they even used any batter at all. I know this is the newer brand of French Toast, and done perfectly, but I guess I'm more old-school in this regard, and favor a thicker, eggier crust, along with a moister bread.
Next was a plate I saw passing earlier, a generous portion of fresh, bright strawberries, along with brown sugar and a house-made cream. Strawberries 'n cream, with brown sugar? How foo-foo and poofy can you get! Like I said, this is a girlfriend's type of place, all the way!
Another visit saw me returning with none other than Big Al, who specializes in sushi/izakaya, and Japanese foods in general, but who is also well-versed in other cuisine types, as well. Really good breakfasts in Hawaii, says Big Al, are much more difficult to come-by than on the Mainland, where he believes they are, as a whole, on levels a knotch or two higher. Having himself already enjoyed a meal here at Cafe Kaila once before, we both thought it was a good time to confirm or deny our first experiences here, which were indeed both very positive.
I started with an Italian omelet, recommended by our kind server as her personal favorite:
An excellent choice, I might add. The reason I usually don't get Italian omelets is because oftentimes, the marinara sauce comes straight from the jar, and the flavors, way too crude and strong. This marinara, on the other hand, was either completely or almost completely from fresh tomatoes, carrying with it much less salt, much less acidity, and much more of a smoother, fresher taste to it all. And as you can see, it was only used sparingly, as not to drown-out the omelet itself.
Hidden within the layer of fluffy eggs, an inner sanctum of fresh vegetables lay, all cut in a medley of tiny cubes - eggplant, mushroom, tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, and more, along with a gooey mozzarella cheese:
And no fo'get da sides! You also get a choice of rice and potatoes, as well as white, whole wheat, and sourdough toast (there may have been one or two other types, as well). Hard to go wrong with fresh, herb-infused red potatoes, and both Al's sourdough and my whole wheat breads were of the thicker, sturdier variety, not the smaller, cheapo stuff that are void of substance and contain but left-over shards of fiber. Yeah, you gotta notice and appreciate stuff like that, ey?
But the real test today was in seeing Big Al's response to his choice, which was one of the specialties here at Cafe Kaila, a frittata. Me? Heck, I was already impressed by everything I've seen, but considering Big Al's tough critique and grim outlook on island breakfasts, I knew it would be a good measure of the quality of this place in general.
Here's the package delivered:
Looks pretty darn good, if you ask me! But what was the big guy's verdict? Horrible! Easy, just kidding. I actually took the first taste, and if he didn't like it, I, myself woulda thrown him out for not knowing what he was talking about! In truth, Big Al's eyes lit-up instantly, a big smile ensued, and next thing you know, he's wondering why he hasn't come here more often! This frittata was excellent, a hearty meal in itself, even without the rice and toast! Inside was a mixture of red potatoes, mushrooms, onions, Italian sausage, ham, and cheddar cheese. Excellent, all the way - very tasty, very fluffy, and just the right combination of flavors:
May not look like the most appealing shot, but trust me - you'll love it! And chances are, you'll love just about everything else here, as well. Can't vouch for the entire menu just yet, but for now, I can at least safely say that every single dish we partook of, all shown above, were excellent! And looks to me, that Big Al concurs...
Hope you're all having a great and wonderful Christmas season! Lots to be merry about, ey?
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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