Dining Scene
Jimmy's has passion for pizza, pasta, pastry
By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
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| Chef James Davidson of Jimmy's Lakeside Bakery Cafe puts the finishing touch on his tiramisu by sprinkling on chocolate.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Jimmy's Lakeside Bakery Cafe 1718 Wilikina Drive, Wahiawa (across from Schofield Barracks; at historic Kemoo Farms) 621-6800 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
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Coincidentally, my first visit to Jimmy's was on the afternoon of the day of the attacks. My friend Sonny and I needed to pull ourselves away from the sickening tragedy that played over and over on television. Little did we know that Jimmy's would be closing his doors to business that day.
"It's a very visual reminder to be situated across the street from the Schofield gates," Davidson said. "So much so that I had to close my doors. We all needed some alone time." Fortunately, he was able to rally his own troops and regroup, ready again for business the next day.
Having attended the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, N.Y., and the Cordon Bleu in Paris for a brief stint, Davidson became a pastry chef before embarking on the savory-foods side of the business. He worked at Roy's Hawai'i Kai as executive pastry chef before opening up Signature Sweets, his wholesale baked-goods company, about seven years ago.His clients include many restaurants and hotels throughout Hawai'i.
What I am most impressed with at the cafe are the excellent pizzas. The dough is aged for a couple days, giving it body and allowing it to sour a bit, perfect for a dense chewy crust that serves as the foundation for the cheesy pies. It's then tossed with cornmeal, which lends a gritty texture and nutty flavor. Being a self-proclaimed "New Jersey boy," Jimmy's pizzas have that forward flavor and "juiciness" (greasiness) that Easterners know and love so well.
The whole-milk mozzarella, with its higher moisture and fat content, gives a stringier, stretchier and gooier end product. A huge 18-inch cheese pie is an affordable $10; Jimmy's signature version with sausage, onion and bell pepper is $13.75. Other varieties include the Florentine ($13.25, with garlic cream, spinach and onions), and the meat lovers' pizza ($15, with sausage, bacon, ham and pepperoni).Slices cost $2.75 (for the cheese version; each additional topping adds 25 cents) and actually arrive as two huge slices, bubbling hot. All kinds of condiments are available, as well; Parmesan, red chile flakes, dried oregano, basil and more.
Night brings with it a small menu shift; pastas abound, as does a daily risotto special, which seems peculiarly out of place. But if you want an order of scampi ($8), which is one of the most popular dishes here, it is surprisingly good.The nontomato-based sauces seem more popular here than the usual red sauces. Carbonara ($5.95), white clam sauce ($7.50) and pesto ($5.95) are frequently ordered. Other pasta dishes are the sausage and pepper ($6.95), meatball marinara ($5.95), tomato-basil ($4.75) and the spicy putanesca ($5.95). You can choose the pasta that fits your mood, be it linguine, fettuccine, fussile, penne, gnocchi or farfalle.
Dessert goodies such as the cheesecake of the day ($2.50) are very worthwhile. The slice I had was thick and rich, definitely the real thing. Tiramisu, the signature truffle cake, and the Black Forest torte are priced at $3 each. Macadamia brownies ($1.25) were chocolaty-good, as were the chewy macaroons ($6 a dozen) that come both plain and in dipped-in-chocolate versions.The guava bars were flavorful; the lemon bars (each $1.25) astringent and sweet. And if you want to get an entire cake to bring home, there are plenty to choose from.
Jimmy's opened in January, doing the pizza, pasta and pastry thing for one and all. It's a winning combination in my book. Oh, and as for Jimmy losing his passion?That lasted only briefly.He's back now, taking care of us civvies, as well as the military men and women across the street. Defending our country is a job that'll build an appetite.Feeding those appetites is what Jimmy's does best.
Reach Matthew Gray at ChefMatthew@LoveLife.com
