On the road on O'ahu in search of foodie gems
By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
 |
| Illustration by Martha Hernandez • The Honolulu Advertiser
Zoe's Cafe Spaghettini |
The beginning of my drive over the Pali was magical. I have never seen so many waterfalls in one brief stretch of time, whitewater flourishes cascading from the lushness of the green hillside. I felt blessed at this moment, knowing that my search for a couple good restaurants would be a piece of cake.
My bliss would not last long. Before long, my utopia was soaking wet. The rain turned from light drizzle to steady, then to buckets and sheets. I could hardly see the car ahead of me, and only because its lights were turned on.
Finally, an ephemeral sunburst appeared just as I was passing the Hau'ula Kai Shopping Center, where I decided to pull in and settle down from my harrowing journey.
It seemed like a ghost town, but I did notice some activity at one end — a post office, and a place called Zoe's Cafe. Thanking my lucky stars, I grabbed an umbrella from the back seat, opened the door, and stepped into an ankle-deep river of water.
Zoe's was an oasis, a relaxed and clean burger joint with an interesting twist. One of the co-owners, Trevor Wittles, originally from South Africa, talked excitedly about the nine-month-old restaurant.Ê
He serves homemade shwarma (spiced turkey and lamb cooked on a vertical spit, classic New York street food rarely seen here). It's served in sandwiches (half for $3.50, full $4.50).
This meat combination is usually flown in from the Mainland, pre-spiced, formed and ready to heat. Here, Wittles packs fresh, baked-daily pita bread with his own house-made shwarma, several different vegetables, pickles and a creamy-textured, delicious tahini (ground sesame) sauce.
Falafel is a Middle Eastern classic, croquettes of garbanzo beans, mashed, spiced, then piled into sandwiches that sell for $3 for the half, $4 for the full — crunchy on the outside, soft and aromatic on the inside. It's a great vegetarian sandwich, also matched with your choice of veggies and sauce.Ê
The Boerewors South African beef sausage sandwich (half, $3.50; full $4.50) is unlike other sausages I have tasted; a bit too lean, resulting in a dryish product.
It's served with sweet, homemade peach chutney. All burgers here are made with a half-pound of ground sirloin.
The original comes with tomato, lettuce, onions and pickles (half, $3.50; full, $5); the Hawaiian ($4 and $5.50) has pineapple on it. Figure about $2 extra for combos, which include fries and a drink.
The rain subsided slightly, so I was soon back into the car, heading onward to Hale'iwa.
There, I found a very casual place called Spaghettini. Seating is all outside on the patio, but they do a brisk take-away business, as well.Ê
Spaghettini is known for its hand-tossed New York-style pizzas and pasta dishes. Pizzas are available in three sizes (10-inch, $4.95; 14-inch, $8.95; 18-inch, $11.95, with additional toppings costing 40 cents, 90 cents and $1.50 each, respectively). The crust was chewy and crisp, and the toppings were flavorful.
Pasta dishes run the gamut from spaghetti with meatballs ($5.95 and $7.95), unfortunately served over a too-thin spaghetti with hard, dense meatballs, to a pretty good shrimp alfredo fettuccine ($6.50 and $8.50). The sauce was creamy with a touch of wine, flavored with sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, and basil.
Reach Matthew Gray at mgray@honoluluadvertiser.com.
