First taste: Pa'ina Cafe

Pa'ina Cafe rocks, and here’s why

July 31, 2009

By Mari Taketa
Special to Metromix

Top three reasons we’ve become Pa'ina junkies:

Reason  No. 3. Parking. You need eyes like a hawk to spot Pa'ina behind the stairs next to Chowder House, but being in the middle of this mall means no trolling on the street, no garage crawls and no valets.

Reason No. 2. The grinds. When a place sells natto on poke and kalua pork sandwiches alongside gyros and tomato bisque, get in line.

Reason No. 1. Even though poke bowls reign supreme at Pa'ina, it’s the ahi nicoise, kalua BBQ pork and turkey sandwiches we cannot get off our brain. Since bread usually ranks dead last among our personal carbs of choice, that is a tremendous feat.

Eight visits in 10 weeks (only half of them for work) means we’ve scarfed a good chunk of the menu. So with no further ado, we bring you the scoop…

Pa'ina Cafe
Ward Warehouse
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.
808-356-2829