I can sum up the Kalapana Village Cafe' in three words: Worth the Drive. In all honesty, I did not have huge expectations, but friends Darryl and NJ had gone, and said we should check it out. It sounded like the food was good, and that it was a pleasant place to eat. There it is, pictured above. Kinda looks like a former drive-in (it may well be, for all I know) but trust me, the food is great. I was thrilled.
I am a big fan of fish salads. This one featured ono, but the chef didn't stop there - there is a beautiful dill coating on that fish. The tomatoes were ripe and sweet, the greens were crispy, and the bleu cheese dressing was full of big chunks of bleu cheese.
Mr. L opted for the ono fish sandwich and had a similar reaction (wow). The fries were also great.
Above: the view from our table. Very tropical and relaxing.
If you look this restaurant up on yelp or tripadvisor, you will find some reviews that talk about (1) flies and (2) dogs. In the spirit of honesty, yes, there were both. HOW-EVER: At any outdoor restaurant I have ever been to, there have been flies! YOU ARE OUTDOORS. They were not a problem and did not not prevent me from enjoying my meal. They were just not a big deal. As for the dogs, yes, there was one who wandered up to our table and begged (although completely quietly). We ignored him, and he went away. I would not allow either of those items to stop me from going back. The food was THAT GOOD. There were several shady tables, a gentle breeze, and it was very pleasant.
After lunch, we figured we should get a little exercise. The cafe' is right across from the entrance to an easy walk out to Kaimu Black Sand Beach. This is not a swimming beach, so please don't try. Here is the (easy) walk out:
If you look this restaurant up on yelp or tripadvisor, you will find some reviews that talk about (1) flies and (2) dogs. In the spirit of honesty, yes, there were both. HOW-EVER: At any outdoor restaurant I have ever been to, there have been flies! YOU ARE OUTDOORS. They were not a problem and did not not prevent me from enjoying my meal. They were just not a big deal. As for the dogs, yes, there was one who wandered up to our table and begged (although completely quietly). We ignored him, and he went away. I would not allow either of those items to stop me from going back. The food was THAT GOOD. There were several shady tables, a gentle breeze, and it was very pleasant.
After lunch, we figured we should get a little exercise. The cafe' is right across from the entrance to an easy walk out to Kaimu Black Sand Beach. This is not a swimming beach, so please don't try. Here is the (easy) walk out:
Beginning of the walk. Really, the ocean is straight ahead.
Dramatic lava
Young palm trees
Dramatic ocean views
View on the way back
Here is a great post with more history of Kalapana.
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