fresh seasonal PAU quick cuisine
65-1227 Opelo Road, Kamuela
(Formally Aioli’s, Near Merriman’s)
paupizza.com / open 11-4 m-f
dinner coming soon
{written March of 2008}
This new restaurant promises to add another fine choice for lunch in the heart of Waimea’s culinary row. Located next to Merriman’s (you use the same parking lot) and down the street (on the opposite side of the road) from Daniel Thiebaut’s, Pau is a fine first choice, or secondary destination should your original selection be unavailable {I’m looking at you, Merriman’s}.
It’s a new restaurant, and one would not want to say that the interior design had been completed, but it had a homey welcoming feel to it nonetheless. The Hobart mixer makes its home in the entrance area and the deli display case still needs help, but other than that the décor was pleasant and comfortable.
A chalk menu board listed the day’s specials of which a prosciutto, fig jam, blue cheese, virgin olive slice of pizza was the most alluring. Though I must be honest, I don’t know if I’d go for listing olive oil as an ingredient, it screams of padding. I couldn’t figure out the pricing on that one (the web site says it would have cost $8 for the slice and a small salad), so instead I opted for an Italian sub with salad, a bowl of spit pea soup, and a glass of water. My girlfriend got a chicken pot pie, vintners salad, and an ice tea. All told, it set us back $30. Most of the items on the menu cost about $10 and I would recommend buying one or two per person if you want to leave stuffed.
I started with the soup and that was tasty. Nice and salty. Along with the split peas, there was plenty of ham, and barley. Very tasty, no doubt about that.
Moving on, I switched gears and gave my sub the attention it so amply deserved. It was tasty with lots of mustard and served with a small salad and a gourmet pickle. It could have used a lot more meat and/or cheese, but the taste was there. Even so, I was far more impressed with the salad. Iceberg lettuce, beans, peppers, broccoli, and small bb size balls of pasta topped with an Italian vinaigrette. Good stuff, and between it all I left full.
My girlfriend ate all of hers too though, so we’re not talking super size portions. Often I can count on finishing her plate, but not today. Just a bite. But I must admit, what I got tasted good.
The chicken pot pie utilized the pizza dough as a top crust and then on top of that was a generous helping of crushed salt and some herbs. Very tasty--I like salt. Inside there was a yellow sauce (not very cheesy so I don’t know what they were going for) and nice square, evenly cut hunks of yams, potatoes, carrots, and chicken. It was delicious to be sure, but at the $9 it cost, there was not a lot of bang for the buck. If you’re looking for something to stick to your ribs, and you’re anything like me, you’re going to need more than one of anything on the menu.
The vintners salad was tasty as well -- iceberg lettuce, apples, pecans, blue cheese, all covered in the same Italian dressing, but just token amounts of the add ons. It was mostly lettuce.
All in all I don’t really know what to say. I’m planning on going back again. I live in Waimea. How many choices do I have? But, the bottom line is it was kind of pricey. I think I’ll wait until I’m in the mood for pizza and give that a go next time. If I had to guess, I’m thinking that that’s the item that will make or break this restaurant.
The presentation was good and all, but it cost $30 to get full. We could have done Korean barbeque at $20 and gotten a plateful of meat to boot. I’d be stuffed, so there is a calculations of sorts in there that needs to be made: price and quantity versus taste.
If money is no object, or you just like your lunches light, I say give it a go. I’m still looking forward to next time. When I do, I’m going to try the gourmet pizza, complete with a small tasty side salad. I’ll let you know how it goes.
{If the proof is in the pudding, can’t say that I’ve been here in a while, or even look forward to going back. We started going to the Macaroni Grill down in Waikoloa and/or buying deli sandwiches in the grocery store that’s next door to the Mac Grill, down on the coast.}