Pahoa Restaurant Review
By Karyn Chambers
Looking for a beautiful Sunday morning experience —with real people, real country style food, and real Aloha spirit? Consider Pele’s Kitchen, located in downtown Pahoa, open daily 7:30-noon. Its colorful tropical artistry on the outside of the building can’t be missed. As I walk up to the doorway, I see a variety of plants lining the sidewalk and a small table loaded with exotic tropical fruits—jackfruit, soursop, starfruit, and papaya. A lively waitress greets me with “Aloha! Seat yourself wherever you like.” Choices include outside tables along the sidewalk or a beautiful garden area outback. I decide to sit at a long table facing the window, lined with orchids, apple bananas, mint, and other greenery.
A host immediately offers me water and a menu. The murals on the walls and ceiling are exquisite, captivating, mesmerizing. The ceiling has cotton looking clouds as if one might be floating in the sky. Painted on the far wall are green island hills with a lighter green valley and the blue ocean coastline alongside it. At the other end of the room is another scene with golden sunny yellow magic and a white turtle dove flying in its midst. At the back is another scene blue like the ocean adored with orchids. I learned these are the creations of the owner. On March 20, 2024 a back storage room caught fire and caused smoke damage to the interior of the restaurant. Truly a visual delight requiring some time to soak in.
The waitress brings a special Sunday morning treat of homemade pastries as a free appetizer—pineapple upside down cake, cinnamon rolls, raspberry topped cake. As I peruse the menu, I quickly settle on avocado benedict and herb tea. My waitress, Janice, with her long blondish braid, is delightful. She’s worked at Pele’s Kitchen for five years and is 81 years young. Her energy is so warm and full of ALOHA. When asked what she loves about working here, she replies, “I love the people and extending the aloha spirit to them. And food is farm fresh to the table!” She beams with love as she shares their involvement with the community such as looking after children walking home from school. The kitchen’s farm, Puna Gold is located in Leilani Estates where cacao, coffee, herbs, spices, and produce for the restaurant is all grown and harvested fresh to serve their customers.
Before my breakfast arrives, a young man and his female partner walk in. They set up a small space to play live music. Exchanging smiles, I watch as he warms up his ukulele and then begins singing his delightful original songs. In between songs, he shouts out reminders to appreciate the kitchen staff and servers, working hard to create this wonderful experience for their customers. I feel the joy and friendliness from the servers and customers—a truly upbeat vibe. Folks come in to pick up take out, and families stop in for a Sunday morning treat. I watch the children dance as the musician, Austin Martin plays his unique songs. He tells me this is his passion, singing live for a variety of age groups. His partner Trish gently drums in support of his relaxing strumming on his ukulele contributing to this multi-sensory experience.
My waitress serves my avocado benedict, beautifully arranged with fresh avocado chunks and luscious hollandaise sauce, over easy eggs, and homemade English muffin, perfectly seasoned hash browns, and garnished with fresh lilikoi, melon, and pear chunks. Truly the best breakfast in years!
The menu includes homemade vegan pancakes and waffles, cage-free egg and tofu scrambles, omelets, and a variety of benedicts, even Kalua pig. Fresh homemade juices—guava, mogu mogu (a Japanese drink) lychee, Hawaiian Lilikoi, and Jaboticaba. Homegrown coffees and cacao. A separate Keiki menu as well. Definitely check the menu online if you want more information on pricing and the variety of delicious meals.
The owners, Stephen and Casey Yundt, provide a wonderful experience of farm fresh organic foods along with a loving friendly atmosphere. Puna Gold—the farm—is located in Leilani Estates where groups can tour the three acre coffee and cacao farm where exotic fruits, honey bees, cinnamon, vanilla, and more are grown. All trees were planted from seeds. Stephen’s wife, Liz tends to the orchids and tropical flowers.
As my delightful experience comes to a close, I pay my bill, expressing my gratitude to my servers. Janice gives me the biggest bear hug, full of aloha and joy. I over hear a customer saying he bought two chocolate bars, produced from the cacao on the farm. I instantly feel moved to indulge my sweet tooth in the homegrown creation to take home with me. Overall, Pele’s Kitchen was above and beyond my expectations for a delectable breakfast and beautiful environment. I can’t wait to go back, not only for farm fresh organic breakfast but also the enchanting atmosphere and connection with the community. Visit Pele’s Kitchen for an amazing experience.
Karyn Chambers
Karyn Chambers taught community college classes--English Composition, Study Skills, Critical Thinking, Philosophy, World Religions, and Biblical Studies for twenty-five years in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. She wrote articles for a local newspaper column Interfaith Voices for seven years. In 1996, she earned a Master’s in Composition and Rhetoric from OSU, and in 2015, a Master’s of Divinity from Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon. She’s an ordained minister and Kundalini Yoga teacher. In addition, she’s a certified hypnotherapist and enjoys working with a variety of clients. Her greatest passion is traveling and experiencing spiritual traditions around the globe. She’s taken several yoga and meditation courses in India. Although she’s technically retired, she teaches seniors Creative Writing: Write Your Life Story in Kea’au and currently at the Kamana Center in Hilo. Her greatest delight is sharing her research and knowledge of world religions and spirituality to promote understanding, peace, and love. She loves living in Puna for its wonderful healing properties.