KALAHEO – “Sometimes, cereal just doesn’t cut it,” chuckled “Tutu” Elsie Nishi.
For diners looking for breakfast beyond the usual 10:30 a.m.
cutoff point by most restaurants, Tutu’s Cafe in Kalaheo, along Kaumuali‘i Highway next to Scotty’s Music and Menehune Food Mart, now offers breakfast from 6 a.m. until they close at 3 p.m.
“And, that’s seven days a week,” Nishi said.
Open since late last year, the new eatery occupies the space formerly housing the Kalaheo Coffee Company & Cafe, whose owners and operators have moved to new quarters across the street from Brick Oven Pizza, also on Kaumuali‘i Highway in Kalaheo.
Since that time, patrons to the new eatery have suggested that the burgers are good because they have the home-made flavor similar to those of the “ol’-time” restaurants.
However, starting and ending with breakfast, Tutu’s offers a variety of omelets, “Hawaiian hot cakes,” French toast made with Hawaiian sweet bread as well as American classic bread, and some “Light Side” entrees featuring papaya, and assorted fresh fruit.
Even lighter offerings include a variety of baked goods that change daily, but are anchored daily by the old standard, bagels with cream cheese, a slice of red-velvet cake that one diner exclaimed, “It’s so big!” and a pineapple upside-down cake.
As the clock moves closer to the lunch hour, the breakfast offerings are joined by a variety of sandwiches and salads as well as “Local Grindz” offerings that include loco moco bowl or plate, hamburger, teriyaki steak sandwich, hamburger steak plate, teriyaki steak plate, fried noodles featuring Young’s Noodles, and the mahimahi plate.
Of course, if it’s local grinds, all come with choice of rice, and either potato or macaroni salad, or tossed greens.
The soup of the day changes daily, as does the offering of stews.
Sandwiches include egg or tuna salad, BLT, TM (turkey, Meunster, lettuce, tomato, and alfalfa), vegetarian, grilled mahimahi, tuna melt, pastrami melt, and roast beef.
Salad choices include garden, chicken Ceasar, grilled chicken, Cobb, and broiled salmon, with a wide variety of drinks to wash everything down with.
As diners scrutinized the menu, Carla Dusenberry, one of the short-order cooks along with Pete Katoru Nishi, piped in, “don’t forget New Year’s! Shoyu and sugar mochi taste really good.”
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.
com.
