FOR the price and lovingly homespun appeal of The Food Company's menu, I wouldn't be surprised if Enchanted Lakes residents feel they'll never have to cook again. Food Company offers
good home cookin’They're learning what Hawaii Kai diners already know, that if they want a good hot meal in a hurry, The Food Company's is the place to go for anything from the popular mochiko chicken ($5.50) to blackened ahi ($6.75), dusted with a coating of Cajun herbs and served with a mild papaya salsa.
The company grew out of owner Brenda Tanaka's catering business, started 10 years ago. She opened her first Food Company in Hawaii Kai eight years ago, and when she moved to Kailua, it didn't take her long to scope out potential sites. There isn't a lot of ambience, but nobody expects it in the Enchanted Lake Shopping Center. The restaurant's furnishings are mousy brown and the room's standout feature is a colorful mural depicting a multi-generational pot-luck party scene.
There's one deli-style counter where one would expect to find take-out salads and entrees, but it's been empty. Tanaka said she's been biding her time since she opened the restaurant a month ago, observing customer flow and desires. She intends to start stocking the glass counter beginning next week, with the likes of poke, crab rolls and more exotic fare, such as couscous and tabouli.
Otherwise, current customers can continue going about business as usual. Order at the counter. Sit down. Wait fo' eat.
The wait is not long and the menu leaves little to be desired. For breakfast there are several three-egg omelettes, from the basic Swiss or Cheddar cheese ($4) version to the "Hurricane" ($5.75), a scramble of Portuguese sausage, tomatoes, Maui onion, mushrooms and spices.
A local-style breakfast pairs 10-ingredient fried rice ($4.50) with two eggs and a choice of ham, bacon, Portuguese sausage or Spam.
The Food Company gets fancy with Belgium waffles topped with flambe bananas ($5) and three slices of French toast covered with bananas, then sprinkled with powdered sugar, cinnamon and mac nuts ($4.95). These are real luxuries.
LUNCH and dinner menus are the same. This is one of the few places to get ramen in Kailua and one waitress was obviously new to the dish, handing me a fork with my char siu ramen ($5.50).
Plate lunches taste more homemade than institutional. The pool of grease associated with fast food is absent. Foods are made without MSG, and Tanaka and her staff are conservative with the bad stuff such as sugar, salt and soy sauce.
Simple hamburger steak ($6.25) is embellished with sauteed Maui onions and fresh mushrooms, and roasted turkey ($6) is served with apple-raisin stuffing.
I was disappointed that the salmon bento ($5) contained only a two-inch sliver of fish. The salmon portion could have at least been comparable to an accompanying piece of grilled chicken and slim slices of beef teriyaki. And a shrimp plate ($6) could have done with less breading.
Still, there is not much to complain about, and the number of offerings is impressive for such a small operation.
Every neighborhood needs a Food Company.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Prices: Less than $7 per person
Call: 262-6440
Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com-- excellent;
