The Weekly Eater Nadine Kam

Extras make Caffe Notte
worth the long trip
to Haleiwa

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Maybe being in what some might call the boonies makes the staff at Caffe Notte try harder than most. Extra flourishes are noticeable in the big hellos, generous wine pours and heaping helping of fresh grated Parmesan that accompanies perfectly warmed bread (evenings only).

That kind of currency goes far, which is essential in getting people out to Haleiwa more than a few weekends a year, if that.

I am pleased to say it was worth risking my life -- not so much in driving there by the light of day, which is a pleasant way to see much of the island when traveling northwest, but at night, when two-lane highways turn treacherous thanks to the lolos who still don't know that speeding and cutting corners can kill.

For those who naturally gravitate to the North Shore Marketplace, Caffe Notte is not there, but is near the entrance to Haleiwa on the right if coming from Wahiawa, and at the far end of town on the left if heading in from the Kahuku side. At any rate, it's in a rustic-looking wooden building next to the Tesoro gas station.

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NADINE KAM / NKAM@STARBULLETIN.COM A Caffe Notte special combines filet mignon and grilled shrimp served with asparagus and new potatoes.

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There are tables outside and inside, where cozy booths line the walls. The wooden benches don't look comfortable at all, but once you're seated and the drinks and bread arrive, all is well.

A glance at the evening menu showed appetizers of sautéed mushrooms ($5.95), grilled vegetable skewers ($5.95) and green beans and red new potatoes ($4.95) tossed with olive oil and garlic. But most tempting was the bruschetta ($4.95), offered three ways: with pesto, house style as in the traditional tomato-basil duet, and a combination of two slices of both. I had already eaten a lot of bread because the drive left me hungry and the Parmesan was so addictive, so it seemed redundant to order more bread. But I couldn't resist, and while I had planned to take a few bites, I ended up gobbling up two massive slices.

Next up was the caponata ($6.95), a salad of baked eggplant, tomatoes, onions and garlic, which was a little disappointing because it was a mere scoop sitting atop a much larger pile of greens sprinkled with balsamic vinaigrette. It turned out to be a good salad, just not the large helping of caponata we were expecting. And the plain black olives that surround the dish could be replaced by kalamatas.

PRICES ARE FAIR, with basic pastas running less than $10. These include spaghetti and meatballs ($8.95) and mushroom marinara ($8.95). Heavier-hitting entrees include chicken cacciatore ($10.95), opakapaka piccata ($15.95) or eggplant parmesan ($10.95).

Fettuccine Capone ($14.95) worked well, with the sweet shrimp flavor highlighted by a mild garlic-tomato sauce, studded with bits of parsley. On the other hand, there wasn't enough sauce to coat overcooked fettuccine in the sausage marsala ($12.95), with mushrooms and onions. But there is always that bowl of Parmesan sitting at the table, ready to perk up any dish.

No such assist is needed with the filet mignon, seared to achieve a thin char while remaining tender and juicy within. They often offer a surf-and-turf special at about $24.95, combining the steak with grilled shrimp spiced with red pepper, for an unexpected fire-burst on the tongue.

For dessert there is the usual tiramisu and ice cream selections. I'm accustomed to getting bad cannoli in Hawaii, but I chanced it because our server said Caffe Notte's is "different." Extremely different, because they've taken the sweetened ricotta out of its usual crisp cookie shell and created instead a waffly basket -- like a sugar cone -- filled with puddinglike, almond-flavored ricotta for a finale with a flourish.

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Caffe Notte 66-650 Kamehameha Highway / 636-2285 Food Service Ambience Value Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. daily Cost: About $30 to $60 for two without drinks

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See some past restaurant reviews in the Columnists section.

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:

	excellent;
	very good, exceeds expectations;
	average;
	below average.

To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com

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