Since April, the Eastside Cafe, previously known as simply The Eastside, has a new owner. Vaclav Burger, originally from Czech Republic, has been in the restaurant business for 20 years and is also the owner of a restaurant called “Little
Since April, the Eastside Cafe, previously known as simply The Eastside, has a new owner.
Vaclav Burger, originally from Czech Republic, has been in the restaurant business for 20 years and is also the owner of a restaurant called “Little Prague” in Davis, Calif.
With a corner location, 4-1380 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, and glass walls all around, the restaurant has an upscale feel. Beautiful drawings of Hawaii’s nature decorate the walls and native flowers’ pictures cover the tables. The establishment offers Pacific Rim cuisine targeted to the local as well as visiting clientele.
However, Vaclav prides himself with the occasional special touch of his wife’s recipes.
“All different styles and twists come from my wife Eva. Mrs Burger, who is a pastry chef, is also behind a lot of the restaurant’s specials,” he said.
The day of my visit, I was offered as an appetizer of a half cut papaya filled with turkey breast prepared in a shrimp cocktail style. I must say I was a little hesitant to eat it, since it looked like a strange combination, but it took one bite to appreciate the mixture of tastes and flavors. It came with little toasted bread pieces covered with tasty spices that gave the dish a finished look and taste.
As a main dish, I had the Togarashi Seared Ahi Tuna (Cilantro lime rice, sambal dressed Asian slaw, lemongrass butter sauce, $33). If you are looking for a filling dish, this one will do the trick. The fish was well done and I enjoyed the butter sauce and rice mixture.
The restaurant fruits, veggies as well as their fish and beef are local. Kalani farms in Kilauea is one of its main providers. If you need to get accommodated with a special request because of your diet — gluten sensitive, vegetarian, etc. — the restaurant can prepare your dish accordingly. There is a special dish daily, which varies according to what’s fresh and available on the market.
I finished my meal with the Coconut Lemongrass Creme Brule with tropical fruit compote and berry sauces ($8). It was truly delicious and a good end to a filling meal.
Vaclav, who wears a lot of different hats in the restaurant, from cook, to bartender and everything in between, is looking forward to having his wife Eva join him soon from California.
Together, the family wants to make more of its own pastries, cakes and desserts. Their goal is to be open for breakfast as well.
The Eastside Cafe’s hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily for lunch and 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner.
