Whenever you want homecooked food served in a cozy setting, get on over to Keei Café. Set in the heart of Kealakekua, this restaurant goes all out to make you feel right at home. Their friendly service, scratch-made deliciousness, and warm atmosphere will keep you coming back whenever you’re in town. Their eclectic décor is well worth checking out all on its own, plus they regularly bring in musicians to play live for their patrons.
Reservations are never needed at this joint. But it’s wise to expect a bit of a wait. You’re likely to get a table pretty quickly, but after that, the minutes will tick by while you chill in the dining room. All their scratch-made fare takes time to make, after all, plus their servers always spend a little extra time chatting with all their patrons. When it’s your turn for service, you can expect a warm welcome followed by truly friendly banter.
To make the most of the experience, plan to make it a multi-course meal. Start with your drink and appetizer of choice to give the crew time to help the other patrons. Once your starter arrives, put in your order for your entrée and savor the flavors before you. You’re welcome to order more drinks – and even go for an extra appetizer – while waiting for the main course to hit the table.
Every last order gets made from scratch using fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. Their traditional recipes add even more magic to the experience, allowing you to get a hot, home-cooked meal while on the go. They don’t put a whole lot into artistically plating each selection, but that won’t matter once you get a taste. Bright, bold flavors dance through every bite, reaffirming that it was well worth the wait.
Popular items on their menu:
Baked Brie
The Baked Brie lets you whet your appetite with melty cheese galore. To create this starter, the chef expertly wraps a triangle of brie in filo dough. Then, they bake it until golden brown on the outside and melty in the middle. Slices of bread land alongside and get topped with sundried tomato pesto right before serving.
Seafood Pasta
If you love fresh fish, clams, and more, treat yourself to Seafood Pasta. The chef prepares this dish by sauteing the fish, scallops, shrimp, and clams until perfectly cooked. After that, the seafood goes in a homemade marinara sauce to simmer until the noodles hit the al dente stage. Once that’s done, the noodles get tossed in olive oil and garlic right before the saucy seafood goes over the top.
Roasted Pork Chops
Whenever you need comfort food in your life, Roasted Pork Chops are the way to go, for sure. This dish begins with pork chops placed in the oven until juicy and tender. While the chops cook, the chef prepares either peppercorn gravy or spiced pineapple glaze. They also work on creating a vegetable medley plus your choice of steamed rice or whipped potatoes. Then, they assemble all your selections on the plate to create a meal to remember.
The dessert selections promise to make it well worth the effort to save room in your belly. While that might sound like a tall order, you don’t want to skip their Mango Cobbler, Tropical Bread Pudding, Lilikoi Cheesecake, and more. If you ask nicely, however, you might just convenience them to box up your selections for the road.
Insider Tips:
-When dining in a party of seven or more, expect to see a 20% gratuity charge automatically added to your bill. They also do not allow requests for separate checks when dining in large groups.
-If you want to split a plate between yourself and your tablemates, there will be an extra charge.
-They do not accept credit cards, but you can pay with your debit card or cash.