The Drop In Cafe - First Take

One of my blog readers suggested that I try a new place in the Aikahi Shopping Center in Kailua (near the Marine Corp Base): The Drop In Cafe. It's in the space previously occupied by the Muddy Waters Cafe.

It has coffee, sandwiches, and the like. When I walked in, I was met by a very cheerful and particularly nice server/host. When I said that this was my first visit and what would she recommend, she immediately said, "the Chicago Dog - it's fantastic!"

So I got one, and it was pretty good. The bun was sesame seed instead of poppy seed, but it was good nonetheless. Some of the other requisite ingredients - including pickle spear, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and the famous "nuclear green" relish - were present. I'm guessing that mustard was omitted to give the diner the choice of how much to put on; celery salt was listed as an ingredient, but didn't seem present in mine. It didn't bother me, though. I enjoyed it.

I still think Hank's is better, but this one is a bit bigger and for my taste, better than Flavors of Kailua.

I was, however, very heartened by the enthusiastic attitude. At a time when good service is hard to find, I appreciate a new place that tries hard to please.

How would I rate the experience? I'm humbled that another one of my blog readers has started using a code term at restaurants for whether or not she and her husband liked a place. She now asks her husband: "Would you blog about it?" which means "Do you think it's good?" This is because I don't blog about restaurants that I don't like or that have little or no redeeming value.

The other ways of evaluating from other companions are: "Would you make a special trip to go to this place?" or "Would you come back?" or "Would you tell your friends that you absolutely have to go to this place?"

Well, I'm blogging about this place, and I do plan on coming back. I would not, however, make a special trip just to go if I wasn't already in Kailua.

All this is to say that I hope that you give the Drop In Cafe a try. The food is fine and I want to see nice people succeed in business.

Grace and aloha,

Tom

P. S. We've all been concerned about the situation in Haiti. It's at times such as these that I'm proud to be part of the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is one of many organizations that provide relief. The one very compelling reason to give through this channel is that 100% of your donations go to relief efforts, because UMCOR's administrative structure is supported by the denomination.

A poignant note to this is that the executive director of UMCOR, the Rev. Sam Dixon, was in Haiti to strategize ways to help this already beleaguered nation when the earthquake happened. Rev. Dixon perished in the catastrophe.

If you would like to donate to Haiti relief through UMCOR, you can do so online: http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?code=418325&id=3018760.