Jennifer H.
Yelp
Phenomenal food, excellent service, and lovely ambiance. It was so good that we came two nights in a row with the second night somehow even better than the first.
FOOD
While the price is higher than those of surrounding establishments, it is definitely worth the quality that you are getting.
*Calamari Steak: Soft, easy to chew, and precut, which made it easy to share. Would order again.
*Crab Cakes: The crab cakes were juicy and sat on a bed of cabbage packed with flavor, perhaps too much flavor. Although this dish was not bad, I wouldn't order it again.
*Side Salad: Simple salad of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato. My partner liked the lilikoi vinaigrette, but it was too sour for me, so we got ranch the second night.
*Loaded Baked Potato: We ordered this on the second night after seeing how well they did the fingerling potatoes in the main dish the previous night. The baked potato was baked to perfection and included cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives. There were involuntary sounds of joy coming from my partner as he ate it.
*Catch of the Day: I can't remember the name of the fish, but it was a white fish. The dish included delicious fingerling potatoes, macadamia nuts, raisins, pesto, and some sort of white sauce. Words cannot describe how good this was.
*Special involving the catch of the day: On the second night, the catch was mahi mahi, and the off-menu dish included a furikake garlic-butter sauce (yum!), basmati rice, and sauteed vegetables, which were done really well.
*Boston Cream Pie: Based on other reviews, we were hoping for their chocolate cake, but it wasn't available. However, the Boston Cream Pie was an excellent consolation--it's not common for places to have it--and like everything else, it was delicious.
*Hot Toddy: So good that my partner ordered it again the second night.
*Pineapple Iced Tea: I got this but would not get it again. Might need to add sweetener if you have a sweet tooth like me.
*Mai Tai: This came with ube on top, which was quite good.
*Lilikoi Iced Tea: Loved this and got a second one. Too much ice for my taste (half the glass), so make a note for an adjustment for your taste.
My partner says that this place has spoiled him and is worried that he might not be able to enjoy the food as much for the rest of our trip.
SERVICE
We asked the server if we could split one entree and a bunch of appetizers, and they kindly plated our entree on two plates without us asking--very thoughtful! The bussers were very quick to refill water and clear plates. On the first night, service from our server was a little slow because she was so chatty with the other tables, but she was friendly and the food came out quickly. Service on the second night was faster. The menu noted a 4% restaurant service fee, and this was charged on the first night, but oddly not on the second night.
AMBIANCE
The lodge displayed paintings of the local area, and we were serenaded by the coqui frogs through the window. I also enjoyed viewing the ferns and other tropical foliage through the window. This restaurant lodge is the perfect place to have a meal after a day of traveling or hiking.
An easy 5 stars--highly recommended!