Kona Kakes and Plates - Just the plates

I recently saw the storefront for Kona Kakes in Linda Vista....I had wondered where they had gone to. What really got my attention was the new addition to the name....the "& Plates" part. So Kona Kakes was now serving plate lunches? This I had to check out.

So a few days later I stopped by......to check out the plates.

I've had the cakes from Kona Kakes a couple of times and it was quite good. So I really couldn't wait to check out the "plates" which I guess are served between 11am and 4pm Monday thru Saturday.

You know...every place makes "sliders" now and a riff on nachos. I decided to try something basic and perhaps not as easy as it sounds; the Teriyaki Beef Plate ($8). Plates some with two "sides" which can include rice, green salad, quinoa salad (??), and mac salad. Hard to guess what I chose, huh?

 First the basics. The rice was perfect, though I'm not a big fan of the mac salad here....too loose and too sweet. The beef was quite tough; literally the two dollar steak. It really lacked flavor and was also cold, like it had been sitting in a pan somewhere and maybe put in the microwave for a (too) short time. It lacked color, which made it look less appetizing. The sauce totally reminded me of the teriyaki we used to make; when we couldn't get mirin....which was a good part of my childhood. It was too salty. Frankly, I don't care if you microwave your meat, but marinate it well, some color would be good, too. I've moved on from using thick cut low quality beef, you can still get decent thin cut beef which you can marinate appropriately and still have osmething tender. It wasn't horrible; just mediocre.

Still, I decided to try them one more time. This time I went with the Kalua Pork Plate, which was really cheap at $7.

For this price, I figured Oven Kalua Pork, which it was, I also kinda assumed Kalua Pork and Cabbage, which it also was, though I wish they made that clear on the menu....the "local" in me I guess. The flavor of the liquid smoke was decent, a mild "nose" and not an over-powering flavor, though it could have used more salt, and frankly more fat. The cabbage was still fairly crisp as well. The pork was on the dry side and this had the real feeling of something from a chafing dish. The onions were basically raw......which is great if it were sweet onions...which is one of my favorite things with a sprinkle of alaea, the mildly sweet sea salt tinged pink from red volcanic soil. Here it was basically pungent brown onions....too much for the plate raw. I did like the quinoa salad, though it was a bit under-dressed for my taste, it still was refreshing.

The folks here are very nice and friendly, but it seems that the plates are here to supplement the "kakes", and I wish it was more than that. Maybe I'm being too harsh because I grew up eating this stuff, but frankly, I think this isn't as good as L&L, and I'm not a big fan of the paint-by-numbers Hawaiian Barbecue. I really think they can do better and hope they do, especially since they have a potential goldmine by catering to Ballast Point next door, which has a beer pairing. I'm wondering, do they have a beer pairing for their cakes, which are really good?

Kona Kakes & Plates
5401 Linda Vista Road Suite 402
San Diego, CA 92110
Lunch Served 1100am - 4pm Monday - Saturday

Comments

[Jack]

It's been awhile but I remember really enjoying their cakes. Hopefully things will get better.

[Sandy]

I had forgotten about Kona Kakes, too. A friend used to get their cakes for big celebrations, but that's been awhile. The cakes were delicious, but it's too bad about the plates.

[Soo]

Bummer the lunch plates aren't very good. Have you tried Hawaii's Island Eatery?

[Kirk]

hey Jack - Yeah, I recall enjoying their cakes....even though I don't have much of a sweet tooth.

Hi Sandy - I do hope they get better.

Not yet Soo.....I'm rarely in Lakeside

[caninecologne]

Hmmmm, Kona Kakes? Is the owner still Janice Kraft? She used to have a restaurant (defunct as of 2008) in east Chula Vista called Kona Pacifica Cafe. I posted on it a while ago. Anyhow, she sold her cakes and Hawaiian plate lunches there too. It was a really nice looking upscale type restaurant, but the food was served in styrofoam containers, which kind of clashed with the look and feel of the place. Mea Kwan (a mediocre Thai place)took over the spot of the old Kona Pacifica Cafe.

[Kirk]

Hi CC - I have no idea. Maybe you'll need to investigate??? ;o)

[Campy]

I didn't try anything this time around, but on my recent visit to the expanded Ballast Point Homebrewmart (next door), I noticed that you can now order from Kona Kakes to eat while sampling the BP brews. It's a pretty limited menu, but definitely seemed to a be a better option than the $4/ea chips and salsa they were pushing from the refrigerators that now line the area beside the tasting bar.

[Kirk]

Hi Campy - Which is why I mentioned that they catered to, and even have beer pairings with Ballast Point. Bottom line, I think they can do better.

[rocky]

Hey just went to Kona Kakes and they have redone their menu!!! Had tried their Kanaka stroke plate (choice of 3 entrees) with Garlic Shrimp, Kalua Pig and Hamburger steak!!!! Man I wanted to find a coconut tree after having that plate!!Best Plate lunch I have had in awhile!! Everybody has Teri this and Teri that, so I wanted to feel at home again so I ordered things that I don't normally see. Ono!! finally got my comfort food fix!!

[Kirk]

Coconut tree Rocky???? Well, at least it sounds like they're actually making some food to order now.