Laulima Food Patch in Kona Serves Remarkable Lunches

Who knew what kind of lunch we could get at Laulima Food Patch in Kona? I’ve walked past this restaurant a dozen times, always choosing Sakura for sushi, always wondering what it was. It’s at a right-angle to Safeway, nestled between Subway and Domino’s Pizza. But wow, what a discovery for all of our favorite foods. It’s like you think of the ingredients you would like to consume, and you can savor it all in a bowl.

There are vegetarian options, vegan options, organic vegetables, homemade dressings, gluten-free foods and many ways to serve it. First, you start with a base. It could be rice noodles, lettuce or brown rice. To that, you add vegetables like edamame, bean sprouts, pickled cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, sweet potatoes, quinoa, avocado — you name it, they make it. On top you choose a protein, like peanuts, hardboiled eggs, chicken, tofu, pork. The dressings are homemade, naturally.

Or you can choose a sandwich, like pulled pork, or the daily soup special or a plain salad. There are many options, including mouth-watering daily specials. Too many options for me, actually. I picked a special salad already created, but you can create your own, too.

Almost all of the food is from Big Island. It is prepared from scratch every day.

My friend, Linda, chose a bowl of cream of broccoli soup. Tons of drink selections. As we sat at the counter, one of the owners, I think, asked if we would all like red shirts with the logo of the restaurant on it. Sure. Who’s gonna turn down a free shirt? We could wear them as T-shirts or even a night-shirt. Funny thing is we immediately put them on. Nobody said anything to us, we just did it.

The Laulima Food Patch also offers catering. Looks like the average cost for lunch is around $15 plus a drink. We were heading to Poi Dog Deli for lunch and discovered it was closed for a private function. Which is how we ended up at the Laulima Food Patch, just across Henry Street. Give it a try, I think you’ll be amazed at how good it is.

It’s much easier to park at Laulima Food Patch in Kona than at Poi Dog Deli, too.

Healthful dining is always good. But delicious dining is always better. Laulima Food Patch offers both! And I’m not a vegetarian by any stretch. Open 10 AM to 4 PM, 75-1027 Henry St, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. 808-329-8378.