Located at the YWCA, Cafe Julia is named after the building's architect, Julia Morgan. This building, the Laniakea Center, is an official Hawaii historic building.
We entered in the alleyway next to the YWCA.
Looking at the menu, the cuisine is New American, with a Hawaii twist and fresh local ingredients. And dang, it is pricey. Appropriate for a wedding reception, perhaps. I came here only because one of my coworkers was retiring and we scheduled a lunch for her.
The Garlic Ahi ($27) is cooked ahi tuna topped with wasabi aioli, with sauteed veggies and rice. After many weeks of fluffy carbs, though, I decided to go all veggies this time. The tuna sat on a bed of veggies in an elegant presentation.
Moist fish, cooked all the way through. Veggies were cooked through as well, retaining a good crunch. I enjoyed the aioli, which had a noticeable wasabi flavor without going up the nose. Still, it was a very small portion, and had I not been with coworkers, likely could have devoured that in about two minutes.
There is a full bar here, which is good to know for Pau Hana Fridays. And there are shelves of alcohol minis.
Great service, which made sure my water glass remained full. Still, the price tag is likely the biggest reason I won't always come here for lunch or dinner.
It is worth noting that the salads may look like a good portion, but may just be fluffed up to look impressive. Adding protein will also make it cost more than an actual entree.
Overall, I had a great experience at Cafe Julia and would recommend it for personal or professional occasions. 7.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment