Lotus Cafe

Lotus is HOT!!   
see us in the Jan 09 issue of BIG ISLAND TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE



see us in the Sept.  2009 issue of Honolulu Magazine:
Karma points served as a side dish!

The Lotus Café on the Big Island uses compostable containers, water-conserving appliances, a tankless water heating system and 450 solar panels that provide all the electricity.

Owners Howie and Ladda Simon apply their environmentally conscious philosophy to their Pan-Asian cuisine as well. “We make the menu based on what we can grow, and what we can grow we grow organically,” says Howie. The restaurant works with area farms, big and small, to provide locally grown produce whenever possible. “We don’t believe in canned or bottled sauces and spices. We make all of our sauces from scratch so we can guarantee what’s in them,” he says.

One of the most popular dishes is the Miang Kham, a spicy appetizer of ginger, coconut, peanuts and shrimp served on Thai betel leaves with a coconut and palm sugar dipping sauce. “We don’t keep our curry on the back burner all day; it is made fresh to order. Nothing is made in advance,” says Simon. For dessert, try the restaurant’s take on gelato, made with coconut milk and fresh fruit, and available in 10 flavors, such as ginger vanilla. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. 73-5617 Maiau St., Kailua-Kona. (808)327-3270. www.thelotuscafe.com.

from the Jan 09 issue OF HAWAII BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Plugged into Quality

Lotus Café is 100 percent solar powered by 450 solar panels on its roof.

When Howie Simon and his wife, Ladda, opened the Lotus Café almost two years ago, there were already about a half-dozen Thai restaurants serving the tight-knit Kona community.  But that didn’t stop them.

In fact, they so believed in the quality of their product that they didn’t try to hide that their menu was perhaps one of the priciest in town: “We’ve always believed that people are willing to spend a few extra dollars to get really high-quality products,” says Simon. 

He was right.

FOR THE ENTIRE STORY, FOLLOW THIS LINK:

http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/Hawaii-Business/January-2009/Plugged-into-Quality/

"Lotus Café serves up some of the freshest, tastiest, healthiest and most unique dishes from Northern Thailand, Burma, India and Indonesia. Every dish on the menu features fresh, local, organic foods, spices and herbs.

The extensive menu featured unfamiliar items went way beyond the typical Pad Thai and Fried Rice of other Thai restaurants. There are appetizers, sates, summer rolls, soups, salads, and a choice of vegetarian, chicken & seafood entrees, a Chef’s Daily Specials, a Taster’s Special, desserts, espresso, ginger lemonade, lilikoi nectar, Thai Chai, fresh organic juices and mango smoothies. Everything is beautifully presented on unique Asian style platters/dishes, full of freshness and color and bursting with a symphonic medley of tastes.

The spices utilized in their sumptuous dishes are blended from scratch and the dishes are served as though the chef was cooking for her family at home. This means no MSG or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and only cold-pressed oils. Almost all the ingredients used are organically grown. Dishes are grilled, steamed or lightly sautéed. Their foods are also dairy free (including their gelato) and most are wheat free.

At the Lotus Café, “spicy” is not synonymous with “hot.” Typical herbs and spices utilized in Northern Thai cuisine are Thai basil, cilantro, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, anise, turmeric, ginger and galangal (Thai ginger). These combinations create a depth and breadth of the flavors represented in these dishes that work together so well.

Some of the dishes I tried were:
Sate Ayam (Java): Grilled minced chicken and spices served with peanut sauce.  Tender, moist and tasty, and served with a light, creamy peanut sauce touched with sweetness. This was the best sate I’ve ever had.
Shrimp Laksa (Singapore): A spicy coconut- based soup with noodles, peanuts, sprouts and more;
Spicy Drunken Chicken (Thai):  Chicken pieces simmered in Keffir lime leaf and herbs and spicy chili- tomato sauce;
Nam Sod (Thai):  An organic chicken salad with ginger, chili and palm sugar. This lively dish highlighted the rainbow colors of fresh vegetables and boasted bold and pungent ginger in its light, sweet/savory dressing.
Mamuang Khao Neow (Thai):  Fresh mango with sticky rice drenched in coconut milk was a dessert to die for.
Fresh Organic Gelato:. Homemade gelato and sorbets  with organic fruits, soy milk, and fresh ground spices. The ginger vanilla and chocolate mint were awesome.

Reasonable prices, a great location, and many great, unique and tasty offerings will take us back to the Lotus Café again and again."

#1
"My husband and I had dinner at the Lotus Cafe a few months ago and really liked the food. I went again on my own for lunch on Monday and had a dish that was truly fabulous. Lemongrass shrimp with noodles. The rice noodles were tossed in a sauce made with a variety of fresh ingredients including coconut milk, lemon grass and fresh coriander ground that morning, The five shrimp that were mixed in with the noodles and the sauce were very good. Although $12.95 for the dish is not inexpensive, my thoughts keep returning to the memorable taste and I will willingly pay it again. Perhaps this is because the Thai owner of the restaurant makes thirteen sauces from scratch every morning and does not use any pastes from a jar as do many other restaurants.
By the time I left the restaurant a little after 1 p.m., the restaurant was almost full--a testament to the quality and taste of the food as well as its location near Costco.
The only thing I did not like about the restaurant was the owner's choice of music and he did change it when I mentioned it was driving me mad. Nonetheless, I would brave it again for the food! "

#2
"If you are a healthy vegetarian you have to eat here, it's one of my all time favorite places to go now! There is soo much to choose from. It's about time we're offered a quaint, quick healthy vegetarian cafe in kona. I even got this delicious coffee and fresh juice with my order which was soo good, and freshly brewed. The flavors are so experienced, and flavorful, it's like herbs and spices I have never tasted in my life. Very fast and friendly. There's even a take out menu. I normally spend about twelve dollars when I eat there alone."

#3
"Our 2 experiences at Lotus have been great. The food and service were impeccable. It is one of our favorite places on the island and would suggest it to anyone."

#4
"This healthy, vegetarian friendly cafe above Costco is one of our new favorites! The food is all fresh, mostly organic and beautifully presented. They make their own nondairy gelato with coconut milk and it is delicious. The eclectic menu features entrees from Thailand, Burma and Sumatra to name a few. They make everything from scratch including roasting their own peanuts for peanut sauce! The service is friendly and often by the husband/wife team that own it. (She's the chef) Prices are very reasonable, especially for the quality of the food. There's even an ocean view, if you're tall enough!;)"

#5
"Lotus cafe is located in the Kaloko industrial area across the street from Costco. It's basically a healthy alternative to Hawaii's Asian style foods. the quality of food which we received was so wonderful and unique in its own way. I have never tasted anything like it in my life, it was so uncomplicated, delicious and extremely fresh. Quality of service was great. Fast, friendly with simple service and a smile. The prices range on average 7-12 dollars per person. Quite inexpensive for the quality and freshness of the food. I highly recommend lotus to anyone who enjoys delicious food, and who doesn't. It's in a class all its own!!

*6   My husband and me recently visited the lotus cafe - last week - We loved the food and wanted to share our review about the place with the world!

If you are craving for asian food - say indian - this is the best experience you could get in a small island in hawaii! We stayed in hawaii big island for 5 days and went here 3 days in a row :) We loved the indian dishes - Yellow curry - typical to sambhar/dal (indian curry) with hot steaming rice - Kashmiri curry - another fantastic curry - coconut crape with veggies and curry - (dosa with sambhar), South indian curry with coconut gravy - this is the best treat a veggie can get in this island.

We are from New York city and have yet not eaten curry and rice as yummy as this!

We recommend this place to everyone who visits the big island ( kona side) and we feel that our experience would not have been complete without lotus cafe.

Thanks!
Gayatri