dining out: olive tree cafe

by john & kristen on May 13, 2011

Last night I finally got in on the Olive Tree party. In over two years in Hawaii, I’d never been to this casual, BYOB Greek spot in Kahala, although John and all of our friends raved about it. I’d been loyal to The Fat Greek, but since they changed their falafel recipe I was looking for something new.

Here’s how it goes down at the Olive Tree:

1. Arrive and stake out a table (preferably outside, under the awning)

2. Order food at counter; send someone in your party to buy wine

3. Sit down, open wine, wait for your name to be called

4. Pick up appetizers at the counter

5. When your name is called again, pick up your main course and pay

6. Gorge yourself on delicious Greek food.

Service can be slightly “Soup Nazi” depending on who’s working the counter, but it’s nothing to really be concerned about; just wait your turn, be ready to order, and don’t try handing your AmEx to the cashier – Olive Tree accepts cash only.

So…the food? Fantastic. We shared a whole host of appetizers. Giant bean salad, hummus, feta, stuffed grape leaves, and mussels (with citrus, olive oil, herbs, and capers) were all excellent. The feta cheese in particular is awesome; it’s softer, tangier and more flavorful than your average feta. A little wedge of pita topped with some hummus and a couple crumbles of feta? Heaven. The restaurant is also known for its traditional Greek avgolemono (egg & lemon) soup. We didn’t have any, but one of our friends did, and I eyed it with jealousy (and hunger).

Entrees are just as delicious. I HAD to get the falafel, since I love anything chickpea-related and Fat Greek had recently let me down with the new recipe. It didn’t disappoint. Perfectly fried balls of ground chickpeas and spices topped with a generous helping of tahini and folded into a pita…so good. This falafel was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside; not dry and over-fried like some others. I like to get some sides of crumbled feta and tzatziki to add a little something extra, too. Perfect. John had lamb souvlaki, also encased in pita, and also excellent.

The other half of the plate, for these and most other entrees, is occupied by a nicely-sized helping of Greek salad. Who’s thinking about salad with all this chickpea/lamb/whatever goodness on the other side of the plate? But the truth is, Olive Tree’s salad is delish. With greens, cucumber slices, tomatoes and just enough dressing, it’s the perfect complement to your carbo-licious, pita-wrapped meal.

Olive Tree is BYOB, but there’s a wine store right next door with a great selection (they stock Greek beer, too). There’s no corkage fee, but wine glasses will set you back $0.50 each.

Reservations are not accepted, and the place tends to fill up quickly. If you’re up for an early dinner, plan to arrive when they open (5 pm) to snag a table. Or, go late (8:30-9 pm). We showed up in a group of 6 around 8:30 pm and only waited a few minutes for a 6-person table to open up. I would have waited longer…the food was totally worth it!

Olive Tree Cafe
4614 Kilauea Avenue (near Kahala Mall)
808.737.0303