Restaurant Review - Zia's Caffe By:
Kevin McQuarrie It
was a rainy night – really rainy, the kind of rain where you pull the
car over to the side of the highway while the downpour passes. It was, in
short, a perfect night for a cozy dinner, perhaps a steaming plate of
Italian food. Zia’s
Caffe, located in Kailua, proved to be a cheery beacon in the storm, with
a brightly lit dining area and red-and-white-checked tablecloths. The
indoor/outdoor atmosphere is decidedly casual. [One tip: Because the
restaurant borders a parking lot, try one of the tables toward the back
and you’ll have a nicer view.] I ordered a glass of Lindemans Reserve
Merlot in anticipation of a pasta meal. The wine was slightly spicy, with
blackcurrant and subtle mint flavors. Our server, Kate, was warm and
friendly as she brought over a basket of complimentary olive tapenade and
bread. Since
there were four of us dining, we decided to split an order of warm and
gooey garlic cheese bread ($3.50) served with a tomato dipping sauce. We
also shared the hot antipasto ($8.95), which came with mussels, shrimp and
very tender strips of calamari. The seafood was swimming in a lemony,
buttery broth that was also perfect for dipping bread. We’d
run into a friend as we entered Zia’s and he had heartily recommended
the chicken piccata ($9.95). It’s a chicken breast served with a white
wine, butter-garlic sauce with capers, and we were given a choice of
spaghetti or linguine to have it served over. It’s a giant portion, so
unless you’re really hungry, you’ll have plenty of leftovers for lunch
the next day. Another entrée, chicken parmesan ($10.95), is similarly
proportioned. Covered with tomato sauce, the breaded chicken was also
smothered in hot, melted cheese. Yum. Testing
out the “surf” side of the restaurant’s offerings, we tried the
seafood arrabiatta ($14.95). The pasta was covered with shrimp and mussels
in a tomato sauce, with Italian parsley and bacon. It was good but if you
like things spicy, you may want to add some red-pepper flakes. The
calamari picatta ($10.95) was excellent. The strips of calamari were very
tender and not at all chewy. The lemony, caper-studded sauce was just
right – tangy yet restrained. If
you’re interested in lighter fare, there are plenty of options, too: the
lunch-friendly mandarin orange chicken salad ($8.95), a tangy pear and
blue cheese salad ($7.95) and spinach salad with balsamic dressing
($6.95). Vegetarians will enjoy the house-made minestrone ($2.95), veggie
lasagna ($8.95) or eggplant parmesan ($9.95). I’d
glad we’d saved a little room for dessert, because Zia’s really shines
in this department. The blueberry-cream cheese bread pudding ($4.95),
served a la mode, is a house-made specialty. A walnut crust provided
firmament for the otherwise fluffy bread pudding. It was hard to put the
fork down but we also had to contend with the “tiger” brownie ($4.95):
a blonde and chocolate brownie swirled with chocolate chips on a coconut
graham cracker crust. Not decadent enough yet? Don’t worry, it’s also
served with a scoop of ice cream. While you may arrive at Zia’s on a less
rainy night than we had, but you’re sure to enjoy the homey Italian fare
and attentive service this sunny restaurant offers. Zia's Caffe |