Before our mule ride to the Kalapaupa peninsula, we had planned on having breakfast at the Kamuela Cookhouse. It was surprising to find that the one restaurant in the tiny, former plantation town of Kualapu'u was not named Kamuela, but Kualapu'u. Clearly the name change had occurred between the publication of our guidebook.
Kualapu'u Cookhouse once served as the cookhouse for workers at the nearby Dole Pineapple plantation. The building is quaint yet was alive with animated discussion on the Saturday morning we dropped by. We were the only haoles in the place but were welcomed like long lost family members. When a table became available, some of the other patrons went out of their way to round up a chair for me. Everyone wanted to know where we were from and how we liked their island so far. I would've told them much more if it had not been less than 24 hours since our arrival.
The food is delightfully down home, but expect considerable waits when the restaurant is busy. The staff makes the best of things with the limited cooking space and facilities they have. Our breakfast was immense; breakfast sandwiches on fresh bread sitting in a bed of potato slices. As it was almost time to hit the trail, we took our meal to go. It was excellent and I wish I had more time to savor it before hopping on the back of a mule. A local guy named Benny told us to come back on Thursday night as the place is very lively then.
On our last day of the island, we found ourselves in the neighborhood so we decided to drop by again for lunch. Hunting is very big on Moloka'i and so is teriyaki. You will find the marinade on most menus. Knowing the cookhouse is probably the most authentic purveyor of plate lunches in the island, we indulged in their teriyaki chicken. The meal was excellent and the service was very quick. One would not expect the variety that is available at this restaurant. The hamburger stand façade belies the fresh fish and beef offerings. You can’t go wrong with one of the plate lunches on the menu. If you want to eat like a local, this is the dish to order.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have not strayed too far from their plantation origins. Inside, the tables are Rubbermaid folding tables. There are 5 or 6 picnic tables outside that sit under corrugated steel trellises.
A meal at the Cookhouse feels more like visiting a friends or family than dining at a restaurant. The food is fresh, influenced by the local palate and served in the local atmosphere that is indifferent to the tastes of visitors. The Kualapu'u Cookhouse is a gathering place for the small town. Step inside and you are welcomed as if you have lived around the corner all of your life.