Island Style Café
The Restaurant chosen for this assignment is Island Style Café, 5950 Santa Road, Suite K, San Diego, California (“Island Style Café” 2014). It is located in a good neighborhood not far from San Celemente Canyon Freeway. Although the area is not very quiet because of the freeway and all the traffic, it is easy to get to the place by car. The café is half an hour away from Tierrasanta Community Park. The restaurant represents Hawaiian culture mainly through the menu and greetings of “Aloha!” It could have been expected that the interior would be also styled in a Hawaiian manner. However, it was more neutral. Walls were painted in light green color with pictures describing islands some more Hawaiian than the others. Tables were wooden of a light sand color. Leather comfortable seats were dark red with a sand-color pattern of coffee beans. On each table there were a set of salt and pepper, white paper napkins and a flower-pot with white flowers. Hanging lamps were decorated in an oriental style. Picture of a Hawaiian beach was on each menu.
Although the orientation of the restaurant was Hawaiian, the actual structure of the menu was oriented towards different tastes and different cultures. In this regard, although courses had diverse names stylized in Hawaiian style, a customer could find anything from fried ribs, burgers chicken breasts to different steaks. In other words, the menu was a la carte. Although it could have been expected that Hawaiian-style cuisine would be more vegetarian in its nature, there were just a few vegetarian options. There were more meat and fish dishes. Therefore, the restaurant was oriented towards the local American market rather than corresponding to authenticity of cuisine. Exploring the menu, one could also notice the diversity of sauces, which included Japanese and Korean sauces which added diversity to the menu and also made it more attractive for a wider clientele (“Lunch & Dinner Menu” 2014).
I visited the restaurant during the lunch-time. I was not sure what to order due to the diversity of options. So, I asked the waitress for advice. She was very pleasant and friendly. She suggested I try one of their specialties, which was Korean Mix. She was very detailed in the description of food, and I could tell she knew the menu and specifics of each dish. Her confidence in menu was the reason I followed her suggestion. Although I did not see how food was prepared or who did it. I am sure it was cooked from scratch. I did not regret my choice of Korean mix that consisted of Kalbi ribs and Korean chicken (“Lunch & Dinner Menu” 2014). The taste was amazing just presentation. The main flavors I could identify on ribs were soy sauce and sesame oil that were particularly distinctive. Chicken had a strong taste of ginger, which could be easier to identify in a white meat. It was served with a side order of steamed rice and SSam Jang Sauce. I have enjoyed every bite of my meal. I am fully convinced it to be a good value.
Regarding sanitary norms and food safety, both were of a high standard. Dining room and waiters’ appearance were tidy and professional; cutlery and dishes were spotless, and glasses were polished to shine. Therefore, the sanitary level is the same as in any good restaurant I would go with my family and friends. I would also recommend this place to everyone who likes Asian and Hawaiian cuisines. The main reason I have chosen this restaurant is because I was curious of Hawaiian food and wanted to know what they were serving there. I was not disappointed with it because I am a great fan of Asian food. I will definitely come back to this place with my friends. I am sure my next visit will be even more enjoyable because I will not go on my own like this time. However, I did not feel alone since I had a lovely chat with waiters and other customers.
Overall, this experience was incredibly educative because I saw how cultural trends were reflected in the food and slight hints of interior, yet they were entirely oriented towards the local consumers. I think if this restaurant was in Hawaii, it would concentrate more on vegetarian and seafood options rather than meat dishes. However, I think the main intention is to have something for every customer.
References
Island Style Café (2014). Retrieved from http://islandstylecafe.com.
Lunch & Dinner Menu (2014). Retrieved from http://islandstylecafe.com/lunch-dinner.
