Building Industry Magazine - July 2012 - (Page 107)

Not-So-Hidden Gem throughout our first year,” Lam says. “Our customers come from everywhere and we’re happy that they choose La Tour Café for lunch and dinner.” Lam adds, “Our restaurant offers quality food at an affordable price. We also aim to provide our customers with quick service in a cool and pleasant setting so they can enjoy their lunch hour.” Don’t be surprised to see a burly construction worker order a Mediterranean tuna salad ($8.90) or a chicken pesto Panini ($8.90) and a few yuzu-flavored macaroons to go. Lam says builders are pretty openminded these days. “We offer unique items, different from the plate lunches you might typically find in the Nimitz area,” says Lam. “Customers can choose from a variety of items that are familiar such as burgers and pizzas, but we also want to introduce them to new flavors such as our meatball banh mi sandwich or croque monsieur tartine.” Alicia’s Market is a multigenerational, mom-and-pop business located at 267 Mokauea St. Legions of hungry builders consider it their first port of call when they’re in the mood for a heaping plate lunch customized with their favorite meat and poke selections. Throughout the day, Alicia’s sees a constant flow of customers wearing fluorescent yellow t-shirts and orange safety vests. Every weekday just before noon, a serpentine line forms in the back of the shop, where store manager Leonard Kam and members of his family take lunch orders from behind the “Pupu Bar,” a long glass display case packed with dozens of poke varieties, seafood salads, roasted meats and other local delicacies. Kam says that builders travel from all over the island to order plate lunch from Alicia’s Market. Always aware of this fact, he does his best to keep his customers happy. “When people work hard, they want to eat good food,” he says. “They want the food to come out fast so they can go on their way, and that’s what we try to do.” Eric Bond, co-partner of Koi Catering & Takeout, presents several dishes that are popular with local builders. Photo by Jason Soeda Kam says his most popular plate lunch combines fresh ahi poke and Chinese roast pork that is cooked right on the premises. One of the key factors to his business’ success is a special oven he uses to roast every succulent slab of meat hanging in his display case. “Only in Chinatown do you see roast pork like this,” Kam says. “In the old days, we started with a small, wooden glass box with just one piece of roast pork we bought from Chinatown at wholesale cost. I used to buy tons of roast pork before I had my own oven. I do everything on my own now.” Kam says that Alicia’s Market doesn’t try to compete with other plate lunch and poke shops. “I do what I can, the best I can,” he says. “If the food is good, people will come.” Reinventing Plate Lunch Marcos Rebibis Jr. and Lendy Rebibis are the husband and wife team behind Koi Catering & Takeout, which is well known for putting a gourmet twist on traditional island fare. Located in a nondescript, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it strip mall at 2028 Dillingham Blvd., the eatery is extremely popular with Manager Leonard Kam and his son Chris show off Alicia’s most popular lunch combinations. From left: roast pork and sea asparagus wasabi ahi poke ($11.95); roast pork and wasabi masago ahi poke ($11.95); and top sirloin beef and wasabi masago ahi poke ($12.49). Photo by Jocelyn Nystrom www.buildingindustryhawaii.com | 107 http://www.buildingindustryhawaii.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - July 2012

Contents July 2012
Hawaii’s Top 25 Contractors
Educating for the Industry
Surviving a Tough Economy
Top Eats
News Beat
Forest City Completes $312M Neighborhood
2012 CAK Home Show Streams Live
Keokea Beach Park Renovation Completed
La Tour Bakehouse Partners with RevoluSun
Pier 29 Construction Complete
NAIOP Awards Honor Commercial Development
NAVFAC Awards $46.6M Contract
Departments
Datebook
Best Practices
Contracts Awarded
Concept to Completion: Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club, Phase 5
Low Bids
Spotlight on Success: BEQ, MCBH
News Makers
New Products
July's Features

Building Industry Magazine - July 2012