It’s been difficult for restaurants to stay afloat, let alone expand, but Nalu Health Bar & Cafe is doing both.
You might say the coronavirus has been good for business as people hoping for an immunity boost are heading to the health food cafe for vitamin-packed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, salads and wraps, functional food at its best.
The first Nalu opened in 2015 when Christiane Pfisterer and her fiance, Jota Munoz, looked around their Kailua neighborhood and noted that it was missing an acai cafe. The absence was glaring for Pfisterer, who grew up on acai and a tradition of healthy eating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
They teamed up with another couple, Justina Ladogana and Tomas Kloosterboer, for the endeavor, and their initial success was followed by a second shop in Ward’s South Shore Market in 2017. Shop No. 3 was to have opened in Haleiwa in March, but the COVID-19 outbreak delayed the opening to May 29.
Pfisterer said it was a good thing they scheduled their three restaurant reopenings a week apart.
“Before our reopening our vendor said, ‘We don’t have this and that.’ They were out of things.”
DURING A recent visit, they were out of ginger and celery, key components in fresh juices ($8.25) such as the Detoxifier and Greenery. In both cases, mint was a refreshing replacement.
“If we don’t have some things, we can offer substitutions,” Pfisterer said. “It’s been challenging, but things have gotten better now.”
All locations are now fully opened, though with limited seating because of social distancing rules, and call-ahead ordering is encouraged to reduce waiting.
While many so-called health- oriented restaurants still rely heavily on processed soy foods, Nalu won me over with its fresh approach, influenced by Pfisterer’s relationship to food while growing up in a culture where the government’s food guide is considered a model for the world.
Food guru Michael Pollan and the United Nations have lauded the guide, which does not focus on calories, food groups or nutrients. Instead it classifies food only by four levels of processing and advises people to choose mostly unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Brazil’s public schools are also required to serve freshly prepared meals, with a goal of sourcing at least 30% of produce from local family farmers.
A steak sandwich ($11.25) on the menu may not seem like a healthful option, but Nalu shows how it can be done, using shaved beef. It might be compared to a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, if only cheesesteaks were loaded with vegetables. The provolone doesn’t feel heavy when served with tomato, avocado and plenty of arugula. It’s also served with Nalu sauce, a creamy chimichurri sauce concocted by Ladogana, inspired by her native Argentina. The sandwich is both satisfying and light, and perfect for summer weather, when heavy food can make you feel uncomfortably weighed down.
The Nalu sauce also works well in an ahi sandwich ($12.50) or wrap ($12.25). Call ahead for steak because the beef supply is currently limited.
USUALLY I avoid acai bowls because, despite the antioxidant nature of this superfood, most cafes add so much sugar they may as well be serving processed sorbet. So I was elated to learn Pfisterer is from Brazil, where the berries grow, and she keeps the natural flavor of organic acai intact, blended only with a bit of energy- boosting guarana. The sweetness in a Nalu acai bowl (8 ounces $5.95, 16 ounces $10.25, 24 ounces $11.75) comes from toppings of strawberries, bananas and blueberries, with granola and honey.
Salads such as the Rainbow ($10.50) are also a joy to the palate and eye with their colorful arrays of neatly arranged mixed greens, beets, tomatoes, carrots, avocado, red onions and creamy sesame dressing on the side. You can add sides of portobello mushroom marinated in balsamic vinegar ($4), grilled chicken ($3) or grilled ahi ($4), showing that meat proteins can be part of a healthful diet, as long as you don’t go overboard.
While some have told me they spent their at-home time bingeing on desserts and getting fat, an equal number spent their time detoxifying and trying to improve their diets. It’s never too late to change your diet for the better, and Nalu gives you all the tools to start.
NALU HEALTH BAR & CAFE
>> Kakaako: South Shore Market, 1170 Auahi St.; 597-8871
>> Kailua: 131 Hekili St.; 263-6258
>> Haleiwa: 66-215 Kamehameha Highway; 840-0153
Food: ***1/2
Service: ***
Ambiance: ***
Value: ****
>> Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (all locations)
>> Prices: $12 to $15 per person
Ratings compare similar restaurants:
**** – excellent
*** – very good
** – average
* – below average
Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
