The People's Court

Courtside Cafe serves up food that's by the people and for the people

HERE'S THE BEEF: Courtside Café’s steak plate is a fast, affordable and filling choice for lunch.

COURTSIDE CAFE 538 Halekauwila St. Mon. - Fri., 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 808-547-3663

The aptly named Courtside Café is located on Halekauwila Street, just a gavel’s throw away from Circuit Court. It occupies the former space of the funky sushi bar Goldfish, which I liked for its off-the-wall décor and slightly goofy menu. The place may have had a little too much personality for the neighborhood, which is definitely all business. Also home to the Prince Kuhio Federal Building, the Bureau of Conveyances and the State Department of Transportation, this is an area that you don’t visit unless you have to.

The Courtside Café will probably last longer than its predecessor, since its owners seem to have a better understanding of their location and clientele. Their menu features standard plate-lunch fare such as roast pork, hamburger steak, beef curry, grilled chicken, lasagna, spaghetti and the like. In addition, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Courtside also features steak, cooked street side on two large, portable propane grills.

Prices vary from $6 to $6.50 for full plates and $4.50 to $4.75 for mini plates. It’s the right food at the right price for people who don’t have the time or inclination to hang around any longer than they have to.

I first visited Courtside on a Wednesday with my co-workers, some of whom are regular M/W/F visitors. There must have been many others who were on the same schedule, because the place was packed when we arrived. But the restaurant was ready for all of us. Outside, one of the cooks manned the grills, with smoke billowing everywhere. Inside, with the space configured like a small cafeteria, the service was fast and efficient. We ordered and received our sliced sirloins at one counter and paid for them at the next, grabbing drinks along the way. In a little more than five minutes, we had our lunches and were on our way back to the office.

For $6.50, Courtside cooks up a pretty good sirloin. You get seven ounces of well-flavored beef (mini plates have four ounces of steak) that’s cooked to a consistent medium-well. The steak is reasonably tender and relatively free of excess fat and gristle. Tasty.

But don’t expect much more. The steak plate comes with two scoops of rice and a choice of macaroni or tossed salad. I chose the tossed salad, which consisted of several leaves of iceberg lettuce, some shavings of red onion and a plastic packet of salad dressing.

I had ordered the Steak and Shrimp Scampi Combo, so I also got a half-dozen or so shrimp in a rich, garlicky butter sauce. However, the shrimp were overcooked and crumbly, not very tasty at all.

I returned to Courtside the next day, so I could sample its non-steak offerings. The place was nearly empty. This time, I tried the Roast Pork ($6), which came with macaroni salad and two scoops of rice, gravy over the rice. The pork, sliced thick and fork tender, had a nice, briny flavor. It was hearty and satisfying and probably didn’t need the thick, light-brown gravy, which added another layer of saltiness to the dish. But, I must admit, it did taste pretty good with the rice.

All in all, pretty solid plate-lunch food. No one’s trying to reinvent the wheel here: simple food, strong flavors, big portions and reasonable prices. So, if you’re in the area and you have to register your business, get a new social security card or go on trial, I’d recommend Courtside, especially if you happen to be there on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday.    

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