Sam’s Ocean View

By Anni Caporuscio

The Cucumber Lime Martini is a refreshing, cool gin drink with the tang of a real lime cordial and the freshness of real cucumber. The Mai Tai is layered with real juices, Koloa Rum and orgeat, a sophisticated touch you just don’t get anywhere.

Dining at Sam’s Ocean View is an Eastside experience. There’s the jillion dollar view: A full wall open to a line of leaning palms on the far side of a green, manicured lawn, the clear blue ocean with waves gently breaking in a white line beyond the reef, the multi-use path with cheerful people exercising, the cool breeze from the tradewinds.

We watched the day turn to its nighttime colors while the almost-full moon rose and we sipped tropical cocktails and smiled. I often forget, immersed in the Eastside traffic, that Kapa‘a is actually a beach town — the ocean is right there.

The ambiance of Sam’s place accents the colorful beach lifestyle. It inflects an indulgent laziness on big pillows, while also inspiring recreation and smiling. There are nooks for lounging and big beach art everywhere, plus warm lighting for when the sun sets.

Sam’s Ocean View owner Sam Reynolds

Sam’s is the perfect place for a pau hana cocktail. Happy hour is 4-6 p.m., and they’ve got specials to celebrate it, including the Oo La La Grilled Cheese, with which I’ve fallen in love. It’s brie and gorgonzola on thick slices of sourdough, with fig jam and a honey drizzle. It’s served with crisp green apple slices to cleanse your palate between each bite. On a side note, I could see my weekly exercise group sweating out there by the pavilion while I curled this two-hander grilled cheese into my face and didn’t miss them one bit. Sorry, girls.

Their cocktail menu is legit. It’s helpfully broken into color-coded sections of Tropicals, Classics, Favorites and Dailies. The Kaua‘i Mai Tai is made with white and dark Koloa rum, fresh juices and housemade grenadine for balanced fruit and rum flavors, not the sticky pool bar stuff — the real deal. Their Old Fashioned is worthy of its name, and the Cucumber Lime Martini has been known to turn the non-martini drinker into a believer.

Owner Sam Reynolds says she loves glassware, so the cocktails are served in their appropriate glasses. So, I raised a tiki-glass to the runners and leaned back.

The Fresh Island Fish Curry is one among many gluten free meals Sam’s offers. The fish here is fresh-caught mahi mahi served with coconut jasmine rice, crisp fresh veggies and sprinkled with sesame seeds. This is an Indian curry, so it’s spicy, not super coconutty, and it goes great with fish. I’m used to curry with chicken or lamb, but evidently a seafood curry is pretty common, and an indicator that I need to travel more.

Sam herself is a restaurant veteran. Working with her partner and long-time restaurateur, Jill Petrarca, they have a vision for good food, family service and high quality.

Sam and Jill are hands-on, whether it’s in the kitchen, inventing specials, mixing cocktails or greeting guests. They’re also interested in the creativity of their staff. For instance, Monday is pizza night, thanks to head-chef Bodhi Mack, who used to work at a pizza kitchen. We enjoyed another dinner special, the Filet Mignon: a perfectly tender generous cut of island beef served with garlic mashed potatoes and crispy roasted asparagus and a garlic blue cheese sauce with just enough power to taste without eclipsing the meal.

What I really enjoy about Sam’s menu is that it’s different from what you will find elsewhere on our island. Because Sam and Jill are both well traveled and experienced ladies, their menu offers tastes unlike our usual island fare, and it’s affordable enough to return to, and fancy enough for your special occasions.

Sam’s Ocean View is at 4-1546 Kuhio Hwy in Kapa‘a. It is open Thursday through Monday, with lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., happy hour from 4-6 p.m., and dinner from 5-9 p.m. They’ve have live music two nights a week and nightly dinner specials.

Check out Sam’s during the holidays; they’ll be in the spirit for sure. Visit samsoceanview.com for more information.

• Anni Caporuscio is a food lover and can be found daily at her Kapa‘a business, Small Town Coffee.

Mondays are pizza days at Sam’s. Here is a personal size made to order Margherita Pizza with fresh basil and a crust that stands up for itself. What makes a pizza is the sauce, however, and this one is real tomato and real garlic!

A coconut cup that you’re likely to drink from at Sam’s Ocean View.

The Cucumber Lime Martini

Restaurant owner and namesake, Sam Reynolds, lounges in one of the comfy nooks at Sam’s Ocean View. Sam has worked in restaurants for many years and brings her good food and drinks I’d eat and drink everyday to Kapaa’s beachside dining experience.

The Mai Tai

The Crispy Cauliflower, seasoned and lightly breaded, could be the new alternative to fries, served with a light dipping sauce. Definitely add that squeeze of lemon for a fun bite.

Served in shareable strips, the Grilled Cheese is still a two-hander of gorgonzola and brie goodness to fix any bad day and brighten every soul. That’s not too cheese to say, is it?

The Filet Mignon Special is a nighttime meal, and for island-grown beef, it’s top notch.

The Filet Mignon Special is a nighttime meal, and for island-grown beef, it’s top notch.