A casual lunch at Nordstrom Cafe

This is the second time I've been to the Nordstrom Cafe at Ala Moana.  Both times I had a salad followed by the Red Velvet Cake and loved my lunch.  One of these days I'll not be toting my baby with me, remember to take pictures before we start eating, and bring a menu home to upload to the blog.  So, sorry I don't have any price info here. I'll update it when I have a chance.

The Nordstrom Cafe is on the Ground level of -- you guessed it -- Nordstom.  There's not really an easy way to get into the Nordstrom parking lot if you're coming on Kapiolani Blvd. from Diamond Head.  I had to go onto Kona Street, turn right at the middle of the mall (across from KFC) and drive down Kapiolani towards Diamond Head and make a right into the parking structure.  But once in, it's great.  Lots of parking.  Big spaces.

I arrived at the cafe at 11:30 am.  Perfect timing.  It got crowded quickly after that: all the tables were taken and there was a line out the door.

When you enter the cafe, you stand in line and order, pay and sit down. If your dish is something they make right then and there for you -- like a salad -- you can take it with you cafeteria-style. If not, you will be given a number to place on your table and a server will bring it to you when it's ready.  The servers also serve water, refill drinks, clear the table and take dessert orders. The menu is comprised of salads, sandwiches, and hot entrees. And desserts.  I had the Chinese Chicken Salad this time.  

As you can see, I started eating before I remembered to take a picture.

Not like some places where the Chinese Chicken Salad is mostly iceberg lettuce with a little bit of chicken and wonton strips, this one had a bed of tender mixed greens topped with a generous amount of the good stuff: chicken, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, and won ton strips.


Tossed in a ginger sesame dressing with a hint of wasabi or hot mustard, it was quite filling for a salad. The two long sticks poking out of the dish were not chopsticks as I had thought when I went to pick them up.  They were cracker-like breadsticks.

I think my friend had the Turkey Club Panini with avocado.

She said it was very good.

Here is the Red Velvet Cake we split. Doesn't it look luscious? It was!

A little bit of cream cheese in the frosting really brings out the flavor in a Red Velvet cake :)

If you come late and you want to sit inside, you may need to wait for a seat. But if you don't mind sitting outside along Kona Street, there's always plenty of seating out there.

I have to go back to take pictures of the dining area and pick up a menu with prices (there is a menu from their website below, but there are no prices listed) and post it on the blog. Darn! I'll just have to try that Red Velvet Cake again to make sure the quality is consistent.

Nordstrom Cafe
Ala Moana Center
Phone: 953-6100 x 1610

Hours: Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Menu (no prices) from the Nordstrom website