Amina Pizzeria

When it comes to food, I am very much a creature of habit, although I am always willing to try something new. Once I find something I like, I tend to be a frequent customer. What is it that makes me want to go back to the same place almost week after week? Taste, of course, is a factor. But it's not only the taste. I've noticed that of the places I like, consistency is one of the keys. I know what to expect. Most of all, we like the people who work at our frequent haunts. The service might not even be all that spectacular -- we've been known to grab our own boxes or to not complain if we didn't receive our dinner rolls, but if the workers are nice and have made an effort to get to know us, that wins us over.

A while ago I wrote about one of our regular eating spots, Fat Boys. Right next door is another place we enjoy, Amina Pizzeria. It's a hole-in-the-wall counter service Italian place with good food and friendly service. A lot of people ask me about Zia's, a well-known Italian restaurant in Kailua (and another location in Kaneohe), and although Zia's is a table service restaurant with a regular crowd, I really prefer Amina.

So what's so special about Amina? Their food is really good, and even though it's counter service, it's made to order. As a result, it can take a while to get your food, so we usually call in about 15-20 minutes ahead. My two favorites are the meat lasagna and the combination calzone. They also have really nice green salads, and on occasion I eat their French bread pizzas. We've also ordered their pizzas once or twice.

The meat lasagna is a pretty hefty portion, and I almost never finish it. It has just the right combination of lasagna noodles, meat, sauce, and a variety of cheeses, and it's served with a garlic roll that I think is made fresh on-site. It's served in a nice pool of marinara sauce, which is quite tasty.

The combination calzone is like a pizza pocket. They have several varieties, but the combination is almost like ordering a supreme pizza, with sausage, cheese, peppers, and other goodies inside a folded up pizza crust. A side of marinara sauce comes with it, so you can pour it over or dip small bites into it. I once tried the eggplant parmesan calzone, which was quite good with big pieces of eggplant and lots of cheese, although I was a bit disappointed that it didn't come with marinara like the combination calzone -- I made a mental note to remember to order a side of marinara the next time.

The French bread pizza is exactly what it sounds like...French bread with sauce, cheese, and toppings. They have some pre-set toppings, but you can get whatever you want. I like mine with pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives. Their whole pizzas are quite good too, although if we're in Kailua, I would prefer to go to Round Table for a pizza. But for pastas, I'd definitely stick to Amina.

The prices may seem higher than most other fast food places, but it's less than if you were to go to a table-service Italian restaurant. Most items run about $7-$9, a salad is around $5. And the people here are really nice. There seems to be one woman who is there ALL the time. For a while I thought she was running the place all by herself, but the last time we were there, we actually saw a man working in the kitchen too!

So if you're in Kailua and in the mood for Italian, go and check out Amina Pizzeria!