A good word on a new Pahoa Restaurant

[Loretta]

Well, on the advice of this board my husband and I and two friends headed out for dinner tonight at Casseija's in Pahoa. We were looking forward to enjoying a new restaurant in Pahoa. Unfortunately, we will not return. We arrived at the door and were completely ignored by the server. Finally, after several minutes we wandered around and had to move some tables and chairs to make a table for four....at this point there was only one other table occupied by two people. We sat down...and FINALLY the clueless server approached our table and advised us that they were out of spring rolls...before even greeting us. No problem...we ordered two orders of summer rolls with shrimp. We also ordered chicken wings off of the appetizer menu. Two of our party ordered red curry with chicken and another ordered the ono salad as an entree and I ordered the Chicken Cuisine. After a VERY long time...the summer rolls finally appeared... none of us could find or taste the shrimp in them....and these do not even require cooking..why so long??? After another VERY long time the two curries came out...but we were informed that the brown rice that had been ordered with them was burned...so white rice was substituted. After another VERY long time the ono salad arrived. After another 20 minutes, I was still waiting for my chicken entree...and the chicken wings appetizer had never been served. I finally had to get up and tell the server that I was no longer interested in eating. The rest of my party was finished with their entrees. The server informed me that the chicken entree would be "right out" and that there would be no charge...but the rest of my party had already eaten enough of their dinners to know that the food was not very good. The curries which had been ordered "hot" were very bland, although those who ordered them thought the "taste" was good....just not hot and spicy. It was basically 1/4 of a boiled chicken (the whole thing bones and all) in a bowl of yellow broth. The person who ordered the salad did not enjoy it. No dressing...just dry and overcooked ono on a bed of greens. While we were there, one other table of two came in. I heard them tell the server that the noise of the pots and pans being cleaned in the sink which is right in the dining room was very distracting and we agreed. Finally, we convinced the server to put on some music to cover the sound of the clanking pots and pans.....why all of this noise, I have NO idea.....so far only six people had been in the dining room all evening. After two hours...we left the restaurant...disappointed in the food (or lack thereof) and the ambience. This was the second time at the resaturant for one in our party....and he will never return. Too bad....but the lack of service and bad food does not bode well for this establishment.

We were looking for a fun and funky Pahoa dining experience...but we did not find it.