If you’re searching for ‘a little bit of paradise? in downtown Oxford, look no further than the new Kona Cafe.
Located at 25 S. Washington St. (between Pat’s Place and Third Wave Seafood and Chop House), the cafe offers patrons a diverse menu including Hawaiian coffees and coffee smoothies, fruit smoothies, pizza, sandwiches, subs, wraps, salads, nachos, burritos, hot dogs, appetizers and desserts.
Owned by Royal Oak resident Mike Blair, 48, and his girlfriend Karen Gardner, the cafe derives its name from the District of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii and the coffee that originates from that area.
Blair lived in Hawaii for 20 years, as both a soldier in the U.S. Army from 1975 to 1979 and as a civilian and entrepreneur from 1986 to 2000.
While living in Hawaii, Blair grew and roasted Kona Coffee, a one-of-a-kind gourmet coffee cultivated on small farms along a 17-mile stretch of land with volcanic soil and elevations ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 feet.
The Kona region yields a ‘real low acid, mild, rich tasting coffee,? Blair said. ‘It’s the only gourmet coffee grown in the United States.?
Blair uses Kona Coffee as his exclusive house blend and to mix the cafe’s two coffee smoothies, the ‘Mauiccino? (chocolate flavored) and the ‘Konaccino? (caramel flavored).
To make the cafe’s flavored coffees, Blair uses commercially-grown coffees from the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Molokai.
If it’s too hot for coffee, try one of Kona Cafe’s delicious fruit smoothies, made with fresh fruit that changes on a daily basis.
‘I try to make everything as fresh as I can,? he said.
Need something to go with that unique Kona Coffee or fresh fruit smoothie?
Try ‘The Original Kona Koney,? which consists of a hot dog, chili, onion and mustard sealed in a flour tortilla and grilled like a burrito.
‘A lot of people like it,? Blair said.
If you’re in the mood for pizza, Kona Cafe is running a daily special offering customers a $5 large cheese pizza.
For $1 each customers can add any one of 15 toppings, ranging from old favorites such as pepperoni and mushrooms to more exotic tastes such as Feta cheese and jalapeno peppers. Keeping with the Hawaiian theme, pineapple is also available as a topping.
In the fall, Blair will be introducing a white sauce pizza topped with shrimp, scallops, onions and garlic.
After lunch or dinner, try one of Kona Cafe’s two desserts ? Karen’s Handmade Brownies or a World Famous ‘Big E? Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Gardner’s cousin Eric, called ‘Big E? by his grandkids, makes the mouth-watering cookies for the cafe using a closely-guarded personal recipe.
Blair is hoping his new cafe will become a regular haunt for local youth.
‘We’re trying to gear this place towards kids,? he said. ‘There’s really no place in town for kids to go.?
The Kona Cafe is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information call (248) 628-2060.