Drum roll please. The winner for the Soup Nazi Award goes to . . . . . . . . . . . . The Green Door Cafe. The first time I got to experience her service was last year when her business was located in China Town. After the Chinese New Year parade we walked into the Green Door, because every other business around was jam packed. She was standing outside, not ready to greet us but ready to send us away, “are you guys sure you want to eat here? You didn’t see all the food stands out there?” We tell her we’re sure so she reluctantly seats us. When we finally decide what we want to eat, I politely say, “o.k. were ready to order,” as she walks by. She walks right past me like she didn’t even hear me. I’m thinking, maybe she didn’t hear me. Her tiny restaurantz is packed. At the time there were maybe 6 tables; it was a small place. I look around and realize that every table, but one or two, is in need of something, ready to order, water, napkins, wanting to pay, etc. and she is at the door in what looks like pajama pants, nonchalantly talking to someone at the door. When she’s done conversing she walks past me again, by this time we’re totally ready to order so I say a bit louder this time, “we’re ready to order.” She looks at me, and keeps on walking. Ray and Shane just laugh at me. Wow, she really was just ignoring me. So, when we finally get around to ordering, she tells us, “no, that’s not what you want, I’ll give you the fish instead.” Doesn’t ask, but tells us we don’t want what we just ordered and we’re getting the fish instead. Okay, I guess we’re getting the fish. This lady is my hero. I’m telling you the lady that owns this restaurant is famous for her brusque manorism. Another table comes in and there’s no place to seat so she takes them to our table and seat them there without asking either party if it was alright. Luckily they we’re good company. Anyhow, the food was just as incredible this time as it was back then. We actually wanted to eat at the Olive Tree this night but it was packed so we walked next door to the Green Door Cafe instead.

The new location is a lot bigger.

After skimming the menu, I was ready to order but notice the sign at the counter, “self service please order your food here,”

And right next to that sign was the infamous Soup Nazi. It was like she was too good to get up and walk to the tables and serve people. I got up to give her my order and she was seriously eating her food as she took my order, didn’t even hesitate to stop. She just kept on shoveling food in her mouth and chewing, my hero in action. I was mesmerized. While waiting for our food, we couldn’t take our eyes off of her. She took everyone’s order the same way, didn’t skip a beat, kept right on chewing.

Ordering the flat bread here is a MUST, $1.50 each. It ties in the meal perfectly and goes with everything. I comes out fresh and hot. I haven’t been able to find bread like it anywhere else on the island.

This is the Organic Mushroom Chicken and Black Pepper with Garlic Wine Sauce, $13.75. I know it looks a bit overloaded with black pepper but it didn’t taste that way at all. The mushrooms were delectable and the dish as a whole was just superb. I loved, loved it.

Who’s not a curry fan? Everybody who loves curry right? The Malaysian Chicken Curry here is complete with flavor; a truly exceptional dish. The only thing that could of made it better was the flat bread. I filled my flat bread up with curry and folded it over like a taco, orgasmic, like a love explosion in my mouth.

The Green Door Cafe is the kind of place where dealing with the service is worth the food because no matter what you order it’s guaranteed to be phenomenal. If your not a fan of Eastern Food come for the service. I’m not gonna guarantee you’ll see Soup Nazi in action but it’s possible. After my first experience at The Green Door I shared my story with a few friends and they had a story to shoot right back at me. I also mentioned her once before in one of my recent post on Cafe VIII 1/2 and I got this comment back from Ken,

“Regarding Green Door in China Town, well, the same owner opened up shop in Kahala Mall. That lady is on another level! Were to start with my dining experiment there…
(1) Some places don’t have a liquor license, right? That’s usually cool, I actually prefer it so I can bring my own. Green Door hits you with a $3/head corkage fee, yet they don’t have a liquor license…WTF
(2) God forbid it is a busy night cause that owner refuses to hire any extra help. The whole time she was running the show and boy did she seem pissed off. A smile now and then goes a long way.
Lastley,
(3) I get a hardcore elbow to the back of the head as she is rushing in between tables, NO APOLOGIES!!!

However, the food was good… go figure.”

She’s infamous I tell ya. Fuck the food, come for the service.

After our first experience with the soup nazi we were so flabbergasted that our friend Shane had to take a photo with her.

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Green Door Cafe
1145 Maunakea St
Honolulu, HI 96817

Get Directions(808) 533-0606

So my friends and I got to talking about those places to eat that have ridiculous service. Not ridiculously good but ridiculously outright in your face sassy service. We exchanged horror stories. I brought up a place called Green Door in China Town. I haven’t written about it because at the time I didn’t have a food blog but this lady was so crazy. She was definitely in a world where customer service didn’t exist. She got to us when she felt like it, straight up ignored us when we asked for something and even suggested we go else where. And then when we ordered she told us that that wasn’t what we wanted and she totally picked us out something without even confirming it with us. Crazy right? It’s straight comedy and I love it. Now, not every place could pull off service like this but those who can and still do well must have something impressive to put out on the table. My friend was like we have to go to this place called eight and a half. She said that this guy is like a soup nazi. He’ll serve food by throwing it at you, has no problem kicking people out and has a very extreme mannerism about himself. Anyhow, is wife is suppose to be super sweet and his kid is supposely some musical protege. After our conversation I had to experience soup nazi service for myself.

Once inside you could tell the owners had a love and passion for music. The place was a mix of earthy meets jazzy, a very nice mix.

We started off with some bread, free of course. I think it was the owners wife that served us. She seemed very pleasant, sweet and obedient. The owner was conversing with the table next to us. Is it crazy that I was disappointed that I didn’t get the brusque service I was so looking forward to. Ah, oh well, let’s eat.

This was my friends order, Ratiatore Verde, kiawe grilled steak on zucchini pesto pasta, $13.00. She gets this dish every time she comes. I got a chance to try it and I could see why. Very tasty.

This was my pick, Stufato Di Manzo, Italian Beef Stew with rice or mashed potatoes, $12.00. It kinda looks like cow diarrhea doesn’t it. Well despite it’s looks it was very tasty. I didn’t pick mash potatoes it just came with it. I actually was hoping for rice instead. The dish had great flavor but was very fatty. I know some fat is necessary for flavor but this was slightly overboard. Since I have no class I didn’t mind spitting out the fat on to a napkin. My ba-dunk-ka-dunk butt has enough junk in the trunk, no need for more.

My other girlfriend got the Pollo In Potacchio, chicken in wine, tomato sauce and herbs with rice or mash potatoes, $12.00. She was very happy with her dish and said it reminded her of some hearty southern food with mash potatoes. Of course I got to try it and it was exactly as she has described it, hearty souther Italian.

This was the extent of the abrupt service I was looking forward to. I’m gonna have to agree with it. It doesn’t surprise me that the owner is a San Francisco native. Anyhow, come on down to this place. I can’t guarantee that you’ll get spectacular bad service, but you will get delightfully simple Italian cuisine at a not very bad price.

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Cafe VIII 1/2
1067 Alakea St
Honolulu, HI 96813

Get Directions(808) 524-4064