Sitting on noisy Koko Head Avenue in Kaimuki, a small sandwich shop named Sprout has become a local hotspot for the Kaimuki towners.
Sprout is a surf themed shop that sells homemade sandwiches, desserts, and drinks. I will be reviewing this lunch stop as part of our new series, Up and Coming, where we will share our experiences with new businesses, restaurants, music, technology, and just about anything noteworthy that has come up on our radar.
Vegetarian, vegan, omnivore, or carnivore, it doesn’t matter because Sprout’s menu has something for everyone. The staff is welcoming and calls their customers by name. The atmosphere is homey, and the kitchen is right behind the counter so people can socialize with not just the cashier but the cooks as well.
[one_third]I bought three different sandwiches, which had surf-themed names:
The Duke, Don Patrol, and The Crater.[/one_third]
I am not a big sandwich person, but I just had to try this place since my friends and co-workers were raving about it. It’s a cozy shop, with just enough room for a little display case and a small counter to eat on.
I bought three different sandwiches, which had surf-themed names: The Duke, Don Patrol, and The Crater. I thought the play on words was hilarious. I made my way through the sandwiches in this order:
The Duke is a new and improved version of the simple homemade turkey sandwich. It had turkey, lettuce, pickled red onion, and house mayonnaise on Ciabatta bread;
Don Patrol, my personal favorite, is a vegetarian sandwich. I don’t even like lettuce and tomatoes on my burgers, but I loved this sandwich. It had fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic reduction on Ciabatta bread. If all vegetarian food was this good, I would seriously think about becoming a vegetarian;
The last sandwich I tried was The Crater. It had hickory smoked bacon, Maui butter lettuce, tomatoes, and chipotle mayonnaise, also on Ciabatta bread. I was really looking forward to this one since I am a huge bacon fan, but it was too spicy for me. If you like spicy things, this sandwich is definitely for you.
Overall, I had a great experience; firstly, Sprout not your average Subway shop because their sandwiches feature organic and locally grown ingredients. While it’s a small space, there is a counter and a small table for two outside if you want to eat in. Full sandwiches range around $8 to $10. The menu also features custom made drinks, cupcakes, and salads. Sprout is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10am to 3pm.
Photographs by Amelia McKenzie (’15).
