Mmm. When you hear the word, "cinnamon," what immediately comes to mind? Close your eyes and think for a moment. For me, it's mom making cinnamon rolls in the oven at home-from scratch. Smelling the dough, impatiently pacing back and forth, while trying not to get caught, touching the moist dough as it readies for the oven. Watching her knead, back and forth, then sprinkling with cinnamon, all atop of fresh butter and spices.

Another thing I think about; you can't rush, shortcut, nor cheat authentic, homemade cinnamon rolls. That thought, along with the exact same nostalgic feel when thinking of the word "cinnamon," made for tastebuds heaven, after reviewing my pick this month, Cinnamon's Restaurant, located in Kailua town, on the Windward side of Oahu.

Cinnamon's Restaurant, located in the heart of Kailua town,
is the perfect family place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Since I've been doing reviews all "around town," for awhile, and I have my choice of picks, (thanks to a great editor), I often get e-mails and in person suggestions of readers picks. Where to go, where to try, who has the best this and who has the most ono-licious that. It would be hard to hit every single place that people recommend! However, when I get more than a few requests to try somewhere, I definitely have to at least check it out. Cinnamon's garnered more than several prompts from local residents.

Co-owner Puna Nam is pictured here with
server Mindi Amerino. 

Cinnamon's was founded in March 1985 by Puna and Cricket Nam, and Carsie Green. Puna had been managing a restaurant called Tiki Tops (Kaneohe), when he was approached to purchase BIB's (old restaurant where Cinnamon's currently is). The name of the restaurant comes from co-owner Cricket Nam. It fit into everything they wanted to do and portray. The rest, I say, is cinnamonny history. Puna, his wife, Cricket, and Carsie Green have labored wholeheartedly, into making what Cinnamon's is today, exactly what it is-a home away from home.

Donna Davis, Debbie Joy, Georgia Naluai and Sue Aiwohi are just a part of
the Cinnamon's "family."  Many of their crew have been with them for over
10 years, some since the beginning, 1985!  Photo courtesy of Doug Nam

Our server, Debbie Conn, has been with Cinnamon's since its
open, in 1985!  Prompt, friendly and full of aloha, she
made us feel right at home. 

I started talking story with our server, Debbie Conn, and was shocked to find out she had been with them for 21 years. Counting backwards in my head, I couldn't believe she had been there with them from the start! According to Puna Nam, "We're fortunate to have the best servers, cooks, and support staff any restaurant could ask for. We have quite a few people who have been with us since we opened in 1985. Even more have over 10 and fifteen years with us. They are all like family."

Pictured here taking a millisecond break from their busy Sunday morning rush,
masters of the kitchen, cooks Denning Akui, John Hoots and Caylen Hashimoto. 

It didn't surprise me to find out that they had been named more than once, one of the Honolulu Advertiser's Hawaii's Best Restaurants. It made me happy to see that a restaurant which acclimates its customers in the way that they do, and pride itself on quality food, do so well over the years, and more importantly, stick. The three ingredients to success, according to Puna, was "Our crew, and secondly, we prepare fresh, wholesome foods, we do not add MSG, preservatives or additives to our foods; and the last ingredient to our success has been the quality of our customers, ours are simply the best." I thought that maybe I was getting the luck of the draw that day ... but no, they truly treat customers like family. States Puna Nam, "At any given time in our restaurant we know by name or by face well over half of them. They are like family to us. We consult with them when we want to make changes, we celebrate our successes with them and at times, grieve with them during times of loss. The Cinnamon's ohana truly extends far and wide"

Digging deeper, I realized perhaps why they treat all customers like family. They truly are a family operation. Behind the burners that day was Puna and Cricket's son, Doug Nam, cooking away.

 A family run business, Doug Nam, pictured here, is the son of Puna and Cricket Nam, part-owners and founders of Cinnamon's.

Carsie Green, chef/co-owner, is the uncle to our server, Debbie Conn, that day. The story gets even more heartwarming! Debbie married their head cook, Jerry, right there in the restaurant, in the gazebo! Another thing I found out is that Cinnamon's truly supports local business. Not only local meaning Hawaii, but specifically right where they are; on the Windward side. Most of their products are locally made or grown, and according to Puna, all of their vendors are local, most of them, if at all possible, Kailua vendors.

I usually have a good sense of what reviewing a restaurant will be, upon my initial contact with the owner/manager. Sometimes I hear "we don't need the publicity," or "we are too busy, call later." Sadly, I never end up going back, to even dine there. On the contrary, businesses should be more like Cinnamon's. I feel as if I'm a part of their extended ohana, and I've only met them once! As soon as you enter the restaurant, you feel as if you're in mom's house again. Home for the holidays, to be exact, with early Christmas décor lining the hall into the main dining room, and a beautiful garden-looking gazebo smack dab in the middle of everything, with decorations galore.

 
They even have a little gazebo which has a floor slightly elevated from the regular dining room.
 

We were fortunate enough to be seated in that gazebo. Intimate, cute, and raised a little higher than the rest of the dining area, I felt like we were in our own little escape. The ambiance was very becoming, warm, and cozy. You don't feel as if you're entering an establishment. You feel as if you're going "home," as I mentioned earlier. Plus with a server like we had, I didn't feel overwhelmed with a very colorful menu and super busy atmosphere. She made us feel right at home, and like family.

Cinnomon's employees Ashley and Melisssa 

Now for the grinds. Oooh. Now I'm a breakfast person. When you face me with an unbelievable amount of choices, though, I get flustered and don't know where to start. When I looked through the breakfast menu, I just couldn't decide. So we figured to get some of their most popular items. Here's what we ordered and a short review of what I thought about them:

A true local style omelette with Chinese flair.  It was a light and fluffy to the touch,
but in this HUGE stuffed omelette was bits of roast chicken, char siu pork and fresh
vegetables, similar to egg fuyong, but more moist and super huge.  It was a different
and definitely something I've never had anywhere! 

Raisin and apple pancakes: this was that day's "Pancake of the day," as the weekends
have different pancakes each time.  A little too rich and sweet for my taste, but SUPER
ono nonetheless.  The glaze was so homemade tasting and the pancakes super moist.
My son loved the raisins and even if it was a lot, we managed to finish most of it!

Eggs benedict (traditional): I had to try their famous eggs benedict.  The people
who recommended Cinnamon's said it was an absolute must.  I have never really
been an eggs benedict fan, but I just had to!  I'm so glad I did, as it was moist,
full of flavor and awesome!  We ordered the traditional version, which was made
with Canadian bacon and turkey and we ordered the homefries option.. REAL
potatoes, cut up and perfectly cooked, not burnt or too soft.  I wanted to know the
difference.  I had tried eggs benedict dishes before, but this one, was sooo good!
According to Puna Nam, (co-owner), "We use locally baked English muffins with our
customer's choice of ingredients...topped with local eggs and hollandaise made daily
from scratch with butter, fresh egg yolks, fresh lemon and spices, nothing else."  Ok,
I'm a believer now!

Carrot pancake: (*comes in short or regular stacks but I couldn't decide so I ordered
just one!) This was, by far, my favorite pancake, EVER.  Similar tast to homemade
carrot cake, but even moister, it came topped with butter, but with this cream cheese
topping that was to die for!  I've never had anything like it, for breakfast, or any other
meal for that matter.  I'm not one for rich-foods... this was perfect.  Not too sweet, rich,
or oily, the perfect consistency and blend of flavors.  I have now found the perfect pancake!
YUM!

Banana pancake: (This was the one, along with the carrot pancake that I couldn't make
up my mind about) I thoroughly enjoyed this pancake selection.  Not only is there banana
atop the pancake cooked in, which I love, but it tastes like its within the batter as well.  Light,
fluffy and oh so good!

Sausage of the day: Now this may look a little weird, but trust me... it was SO tasty.  I
ordered the chorizo sausage of the day.  It came with country hash browns, which was
my 2nd favorite thing (coming in close to my carrot pancake).  So tasty, full of flavor,
the hash browns were mixed with ham, bacon, and onions.  Aside from the country hashbrowns
and onolicious chorizo sausage (which, by the way, was as huge as it looks), everything was
topped with a garlic caper cream sauce.  Yes.  Is your mouth watering yet?

So wipe that drool off your mouth and make sure to make plans soon, to head to the Windward side and try Cinnamon's. They are open for Thanksgiving (day and evening-by reservation), where, according to Puna Nam, the entire meal is made from scratch, from their roast turkey to their stuffing, mashed potatoes, bisque, and pies made from fresh pumpkin (not frozen or canned), cranberry relish and even gravy. (They are also open on Christmas Even and New Year's Eve until 2:00 p.m.)

They pride themselves on home-cooked comfort food, whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I have never really been somewhere that I felt so at home, not only by the sights and sounds, but also with the style of food, but most importantly those who worked there. As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, you can't rush that homemade taste and feel, of anything. It took 20+ years for the people of Hawaii to implant Cinnamon's in their minds as a must-do. Where was I all this time? All in all, it was definitely worth my drive (from Central Oahu) and without a doubt, worthy of return regular visits! Job well done, Cinnamon's!