The Pyramids

Every time I drive down Kapahulu Avenue I watch wide-eyed as the plethora of restaurants pass me by. I've always noticed The Pyramids because it offered cuisine that was unique compared to the Japanese, Vietnamese, and Hawaiian eateries that surround it. In my quest to experiment with international cuisine, I asked my friend Brandon to join me to try Mediterranean and Egyptian food at The Pyramids.

Although The Pyramids is nowhere near eye-catching from the outside, you will be surpirsed by the interior which is dressed in Egyptian decor.





In addition to the decor and food, the cultural experience is enhanced by two belly dancer shows a night. The dancer of the night was dressed in a traditional costume made of hand-beaded jewels. As she made her way around the restaurant and stopped a our table I admired the beautiful jewels on her costume.



For our salad, we had the tabouleh, which was a combination of bulgur wheat, chopped tomatoes, onions, mint, lemon and olive oil. I was a little disappointed with this salad, as I expected there to be more of the bulgur wheat than the vegetables.



Being the "health-nut" that I am, I can appreciate the health benefits from the mediterranean diet. I opted for a vegetarian dish called "Bamia" which was fresh okra braised in a thick tomato sauce. This dish came with fragrant batsmati rice, pita bread and an Egyptian Salad which included chopped cucumbers and tomatoes with a light dressing. Because I love okra, I was very pleased with this dish.



Brandon ordered the Shawerma combination plate which included both beef and lamb Shawerma, hummus, pita bread, and a greek salad. Shawerma is marinated meat that is cooked vertically on a spit and sliced thinly into strips. The tender morsels of meat were topped with a tangy yogurt sauce. The hummus was very tasty with a heavy garlic flavor, which complimented the fluffy pita bread.



I grew up eating my Grandma's Baklava, so I could not pass up on the opportunity to try the Pyramid's version. I almost ordered the traditional baklava made with walnuts, but the waitress convinced me to order the pistachio one. Let me tell you, this was such a great variation on the dessert and it was probably the best part of the meal! The buttery, flaky layers of phylo dough were so yummy alongside the fragrant pistachios and sweet syrup!

I was very pleased with the cultural experience that The Pyramids offered. I would definitely go back. On the must-try list is the baba ganoush!

The Pyramids
758 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, HI