Cafe Carambola
610 W Hubbard St, Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83814
Cafe Carambola Menu
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Address :
610 W Hubbard St
Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83814 - Phone (208) 676-8784
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Chris N.
Came here after landing from the airport, starving. I always knew CdA had some good food, so everyone around me recommended this spot. These guys have "customer service" down pat with extremely friendly service. I knew I was in for a treat, but not this amazing. Here what I went for: Watermelon shrimp ceviche - are you kidding me? My tastebuds were pulling triple backflips while eating this. Will you guys also ship some to California? Ha! El Mexicano chicken sandwich - straight up one of the best sandwiches I've had as of late. Convinced they sprinkled some crack on this to make me come back. Absolutely delicious!! On the way out, I noticed the head chef and proprietor had 2 diplomas, yes two, from the prestigious Cordon Bleu culinary school... And just like that - they completed the trifecta in my book: service, bomb food, diplomas. I have another 6 days here, I'm sure I'll be back before I leave to LA.
(5)Josie R.
The food was spot on. Like, really delicious. El Cubanito, I'm salavating as I remember it. Get it. 3/5. And here's why: I walk in around 2pm (closes at 3pm)... decently busy, hoppin' joint. I walk up to the counter and see the display case an almost empty bowl of quinoa salad left, there's a couple styrofoam containers in there... In my mind, I'm think, this is a place that pre-makes all of their sandwiches and when they're out, they're out. The man at the register is busy, but rambles on and points out what's left in the display case. Granted, he has an accent, and I can hardly understand what's going on. So I ask him, "So that's all you have left," he replys, and again, can barely understand what he's saying. After a little back-and-forth, we finally get to the point where I realize I can order a sandwich, made to order, as they usually do. So that was a relief. But then, he asks ..."
(3)Jena C.
Awesome tortas! We had a cubano and a Mexican and both were delicious. The star of the show in the sandwiches is the meat - both the pork and beef were cooked perfectly! Hisbiscus water was refreshing! The owner was friendly and explained the menu. Love supporting the local shops. Come early, we arrived at 1:45pm on a Friday and some salads were already sold out.
(5)Madison F.
Flavor, flavor, flavor! This place is amazing! Homemade and very well done! Try the daily salads-the black bean and mango one was amazing! Service is catered to your tastes and needs! So nice!
(5)Rob W.
The food was excellent and the service fantastic. Even though the place was very busy, the owner still took the time to tell us about all the various specialties. We ordered a variety of salads, and one main course, and they were all superb. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Danielle W.
This food is so flavorful! But warning, they are only open from 11 AM-3 PM and I am telling you, don't wait til the end of their hours to go because items sell out fast! We got there around 1:45 on a Friday for lunch and they only had two sides to choose from left, out of all tamales (only made on Fridays), and out of their bread even! However, the owner was gracious and explained all the food to us, told us he could make any of the sandwiches as a wrap instead and apologized profusely for selling out of most items before we got there and even told us to call ahead next time and they will reserve a tamale for us. Such a nice man! His wife is doing all of the cooking in the back and he works the front of the house. The tomato and avocado salad is packed with so much flavor. It's soaking in this citrusy, herbaceous vinegar that highlights the produce perfectly. The club sandwich (er, wrap in my case) was delicious and so was the cuban, but I'd say order the club over the cuban. And don't forget to order the hibiscus water or the tamarind water. They are definitely on the sweet side but made in-house and pack a delicious punch.
(5)Good A.
Latin fusion, wow in the middle of Idaho, this place is as good as any restaurant that I have eaten in Los Angeles, New York, etc, their hibiscus tea is the best I ever had!!!
(5)Alex J.
Only open for lunch, this place is amazing!. The tortas are tasty with different ingredients and so much flavor! El mexicano torta is the best with the queso fresco YUM!!! Salads are decent size, fresh ingredients and always delicious, My favorite is the tomato avocado salad with oregano dressing. Is always busy so be patient it's worth it! To finish the workers are super nice!
(5)Dylan B.
I had the best sandwich ever. I almost ordered another for the road on my way home. My sister's was awesome too.
(5)Viva M.
Oh Em Gee! I loved this place. I was really amazed to find such a place in Coeur d'Alene, but I am very grateful for it. Ordered the pork sandwich and the watermelon cerviche, complimented with the hibiscus water. It all tasted oh so good. The service was excellent, and though the place was small, there are places to sit. We will definitely return.
(4)Tanya P.
Was passing through town and stopped here for lunch because of all the rave reviews on yelp. Again we were not disappointed. If you are passing through (or live in the area) you should stop in! The food is amazing and the people are so friendly and helpful. I tried the Mexicana with chicken (they were out of beef) and the cactus salad. I made everyone try the salad as I never had anything like it before but was very impressed. The sandwich was also great. I normally don't eat chicken as it is dry, but they did a wonderful job with it! My mother who isn't adventurous when it comes to food had a chicken quesadilla which was so good she said she would try something else if we ever pass through again. My husband has a pulled pork sandwich which I stole a bite of and was pleasantly surprised. He also tried the soup which was pleasant, but not my thing. Overall we thrilled we tried this place and wish there was something closer to home just like it!
(5)Adela J.
Holy cow. I am so happy I found this place. I will literally eat here every time I'm going through Idaho. If you love flavor and Latin cuisine, you must stop. So fresh, colorful, and flavorful. And the service! Thank you, thank you.
(5)Don B.
I'm visiting from Chicago and checked yelp to find a good lunch spot. Food is a pan-Latin fusion. We opted for mixed plates of the various specialty salads and everything was fantastic. The restaurant was a little confusing to find. It actually fronts onto Northwest Blvd at the intersection with Hubbard, but is accessible from the parking lot up the hill where all the maps indicate the restaurant is located.
(5)Phoebe T.
A favorite of mine for so many reasons. Healthy food with unbelievable flavor, efficient but super friendly service, sweet ambience and personable owners. I discovered it last year even though they've been open for 10. My only regret is that I live near Seattle and have to wait until vacation time for my food bliss. Favorites are the Farfalle and Cactus salads, Quesadilla, Wrap, Club and the Mexican coffee which I take with me and drink chilled. I would also highly recommend Colomba's cooking class. I went to her Latino Salads at the Culinary Stone. Informative, fun and salads (not on their menu) that were beyond delicious!
(5)J. S.
Everything about this place is perfect. I can always count on this place to have flavor and a whole lot of love in each bite.
(5)Nick L.
By far the best food and service in town! Carlos and his wife are AMAZING! The only place if you want something unique
(5)Lori D.
Extremely good service and amazing food! I tried a sample platter of three different salads with hibiscus flavored drink. The food is light, healthy and full of flavor.
(5)Haven S.
Ahhhhh-May-Zing!!!!! Flavors are everything but boring!! We had to remind ourselves to look up from our plates and be social. It was a non stop "oh my God this is so delicious!!" conversation. We had half portions of the Incan Quinoa, Marinated Tomato and Avocado, El Cubanito, La Poleñta. Good portion sizes and fair prices. I will be brining all friends from out of town here!
(5)Mary A.
The owner was one of the nicest owners I've met. He helped my fiance and I with questions on the menu since we were from out of town. I've never tried this type of cuisine before so all the items were new to me. It's a wonderful fusion of latin dishes. For a small town, it's great to have a restaurant like this. We came about the right time because after we ordered a ton of people were ordering after us. The hibiscus juice was a bit tarty but really hits the spot on a hot day. I ordered a full Cubanito sandwich and my fiance ordered half Cubanito and salad. Both of us felt full and refreshed. I was afraid the sandwich was going to be greasy like Mexican food I've had but it wasn't. I wish I could've taken a sandwich home with me. I've never been to a 5 star rate restaurant on yelp with 45+ reviews. I hope this restaurant keeps it's 5 star rating on yelp! Btw place is kinda of difficult to find on google maps. It's in the lower half of the building across the street from a college.
(5)S L.
Super friendly. Amazing choices of *good* foods, fast service. Totally delicious. I had the cubanito with pasta and green apple lemonade. Carmen had the carrot chipotle w pomegranate salsa soup with a quinoa salad. We loved everything and wished we could have tried everything!
(5)Kathleen T.
Love it!! Had the Cubano and a watermelon and shrimp ceviche! Amazing. Add the cantaloupe drink and perfection!
(5)Robby M.
You really can't ask for better food or service. This place is a north idaho gem. You really can't pick a bad item. My girlfriend and I split a sandwich and a quinoa salad and it was perfect. Be sure to get one of the drinks as well. The watermelon mint drink was terrific. A must go to if you are in CDA!
(5)Jesse H.
This was the best, most fresh and flavorful food I have had in years! I only wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often.
(5)Erin S.
Cafe Carambola, I adore you. A few weeks ago my cohorts and I made the trek down here to this cute little place. The first thing you see is a beautiful display full of salads. As we started grabbing menus we were greeted by one of the owners. Since this was our first time here, the lovely man started to explain all the salads, what they contained and how they were Latin influenced. All of them looked beautiful and fresh. Once we sat down and started to peruse the menu we were asked if we wanted anything to drink. We each ordered an herbal tea. His choices were either room temperature or iced and green tea lemonade or hibiscus tea. We ordered our teas and he must have overheard me questioning what hibiscus tea tasted like because a moment later he brought out samples of it for the whole table. After tasting the hibiscus tea I promptly switch my drink order to it. So refreshingly good! I ordered the Club Style Quesadilla. Now, this can be ordered with several meat options or black beans for more of a vegetarian option. I got the black bean option and I'm glad I did. This was the best quesadilla that I've had eating out. It was stuffed full of mozzarella, bacon, pico, avocado, black beans and served with a side of chipotle sour cream. Amazing!! Cafe Carambola has so many choices to choose from; salads, sandwiches, quesadillas and wraps. I can't wait to come back and try them all.
(5)Andrea G.
Ok, I have to admit... I'm a very picky eater and not into Latin American. I don't like a lot of fruit and I really don't like salsa. That being said, the food is DELICIOUS. I had a "boring" wrap of chicken, lettuce, queso fresco and mayo, the owner looked at me strangely and asked, "no tomato? No salsa?" I know, I'm a strange, Kansas girl raised on meat and potatoes. The wrap was phenomenal. It was so good, just SO good! We also ordered some tamales which were equally delicious. My parents had quinoa salad and I think a sandwich, my sister also had a sandwich, they were all just as pleased as I with their meals. The service was excellent and friendly. Very busy at the lunch hour but SO worth the wait! These guys are great, I will be going back whenever I want a tasty wrap or a tamale! Two thumbs up.
(5)Sean A.
Eating in progress... Watermelon Ceviche, tortilla soup, with Jamaica.. Perfect place for lunch. Must try!
(5)Melody V.
WOW..just traveling thru CDA and yelped this one for lunch. Wonderful find.it opens at 11. Better be there by 1145 or your pickins are slim..beautiful and 5asry selections
(5)Chaud F.
Fresh food, a bit cozy but clean and nice, the best staff anywhere. The cuban sandwich is truly a foodie wonder. Rotating salads on the menu are great in and of themselves, have whatever they have brewed up that day in the big jar. Service is fast, efficient, and knowledgeable. If you are not sure what you want ask for suggestions, better yet just say "surprise me," you will be well fed. If you come to Coeur d' Alene, please try this place... Unless it is my day off, I hate to wait for a seat.
(5)Christy K.
Very fresh, healthy, tasty food!
(5)Neil P.
Me and my friend went here for a before work treat for lunch. We came in right as it opened and am glad that we did seeing how busy this place can get. Our waiter came up right away told us the specials and helped take the order for our drinks. We both ordered the same thing. The hibiscus water was delicious and sweet, we loved the fact that it came in a gauntlet. When our food came it was delicious as well, we were lucky enough to come on a Friday which is the only day they have tamales. We had a Chicken with green sauce tamale and a pork with red sauce tamale as part of the lunch special. Freshest tamale you can get, very fresh tasting. The lunch special came with soup that was fantastic as well. the rice was a good accompaniment to the meal. Planning on going back with more work colleagues, if you are in the area definitely give this place a try!
(5)Jason V.
Healthy and unique food. I was very impressed with this restaurant where the owner was very careful to explain the various salads that were offered, and let my wife and I taste each one to help us decide what to order. Very friendly. Thank you. I recommend this to anyone coming from out of town because of its unique cuisine.
(5)Eric H.
To try and staple words on to this restaurant can only bring it down. But the only thing I am allowed to do here is in fact, type words. So forgive me, but here goes. If you can show me someone who claims to not like this place, I'll show you a liar. I was unaware that the flavored that come from their food even existed. Their sandwiches are simply unmatched. The salads, truly authentic, and the hibiscus? Legendary. The owner, Carlos, is one of the greatest men I have ever encountered. He has the upmost class, and has been called, "the king of Latin American cuisine." (For the record, I am the only one I know of who has ever called him that, but that does not make it any less true). I absolutely 100% recommend to anybody who enjoys having the best dining experience of their life.
(5)James S.
We had the opportunity to visit Carambola for a quick lunch today. I don't usually write reviews but this is our 4th visit and the quality, consistency and humble service is 100% authentic - South America - don't miss this place it's the hidden jewel in CDA!! Great job!
(5)Joysbugs ..
Amazing Latin inspired soup salads and sandwiches. This family owned restaurant is excellent. It has great service and soup or salad orders are very fast. The kitchen is a very clean. I was there after the lunch rush, but they still had a wide variety of salads. Sadly they were out of soup. I am only visiting, but I plan to eat here again.
(5)Georji B.
I am not a sandwich person but I LOVE their sandwiches! Never have been disappointed. Amazing salads that usually sell out by early afternoon.
(5)Theresa M.
The best and healthiest mexican/central american/south american food in the inland nw! Try their aguas frescas which usually consist of a hibiscus and a seasonal alternative. On a recent venture i had the watermelon and it was phenomenal. They always have an array of fresh healthy salads in their case and they bake all the breads for their tortas in house. Nothing is deep fried or overly laden with fat! According to their facebook they take frequent trips to central and south america so you know its authentic! Im also told they can accommodate a tres leches cake, if you order ahead! Now if only they will get a beer and wine license and brew their own chicha morado! Seriously though if you happen to be in the north Idaho area on a weekday around noon, do not pass this place up!
(5)Luisa G.
I love the fresh and fragrant ingredients. I keep coming back for the cubano sandwich and the amazing salad with quinoa, sliced cucumbers and little shreds of cheese. The owners and staff are all exceptionally friendly. I love it and try to swing as much as I can.
(5)Jennifer N.
So crazy good! The owners are so nice and inviting. They took time and explained their dishes and served us samples. My daughter said it was probably in her top 10 places to eat and I agree. The food was fresh and very flavorful. We will go back many times.
(5)Maya C.
Fresh, Authentic and healthy food. Friendly atmosphere, and nice and friendly people. Food is excellent and fresh, healthy and definitely brings culture to that area. A must try!
(5)Sam M.
My wife and I are pretty picky about restaurant food. She was a former cook at a pioneering creative high-end urban restaurant and is still professionally involved with food ingredient preparation. Cafe Carambola provided us with one of the best meals that we've had in years. A total surprise--thanks Yelpers! The chef, Columba, is a graduate of the California Culinary Institute and and her professionalism shows. The fresh ingredients, perfect textures, and sophisticated flavors to both the watermelon and shrimp ceviche, and the cactus and jicama and lime and avocado salsa was amazing! She even added pumpkin seeds to the latter, a stroke of brilliance. The atmosphere is quite casual with her husband serving as a gracious host. I almost felt that I was in their home which is a serious transformation from the strip mall style environment. This is not your typical Mexican food. If you crave creative cooking make this your first destination in Coeur d'Alene.
(5)Lauryl S.
Came in by accident, looking for a coffee shop. The guy made me an amazing coffee with cinnamon and honest-to-goodness Mexican chocolate and some kind of raw sugar cubes. It was drip coffee I think but still better than Mexican mochas I've had. The food looked and smelled so good I wished I was hungry. Would love to come back again especially because the guy was so nice! Thanks!
(5)C O.
I love this place!!! Amazing Food and great service! If you havent ever tried it you should! chuck and cindy odd
(5)Nathan H.
Friday. Tamales. The end. Seriously, I wish they served tamales every day of the week and especially for dinner hours. My wife loves the various salads but I find it a waste of a trip if we don't go early on a Friday. If you're not there early enough any day of the week, there's a good chance you may miss out on your favorite soup, salad, or tamale. This place is crazy popular and for good reason. It's not always cheap but I've never left unsatisfied. Highly recommended.
(5)John P.
" This is the MOST UNIQUELY Delicious restaurant in Coeur d Alene. Owners are often present and serving with a smile, educating customers on the ethnic pairings and very healthful to boot. Recommend it!"
(5)Ellen S.
Great food! This restaurant has fresh, delicious food and friendly service, so there is nothing not to like! The ingredients are perfect! And different! The Latin flavor is awesome and combine it with fresh vegetables, fresh meat and fresh bread = awesome! There is nothing like it in Cda. You leave feeling full and good. I wish they were open every day! I am definitely a fan!
(5)Kristin W.
Yea this was a no-brainer for sure. This place is such a little gem I can't even tell you how happy I am that we ate here. We wanted a place to eat lunch at, but here comes the challenge.....good tasting food, reasonably priced, AND semi-healthy. Yea I know we were searching for the unicorn at that point, but this place had to exist somewhere! I had seen Cafe Carambola as we drove past it every now and then, but I thought why not?! Boyfriend and I walked in to this place and a very happy little man from behind the counter stated "Welcome! Come in come in!" with his awesome accent. We took a seat at the table in the back of the restaurant...now when I say the back of the restaurant let me explain this place only holds about 10-15 people max. This is what I call a hole in the wall Mom-N-Pop shop and I adore it! The happy owner grabbed a chair next to us and asked if we had been there before, and if we had Cuban food before. He asked if we had seen all of the salads behind the display case and if we knew what was in each one. When we said no, he put his chair away and said "follow me!" Yes yes that meant get up from our table because he was going to tell us what each salad was including the ingredients! You can tell this man LOVES what he does and what he makes. Now let's get to the meat and potatoes of the meal shall we? I got a half torta the La Potena and for my side I got the Incan Quinoa. Holy flavor!! The boyfriend tried a bite and was just amazed at how much flavor was in this salad. He ordered the Cubanita torta and the Poblano orange and black bean salad. He said his torta was amazing, I'll have to take his word for it because there was none left for me to sample.....sigh. ......................You know what those dots represent? Silence....that sums up our lunch.....pure silence because we were inhaling our food. Have you ever seen the Carl's Jr. commercials "Don't bother me I'm eating?" Well there you go. Support your local food spots and try new things to eat! You will not be disappointed if you come here.
(5)Cindy S.
I have died and gone to heaven. INSANE delicious and healthy food. Don't miss this one. Had the cool avocado soup and ceviche. Unparalleled.
(5)Judy N.
My daughters took me there for my birthday lunch and it was so great. I had the Club Quesadilla and loved it. My girls had veggie Sandwich and the Cranberry Pasta. The portion size was perfect, and the service was great. We love the friendly owner and his family. They are incredible and do all they can to accommodate us to make sure our visit is wonderful. I will go back again for sure.
(5)Christy B.
This place is great! Driving through town on a road trip. I can not explain how delicious this place is. Worth it!!! So freaking worth it.
(5)Doug H.
Simply the best restaurant in Coeur d'Alene. Their food is delicious, healthy, innovative, well presented and made fresh every day. The place is deserving of all the accolades listed here. I wrote a 5-star review three years ago and I'm writing again to say that the food is still top-notch. Tucked in an unassuming strip mall, it's a wonderful little cafe.
(5)Dezirae H.
Awesome food, awesome people, and awesome place all around! Love Carlos, he is the sweetest man alive! Everything is worth trying because it's just that good! My favorite is the chicken and pesto pasta salad! Their soups are amazing! Will continue to go back all the time.
(5)Sammy L.
Talk about amazing food and great hospitality. We ordered fresh watermelon juice, which was delivered in goblet form - very naturally sweet and tasty. My wife got the Cubanito - a pulled pork sandwich, which was way better than anything you could get in Miami! Very tender pork and a refreshing relish on the sandwich. I got the club quesadilla, which was incredible. Light and packed with amazing flavor and accompanied by a chipotle crema. Definitely must go to this place for lunch but go early as their freshly made food goes fast!
(5)Sean O.
Amazing! I'm a self proclaimed quesadilla snob and this was one I the best! They make tamales every Friday that are not to be missed
(5)Johannes R.
Super tasty, fresh and great food. Carlos took his time to explain all the dishes to us. I'll come back here for sure next time I'm in town and would highly recommend this place
(5)Addyson B.
The meats are great, the vegetarian salads are great, the coffee is great and the service is great. Everything is seasoned well and cooked to perfection! The quinoa salad is the best I've ever had. So glad I found this place on my drive through Idaho to Seattle.
(5)Nathan L.
This place was fantastic! Very healthy, clean feeling food. Very resonable prices. Great place for lunch! The owner was sooo helpful and friendly.
(5)Chris N.
Awesome place with a lot of fresh ingredients and homemade sauces. They even make homemade tamales once a week! I love this place! Great atmosphere, great staff, they even host cooking classes! I had their Incan quinoa it and it was fair portion for a fair price, but ultimately it was delicious! Fresh herbs, feta cheese, fresh cucumbers!
(4)D C.
Delicious little cafe that serves Latin fusion. They have several interesting salads, sandwiches, and a soup of the day. Many unique tastes, particularly with the salads. Also seems to be healthier than your average lunch. The quinoa salad is my favorite--that alone nearly makes this place 5 stars in my opinion. I've only tried one of the sandwiches, and it was ok. The soup was excellent. It is a touch pricey. A half salad and half sandwich make a nice lunch, and they will run you about 6$ each, not including a couple bucks for a drink. You can easily spend 12-15$ on lunch per person. The slight premium gets you great high quality food, though.
(5)Meg G.
As a future resident of Coeur d'Alene, I was kinda of freaking out due to the lack of tasty food in the area....Then we stopped here! The food was wonderful.. Try the new salad (chocho) not sure of the name but I am sure I could eat it 5 days a week. Great staff...great food.
(5)Michele R.
What a gem! This Latin themed little deli - restaurant serves up spectacularly good food. . The three "Cork and Fork" awards displayed at the counter are testimony to the skill of Chef Colomba. If you are in CDA and don't eat at Carambola you will be missing out on a remarkable experience! Friends who live in CDA, who are frequent diners at Cafe Carambola for lunch (it is only open for lunch and on weekdays), suggested we all eat there when we were visiting CDA. We'll pay their favor of introducing us to Carambola forward by tipping off Yelp users about this great little place. The first thing that greets you as you enter the bright and welcoming space is the aroma of fresh herbs and wonderful cooking. A deli case displays several varieties of salads, a blackboard on the wall lists daily specials, and a menu at the table lists the varieties of sandwiches, hot and cold, salads and soups available. Based on our lunch we can highly recommend: ...Xin Xim soup - a delectable Brazilian specialty chicken soup, ...Cubanito sandwich, a wonderful riff on a Cubano, with succulent pulled pork, cheese and the extras, ...Carambola specialty club sandwich, ...watermelon - tomato salad - as unlikely a combo as it sounds it is delicious, ...quinoa salad with corn, radishes and cucumber and perfect seasonings Portions of salads can be ordered small or large, sandwiches can be ordered half or whole, soup can be ordered cup or bowl to customize your meal to suit your appetite. Portions are generous and half a sandwich and a cup of soup or a salad and a cup of soup was just the ticket for each of the four of us. The food is not only delicious to eat it is beautiful to look at...a feast for the senses. And an unexpected treat is there are a host of choices for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free eaters all. Another tip...the house specialty coffee with chocolate and spices is excellent. This is not a "frou frou" coffee drink...this is coffee for real coffee drinkers! :-) They also had a couple of kinds of homemade acqua fresca on the summer day when we visited. An added "plus" is Cafe Carambola is inexpensive. For four of us, lunch of four soups, two salads, two half sandwiches and three specialty coffees was only $46...after tax! A bargain. The strip mall location on Northwest Boulevard is actually pretty convenient to CDA's downtown and the activity at the resort, but this is an unlikely location for such a great little place that you might not know it was there. But now you do! Note that because it is so small (and so good) Carambola fills up fast after it opens at 11:00 a.m. So, If you're not there by 11:45 "ish", either be prepared to do take out or be prepared for a wait for one of the few seats indoors (maybe about 20?) or one of the four seats outdoors.
(5)Linda H.
Great quinoa salad and tamales! It's a very small cafe, but we were able to find a table. You might have to wait for seating at other times. The food is worth it. Very healthy salads and fresh ingredients!
(5)Tim H.
Came to town again. Ate here again. I miss this place. It is the best food I have had period. Healthy, low cal and amazing tasty.
(5)Kristen L.
I'm so glad I finally got around to trying this place. It's tiny but bright and inviting. The owner was so friendly and helpful and let's you try the different salads, drinks and soups before you order which was a very nice and appreciate touch. What I really wanted to order was one of the sandwiches. specifically the pork, but I needed something on the lighter side so I opted for the Incan Quinoa and the Squash Coconut soup. They were both so incredly fresh, flavorful and surpriseningly light! The quinoa was topped with thinly sliced cucumbers and queso fresco. It was so delicious. The soup was so silky and smooth. My taste buds were dancing with each bite! I also ordered one of their daily drinks, a lemonade with green apples and chia seeds. It was sweet, sour and refreshing. I will come back here every chance I get. Come early before all their fresh made daily salads are gone and be prepared that the tables might be all filled up. Looks like alot of people get it to go. Only open for breakfast and lunch on the weekdays.
(5)Matthew C.
I had the club sandwich and it was great. The bread was warm and incredible. I didn't try the salad here, but they look amazing. It was pretty busy for just having opened at 11 AM.
(4)Justyne S.
Absolutely love this place! Love the decor, the service is great, and the food is so amazing. They have unique and delicious meals that are so fabulous looking you'll want to try it all. My only complaint is it's only a lunch place meaning I can't go there more often!
(5)Elena A.
Fantastic- we were greeted and seated quickly. The cafe was going to close in less than 30 minutes and it was a Friday (they're not open on weekends) so they were out of a lot of items and the owner (?) went very quickly over the things he could make. Husband and I ended up splitting a pasta salad and the Carambola club wrap and I thought I was settling (I was hungry, irritable, and wanted pineapple sauce which they were out of!), but dang if it wasn't the tastiest, most savory pork in that wrap. And the pasta salad was intense. I kept commenting to my husband- this must be chimichurri- it's so light but garlicky and savory. We split the pasta salad, but I ended up stealing a few bites of his half anyway. And licking both plates with my finger with the leftover oil. Eye-rolling- type of good. My only wish is that they be open on Saturday and/or Sunday since I can assume not everyone can go out for lunch. We will absolutely return for another scrumptious meal. We split everything and it was fine. The meal cost $15 with no drinks. I would get the hibiscus drink next time though.
(5)Jaclyn H.
FINALLY made it down here! Due to their very limited hours, I have lived here almost a full year and have not been able to come. It was definitely worth the wait! Fresh, healthy, flavorful, and clean. Great service as well. I highly recommend. Wish I could eat here every day!
(5)Julia S.
very healthy,fresh and delicious food! it is just awesome.. the place don't look like that but it's a visit worth! the owner is really nice guy and explain the food.
(5)R T.
An easy 5 stars! The food was great! The owner was really nice and showed us the salads behind the display and explained what was in each one. Way better than we expected. My girlfriend and I literally ate in complete silence because we were both just taking in the food. The quinoa salad is excellent!!!
(5)Michelle F.
A delicious place to eat lunch. We had the quinoa and the pesto pasta and they were both amazing. Took a third salad to go for the road it was so good. A little hard to find; they're in the lower level of a strip mall that you can't see from the upper parking lot. Just take the stairs down. Thanks yelpers for sending us here, we'll be back.
(5)Michael R.
Very, very good! Pictures posted of what I had... enjoy!
(4)Clarke H.
I'm just going to pile on here and continue the praise of the wonderful little Latin cafe. Everyone is so friendly. The food makes me weak in the knees. I had the Carambola Club Quesadilla....OMG. The meat was so tender and wonderfully seasoned, and the sauce that came on the side just put the whole dish over the top. We will definitely be visiting here again!
(5)Terri H.
nov. 14,2014 went there for the first time today to try the tamales,seems like the tamales where kind of small portioned for the price and the rice was cold,but was good overall.I got the pasta pesto with the chicken and cranberries there was only about 6 pieces of chicken in the whole thing(but very yummy)there should be less cranberries and more chicken also bigger portions or cut the price on the small order............I might consider coming again even though was kind of pricey
(3)Colleen B.
Ohhh yum. Found this place because of Yelp, so I certainly need to post about it. Wonderful combination of Latin tastes, cool decor, but what really sets this place apart is the service. Being from the Southwestern U.S. I'm used to the hospitality of the Hispanic people but what a treat to find it this far North! The owner greeted us and explained the menu and all of the dishes, while giving all the credit to his wife who created the dishes and his staff. I'll drive 400 miles to eat here again!
(4)Patrick J.
The slow-roasted pork was melt-in-your-mouth good, the cheese was perfectly creamy and made a nice accompaniment to the tangy fresh tomato salsa. The avocado-tomato salad was vibrant, coated in a variety of herbs and olive oil and practically sparkled on my tastebuds. Yum-ola! A good old fashioned Pepsi was the perfect thing to wash down this singularly enjoyable meal. Despite the lunch rush, our waiter was kind and attentive, returning frequently to check on us and fill our beverages. Again, our only complaint was that the small-ish portion size didn't seem to line up with the large-ish prices. A suggestion: sit people with a bottomless basket of homemade chips and fresh salsa and allow those with larger appetites to fill their tummies that way. Read the full review at getoutnorthidaho.com
(4)David H.
It was tamale day at Cafe Carambola so started with a chicken tamale and the pinto bean/bacon soup. Both were really flavorful. Also tried half-sandwiches of the Cubanito and the La Potena. I prefered the Cubanito over the La Potena but both were great. I love Cuban sandwiches and this one was unique but really liked it anyway. It's obvious the owner takes a lot of pride in his restaurant - it's meticulously clean, the food is quick and well flavored and the waiter/owner is very attentive.
(5)Rahmi N.
Great food! The sandwiches are amazing:) Great prices and unbelievable service! The owner is the nicest guy in the world
(5)Gwaitre M.
Holy shit, this place is so good. Simple menu, fresh ingredients, simply and tastefully prepared. The tortas are wonderful. Go eat here.
(5)John O.
Very unique and a welcome addition to Coeur d' Alene. Fresh, delicious lunch items and terrific service. The server did a wonderful job at explaining in detail the unique menu to me upon my first visit. I look forward to many visits in the future. We are lucky to have such a place in our city!
(5)Riah R.
Who cares about the weird atmosphere? The sandwiches, salads, and drinks are so tasty that you stop being concerned about the design immediately following your first sip of cantaloupe juice. Do not ask for substitutions for your sandwich. Just trust that the flavors have been carefully chosen to construct a really, really good flavor.
(5)JARED T.
Fresh and delicious take on Latin deli food. Very simple menu made from simple ingredients that just go together wonderfully and bring that, "oh, so good!" look to my face while I chew. Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Wraps. They are filling without that feeling of being bogged down. There is no nap needed after a lunch here. It's for certain one of Coeur d'Alene's hidden gems. FYI, If you're letting GPS take you here, then you'll get sent to a weird cul de sac of what look like ghost businesses that are right behind where you want to be, Cafe Carambola is actually in the strip mall that is right on N.W. Blvd.
(5)Amanda K.
If you like good food this is the place! The atmosphere is small and crowded but that's because the food is so good. Don't go here if you care more about atmosphere.
(5)Mei-Lu M.
This Latin American style deli has tasty food, a cute setting and most importantly, offers a different flavor profile than most local restaurants. I had the cubanito and a tomato-avocado dressing in lime-cilantro dressing. Both were tasty (the dressing was so good I wanted to drink it). I'm not giving this restaurant an absolutely glowing review because although my cubanito was tasty, it wasn't brilliant. The pork was very dry and yet the bread was soggy. I've had some really exquisite cuban pulled pork sandwiches in my time and this sandwich, while tasty enough, didn't really stand up in comparison. However, I love that the food is clearly freshly prepared and homemade and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for something a little different.
(3)J. N.
Found this place on yelp and decided we needed to check it out for ourselves. Just needed a quick lunch before we went to the movies down the street. It was a little hard to find at first because it's a small cafe hidden in a big business complex along the side of the road. And unfortunately it is only open for lunch/brunch and we came in towards the end and could only choose from the sandwiches on the menu. It's a little confusing at first and i couldn't understand the guy behind the register very well. Maybe he's the owner. After you order you kind of just try to find a seat and seat yourself. Surprisingly there were quite a few other people there too eating. This place seems to keep busy and I can see why. Anyways I love the fresh bread that they use for the sandwiches, crispy exterior chewy interior and not dry. I had a carambola club with chicken and my friend had a beef sandwich of some sort with pineapple. Nummy! Pair that up with my big glass of red sangria! I want that sangria recipe!
(5)Matt S.
Delicious. Had a small salad (on special) and half a sandwich. Meat on the sandwich was super flavorful and moist. The flavor combinations were great. Super fresh. Very happy we found this on a drive through town.
(5)Mike B.
This little cafe is great. The chef, who is professionally trained cares and does a wonderful job of preparing dishes that taste great and never disappoint. Try the soap of the day. It is always fresh and very good. The salads are unusually good especially the avocado and tomato. The Mexicano sandwitch is one I recommend. The staff is very friendly and helpful with the menu.
(5)Danielle P.
Great spot! Fantastic people fantastic food!
(5)Daniel K.
Wonderful place to enjoy a flavorful lunch, or close enough to the beach to get lunch to go and eat at the park. Flavors are wonderfully balanced and price is amazingly affordable. My favorite is the Friday tamale special, but you had better go early, or it will be sold out! This is my favorite lunch in town, and the best Latin American food in the area.
(5)C N.
Fresh, flavorful, healthy, delicious food. We had the mango black bean salad, Aztec Quinoa salad, curried butternut squash soup, and the cubanito and mexicano sandwiches. Everything was SUPERB. The seasonings were fine-tuned to perfection. The service was delightful. We came up from Moscow, rode our bikes from Post Falls and will definitely come back.
(5)Natalie O.
The food here is sooo tasty! My hubby is from Costa Rica and it reminded him of food there. The only reason we gave it a 4 instead of 5 is because for the price, we didn't get full.
(4)T D.
This place is just wonderful and one of my favorite cafes in CDA. The food is fresh and the flavors inventive. I visit as often as I can as well as tell everyone I know to try it.
(5)Randy W.
The best food in Coeur d'Alene. The soups are fantastic. My wife and I always get a soup. At first we split one but now we each order our own. My favorite sandwich is La Potena. I only wish they served dinner so that I could come here more often.
(5)debi W.
If we lived in CDA we would be eating here everyday. Our food was excellent and the service was fast and friendly.
(5)Sam L.
One of our favorite local, family run cafe's. The food is fresh and beautifully prepared with vibrant flavors.Every Friday is Tamale day!
(5)