I have to agree with the triple dose of love expressed in the name ‘Ai Love Nalo (“Ai” means love in Japanese and Chinese).

After a trip, I sometimes have trouble returning home, particularly from a place like New York City, where the culture resonates. To re-acclimate to Hawaii once upon a time, I always headed back home to Kailua via Kalaniananaole Highway, where the ocean view coming around Makapuu and continuing toward Waimanalo Beach is easily the most beautiful on the island. It never ceases to take my breath away and remind me of why I live here.

If you live on the west side or North Shore, Waimanalo can seem like the opposite end of the Earth, but it’s only a 10-minute drive from Aina Haina during a non-rush hour, not too far to go for food. You will be well rewarded for your time.

‘Ai Love Nalo is part of the growing healthful, slow-food movement that embraces food prepared from scratch. Here, ingredients used are 80 percent locally sourced. The restaurant’s motto is “Healthier … happier … one taste at a time.”

It’s a great place for those who already have adopted a healthful lifestyle. I’m just grateful to be able to take an occasional break from my omnivore habits. FYI, it’s just as easy to overeat with vegan and vegetarian food as it is with a meat-based meal, but it’s hard to hate yourself for eating too many vegetables.

The restaurant found a home in a former gas station. The signage can be hard to spot, but look for the building with a drive-through area that once housed pumps. It’s on the left if coming from the Windward side, or right if coming from Makapuu.

Once inside, you’ll see the restaurant is part of a compound that can only happen where there is land. In back is a Garden of Eatin’, planted with edibles and medicinal herbs, that doubles as a picnic space for those who don’t want to be confined by four walls. There’s a single table, and diners are invited to bring their own picnic mats.

Also on the premises is a lomilomi room for anyone who cares to book an open-air massage before meal time to complete the invigorating body-and-soul experience.

When you’re ready to settle in the casual, comfortable and breezy space, place your order at the counter and your meal will be brought to you. The staff is small and a lunch truck serves as kitchen, so prep is slow, but patience is a virtue, right? It’s slow even on a low-traffic weekday, so I can’t imagine what it’s like on weekends when the restaurant is packed with day trippers or those in need of some detox.

To start, the restaurant recently introduced a couple of shots of Supersonic Tonics. I wouldn’t recommend the ginger shot ($3) for those with weak stomachs. It’s potent enough with its ginger spice, but to this is added astringent lemon juice and a dash of cayenne. Wow! What an eye opener. It’s all worthwhile if you think of all the benefits that have been associated with ginger — reducing inflammation and cholesterol, stimulating digestion and strengthening the immune system.

Kaukau Lu‘au ($11) is a healthful makeover of the Hawaiian plate lunch. Local Okinawan potato and other root vegetables are soaked in creamy coconut luau leaves as the main course, accompanied by your choice of poi, brown rice or millet; a salad of local greens; and a small portion of plain or spicy tofu poke.

If you like the poke, you can graduate to the full-size tofu poke bowl ($11), offered with choice of brown rice, millet or the hapa lovechild of the two. In addition to soft tofu cubes flavored with limu, onion, green onion and furikake, the dish includes generous slices of avocado.

One of my favorite dishes so far is the Medi Bowl ($11), proving that nutritious can also be delicious. A trio of kalo falafel is served over greens drizzled with an herb tahini sauce, served with millet tabouleh and small portions of fire-roasted baba ganoush and beet hummus. Both leave you wanting more.

An Asian-inspired Buddha Bowl ($11) was less interesting, the rice options layered with kabocha, wakame, marinated mushrooms, avocado, kim chee and ginger tahini dressing.

And although I liked the slow-roasted veggies that filled a vegetable-avocado sandwich ($10), the whole-wheat vegan bun quickly turned soggy under the weight and juiciness of the vegetables. Toasted bread would be a better option.

An array of smoothies ($6 for 16 ounces, or $8 for 20 ounces), for dessert or just to beat the coming summer heat, include the tropical Lime in da Coconut blend of coconut milk, key limes, avocado, coconut flakes, honey and bananas. The Daily Dose combines Kona cold-brew coffee, coconut milk, dates, bananas and cacao powder. And the slushy Watermelon Splash uses coconut water with watermelon, papaya and a touch of honey.

One menu item not to be missed is the Outta This Swirled soft-serve sundae ($9). The nondairy dessert is made from coconut milk and bananas, then drizzled with a nonsugary Cacao Magic shell, and topped with sliced bananas, papaya, pineapple, house-made granola, toasted cacao coconut flakes and honey. Superfood add-ons such as cacao nibs or pumpkin, sunflower or chia seeds are $1 each. This may open your eyes to a world of endless, guilt-free desserts.