In search of a relaxing state of mind, some people turn to yoga or meditation to clear their minds, while some look for a little help from nature. A plant native to the Pacific Islands may provide another avenue towards this end.

Kava is a tea that has been brewed using the roots of the aptly named kava plant. The plant has been used in various forms as a drink for thousands of years in the Pacific, and is starting to become more widely available in the United States.

Since 2002, Nakava has provided the locals of Boca Raton, as well as the curious from all parts of the area, with kava in a relaxed environment by channeling the roots of kava's Pacific ancestry and mixing it with the familiarity of your own backyard.

Ken Hoyumpa, Nakava's manager, discussed the drink and its place in North American culture.

"Kava is natural, it's relaxing, a great alternative to alcohol and its something you can do in the middle of the week without fearing a hangover," he said.

Nakava opened its doors in 2002, when Ken and owner Jeffrey Bowman, who attended Florida Atlantic University together, decided to open the bar and set his plans in motion with a little help from his friends.Though the bar may be the only establishment in the area thus far, expansion is on the horizon, according to Ken.

"The only issue is the capital and investment, which we're working on," he said.

Hoyumpa noted that the crowd that frequents through Nakava skews young, but he did say that most that stop by are beyond classification simply because of the buzz being generated.

"Most of our regulars order the Black Sand Kava, but we have such a variety of fresh drinks that it creates the perfect atmosphere for people to try what they want," he said.

Of course, as with any type of stimulant, there are health concerns, both with the plant itself and the method of production.

Most products based on the Kava plant are banned in the UK, as well as in France, Switzerland and even the Netherlands.

The United States Center for Disease Control released a report in 2002 specifically detailing the possibilities of severe liver toxicity, but does specify that the problems arose from supplements containing kava being mixed with alcohol.

The main thing to note with this is that it is the kava extract in supplements that has been linked to the liver damage, not kava prepared as a tea.

Another key to the potential hazard is that pharmaceutical companies don't limit themselves to the root of the plant for the kava extract; the supplements contain anything from the stems to the leaves of the plants.

Those concerns aside, the main thing people will want to know is what effect kava has on the mind.

Euphoric is usually the first term regular drinkers will come up with.

Though rare, less than 1 percent of all who try the drink will experience allergies, generally similar to the types of reactions associated with pepper allergies.When it came to the safety concerns, Ken reassured that the FDA has even inspected the shop and left without raising a fuss.

"Even the FDA has inspected several times, and they've told us as long as we keep doing what we're doing, it's all good," said Ken.

Continuing the age old ritual of kava as a form of relaxation and well being doesn't come hard to Nakava because they represent a different approach to marketing the product, one that comes with a high level of respect for the past, and an eye on the future.