Doin' it Island
Style
Where the locals are (and the tourists aren't)
It's Makahiki time! Hawaii's rainy
winter is the traditional season of feasting, song and sport (for the
latter, let your imagination be your guide). As Lono's rains replenish
the land, it's our privilege-nay, our duty-to give thanks, celebrate
the harvest and revel in the joys of friends, family and community.
So no complain when it rains. Mo' bettah for pau hana and pig out. Following
is our latest compendium of the best local eateries, homegrown specialties
and watering holes for all tastes, including the very dry.
Best Shave Ice
EAST SIDE ICE
Ice shave has a long way since its plantation days. People even started
calling it something entirely different ("shave ice"-or worse,
"shaved ice"). But we locals still can't get enough from Hilo's
two best places-the legendary, family-owned Itsu's Fishing Supply Store
and the hip surf shop Wilson's by the Bay. Both stores pride themselves
on home-made syrups that cater to local taste buds.
Itsu's has gained local fame for its mom & pop appeal, especially
when Mr. Itsu himself makes your ice shave. Itsu's is the prime location
(mauka of the Civic Center) for a post-beach munchie run.
Speaking of prime location, Wilson's hit the jackpot on serving ice
shave to the hoards of foot-traffic in downtown Hilo. Vintage décor,
surfing memorabilia, and beach-kissed personnel is all part of the allure.-Ku'uwehi
Hiraishi
Itsu's Fishing Supply
810 Piilani St.
Hilo
935-8082
Wilson's by the Bay
224 Kamehameha Ave.
Hilo, 969-9191
KONA'S BEST
Unlike our Hilo-side cousins, West Hawai'i doesn't have one single culturally
iconic shave ice stand. Perhaps that's because we are less connected
to the plantation heritage that brought the ephemeral treat to the islands.
Japanese immigrants introduced shave ice to their fellow cane workers,
then to the marketplace when they opened mom-and-pop grocery stores.
(Shave ice, known as kakigori in Japan, remains a wildly popular summertime
treat there). Back in plantation days workers used to chop ice off blocks
with machetes, then drench the chips in fruit juices. But for over a
century the sticky spectacle of someone frantically slurping down an
enormous sphere of syrupy ice, staining lips and freezing brains in
the process, before sun and humidity turn the treat into a puddle, has
been essential to the Hawai'i experience.
Maybe part of Kailua-Kona's charm is that we do things our way, even
if that way involves naming a shop after a region that's as far from
the minds of tourists as frostbite and long underwear.
About 16 years ago (an absolute eternity in the ever-shifting retail-scape
of Ali'i Drive), Scandinavian Shave Ice opened. With its prime location
across from the sea wall, it's definitely the best shave ice in Kona.
New owners Melissa Ortega and Rich Pasenow have made some changes in
past ten months, starting with shaving the "D" off the end
of shaved. Eh! Cuz fo' real Hawaiian shave ice has no use for such pedantry!
Ortega and Pasenow have cleaned up and improved the store's hours. They're
open daily, with internet access available ($8/hour). The menu remains
the same-hot dogs, smoothies, Big Island Ice Cream in freshly baked
waffle cones and, of course, more than 40 flavors of shave ice. Flavors-nine
of them sugar-free-run the gamut from classic (strawberry and lime)
to true Hawaiian (li hing mui and guava) to eyebrow-raising (peppermint
and butterscotch?!). Prices start at $2.75 for a small, plus more for
an ice cream center or a "Sno-cap" (sweetened condensed milk
poured over the top-what real shave iceheads call "cream").
Whether tourist or local, it's hard to imagine a better way to soak
up Kona Town than to go get shave ice, then cross the street to the
Hulihe'e Palace lawn and watch a hula lesson or paddling practice amid
the frenzied chatter of mynah birds.-JO
Scandinavian Shave Ice
75-5699 Ali'i Dr.
Kailua-Kona,
331-1626
Best Music Clubs
MIXX BISTRO BAR
A place can be considered truly established when everyone in town calls
it by the same-slightly wrong-name. Just as the Old Kona Airport is
"Old A's" to anyone who knows Old A's, Mixx Bistro Bar is
now, among the revelers who frequent it, "The Mixx." At least
no one's calling it "Mixx's."
Mixx has become a fixture on the live music scene, at least on weekends,
with live music every Friday and a DJ on Saturday nights. The first
essential: a full bar including high-end spirits and wines by the glass
from its sister shop, the Kona Wine Market. They also serve Asian-influenced
bar food prepared by the Chinese restaurant next door. A variety of
seafood, noodle dishes, pot stickers, and delicious fries (which taste
like they've been fried in animal fat), are excellent sponges with which
to absorb the copious amounts of alcohol one may feel compelled to drink
on a night when the bar is three-deep and really hopping.
On special event nights like St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, or during
the annual Hawai'i Electronic Music Festival, Mixx's spacious outdoor
patio teems with a diverse crowd of barely-21s, yuppies, townies, beautiful
people, and even hippies who materialize out of nowhere to share the
dance floor.
On other nights, the small indoor bar space can be dotted with a few
couples on dates and quiet enough for some titillating eavesdropping.
Service can be spotty, but no worse than anywhere else in Kona. There's
an open mic on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays, and salsa (via DJ) on
Thursdays.
The bar occasionally partners with neighboring boutique Ginger and Koi
for local art shows and networking events like "Green Drinks."
The best way we've found to keep on top of events here is to check their
Web site or surf MySpace (or check HIJ's calendar).-Jill Ogata
Mixx Bistro Bar
King Kamehameha Mall
Kailua-Kona
329-7334
konawinemarket.com/mix.shtml
EMERALD ORCHID: HILO'S MUSICAL GEM
Perhaps one of the greatest things about the relatively new Emerald
Orchid (other than the freshly-made Jalapeño Volcano Poppers
and juicy burgers) is the spontaneity of the music lineup. The Emerald
Orchid rocks downtown Hilo pretty much every night. Featured acts include
Basic Human Tone, Kanakapila, Kupa 'Aina, Moemoea, Pure Pleasure, Rupert
Tripp and various DJs.
On one recent night, an audience member turned into the headliner. Hula
master Uncle George Na'ope took the mic and his accompanying dancers
captivated the crowd in the cozy tavern. Such surprises happen often-not
only on Monday open mic nights.
Come early-the place is often packed. Snack on onion rings, fries, or
the absolutely awesome fresh poppers. For heavier fare, the big, juicy
burgers with a variety of cheeses and toppings are hard to beat. -T.
Ilihia Gionson
The Emerald Orchid
168 Keawe St.
Hilo
961-5400.
KORNER POCKET
The regulars at Kealakekua's neighborhood bar were singing the blues
this Super Bowl Sunday. Only days proprietor Paul Mann passed away;
they'd lost a beloved member of the 'ohana.
"A lot of people loved him in this community," said patron
Randall Brashear.
Mann and his wife Judy founded The Korner Pocket 21 years ago after
moving from Seattle. They also started other local businesses-Paparoni's,
A la Scoop, and Captain Cook Baking Company.
As soon as you walk into the Korner Pocket you immediately notice its
relaxed atmosphere. "I think it's real family-oriented. Everybody
knows everybody, kind of like Cheers," said manager Kelly Anderson.
She added, "Our T-shirts say, "This ain't no sleazy waterfront
bar. We're miles from the ocean."
KP boasts a dozen draught beers served in 12, 16 and 22 oz glasses or
by the pitcher, and another 40 brews by the bottle.
But if what led you to The Korner Pocket was your hunger rather than
your thirst, you're in luck. The KP has an extensive menu of standard
pub fare-sandwiches, burgers, entrees, and salads served well into the
night-one of your few choices if you're up late and looking for a bite
in Central Kona. (The kitchen's open until 10 p.m. on Monday through
Thursday, Midnight on Friday and Saturday, and nine p.m. on Sunday.)
Fans of live music (and who's not?) can catch a show every Friday, 9:30
p.m.-1:30 a.m. With two billiards and one snooker table, The Korner
Pocket is also home to a pool league with men's, mixed, and couples'
competition.-Ben Tucker
Korner Pocket
Central Kona Center
Kealakekua
322-2994
Best Mex
ADRIANNA'S
Adrianna's isn't the swankest place in town. The dishes are styrofoam
and tinfoil, and the only seating is at concrete tables outside the
lower level of the Kealakekua Ranch Center in Captain Cook, where you
sometimes have to shoo off the lurking sparrows. But the food is bueno
y grande-enormous, tasty burritos, savory chicken quesadillas big enough
to feed two, melt-in-your mouth chile rellenos, generous sides of flavorful
rice and beans. Our reviewer visited last year, and said her only disappointment
was the salsa. And, like virtually all the Mexican-style food on this
island, Adrianna's has been a bit haole-fied in its lack of fire. But
those two faults can be remedied with a one-dollar upgrade to Adrianna's
extra hot salsa.
The other big asset of the restaurant is Juanita, the cook-proprietor,
Juanita (Adrianna is actually her daughter). Juanita is lively, talkative,
and obviously loves what she's doing. Her cheery presence gives this
unpretentious place and its down-home Latin American cooking a little
extra, cheery life.
Adrianna's
82-6606 Mamalahoa Hwy.
Captain Cook
936-8553
LUQUIN'S ES MUY BUENO!
We could have started this bit with "If you're in Pahoa and hungry
for Mexican," but Luquin's Mexican Restaurant is definitely worth
the drive no matter where you are on our island.
Located in the heart of Pahoa town just in front of the historic Akebono
Theatre, Luquin's has earned a place in the hearts of Mexican food lovers
near and far. As soon as you sit down, one of the friendly wait staff
will bring you a basket of chips and salsa to quell your hunger while
you mull over which delicious dish to order. Choose from a variety of
burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and tamales on their own or in combo platters.
In addition to the Mexican standards, Luquin's serves American food
for the less adventurous folks in your party.
And for the more adventurous, Luquin's bar is fully stocked with Mexican,
local, imported and domestic beers, wines, and of course, tequila. Try
Luquin's margaritas! For a non-alcoholic beverage, Luquin's Café
Olé brews a variety of coffee drinks.
Luquin's is open 7 days a week, serving breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m.
and lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. They've got their own parking
lot, so, unlike many places in Pahoa, there's ample parking. -TIG
Luquin's Mexican Restaurant
Pahoa
965-9990
luquinsmexicanrestaurant.biz
TAKO TACO
When Tako Taco reopened in its new location in Waimea a little over
a year ago, it was a cause for much rejoicing. The new version, in its
more spacious quarters at Cook's Corner, has all the flavor and personality
of the original-plus margaritas, table service, live music in the early
evening, and more than two parking spaces.
Tako Taco has a large and varied menu with most of Mex favorites and
a couple you may not have tried (No, they don't actually have tako (octopus)
tacos, but try their grilled fish taco instead.) Ingredients from Waimea's
veggie belt ensure the food's fresh flavor, and there's a tasty homemade
salsa for every degree of masochism, from wimp to burn-me-at-the-steak.
And on top of that, the prices are extremely reasonable, from about
$3.50 to $12.95.
The cheerfully gaudy décor includes orange chairs, folk art from
Los Dias de la Muerte (Day-of-Dead) folk art-and one of the coolest
public bathrooms on the island. So drink plenny margaritas (or fresh
limeade, if you're driving) so you have an excuse to check it out. -Kelleen
Lum
Tako Taco Taqueria
Cook's Corner
64-1066 Mamalahoa Highway
Kamuela
887-1717
Grinds for the Money
ALOHA LUIGI
Aloha Luigi is one of those odd hybrids that really works. People order
at the counter and bus their own dishes like a fast food joint-but they
get to eat with real silverware and real glasses. The friendly counter
help announces your order with a friendly "Aloha Alan!" or
"Aloha Mahalani!" or whatever the customer's name is. The
handcrafted décor is the opposite of fast food, including a ceiling
painted sky-blue with white clouds and a more-or-less monthly exhibition
of original paintings or photographs.
The food is mostly Mexican and Italian. The Mexican is not exactly authentic,
but the interpretation is at least as tasty as the real thing. The pasta
dishes seem more traditional, and truly delicioso. We'd put Luigi's
ravioli up against Pescatore's, which costs a whole lot more.
You can eat very, very well for under $10 here, including soft drinks.
Everything is tasty and all the servings are huge. The biggest bargain:
the Sicilian Slice and Caesar Salad for $4.95 (plus a small charge for
toppings). You get a huge square of Luigi's soft-crust Sicilian Pizza-with
what would qualify as a double-cheese topping at most pizza places-and
an equally generous and tasty Caesar salad.
The food does comes out pretty fast, too. But for NYC native Luigi,
a.k.a. Louis Lichenstein, who does much of the cooking himself, this
definitely isn't a fast food place. It's a labor of love.-Alan D. McNarie
Aloha Luigi
264 Keawe St.
Hilo
934-9112
HAWAIIAN STYLE CAFE
The routine never varies at Hawaiian Style Café in Waimea: Write
your name on the list by the door, and wait outside on the sidewalk
for a booth or a stool to open at the counter. Each morning, especially
on the weekends, you can drive through the parking lot and judge the
wait by the number of diners huddled in the rain. But it is worth it:
Huge portions of food for under a sawbuck! I like the large u-shaped
counter for quick service and people-watching, and I tend to avoid the
cushy vinyl booths (I can never remember which one has the big crater
in the seat… or are they all like that?). Steaming mugs of coffee
chase away the Waimea winter chill, platter-sized buttermilk pancakes
hardly leave room for syrup, eight-inch slabs of shredded hash browns,
runny eggs dripping over blistered disks of Portuguese sausage: And
that is just breakfast!
Lunches are equally mammoth. Where else can you get a huge, fresh local-beef
hamburger and a stack of fries for only $5.95? Even the specials board
is groaning: Each day specials of the house are written on a white-board
that can hardly contain the information, with writing cramped and shrinking
to fit in the details. The Café serves breakfast and lunch all
the time, but can sometimes close early if they run out of food. A real
Waimea favorite, Hawaiian-Style has been through some changes but always
maintained its authentic menu and local feel. -KL
Hawaiian Style Cafe
65-1290 Kawaihae Rd.
Waimea
885-4295
LEMON GRASS
On any weekend night the Lemon Grass in Kea'au is probably full: with
young couples enjoying delicious food on an inexpensive date, while
the large tables in the center are crowded with extended families. The
décor is attractive but simple; and the service is generally
decent, though if you're haole, you may have trouble getting chopsticks.
Lemon Grass's cuisine-mostly Thai with a sprinkling of Vietnamese and
fusion dishes-suffers during lunch hours from that bane of Oriental
cuisine, the steam table. But there isn't a bad dish on the dinner menu.
The noodles are good, the soup tasty, and the rice dishes downright
superb. Especially tasty are the Lemon Grass Chicken and its curry dishes.
But for shear sensory delight, get the Sizzling Chicken, which arrives
hissing and steaming on a heated platter, and matches its spectacle
with its flavor.
Most dishes are $7-10, even with the extra cost of a bowl of rice. Better
grinds for the money are not to be had anywhere in East Hawai'i. -ADM
Lemon Grass
Kea'au Shopping Center,
Kea'au
982-8558
Local Flavor
BAMBOO GARDEN
This local bar offers free pupus every day. Some popular dishes are
sesame seed watercress, shrimp tempura, chop steak, poke and sashimi.
Customers are welcome to B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Pupus). The cooks
may even cook your own steak to your liking.
Since opening seven years ago, this bar has appealed to the kama'aina
crowd, often hosting golfers, cops, firemen, and lots of aunties and
uncles. Most of the regulars are local old-timers, but the occasional
UH student will come in to enjoy a couple of beers and pupu platters.
The Hilo-esque ambiance and steady flow of grinds make this a fun and
mellow place to cruise with good friends and family. -Leah Gouker
Bamboo Garden
718 Kino'ole St.
Hilo
935-8952
HARBOR HOUSE RESTAURANT
A day of bad fishing looks better through the cheery amber glow of an
18-ounce schooner of cheap beer: Goldfish-bowl sized and frosty for
only $2.25 during Happy Hours. The fish can't get any fresher, the pupu
menu is generous, Draft beers varied, and the clientele almost clichéd:
Crusty fishermen smelling of salt and sea air, faded tattoos peeking
out of tournament tee-shirts, telling tales over their drinks to the
out-of-towners there for fish-n-chips and a good yarn.
Harbor House is known for its fish sandwiches and pupu menu: Tiny fried
spring rolls with chili dipping sauce, crispy French fries and onion
rings, saucy BBQ or Teri meatballs, smoked pork with onions, chicken
strips, and glistening jewels of fresh ahi poke. But would we be so
interested in the pupu menu if the beer wasn't cold, flowing, and cheap?
Nine beers on tap priced from $2.75 to $4.75 for huge 18 oz Schooners
make the stories believable and the salty offerings from the fryer like
morsels of crisp, slightly-fishy ambrosia. The view off the lanai is
spectacular: Rows of shiny sailboats and fishing charters lined up awaiting
tomorrow, as the sun sets beyond. Happy Hours are Monday through Saturday
from 4 to 6, and Sunday from 4 to 5:15 p.m. -KL
Harbor House Restaurant
Honokohau Harbor
Kailua-Kona
326-4166
MARGARITA VILLAGE
Over the last four years, Keaukaha's neighborhood bar has drastically
changed its reputation from "rough" to "friendly,"
thanks to owner Ryan Williams.
The Hilo watering hole had been a tough, more-or-less biker joint and
Williams says he honestly didn't know what he was getting himself into-but
learned "very, very quickly."
With the help of some Keaukaha aunties, he was able to successfully
accommodate the needs of the regulars while integrating his own vision
of appealing to the college students and cruise ship tourists. The result
is a varied assortment of people, where the "young, old, local,
haole, gay and straight people all know each other by name and buy each
other drinks," said Williams.
While acknowledging that such a mix could brew tensions, Williams said
he has made a specific effort to encourage everybody to work out their
differences and focus on having a good time. He calls the bar "surprisingly
mellow, given the combination of crowds."
Every Thursday and Friday night they offer live music and/or DJs. The
rest of the week there is karaoke, or sports or movies on TV-Williams
said the staff will oblige whatever the customers request. The bar has
two free pool tables, darts, and nightly drink specials. They're open
from 3 to 11 p.m. daily, and open at 11 a.m. when the cruise ships are
in town. -LG
Margarita Village Mexican Cantina
11 Silva St.
Hilo
961-3290
Best Booze Free
ALOHA OUTPOST
"At the edge of the known universe lies the place where Puna chills,"
says the front page of Aloha Outpost Internet Café's Web site.
And while Pahoa is no longer quite the edge of the universe, Puna is
still chilling at Aloha Outpost.
"You could be sitting in any coffee shop around the world. Has
a very world kind of vibe," said LaMont Carroll, who owns Aloha
Outpost with his wife Leslie Carlson and grandmother Mary Alice Ogleton.
The Outpost features live music by local artists Monday through Thursday,
and a rotation of local art adorns the walls.
But at the same time, Aloha Outpost has become a gathering place for
Puna. "It's the place to meet in Pahoa. People may not get anything
to eat that day, but it's a beacon. Everyone knows where it is. Some
people even keep their coffee cups here," Carroll said.
$3 will get you 24 hours of WiFi usage with your laptop. The Outpost
also has 12 computers to use. Monthly rates are also available for regulars.
For those of us concerned with connection speed, there's plenty of bandwidth
to go around. Aloha Outpost also offers copy and fax services, notary,
graphic and web design, computer instruction, and coming soon, PC gaming.
On the menu, Aloha Outpost offers a wide array of sandwiches, including
several meat-free options, on O'Keefe & Son's breads. For desert,
enjoy freshly baked cookies, Tropical Dreams ice cream and sorbet, and
shakes and smoothies. And of course, there's local and world coffee.-TIG
Aloha Outpost
Pahoa Marketplace, Pahoa
965-8333, alohaoutpost.com
KAVA KAFE
Tucked back on the covered wooden lanai of the Kohala Trade Center in
downtown Hawi is the small windowed storefront of the Kava Kafe. Only
open weekday evenings, it is not unusual to find a few locals at pau
hana time, sharing a game of backgammon and a coconut shell of awa.
The Kava Kafe has a simple menu of kava and kava-derived beverages:
Hawaiian and international varieties of kava, cinnamon spiced kava-cocoa,
creamy coconut-honey kava, organic ginger-lemonade, kava brownies, and
"Tahini Sesamini" seed, nut and chocolate balls.
Called 'awa in Hawaiian, the root of the Piper methysticum plant is
served as a beverage in ours and other Pacific cultures. Effects of
the plant vary, but generally include numbness of the lips, euphoric
talkativeness or relaxed silence, restful sleep, and a feeling of well-being.
"We use organic ingredients, and everything we have to drink here
is good for you", says Joey Lawrence as he ladles up a coconut
shell for a customer. Kava is getting harder to find locally, and the
Kafe serves both local and foreign kava, with dried roots coming from
Fiji and Papua New Guinea, "Or wherever we can get it from",
says owner Leia Taylor Lawrence. She started the business as a teenager,
and has had the Kohala location for about three years. Besides growing
their own kava, she encourages people to grow the seedlings, which mature
for use in about 3-5 years.
The Kava Kafe has "Happy Hour" between 4:20 and 5:20 daily,
when drinks are 2 for 1, and Tuesdays are "Ladies Night" where
ladies drink free!-KL
Kava Kafe
Akoni Pule Hwy
Kohala Trade Center, Hawi
896-6673
KOHALA COFFEE MILL
Coffee and atmosphere make a great coffee café, and Kohala Coffee
Mill in Hawi has both. Each day several local and international coffees
are featured, including decaf and flavored, brewed as either drip or
espresso. Bags of locally grown coffee are for sale on the shelves next
to the counter. Also listed on the chalkboard menu are breakfast snacks
like bagels and oatcakes, lunch items like veggie burgers and BLT's,
fruit smoothies, and tea. Locally made Tropical Dreams Ice Cream is
scooped by the cup or cone from a frosted case. Shelves in the Mill
are loaded with Hawaii-made products like local honey, mac nut oils,
coconut wood utensils, local crafts, and a large collection of coffee
cups and accessories.
Up the tiered lanai is the Kohala Coffee Mill's offshoot fudge and shave
ice storefront. If all this isn't enough, the Mill has a friendly local
atmosphere, with live music most Sundays, and tables outside on the
sidewalk and upper lanais. The roadside location in downtown Hawi insures
you will find someone you know: Walking past, waving from their slowed
cars, or sitting on the lanai next to you, enjoying a hot cup of Kona
coffee.
Kohala Coffee Mill
Akoni Pule Hwy, Hawi
889-5577
KOPE KOPE
Kope Kope, in the Hilo Shopping Center, has it all: good food, good
coffees and teas, good smoothies, good entertainment, good internet
service and friendly staff. New owner Jerry Clarke says he plans to
keep this successful operation "pretty much the way it is."
That means live music most days during lunchtime and at night. Entertainment
varies with the night: sometimes it's folk or jazz or world music or
rock, ballroom dancing, open mike poetry, or just good conversation.
There are a couple of computers for rent, and wi-fi for your laptop
with a $3 purchase, which makes this a favorite study spot of college
students. There's even a shelf full of magazines and board games. If
you can't have a good time at the Kope Kope, it's because you don't
want to.-ADM
Kope Kope Coffee House
Hilo Shopping Center
Kilauea and Kekuanaoa Sts., Hilo
933-1221
BAYFRONT COFFEE,
KAVA & TEA
Bayfront Coffee, Kava & Tea in Hilo is a genuine kava bar, with
the good stuff dipped out of a big traditional wooden vessel and served
in coconut bowls at a bar topped with a single, enormous slab of monkeypod.
There's also coffee, fine teas, and a limited but tasty menu of sandwiches
and other goodies.
The talk is another attraction here. It's a good place to hear the latest
gossip or a serious discussion of Hawaiian sovereignty issues, depending
on who's there at the moment. -ADM
Bayfront Coffee, Kava & Tea
116 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo
935-1155
Old Hawai'i
BAMBOO RESTAURANT
This gem of a place evokes the spirit of old Hawai'i because the building
still is old Hawai'i. Built almost 100 years ago, the green storefront
was originally a hotel housing cane workers, merchants, and prostitutes.
Then, from 1926-91, the Takata family ran it as a general store.
These days Bamboo serves pricey East-West fusion cuisine in a dining
room decorated with old photographs, Matson Line menus, inverted Asian
parasols, and art from their adjoining gallery up the creaking wooden
staircase. Lunch and Dinner menus offer fresh fish and locally-grown
ingredients featuring the labors of North Kohala farmers and fishermen.
Most items on the menu are heavily Hawai'i-fusion, using Asian ingredients
and local fruits and macadamia nuts. Bamboo claims to use the most liliko'i
juice of any restaurant in Hawai'i, and serves the original Liliko'i
Margarita. Friday and Saturday nights the dining room is filled with
music as local favorites John Keawe or Pahoa perform. At a time when
shiny new chains proliferate on the Kohala Coast, it feels decadently
retro to stagger across an uneven wooden floor with a liliko'i margarita
in one hand and a Thai coconut prawn in the other. Thankfully, we have
the Bamboo to remind us of a Hawai'i that was. -KL
Bamboo Restaurant & Gallery
Akoni Pule Hwy., Hawi, 889-5555
LUKE'S PLACE
Luke's in Hawi has been a local tradition ever since the Luke family
ran it for three decades, beginning in the '50s. When it reopened under
new management last summer, it had been redone literally from top to
bottom, but keeps the old character. The swanky new Luke's offers just
about every type of seating a diner (or drinker) could desire, from
the crow's-nesty Sky Lounge to overstuffed-chair-dominated Tiki Lounge
to the elegant dining room to the outdoor tables in the courtyard. The
menu is equally varied, from crab cakes to pizza to prime rib.
Our experience after several visits: the service is polished but the
food a bit inconsistent; sometimes it's excellent, sometimes, ummm,
not-so-excellent. But we keep returning, and are confident they're working
out the glitches.-KL
Luke's Place / The Tiki Lounge
55-510 Hawi Road, Hawi, 889-1155
MIYO'S RESTAURANT
Outsiders (and guidebooks) hail Miyo's for the spectacular view. But
what brings local people is the home-style Japanese cooking, which reminds
us all of grandma's (or mom's) kitchen.
This Hilo hot spot is almost always busy so make sure you make reservations-and
don't be pushy with the sometimes slow service. Chill, if you will.
Just sit back and enjoy the view of Wailoa Park with its arching bridges
and windy footpaths.
Ozen-style dishes is the only way to do Japanese at Miyo's, where they
serve you top-notch miso soup and tsukemono while you wait for your
order. The family-run business is home to the world's best sesame chicken
and the local favorite: ahi tempura. The reasonably priced menu includes
non-meat dishes such as the vegetable tempura or the vegetarian shabu-shabu.-KH
Miyo's Japanese Restaurant
Waiakea Villas
400 Hualani St., Hilo, 935-2273
TESHIMA'S RESTAURANT
Back in 1929 Shizuko Teshima, then 22, began running her father's general
store. In 1960, the family converted the store into a restaurant that's
been the social heart of Kainaliu ever since. Back in 1929, Grandma
Teshima probably never dreamed that she'd still be greeting customers
on her 100th birthday in 2007. (HIJ named her a Hawai'i Island Living
Cultural Treasure on that occasion).
Teshima's isn't fancy, but it serves consistently good, down-home local
Japanese cooking at reasonable prices in a friendly, family atmosphere.
Teshima's is like a favorite living room easy chair-a bit worn, but
worn in all the right spots.
There will never be a Teshima's franchise, because you can't franchise
authentic comfort. You have to come to Honalo and experience it yourself.
-ADM
Teshima's Restaurant
Mamalahoa Hwy
Honalo, 322-9104
Thai Style
THE LOTUS CAFÉ
The Lotus is more than just another fine family-run Thai restaurant.
Calling it "An Asian Style Natural Foods Café," owners
Howie and Ladda Simon have turned a hole in the wall into an intimate,
comfortable oasis of healthy, quality natural food with an Asian twist.
They blend their spices and curry pastes from scratch, with no MSG or
artificial colorings, flavors or preservatives. Anybody who thinks natural
food can't be tasty should try the Lotus Café.
The Lotus Café
72-5617 Maiau St.,
Kailua-Kona
327-3270
NAUNG MAI THAI
Over the years and under several owners, Naung Mai Thai Kitchen has
been well-known for its spectacular blend of flavor with fresh ingredients.
This year, the restaurant has changed owners once again, this time to
long-time chef Sukanya Heideman.
The menu will retain the current dishes, but will see new additions
and daily specials. The popular dishes at this restaurant include the
chicken rama (a peanut sauce on a bed of spinach), the green curry,
and pla rad prik (made with fresh fish of day and steamed vegetables).
Heideman plans to extend business hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday-Saturday,
and will soon offer Wi-Fi access to customers. The full menu will now
be available all day; ala carte specials will still be available during
lunch hours. -LG
Naung Mai Thai Kitchen
86 Kilauea Ave
Hilo
934-7540
ORIGINAL THAI
Original Thai's name works two ways. Some of their dishes, such as the
Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tom) are straight out of Chef Saeng Schuler's
homeland of northeast Thailand; they're the original Thai recipes. Other
dishes, such as the Thai Lau Lau, are highly innovative-original in
the sense of "one of a kind."
Especially recommended: the Som Tom, the SSS (sweet, sour, spicy) Chicken
and the Phad Gar Tiam Prik Thai with duck. This little mom-and-pop restaurant
makes up in taste and quality what it lacks in size.
Original Thai
Kuakini & Palani
Kailua-Kona
329-3459
SUKOTHAI
Hawai'i Island is blessed with many good Thai restaurants, but none
serves more authentic Thai food than the Sukothai in downtown Pahoa.
Among this author's personal favorites are the satay (well, almost authentic,
in this case; most of the satay that I had while a Peace Corps volunteer
in Thailand was made with pork; Sukothai, like most other Thai restaurants
on this island, uses chicken), the Masaman Curry, the Basil Chicken,
and, most especially, the Pineapple Curry. The servers at this family
establishment are invariably courteous; this is one of those places
where the water glasses get filled regularly and the restaurant staff
always smiles. Kona waiters should come here for training. -ADM
Sukothai Thai Restaurant
Main Street
Pahoa
965-5449
Top
of Page