'Ono Kine Grindz

Jamie's Snack Shop

FINALLY!  Something new AND local!  I still have not finished my write up on The Fat Duck, but I do hope to finish by tomorrow!

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At the corner of Pauoa Road, there is a tiny, white, cinder block building housing a nondescript shop.  You really can't tell what it is from the outside because there is no sign above the door (not counting the cracked sign that reads 200).  In the mornings, you'll see quite a number of people entering the shop, only to emerge a few minutes later with a plastic bag in their hands.

If you're like me, your curiosity will get the better of you and one day, you find yourself stepping through the grill door into a "milk of magnesia" pink room.  Once inside, you'll see two tables to the left of the door and a chalk board with a handwritten menu straight ahead.  The choices are straight forward and some of the items are not available everyday, but if you're like me, you came for one thing.

The chicken katsu plate (US$3.95).

Fried to order, this plate of chicken katsu is served with a shoyu based sauce instead of the regular "chicken katsu" sauce.  Although it seems a little strange at first, you get used to it after the first few bites.  The crunchy pieces of chicken are flavorful and not at all greasy.

Jamie's Snack Shop
2001 Pauoa Road
Telephone: 808.599.3528

Bob's Big Boy

A slice of Americana right in my own backyard, Bob's Big Boy has been serving locals since the mid-70's.  One of just a few late night eateries around, Bob's serves up an eclectic mix of local favorites, diner classics and a small assortment of ethnic dishes too.

Mix combination (US$8.95).

On the plate, you'll find mahi mahi, teriyaki chicken and a small bowl of hearty beef stew.

Hot turkey open-faced turkey sandwich (US$8.95).

   Bob's Big Boy
   2828 Pa'a Street
   Telephone: 808.833.3440

Hamura Saimin Stand - Lihue, Hawaii

Hamura Saimin Stand
2956 Kress Street
Lihue, Hawaii
Telephone: 808.245.3271

Ebisu Catering Service

This is a classic example of an okazuya. Okazuyas bring another dimension to the phrase "have it your way".

My "own" mixed plate (US$7.86; price varies depending on items selected).

Ebisu Catering Service
1915 South King Street
Telephone: 808.941.6055

Nori's Saimin & Snacks - Hilo, Hawaii

It's hard for me to visit Hilo without visiting some of my favorite places to eat.  Nori's is one such place.  Located away from the main shopping area, on what can be considered a "back road", Nori's can be hard to find if you haven't been here before.

Stepping through the door, there's a long narrow walkway that leads to the main dining area.  As you walk towards the cashier station and the main dining area, you'll notice several booths off to the side.  The decor here is nothing to write home about, but this is what casual, island dining is all about.

My initial choice was my favorite, the seaweed won ton min.  Unfortunately, they were sold out.  Instead, I ordered the New Hilo-style saimin with won ton (small special US$6.60).

A few minutes later, a steaming hot bowl of saimin was delivered to my table.  From what I was told a long time ago, Hilo-style noodles are "curlier" than normal.  I never really noticed that, but maybe because I was always too hungry.  The noodles here were cooked perfectly with the right amount of "firmness" to them.  The won ton had thicker than normal skins, but with a huge mouthful of juicy pork filing.  The only downside to this bowl of saimin was the broth.  It was much saltier than usual, rendering it "undrinkable" - definitely not what I was used to.

Here are the chicken sticks that were included with the small special that I ordered.

Two bamboo skewers covered with marinated and grilled teriyaki chicken.  The plump morsels of chicken were just a little too sweet this time, and I wish they had grilled them just a little while longer as I really like those crispy, charred bits.

And if all of that wasn't enough (!), I also had a Nori burger (US$3.50 ?).

Topped with a tiny square of nori, which didn't have much to contribute to the overall flavor of the burger, the teriyaki flavored burger was juicy and had a nice balance of salty and sweet flavors.  Simply dressed with pickles and lettuce, the bun was moistened with just the right amount of mayo-mustard dressing.

Nori's Saimin & Snacks
688 Kinoole Street
Hilo, Hawaii
Telephone: 808.935.9133

Romy's Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp, Inc.

Years ago, there was only one shrimp truck on Oahu's North Shore that everyone knew about by name. A short time after this first shrimp truck became wildly successful, many others started popping up along Kamehameha Highway where a majority of Oahu's aquaculture farms were also thriving.  Today, some say the standard is still set by Giovanni's, but how do places like Romy's compare?

On a recent outing, while driving down Kamehameha Highway towards the beach, I immediately got the craving for some shrimp.  Not just any shrimp, mind you, but shrimp from one of the many trucks and stands that are in Kahuku.  After passing a couple of flashy trucks, I almost stopped at Giovanni's, but then the crowds forced me to go farther along the road (who wants to wait for 45 minutes when you're starving).  So I drove until I stopped here.

Romy's Kahuku Shrimp & Prawns, purveyors of fresh shrimp and prawns caught fresh daily ON SITE.  What does this mean to you?  You'll find out soon enough.

After placing my order, I made my way to tables off to the side to see everyone under the tent ravenously devouring their plates of shrimp.  After a wait of about 15 minutes, my number was called and I made my way back to the "shack" to pick up my plate of shrimp.

First up, the butter & garlic shrimp (US$11.00).

Fragrant chunks of garlic were spooned carefully atop a pile of shrimp (about 10 shrimp).  The shrimp were served with both the head and shell still intact, keeping them sweet and succulent.  The shrimp were indeed fresh, but I found them lacking any real flavor.  Something was definitely missing from the marinade.

Next, was a plate of sweet & spicy shrimp (US$11.00).

This time, the shrimp were slathered with a cloyingly sweet sauce with only the slightest hint of spiciness.  In fact, the base for this sauce was probably a Thai-style sweet chilli sauce with some sriracha mixed in to give it a little kick.  If it weren't for the freshness of the shrimp, this would have been pronounced a complete failure.

Being the only shrimp stand/truck on the North Shore that uses shrimp/prawns caught on site certainly gives Romy's the advantage in the taste department. Great service as well as great prices, give it a few more stars as well. The only thing lacking, in my opinion, was flavor.

Romy's Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp, Inc.
56-781 Kamehameha Highway
Telephone: 808.232.2202

Ken's House of Pancakes - Hilo, Hawaii

I'm sure that everyone who's visited Hilo has been to Ken's at least once.  Ken's is close to the airport and to all the major hotels that line Banyan Drive AND it's open 24-hours.

On my most recent visit to Hilo, I stopped at Ken's for a quick bite to eat before heading out for the day.  At 7:00 am, the tiny parking lot was already full and after circling around a few times, I was lucky enough to snag a spot.  Once inside, I was quickly whisked away to a table and placed my order for this....

This was the "original loco moco" (US$5.95) consisting of two scoops rice, a 5 ounce lean "home grown" beef patty, brown gravy and two eggs.  Two things about this loco moco -- first, the beef patty.  Unlike the beef patties that are normally associated with loco mocos, this one has that slightly smokey, charred flavor, like it was cooked on an actual grill.  And second, the eggs.  Piercing the thin layer over the yolks makes for delicious eating when the gooey yolk comes in contact with the thick gravy.

Otherwise, you can always choose something a little more straighforward.  How's this?

The Hobo (US$7.55), consists of two eggs scrambled with diced ham, onions and potatoes, then topped with hollandaise sauce.  This time, I chose to enjoy this with some hash browns and a fluffly stack of pancakes.

Although parking here is always an issue, the food is not.  At Ken's, simple homestyle food is served up efficiently and at reasonable prices.  Popular with both locals and with tourists alike, when visiting Hilo, a visit to Ken's is a must.

Ken's House of Pancakes
1730 Kamehameha Avenue
Hilo, Hawaii
Telephone: 808.935.8711

Dillingham Café

Months ago, a reader of this blog suggested that I pay a visit to Dillingham Café.  Located in a small strip mall (if you want to call it that) on Dillingham Boulevard across the street from Saint Germain Bakery (formerly known as Dee Lite Bakery), and on the site of a former gas station, Dillingham Café is one of many unassuming neighborhood restaurants. 

Although it isn't what I would call homey, it's very much an everyday, casual sort of place -- more like a coffee shop than a café.  The interior is clean and brightly lit, and on the day I visited, there was a crowd of people standing at the counter ordering some lunch.

The extensive menu is made up of local favorites, burgers and sandwiches with a smattering of Filipino specialties thrown in for good measure.  On my first visit here, I decided to try the beef stir fry (US$5.25).

Slices of beef were stir fried with long beans, red bell peppers and onions, then plated with two scoops rice and your choice of tossed or macaroni salad.  The strips of beef lacked tenderness and seemed to be barely seasoned, but the salty and slightly sweet sauce along with the medley of stir fried vegetables kept me interested.

On a subsequent visit, I decided to try one of the specials.  I chose the garlic steak and mahi (US$7.95).

Slices of beef were coated in a thick, flavorful garlic sauce, while a piece of pan fried mahi sat alongside it on the plate.  On its own, I doubt that the beef would have had much flavor as it seemed unseasoned.  While the mahi, on the other hand, which was coated in egg before being pan fried, was moist and well seasoned.

While my experience here was average at best (tastewise), the friendly staff, the prompt service and the great prices will probably bring me back again.  Since this is a new addition to the Kalihi dining scene, it may take a little while before Dillingham Café becomes a major contender here. 

Dillingham Café
1901 Dillingham Boulevard
Telephone: 808.847.1500

New Diner's Drive In

POST IN PROGRESS

Many years ago, this was one of my late night haunts.  I've stopped by here a couple of times recently and discovered that the "new" Diner's isn't nearly as good as the "old" one was.

Diner's combo special #1 - charcoal broiled New York steak with/without teriyaki sauce, mahi mahi, and fried chicken (US$6.45).

Homemade hamburger steak smothered in brown gravy and sautéed onions (US$5.65).

New Diner's Drive In
1333 North King Street
Telephone:  808.842.0344

H & T Burgers

I don't often get out to the Windward side of the island, but when I do, I usually make a stop at Windward Mall.  There isn't really a great selection of stores there, but I do like to stop in for a bite to eat at one of the many small restaurants that one can find there.  One of these is H & T Burgers.

The shop is fairly small with 5 tables along the left side of the shop.  On the right, is the counter where you place your order, tender payment and pick up your food.  Everything is prepared to order (although I think some of the food might be pre-cooked) so it's usually quite fresh.  And even when it's busy, I've never had to wait for more than 5 minutes.  Looking over the menu, I usually skip the plate lunches and head right for the combo meals.  For a decent price, you'll get a burger or hot dog, french fries and a medium drink.  There are four combo meals to choose from...

After I made my selection and paid for my food, I watched as my food was prepared.

This time, I had the teriburger with french fries (US$4.90).

The teriburger is seasoned with teriyaki sauce before being cooked.  The sweet, slightly salty sauce is not as good as what you'll get at W & M, but it's decent.  The french fries were light and crisp and unsalted!

On another occasion, I sampled the chili hot dog with french fries (US$4.90).

The hot dog was a little over done.  It's possible that they don't sell many of these so it was sitting for a while.  The chili was a little spicy, but it tasted like it was from a can, rather than homemade.

The food here is a departure from the usual mall type of eatery (i.e. McDonald's, Pizza Hut, etc.) and the food is decent.  The prices are right, which is why this place is quite popular.  If you do happen to visit Windward Mall and find yourself at H & T Burgers, try the teri fries -- french fries covered with teriyaki sauce.  They are delicious.

H & T Burgers
Windward Mall
46-056 Kamehameha Highway
Telephone:  808.235.1311