Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
green-papaya salad to traditional
pho
(Vietnamese noodle soup), and rice plates of spicy
lemongrass chicken, tofu, beef or roast pork.
The
banh mi
(Vietnamese baguette sandwiches) are a perfect choice for a Big Island
picnic.
Da Poke Shack
SEAFOOD $
MAP
(76-6246 Aliʻi Dr; mains from $5; 10am-6pm)
Nope, you don't get to eat Gumby's red
horse friend Pokey here (sicko).
Poke
is a local specialty that blends ceviche and sushi;
raw, marinated cubes of fish mixed with soy sauce, sesame oil, some chiles, seaweed
and…well, really, the sky's the limit. The point is,
poke
is wonderful, and Da Poke Shack
is the spot to get it, because they offer a huge variety of
poke
creations.
It's like a salad bar, except the salad is raw fish - yum! There's barely enough room
for 10 customers at the ordering counter; you eat outside on breeze-licked picnic tables,
which is fine with us.
Falafel in Paradise
MIDDLE EASTERN $
(75-5699 Aliʻi Dr; mains $8-14; 11am-9pm Sun-Fri, til 3:30pm Sat;
) Nothing says Hawaii
like Israeli-Middle Eastern cuisine, right? Hey, we love Pacific fusion as much as the
next guidebook, but Falafel in Paradise brings a welcome bit of vegetarian/international
flair to the dining options on Ali'i. The signature falafel is quite good, as are any variant
of flatbread dipped in a delicious sauce (hummus, we're looking your way).
Quinn's Almost by the Sea
SEAFOOD $
(75-5655 Palani Rd; mains $9-16; 11am-11pm;
) Quinn's, while lacking a waterfront loc-
ation (did you see the name of the place?), serves up the best fish and chips in Kailua-
Kona. The interior is a bit divey and dark, but the outside courtyard, where most folks
dine, is pleasant enough.
Kanaka Kava
HAWAII REGIONAL CUISINE $
(
www.kanakakava.com
; Coconut Grove Marketplace, 75-5803 Ali'i Dr; à la carte $7-8, mains $14-16;
10am-10pm Sun-Wed, to 11pm Thu-Sat)
We're not going to say people either love or hate
kava (the juice of the
'awa
plant). In our experience, folks either hate it, or
tolerate
it, be-
cause kava, frankly, tastes like dirt. But it also tends to induce a minor, non-alcoholic
