Chris' Bakery (Kealakekua)
Forget the malassada's at Tex Drive Inn. Chris' has the best. Every malassada is prepared to perfection. The moist part is moist. The crunchy part just crunchy enough. Never greasy. It's fluffy and firm, sweet and a bit savory. The sprinkles of sugar which adhere to the exterior of these buns are like magic fairy dust. Never mind that the doughnut holes are three days old or that the store ran out of milk on five out of the six consecutive mornings we were there. Just get the friggin' malassadas! With the elderly owner slowing down, the bakery will inevitably have to close its doors. So get them while they're warm, and still in existence. Because like a lot of things traditional, there will be no substitute once it's lost.
Manago Restaurant (Captain Cook)
Since time immemorial, the thrifty Big Island traveler has raved about the pork chops here. The food here is just like the adjoining hotel's rooms-- simple, inexpensive, but extraordinarily satisfying. Local pork is cooked in an antediluvian cast iron pan. With 1500 pounds of pork gobbled up every month and even a write-up in the New York Times, what more proof do you need? It's that good.
Verna's Drive Inn (Kea'au in Puna District)
When the late Verna Lehua Tsuruko Miller opened up her first of four Drive Inns, it was a simpler, and skinnier, time. When fast food restaurants served you a small soda, it was barely 8 ounces. Food portions, and waistlines, were much smaller. Bigger was not always necessarily better. The tradition continues. If you order a loco moco for about four bucks, you don't have to sign a Release of Liability Waiver in case of cardiac arrest on the restaurant's premises. You simply get a small bed of rice with one burger patty, one egg, and just enough savory gravy to cover (not drench) everything. It was not a lot of food; but it was enough. The Captain's Plate was impressive also. It contained a smorgasbord of deep fried seafood. But unlike other cheap-o dives where the ratio of breading to meat is always 8:1, the seafood is the star in Verna's Captain's Plate. None of the seafood is frozen and it actually has recognizable flavor! It's by far the most expensive entree on the menu, at almost 8 dollars, but well worth every penny.
Daniel Thiebaut (Waimea)
This establishment has been a foodie destination for almost a decade. In cowtown Waimea, where the paniolo tradition is being slowly eroded by mega-strip malls and astrophysics labs, there is a surprising number of upscale restaurants, e.g. Merriman's, Aioli's, Edelweiss, Waimea Ranch House. But Thiebaut reigns supreme. Its decor is tropical, relaxing, and yet chic. Its French-Asian fusion dinner entrees get all the hype, and deservedly so. But I recommend stopping in for brunch. For about $15 per person, you will enjoy what may be the best American-style brunch anywhere in the world. This is no Vegas buffet. All of the hot food items, except for the omelet bar, were laid out on a 10 foot long table. But it's quality, not quantity, that is the mantra here. The simplest items like bacon and steamed white rice are cooked to beyond perfection. A simple brunch here is an extraordinary, almost nirvanic, experience. With Al Gore being its most famous repeat customer, there is no question that the brunch shift will always turn a robust profit.
Royal Thai Cafe (Keauhou)
This was one of our best finds. Nestled in a shopping center with a movie theater and a drug store, one does not expect culinary excellence. But we were so blown away by the food, we went to dinner there two nights in a row. The yellow and red curries are extraordinary and authentic, especially given that the Big Island is thousands of miles away from the Thai metropoles of Bangkok and Los Angeles. The friendly and prompt service, coupled with the reasonable prices and neat decor, make this the perfect casual dinner spot for anyone renting a condo or couch surfing along the Kailua-Kona corridor.
CKY
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