You Make the Roll - Japanese, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

75-5725 Alii Dr, Ste D101, Kailua Kona, HI 96740

(808) 326-1322

Parking: parking lot

I read about this place online and thought it would be a good spot to have a snack.  If you head to the back of the boutiques and shopping centers and then take a left and another left, you'll find Hayashi's You Make the Roll.  It helps to look at the map before you wander through the shopping area. 

If you're from the San Francisco Bay Area, I would say this place is on par with Tani's Kitchen in Daly City. 

You enter the little shop and it feels a bit cluttered.  There is a refrigerator with drinks and lots of stuff going on behind the counter.  Once you order, you then step outside to wait for the food.  Plastic lawn chairs and tables are set outdoors for you to enjoy your food. 

Known for its very reasonable prices, many locals frequent this place.  As the name suggests, you have the option to choose the combinations that they have already put together or you can make rolls just the way you like it with a variety of components.  Note that they accept cash only. 

- Ahi roll - As you can see, the tuna is fresh and plentiful.  The ends are a bit sloppy, but it's a great value.  $3.50

- Ninja star roll - Spicy ahi, tempura shrimp, and avocado are centered in the roll.  The sesame on top is plentiful on the top piece, but the picture shows that there is less on the other pieces.  Good flavor and again, very fresh.  The ends were a little sloppy and could have been neater.  $5.45

While I only had two items, I found the food to be filling and ideal for a snack.  They closer fairly early, so you probably wouldn't be able to go for dinner, but it's a great place for a bite to eat.  The outdoor seating faces the parking area, so it's definitely nothing fancy - very hole-in-the-wall in nature.



Cafe Pesto - Italian/Pizza, Hawaii

Best: Pizza

61-3665 Hwy 270
Kawaihae, Big Island, HI 96743
(808) 882-1071
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am - 9pm, Fri-Sat 11am - 10pm
http://cafepesto.com/

Last Visited: October 2012

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 4 to 5 stars
Price: $$

Located in the Kawaihae Shopping center by the harbor on the South Kohala Coast (as well as at a locaiton in Hilo Bay), Cafe Pesto is an amazing find for great Italian food.  If you talk to the locals, a good Italian restaurant is hard to find and buying premade pizza dough is also a struggle.  At this location, it's a little easy to miss if you drive by the area too fast, but if you make an effort to find it, Cafe Pesto is a delight for its great food and outstanding service. 

There are a variety of items on the menu including calzones, pizzas, pastas, soups, salads, and more.  You'll find classic Italian dishes,  Asian fusion dishes such as Thai Curry Shrimp, Seared Poke with Spinach, and what I would typically describe as Californian such as crab quesadillas. 

We arrived just when Cafe Pesto opened for lunch and were promptly seated in their dining area.  Black and white checkered floors, wood tables, and light yellow walls covered with local artists' works filled the restaurant.  Each table also had a fresh rose on the table - what a nice touch.

A lot of locals frequent the restaurant and I watched how the servers were super friendly with the elderly regulars whom were dining near us. The server of that table even gave the elderly women at the table a fresh flower for their hair - so sweet.

Nohea was our server and she was excellent. She memorized our order and since the pizza took more than 15 minutes to arrive, she brought us a few pieces of warm bread, probably the pizza crust, with herb butter which was a delicious combination. 

Wood fired, hand tossed pizzas are available in 9 inch and 12 inch diameters.  These are definitely some of the best pizzas that I've had in a while.  The dough is lightly brown and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  While the dough is a little soft in the center, it still holds up fine to the toppings.

- Pepperoni Classico - Italian sausage, dry salami, pepperoni and red onion - The toppings were super fresh with the red onion shaved super thin and sweet.  The sweetness paired well with the salty meat.  Everything tasted super fresh and the fresh grated parmesan accented the pizza.  $12.95 -  9 inches

- Pizza Luau - Kalua-style pork, local sweet onions and fresh Hawaiian pineapple - This is like pulled pork, super succulent in flavor and textures.  The onions were also shaved thin and were sweet and this is probably the first time that I've had fresh pineapple on a pizza and it was wonderful.  It would be hard to go back to canned pineapple which seems to be the only thing you can find on the mainland. If you like pineapple on pizza, you have to try this.  $11.95 - 9 inches

The pizzas were delicious and so delicately balanced in flavor.  The sauce paired well withthe toppings and each bite bursts with flavor.  Wonderful.  The service was also exceptional - I don't think I've had a server this good in a restaurant with this pricing level for some time.  She had great timing for coming to check on us and provided amazing service.  I also appreciated the paper comment card that accompanied the check.  Cafe Pesto strives to give you the best food and service and they do a terrific job.  Their Hilo location also has a great reputation.  Must try.

January - California Restaurant Month

No matter where in the Bay Area you are, California Restaurant Month has something out there for foodies.

Berkeley Restaurant Week, January 15-22, 2013

Marin County Restaurant Month, January 1-31, 2013

Napa Valley Restaurant Month, January 1-31, 2013

Oakland Restaurant Week, January 20-29, 2013
Prix fixe menus for $20, $30, and $40

San Francisco: Dine About Town, January 15-31, 2013
Three Course Lunch $18.95, Three Course Dinner $36.95

San Mateo: Share the Bounty, January 15-31, 2013

Sacramento Dine Downtown Restaurant Week: January 9-18, 2013

There are other Northern and Southern California locations celebrating their restaurant weeks too.  Check out the California Restaurant Month website for details.

Red Hen Cantina - Mexican, Napa

4175 Solano Ave, Napa CA 94558
(707) 255-8125
Parking: parking lot
http://www.redhencantina.com/

Last Visited: November 24, 2012

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

If you like Americanized Mexican food or what you often find at chain Mexican restaurants, then Red Hen Cantina might be up your alley.  Claudia loves this place - her favorite is the nachos; so when it was her turn to choose the restaurant, we ended up here. 

It's a large restaurant with a bar and plenty of parking.  While dimly lit, the colors inside are pretty bright.  Booth and regular seating are available.  The menu offers typical fare that you find at Mexican chain restaurants and upon our arrival, we were given a couple of baskets of chips and salsa as well. 

- Fish Tacos - Two tacos are filled with deep fried halibut, cheese, onion, cilantro, and cabbage.  Rice and beans are served on the side. The tacos were okay.  Not exactly authentic, but more than just edible.  The beans were fine, but the rice was harder than it should have been - it was thoroughly cooked, but dried out.  $12

- Chimichanga - Available with chicken, beef, or shredded beef, the chimichanga is filled with meat and then deep fried.  Sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo top the chimichanga.  Rice and beans are served on the side.  The chimichanga was also okay.  There was a good amount of meat and the sour cream and guacamole helped make it a better dish.  The pico de gallo was alright also.  See the comments about the rice and beans above. $12

Tonight, service was okay - nothing to write home about, but nothing glaring either.  The sound of plates breaking and the smell of something burning in the kitchen came out of the kitchen - these were both alarming and somewhat unpleasant since it took a while for the smell to go away. 

If you must have Mexican or prefer Americanized Mexican and need a spacious location, then this might be ok for you.