Kailua Candy Company - Candy, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Corner of Kamanu Street & Kauholo Street, Kailua Kona, HI 96745
(800) 622-2461
http://kailua-candy.com

Last Visited: October 2012

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $ to $$$

While this isn't a cafe or restaurant, Jay recommended the Kailua Candy Company for handmade chocolates and cheesecake so it was easy to make it my first stop upon arriving to Kona. 

When we entered the store, we were a bit surprised to see that the setup was like a general store - there was a mail center (which explains why they can so easily ship their goods), tall shelves with somewhat random Asian items, a freezer full of cheesecake and some ice cream, and the back window that gives you a view of their kitchen.

Kathy came up to us and immediately began to offer us samples of the honus and swirls and of course, it worked - we were munching away as she sweetly described her products and how they are homemade. 

- Macadamia Nut Honus (Turtles) - All of the chocolates and candies are available for purchase by the pound or boxed.  The turtles are available in both dark or milk chocolate. While the macadamia nuts aren't super fancy, they still make the turtle taste really good - the caramel, chocolate, and macadamia nuts are a great combination - how could you go wrong?  Good. 

- Kona Coffee Swirls - Kathy describes these swirls as melting away in your mouth with a rich flavor and aftertaste of Kona coffee and great for after dinner, or breakfast.  I could definitely taste the coffee at the end even after it had melted away.  For me, these are better at the store than once at home.  I would choose the turtles over these because the milk solids appear very quickly, a testimony to their freshness, and since they're like half-domes, they easily fused together because they are packed stacked.  Okay.

- Shortbread - A bag of a dozen shortbread squares, some plain, some dipped in white chocolate, some in milk chocolate, and some in dark chocolate are good and super buttery, but not as crispy as some of their competition.  I would skip the shortbread unless it's your only option.  $4.50

- Cheesecake - Oh My Goodness - There are a number of options for cheesecake flavors available for purchase by the slice or whole.  These slices are marketed as good for two people.  I personally think they're closer to one and a half servings, but very good nonetheless.  Kathy says that they're not super sweet.  I found the chocolate covering to still be fairly sweet, but the tropical flavors added to the cheesecake are a nice balance.  The chocolate cookie crust is pretty thick, but holds up well.  If you want to enjoy your cheesecake right in the store, there are a couple of tables and chairs, and Kathy will put it in the microwave to soften it up for you. ~$4/slice

My favorite item was the honus, but be aware that prices are premium to match the handmade product.  Cheesecake was a close second in my book. 

Kathy is great at selling her product, but you may also notice that she has a sales voice and a regular voice. Either way, you'll find her very hospitable.  Look at the bottom of one of the shelves to find reduced prices for imperfect candies and chocolates.  These are typically at least 20% off and a great deal for candies and chocolates you plan to purchase for yourself.

Merriman's Market Cafe - Mediterranean, Waikoloa, Hawaii

250 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Suite J106, Waikoloa, HI 96738
(808)886-1700
Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Open daily; Lunch 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, Happy Hour 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Dinner 5:30 pm - 9pm, Light Fare & Bar 9pm - 9:30 pm
http://merrimanshawaii.com/market_cafe.htm

Last Visited: October 2012

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 1 to 2 stars
Price: $ to $$$

I had heard that Merriman's is rather expensive, but offers a fine dining experience.  Peter Merriman has a strong culinary background and this cafe was described as follows on the restaurant website: "His culinary innovation remains the predominant creative force here as well, but the menu is rooted in Mediterranean flavors in a Tapas style."

It seemed like the market cafe would give me a taste of what the restaurant was all about and it was conveniently located near the hotel I was staying at.  The casual bar, tables, and outdoor dining facing the mall offer a relaxed atmosphere.

When we arrived at the restaurant, there were two hostesses just outside, but both seemed occupied as they were having a conversation with one another.  When we were close enough that there was no denying the fact that we wanted to dine there, one greeted us and walked us to our table.  After looking at the menus, a staff member came to pour water into our glasses, but was unable to answer questions about the menu.  She told us that she would have the server come to our table.  About ten minutes later, our server, Barry, arrived and apologized for not coming over sooner and asked if we had any questions.  This was the beginning of the mish mash of varied service that we experienced throughout our time dining there. 

At first glance, I thought the menu offerings was more Italian than Mediterranean.  However, there is often a crossover between both styles of dishes, so I ordered some light fare.  I arrived during happy hour and tried a few items.

- Crispy Calamari - Buttermilk fried calamari with house tomato herb marinara and cilantro aioli - This is one of the items listed on the regular menu.  Large calamari, much larger than usual, is lightly breaded and served with a wedge of lemon and the other sauces.  The meat was tender and the breading was crispy. $12.95

- Garlic Truffle Fries - This is a very full plate of fries.  When you pay regular price, you can expect that you'll be full.  The fries come with a mustard based aioli that I didn't particularly care for - I preferred to accompany the fries with the aioli from the calamari.  At happy hour prices, this is a generous portion.  If you have tried Gordon Biersch fries in San Francisco, you'll find that these are a lot crispier, but the truffle garlic butter isn't mild in comparison.  I thought it tasted good, but could have a stronger garlic flavor.  $4.95 Happy Hour, $6.95 Dinner

- Romaine Caesar Salad - White anchovy and handcrafted crostini are served atop dressed romaine leaves.  Compared to romaine in California, I thought these greens had a texture more like a combination of butter lettuce/red leaf lettuce.  I would have preferred to swap the size of the fries with that of the fries - this is an extremely small plate (though hard to tell from the photo) - probably just enough to fit on the saucer of your tea cup.  The dressing also tasted more like ranch than caesar. If I had paid regular price, I would have expected a lot more, but it turns out that the portions are the same no matter when you order. $4.95 Happy Hour, $6.95 Dinner

While waiting for food, we heard another server share the specials with her table - this was the first we had heard of any specials being available.

The server had asked if everything could be served at once, and we answered yes.  However, the food came in spurts - the calamari and fries first and the server (perhaps a junion one) that served them told us to enjoy the food.  Then five minutes later, he came back with the salads and told us to enjoy them again. 

The same server that took our order came back to check on us one time and his kindest words came wiht the check.  As we left, the hostesses again ignored us and the only person that said thank you as we departed was another server (she was the one we had seen earlier that had shared the specials) despite us passing a number of staff members who looked at us and would look rapidly away.  

Merrimen's offers good food and happy hour dishes are very reasonable.  Service is lacking from Barry and from the hostesses whom are so pre-occupied with their own conversation that patrons get neglected.  The one server who is on top of things kept the range up to 2 stars for service.  If you are staying in Waikoloa, considering ordering to go to avoid the service issues, but still enjoy good food.

Tropical Dreams - ice cream, Hawi, Hawaii

174 Kamehameha Ave
Hilo, HI 96720

(808) 935-9109

Parking: street parking

 

Last Visited: October 2012

 

Food: 3 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $ to $$

 

All of my tour books for the Big Island kept talking about Tropical Dreams.  The sense that it was available on a limited basis (only at their stores and certain stores or restaurants throughout the Big Island) somehow added to the exclusivity of the product.  How could you go wrong with locally made ice cream?  I was determined to get it at their shop rather than at another carrier. 

 

I thought it sounded familiar, and when I saw the flavors being offered, I realized that I get this stuff at home in the SF Bay Area fairly easily - just go to an Asian market.  Unfortunately, when I saw what was in the case, I didn't find the super exotic flavors that I was hoping for - there was green tea, strawberry, and tahitian vanilla, but I didn't see any macadamia nut or ginger flavors. 

Tropical Dreams is known for super premium ice cream.  I ended up trying the coconut cream and it was ok, but not as creamy or rich as I was hoping for.  If you happen to be driving through Hawi, it's worth a stop, but if you make it your destination, and you have access to tropical flavors elsewhere, you might not be as enamored by it.  Sizes available include Keiki, Single, and Double.

Service was ok - nothing too special and salads are other options are available in case you are hungry.  For me, it was just alright.  Having a scoop of Mitchell's or Magnolia at home or even a quart of Tropical Dreams from my local Asian market is sometimes more satisfying. 

Tex Drive In - Hawaiian/American, Honokaa

Best: Malisadas

45-690 Pakalana St, Honokaa HI 96727
(808) 775-0598
Parking: in parking lot
http://www.texdriveinhawaii.com

Last Visited: October 2012

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$

Brent recommended checking out Tex Drive In.  Their world famous malisadas are definitely worth trying.  Although they offer a menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and plate lunches, no matter the time of day, you'll find them offering malisadas, both plain and filled with fruit and cream fillings.

The sign on the Hawaii Belt Road is easy to see, and at first, you might wonder why the sign on the building is so shabby, but drive to the front entrance and you'll see that it's a bustling roadside diner.  Even the local police were hanging out there (kind of stereotypical to find them near the donuts or in this case, the malisadas, but I figure they know where to get the best food locally). 

- Malisadas - I couldn't find the malisadas on the menu, but I knew I was in the right place because you can see them making malisadas behind the glass.  Available with a variety of fillings including raspberry, guava, apricot, and more, I ordered a bavarian creme and a plain malisada.  Oh that sweet goodness. These are pillows of warm, soft, fried dough filled with delightful lusciousness.  Even when you enjoy one the next day, it's still good - more like eating bread, but still delicious. $1.06 plain, $1.56 filled

And the service was good - the person who took my order was very friendly and my malisadas were promptly given to me.

If you like a plain krispy kreme or fried dough in general, you'll enjoy these for sure.  You've gotta try these if you're on the Big Island!

Shanghai Bistro - Chinese, Millbrae

1055 El Camino Real, Millbrae CA 94030
(650) 692-8858
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-11pm, Sat-Sun 10:30am - 11pm
http://www.shanghaibistrousa.com
Parking: in shopping center parking lot

Last Visited: September 16, 2012

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 1 to 2 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

I've been driving by this place for a while and decided to finally check it out.  When we went it, it was packed with just one table free which we ended up taking.  They set up the table as we were sitting and after giving us menus, it took them about ten minutes to come back and check on us. 

After ordering, it had to be another ten to fifteen minutes before the first dish arrived.  Like many other Asian places, items that are typically thought of as appetizers don't necessarily come first. 

- Beef Tendons Noodle Soup - Large chunks of beef with tendons are served with a few spinach leaves and noodles in a five-spice flavored broth.  The beef was good and the noodles were al dente.  I would have liked a few more spinach leaves to balance soak up the flavor. Good - on par with what I would expect elsewhere. $7.50

- Pork Potstickers (6) - The potstickers are filled with pork filling and fried until golden brown on the bottom.  I thought the wrapper texture had a little more chewiness than usual probably due to rice flour.  Other than that, it was fine.  $5.50

- Steamed Dumpling (8) - These steamed dumplings had seemingly the same filling as the potstickers.  With a decent amount of soup inside and a dumpling wrapper that wasn't too thick, these were also good.  $6.50

While the food as a whole was fine, the experience was not an enjoyable one due to the service.  The servers are so busy trying to get tables in and out that they forget that we're not cattle.  When our bill was almost ready to come, they pointed to the people waiting that they could have our table.  The staff started to clean up the table and even took the tea away before the bill arrived.  To add insult to injury, before I had even finished paying our check, while my dining companion had stepped away, one of the patrons waiting for a table headed to my table and sat down.  The staff should have stopped this from happening.  Saving two to three minutes isn't worth it when you rush people out and leave them stunned by the lack of service - we're not in a communal table setting so this was completely inappropriate.  Lastly, they told me the credit card machine ran out of tape, so they couldn't produce a copy for me - huh?  I've seen people put in a new tape and make a copy - this was just a sad customer service experience and the food just isn't superb enough to draw me back again. 

JoAnn's Cafe - Diner, American, Breakfast, South San Francisco

1131 El Camino Real, South San Francisco 94080
(650) 872-2810
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:30am-2:30pm, Wed-Sat 5pm-9pm, Sun 8am-2:30pm

Last Visited: September 1, 2012

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

I was looking for a place to meet a friend for brunch and stumbled upon JoAnn's Cafe.  Located near my local KFC, this place can be easily missed if you are driving by with so many restaurant signs that stand out more next to it.

I arrived mid-morning and the place was packed.  I waited about ten minutes to sit at a table.  Counter seating is also available.  I was promptly greeted when I walked in and had a seat on the bench outside until my name was called.  Once in the diner, the open kitchen is busy and you can hear the food on the grill.  The waitress that came by was somewhat friendly, but there is opportunity for improvement here.

The glass case just inside the door showed all of the muffins available, but none had labels, so you play a bit of a guessing game.

- Apple Walnut Muffin - A lot of folks seemed to like the muffins so I tried one and I would agree - the muffin top is like eating a cookie.  A little crisp on the edges, it's like eating dessert for breakfast.  $2

- Spinach and mushroom side - They don't give you that much spinach, and they make it seem like more by not cooking it down all the way.  I guess I would prefer to get the same amount cooked just right rather than this half uncooked/half cooked way. The mushrooms could be a lot more caramelized - instead, they're pretty soft.  $3.95

- Home fries potatoes side - The quantity of potatoes is good, but lacks both browning on the potatoes and salt.  A touch more salt makes them a lot more flavorful.  I cooked my leftovers at home for another meal and got them brown and crispy, so it could be improved. $2.95

The food is okay, but lacks flavor - my items could use more salt and more browning.  The portions for regular combinations seem to be a bit small for the price that you pay - most breakfast combos are around $10 to $12.  I actually thought that my sides were better portioned. 

The waitress seemed to be rushing us out despite the fact that there wasn't a line and that there were other tables available.  She also missed our request for two leftover boxes and brought us only one. We were unable to flag her down, so we had to go to the counter for asssistance - this isn't a big deal, but it wasn't particularly busy.  Service could be improved in general.  JoAnn's has the standards and would be a good option if you didn't want to cook, but it doesn't have the wow factor.

Sunflower Caffe - California cuisine, Sonoma

421 First St West, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 996-6645
Parking: street parking
http://www.sonomasunflower.com/

Last Visited: July 28, 2012

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$

I recently saw an episode of Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and with this place being in my backyard, I knew I had to check it out.  The sound of housemade harissa and fresh chimichurri sounded interesting and I really enjoy lamb when it is made right.

Sunflower Caffe is located in Sonoma Plaza and is tucked away - one might easily walk by thinking it's just a coffee shop and never notice the quaint back patio which is a bit reminiscent of a tiki bar.  Straw decorates the area, and shady trees offer an escape.  Formerly the Coffee Garden, Sunflower Caffe has maintained the coffee bar offerings, but has added a variety of sandwiches with ethnic flare.  Order at the front counter off the paper menus and then head to the tables with your number. 

- Persian chicken and herbed salad flatbread - Saffron marinated grilled chicken thigh and grilled tomato with a Persian herbed salad is served over a grilled turmeric and coriander flatbread.  The chicken was tender and flavorful, but the flatbread was too thick and was less enjoyable as the meal continued.  I'm not sure what made the salad Persian, but it had some mint in it which had a distinct flavor that paired well with the other seasoning.  I would have preferred this dish with naan or thinner flatbread.  A tortilla might have been a good substitution as well.  $13.95

- Lamb burger - Ground lamb is mixed with feta and rubbed with housemade harissa and black pepper.  A fresh chimichurri tops the burger which is served on a ciabatta roll. Harissa is typically made with piri piri chili peppers.  On Guy's show, the chef was featured making the dish with other peppers and adapting the typical recipe.  I liked the chimichurri, but would have wanted to have double the amount.  The lamb was gamey and the feta only seemed to accentuate the gamey flavor.  More chimichurri would have helped to offset that gaminess.  The shape of the meat patty was also too small for the bread and round shaped while the roll was square, leaving extra bread at the end of the meal.  Nothing comes with the burger except the lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a couple of rings of onion on the side.  For this price, I would have liked a small side or charge slightly more and offer a side.  $13.95

Smoked duckbreast sandwich and goat cheese filled piquillo peppers were also featured on the show, but I didn't get a chance to try them.

Sunflower Caffe offers a bit of spice to the Sonoma scene, and the flavors are interesting, but there is opportunity to improve each of the dishes I tried.  Prices are a bit high for lunch options and there is limited service - mostly young people bringing food to the tables, but nobody checking on you after you have received your food.  The prices seem high for the self-service environment.  Make your way through the hall to the back patio for a great place to enjoy drinks with friends or the nice weather - that's the real treasure here.