Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [162]
Jackie Rey’S Ohana Grill (327-0209; Sunset Shopping Plaza, 75-5995 Kuakini Hwy; mains lunch $11-15, dinner $15-28; lunch 11am-5pm Mon-Fri, dinner 5-9pm daily) Jackie Rey’S is a casual surf-and-turf with Polynesian flair and a fun retro Hawaii vibe. Christmas lights, butcher-paper tablecloths, and aloha shirts set the mood for glazed short ribs, wasabi-seared ahi, tempura vegetables, chops and steaks. Kids get their own menu, and adults get a decent wine list and microbrews on tap.
Kona Inn (329-4455; Kona Inn Shopping Village, 75-5744 Ali′i Dr; mains lunch $10-16, dinner $20-35; 11:30am-9pm) For a more conventional surf-and-turf (as in, pick your fish, choose your preparation) the Kona Inn is a reliable favorite with a pretty dining room and nice views. No surprises, but few disappointments.
La Bourgogne (329-6711; Kuakini Plaza, 77-6400 Nalani St, at Hwy 11; mains $28-36; 6-10pm Tue-Sat) Kona’S best choice for special occasion fine dining is this classic French restaurant, where the cuisine and the presentation exude skill and refinement. Expect baked brie in puff pastry, roast duck, rabbit in white wine, foie gras and Kona’S best wine list. The dining room is Parisian-intimate, and the service is good, if not always up to the food. Reservations are a must.
Groceries
For groceries, KTA Super Store (329-1677; Kona Coast Shopping Center, 74-5594 Palani Rd; 5am-midnight) and Kona Natural Foods (329-2296; Crossroads Shopping Center, 75-1027 Henry St; 8:30am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun, deli to 4pm daily) should have everything you need. Each has a deli, and at KTA you’ll find sushi, poke, kimchi (seasoned vegetable pickle) and other local specialties.
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DRINKING
The Big Island has no nightlife scene comparable to Waikiki or Maui. For sheer number of bars, Kailua-Kona is as good as it gets, but most are fairly touristy sports bars. Don’t forget the Kona Brewing Company (Click here).
LuLu’S (331-2633; Coconut Grove Marketplace, 75-5819 Ali′i Dr; 11am-10pm) Second-floor, open-air LuLu’S is guarded by an Elviki head, and walls are crowded with dollar bills, signed celebrity photos and dozens of sports TVs. You get the picture. You can tell if LuLu’S dance floor is happening from down the street.
Oceans Sports Bar & Grill (327-9494; Coconut Grove Marketplace, Ali’i Dr; 11am-2am) Locals seem to favor Oceans, keeping it hopping even when other places are dead. It’S got two pool tables, sports TVs (typically with surfing), good food and a friendly vibe.
Mixx (329-7334; www.konawinemarket.com; King Kamehameha Mall, 75-5626 Kuakini Hwy; pupu $6-15; noon-late Mon-Sat) Mixx is a small spot that’S tucked in a shopping mall and attracts a local crowd; often it’S a quiet place for wine and pupu (snacks), but if there’S a DJ or salsa, it gets lively.
Huggo’S on the Rocks (329-1493; 75-5828 Kahakai Rd; 11:30am-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat) Right on the water, with a thatched-roof bar and live music nightly, Huggo’S is an ideal sunset spot. Whether it’S worth staying longer depends on who’S playing and who shows up.
Don’S Mai Tai Bar (329-3111; www.royalkona.com; 75-5852 Ali′i Dr; 10am-10pm) For pure kitsch, nothing beats the shameless lounge-lizard fantasy of Don’S in the Royal Kona (Click here). Isn’t Hawaii all about grimacing tiki, an umbrella-shaded mai tai and the great wide ocean?
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ENTERTAINMENT
Luau
Kailua-Kona’S two hokey, cruise-ship friendly luau include a ceremony, a buffet dinner with Hawaiian specialties, an open bar and a Polynesian dinner show featuring a cast of flamboyant dancers and fire twirlers. Instead, consider the Kona Village luau (Click here).
Journeys of the South