Hawaii is closer than you think!!!
Written: May 25 '05 (Updated May 25 '05)
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Pros: Wonderful, authentic Hawaiian cuisine at very reasonable prices and a friendly, cheerful staff!
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: It is almost too good to be true - wonderful food, low prices and friendly staff!
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| tennis_player's Full Review: Kilohana Grill |
Kilohana Grill is and example of the perfect small, neighborhood family place in Hawaii. So, to be able to go here in our own local town is a real treat. We can get our “Hawaiian food fix” without the expense and time of airfare and hotel stays! We are very lucky!
Kilohana Grill is like a lot of small places throughout the islands featuring plate lunches at a very modest cost. It is a bare-bones place with formica tables and semi self-serve format. The former tenant was a sandwich shop and before that, it was donut shop.
There’s not a whole lot of room but they do a tremendous amount of take-out business. Formica tables are placed throughout the small dinning room along the windows facing the street and along the center of the room. These tables can easily be moved to accommodate more than a party of four.
Even though the dishes shown are commonly referred to “Plate Lunches” in the island, that is a misnomer. The same items in the same size are served all day long for lunch or dinner. Here, as in the islands, the food is served on disposable plastic dinnerware and the utensils are plastic disposable, as well.
Upon entry, paper printed menus are beside the doorway as you enter. Choose your selection and walk over to the cash register positioned in front of the modest kitchen and enter you order and pay for it. The place is small and they know who has ordered what. They simply deliver the food to your table when it is ready. Soft drinks are dispensed from a machine adjacent to the counter/register. There, you will find utensils, chopsticks, napkins, straws and condiment sauces.
Anyone that has ever been in L & L Drive In, one of the biggest fast food chains in the islands will be quite at home at Kilohana Grill!
It is located in a very small strip mall across the street from a much larger mall. And, they’re open Monday through Saturday 11 AM to 8:30 PM.
The menu is a bit limited by coffee shop standards but for Island Food, it is just fine.
Hawaiian Barbecue Beef $7.75
Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken $6.75
Island Style Fried Chicken $7.50
Combination Plates: $9.25
#1 Hawaiian Barbecue Beef & Barbecue Chicken
#2 Hawaiian Barbecue Beef & Island Fried Chicken
#3. Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken and Island Fried Chicken
Kalbi Ribs $8.95
Salmon $8.95
Mahi Mahi $9.95
Poor Boy Special $5.75
(Fried Spam with 2 fried eggs)
Portuguese Sausage $6.25
(fried with 2 fried eggs)
Loco Moco $7.25
(Hamburger patty topped w/2 fried eggs & brown gravy)
Saimin $6.95
Island Chicken Salad $7.95
Sides:
Kilohana Potato Salad $2.00
Rice $1.50
Desserts:
Cheesecake w/ Passion Fruit or Guava Drizzle $3.50
2-layer Chocolate Cake w/ Macadamia Nut $3.50
They also have daily specials that are posted. And, on Fridays and Saturdays, they have Luau Specials:
Lau Lau Plate
Pork wrapped in luau leaves, steamed for hours in a ti-leaf pouch - $9.50
Kalua Pork Plate
Shredded oven roasted pork, slow roasted for hours - $9.00
Combination Luau Plate
Lau Lau and Kalua Pork together - $11.95
Luau specials are served with Lomi Salmon, rice and Kilohana potato salad or green salad.
The food is excellent. For those unfamiliar with Island cuisine, some explanation might be helpful.
Kalbi are Korean-style shortribs. They are marinated in a soy, scallion, brown sugar and ginger sauce and grilled. The Hawaiian BBQ Beef is similar in flavor but the meat will not be as tender but leaner. Loco Moco is an Island original. And Spam is a staple in Hawaii. Hawaiian Potato Salad has noodles or macaroni in it and the flavoring is primarily mayonnaise and the texture can be very starchy.
Another anomaly is their penchant for starches. This translates to some odd pairings. In Hawaii, we’ve had meal entrees served with 3 starches – white steamed rice, mashed potatoes a pasta. Here at Kilohana, this is translated into 2 scoops of rice and a scoop of Hawaiian style potato salad. The Kilohana version of potato salad has noodles in it. You can substitute a small side salad in place of the potato salad at no extra charge.
Our favorites are the #3 combo - Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken and Island Fried Chicken. For lunch or dinner, it’s a large amount of food and there is usually some left to take home. The Hawaiian BBQ Chicken tastes a little like grilled, not-so sweet Teriyaki Chicken. The Island Fried Chicken is a similar to the Japanese Pork Tonkatsu but made with a chicken breast that is coated in Panko crumbs and deep fried to perfection and sliced. Both chicken come with a tangy, sweet dipping sauce, each different.
The food is fabulous and the prices are low and the staff is warm and friendly. How can it get better than that? And, it sure beats the cost of going all the way to Hawaii!
They have a web site:
http://kilohanagrill.com/home.html
Try it! I know you will like it!
Jim
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations the barbecue chicken, beef and Kalbi Ribs are their signature dishes.
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
tennis_player
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 in Electronics |
 - Top 500 |
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Member: James Quon
Location: Northern California
Reviews written: 349
Trusted by: 252 members
About Me:
A retired Professional from 40 years in technical Sales & Marketing.
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