First and foremost - I would like to thank all of you for your replied that helped me with my restaurant questions. I have just returned from a wonderful trip that included 4 days in Oahu and 4 in the Big Island (Kona). Here's where I ate and what I thought of them: In Oahu: Yanagi - (Japanese) - Some of the best sushi I have ever eaten. The service was pretty quick for the amount of sushi we ordered and their prices weren't outrageous. Since I love sushi, this one I'll go back to when I return. 3660 on the Rise - (Nouveau Pacific Rim) - I just can't say enough about this restaurant! The food was unbelievable! From the appetisers through the desserts was just phenomenal! They sat us next to their kitchen (which is surrounded by glass (upper half) where you can see all the food being staged. The staff kept "teasing" me by putting the desserts right next to me to see me open my eyes widely at it! The prices were normal - not outrageous. The service was extremely attentive. I told them that I got the recommendation from the internet and they were amazed. If I had my choice, I could have eaten here ever single night. This place is a winner. Roy's Restaurant (in Hawaii Kei) - I was really looking forward to eating here after reading the reviews. I made my reservations a month and a half in advance and at that time asked for a really nice table. The person taking my reservation, said a window would be no problem and asked further if we were celebrating something, etc. In Hawaii, I called the day before to confirm my reservations and made sure we had a window. Long story short, we get to the restaurant, they gave us a back table - no window. After much negotiation, we got a window but it was a real hassle. The food here was very good, but after eating at 3660 on the Rise, I was dissappointed. The food here, IMHO, is a bit overrated. The service was not great (there was too long a wait just to get your water glass filled or for another piece of bread). When you're paying an average of $24 for an entree, you expect more. The Big Island Merriman's - This place was simply wonderful! The food was artfully prepared and tasted wonderful! Although on the expensive side, I found myself not caring after eating a bite of it! I ordered their lamb which was terrific - the only complaint I had was that the stacked salad they served it with had massive amounts of pepper (tasted like cayenne) and after 2 bites my lips and tongue were numb. My husband and dad tasted it and they could hardly breath. Since this was a special, the waiter had described before we ordered it and said the salad had pepper flakes but specifically said it was mild. Other than this, the rest of the meal was great Lapperts Ice Cream - This is great stuff! I tried their Kauai Pie which has Kona coffee ice cream, coconut, mac nuts, and fudge through it. To die for. I actually wanted to try more restaurants but we had eaten way too much in Oahu (buffet breakfast, lunch, big dinners, etc.) As you can see, we really slowed down in the Big Island! When I told my dad that I got these restaurants through the Net, he was highly impressed. Again, thanks for the memories. Olga PS - My only observation is that every restaurant we went to did not serve their bread warm. Is this an island - thing or just a coincidence?
Hawaii