Da Beeg Island, Part II

Nichi Bei Times - May 2004

A reader, Ted Schulze, who describes himself as "an old hapa-haole from San Francisco's Chinatown who discovered Hawai'i way too late in life," wrote to us recently. Bruddah like go Big Island, but wuz waiting fo' some tips about Hilo side (we wen write about Kona in our December 2003 column). 'Kay den, Bruddah Ted, dis one fo' you.

Most visitors to the Big Island are drawn to West Hawai'i, with its perennially sunny, dry and hot weather, and especially to the world-class resorts along the Kona-Kohala Coast. A lot of tourists, in fact, never venture across the island to the much cooler and wetter Hilo side.

However, if you're looking for a touch of old Hawai'i, you must visit Hilo, the second largest city in the State. From Kailua-Kona, it's a two-and-a-half hour drive, but well worth it. While most of the 50th State has changed tremendously over the past 40 years, Hilo seems to have been caught in a time warp. Except for the newer cars on the road, downtown Hilo looks a lot as it did in the 1960s.

Cafe 100
As regular readers know by now, any Two Japanee Bruddahs travelogue starts with food. Cafe 100 (969 Kilauea Avenue) was founded in 1946 by the late Richard S. Miyashiro, a veteran of the acclaimed 100th Battalion, for which he named his restaurant. Still run by the Miyashiro family, Cafe 100 is best known for loco moco. If you're not familiar with loco moco, it's like a Hawaiian donburi, consisting of a hamburger patty topped with a fried egg, on a bed of rice, all smothered with brown gravy. Put shoyu an' Tabasco on top, den mix 'em all up. Nevah mind da cholesterol, so ono!

There are varying accounts regarding the origination of this local favorite, but it is generally agreed that sometime around 1946, either Cafe 100 or the Lincoln Grill, another Hilo institution, created and named the first loco moco. Whether or not it actually invented this artery-clogger, Cafe 100 certainly offers the largest variety of loco mocos. Their menu boasts 20 variations, ranging from the original rice/hamburger/egg/gravy combination to the gigantic Kilauea Loco-Moco, with its two eggs, hamburger patty, slice of spam, link sausages and chili over the rice.

Their original loco moco is just $1.75, and while it may not be the best loco moco around, it's definitely the best $1.75 loco moco. (Try the version at Sam Choy's Kaloko in Kailua-Kona.) Anyway, gotta get one loco moco at Cafe 100, if nothing else, for the historical significance.

Ken's House of Pancakes
People often joke about Hilo closing down after dark, and for good reason. On a recent trip to the Big Island, we drove up and down the streets of Hilo, searching in vain for a local place for dinner. After criss-crossing town several times, we finally gave up and settled for a nondescript coffee shop we had driven past several times. It turns out that our accidental find, Ken's House of Pancakes (1730 Kamehameha Avenue), has been a Hilo landmark and local favorite since 1971.

As its name implies, this 24-hour coffee shop is renown for its pancakes, and has been voted as serving the "Best Breakfast on the Big Island." Breakfast is just the start, as Ken's features one of the most extensive menus you will ever find, with 180 selections, plus the daily chef's specials. Can get any kine food, but if you stay real hungry, order Ken's Kanaka Kombo. Get shrimp, grilled mahimahi, New York steak, tree scoops rice and macaroni salad. Not only broke da mout, but broke da opu too.

Check 'em out. Huge selection of ono local food, large servings, and mos' important of all, stay open afta 5:00 p.m.

Before you leave Hilo, there are a couple of other places you must visit.

Sig Zane
Since 1985, Sig Zane has been designing some of the most distinctive aloha shirts and dresses out of his small shop in downtown Hilo (122 Kamehameha Avenue). His designs feature simple but bold graphics of native Hawaiian plants and flowers such as ulupono (breadfruit), lei puakenikeni and pilikai mohalu (woodrose).

Can always spock one of his shirts in one crowd. Wearing a Sig Zane shirt is the Hawai'i equivalent of showing up in a Brioni tuxedo at a mainland event. Sig Zane states, "Our designs are wedded to place, nature and culture, and our values are simple: Honor the land and the native culture. Celebrate excellence and beauty."

Big Island Candies
If you stay looking fo' gifts from da Big Island, look no further than Big Island Candies (585 Hinano Street). Da factory get da kine free samples and can even watch 'em making da goodies. Dey get all kine ono candy, cookies and brownies, but garans, da chocolate dipped shortbread cookies goin' broke your mout. Perfect fo' omiyage too, cuz can only buy 'em in Hilo.

If you can't make it to the Big Island, Big Island Candies are available via the internet (www.bigislandcandies.com), as are Sig Zane's aloha shirts and women's wear (www.sigzane.com). Sorry, no can get Cafe 100 loco moco on da internet…yet.

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Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. Visit them on the Web at www.twojapaneebruddahs.com. Or e-mail them at wot@twojapaneebruddahs.com.

 

Read past articles here

Cafe 100 on "Da Beeg Island"