Pau: Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii

Living in Kona means getting stuck in restaurant ruts- the options get exhausted quickly and we find ourselves cooking in constantly because we can do it better (and cheaper!) at home ourselves. We found ourselves in Waimea for the afternoon recently and had fun checking out Pau, a charming new lunch spot.

Waimea is about 45 minutes from where we live, which keeps us from popping over as much as we should. I've resolved to do more exploring there. You can hardly believe you are still in Hawaii when you visit the lush green mountains that feel more like Ireland. It rains often and low hanging fog creates a haunting atmosphere as you drive by red barns and horses munching in tall grasses dotted with wildflowers.

At Pau, the specialty is pizza, but we enjoyed a simple chicken sandwich and salad with crispy candied walnuts, sliced apples and blue cheese, all locally sourced. The sandwich was moist and the house made foccacia was perfectly light and toasty. I loved the relaxed but polished atmosphere and the food was well made and reasonably priced.

The coconut cream pie had been sitting in the cooler a bit too long- the crust not really as crisp as it could have been, and the filling not as richly coconut-y as one might hope, but all told, I would absolutely recommend a stop to this little neighborhood haunt.

What do you look for in a perfect lunch out?

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Da Poke Shack, Number One for a Reason.

Da Poke Shack is Kona's Number One rated restaurant on Trip Advisor. Maybe that's why we waited so long to walk through the doors. It's like the Beatles, or Snuggies, or Harry Potter. It's so popular, you feel like you can't join in at this point without feeling dumb. That wagon is crowded enough without you.

And then when you do join, you wonder what the hell took you so long. Because the wagon is crowded for a reason. This is good stuff. And it would be a shame to miss it just because everyone else is busy enjoying it.

And so it is with Da Poke Shack. Poke is basically salad made with incredibly fresh raw fish, seaweed, salt and a variety of other seasonings. (If you dig sushi, you're gonna love it.) And these guys know their stuff. They are all fishermen and local guys who love super fresh seafood and know how it should be prepared: quickly, simply, with love and not a lot of fanfare.

We opted for the plate lunch, which anywhere else in Hawaii would mean mac salad (that's macaroni salad for the uninitiated. Overcooked macaroni slathered in mayonaise plopped onto your plate via ice cream scoop. Yuck.) rice and terriyaki chicken or pork. At Da Poke Shack, it means two choices of poke, salad (we chose seaweed) and seasoned rice.

Never tried poke before? Not sure which of the many bowls to choose from? No problem brah. The guys behind the counter lovingly dole out tastes via toothpick, describing what ingredients are in each dish and happily making suggestions. Don't be shy. Take them up on it- their friendly enthusiasm is part of what makes this little hole in the wall place so very special. It's number one for a reason.

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Ultimate Burger

Did you know that the largest cattle ranch in the United States is located in Hawaii? Thousands of head of cattle are raised right here on the mountains of The Big Island. But even though these cows start out eating fresh green grass and roaming hills with premium ocean views, more than 90% of these animals are shipped to the mainland to be fattened on feedlot corn before their final trip to the slaughterhouse. It's a shame given the premium price free-range, grass-fed beef commands, (and the way animals are treated in these lots. Did you see Food Inc.?) but this island doesn't have the proper meat processing facilities, and the local market is not yet large enough to support the industry.

Ultimate Burger may be the restaurant to help change that. This local burger joint serves up 100% locally raised, grass-fed beef. You can definitely taste the difference in the freshness of the meat. The texture is crumbly and tender- not tough and greasy like other fast food burgers. These burgers taste like red meat should taste- irony, rich, but also clean and healthy.

You can choose from a wide array of toppings for your burger; from bleu cheese crumbles to caramelized onions and pineapple slices, something will definitely hit the spot. And of course, such a beautiful burger needs a worthy bun. These are buttery, freshly baked and lightly toasted to really bring out the best in all the ingredients.

The fries are the real reason I keep going back however. Local potatoes are cut into superfine shoestrings, fried into the perfect marriage between crisp and squishy and then laced with generous sprinklings of fresh thyme, pepper, garlic and salt. They are served with an aioli dipping sauce (sour cream and cayenne pepper is my guess) that is totally decadent. I've found myself ordering fries and some of their perfectly tart, never overly sweet lemonade and nothing else on more than one occasion. (Ask for their punch card- after 10 orders of fries you get one free! If you're just visiting, start one anyway and send it my way. I guarantee it won't go to waste.)

What's the best burger joint in your neighborhood? What makes it so delicious?