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Mexican, page 1
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La Bamba on Kapahulu Ave. - Un-Americanized, un-adulterated flavors and tastes for a true Mexican experience. |
Note: La Bamba has now closed down, but they are currently looking for a new location. Let you know as soon as I hear anything!
La Bamba. 847 Kapahulu Ave. in Kapahulu. 737-1956. Lunch and dinner daily, except closed on Saturday. Parking on street. Prices: $$. Map. A great choice for home-made, no-frills Mexican food that is about as authentic as it gets in the islands - yeah, I know - that's saying a lot! The guacamole is well-known amongst regulars here, and comes piled high with large chunks of ripe avocado and tomato, and the chili relleno, though not very substantial compared to the other dishes which have larger portions, is one of the better variations I’ve had. Parking can be difficult, as there is none except on the street, but the authentic cuisine is definitely worth the trouble.
| A great ceviche is found at El Mariachi. |  |
El Mariachi. A Closer Look. 2 locations: 45-1151 Kamehameha Hwy. in Kaneohe, 234-5893; and 99-205 Moanalua Rd. in Aiea, 487-8226. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in Center lots. Prices: $$. Map. Out in Kaneohe sits a humble, but fabulous Mexican restaurant, indeed! Bold flavors and big plates are the norm here, with an authentic taste and quality tough to beat anywhere on the island. For starters, they are beginning to build a reputation around ceviche, using fresh, locally-caught fish splashed in lime and tossed with onions, tomatoes, and herbs. Sitting in the acidic citrus, the fish turns white and sports an almost cooked texture. They also feature house-made sopes of pork or chicken, tamales, flautas, chimichangas, chile rojo, chile verde, and much more. The carne asada here is absolutely mouth-watering and delicious – the decent-sized rib steak doesn’t come already cut like many places, but still intact and packed with seasonings and herbs for a taste you won’t quickly forget. A relative newcomer on the scene, the dining room is reasonably clean, bright, and very casual. Great spot to try on the Windward side.
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Well-flavored, full-bodied, and festive, Torito's is a great place for Mexican meals and a drink or two. |
Torito’s. A Closer Look. 2919 Kapiolani Blvd. at the Market City S.C. in Kaimuki (map shown), 735-7991, parking in center lot. Also a small stand at the International Marketplace in Waikiki. Prices: $$. Map. While the Waikiki location is an open air food court, the Market City spot is perfect for a casual dinner and some drinks. The full-sized burritos, home-made chips and salsa, sizzling fajita's, and a great chicken mole are enough to bring you back again and again. There are nightly specials listed on the wall for discounted prices.
| That's a lot of beef - Diego's doesn't bother with veggie or bean fillers in their very tasty beef burritos. |  |
Diego’s Taco Shop. 2 locations: 2239 S. King St. in McCully/Moiliili, 944-2942 (map shown); and 719 Kamehameha Hwy. in Pearl City, 456-7578. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside store (Pearl City) or on street (King st.). Prices: $. Map. This hole-in-the-wall, very casual taqueria has great tacos and a famous carne asada burrito, both filled almost entirely with lean, seasoned beef that is packed with flavor. You won’t find the Taco Bell variety loaded with lettuce and tomato, or much rice and beans at all – this is the real thing and perfect for the carnivore in you.
Azteca. 3617 Waialae Ave. in Kaimuki. 735-2492. Lunch daily except Sunday, dinner nightly. Parking in lot behind store or on street. Prices: $$. Map. This quaint little family eatery serves up a good carne asada steak made from Spencer steak cuts and, in my opinion, an even greater carnita, or pork, in a taco, enchilada, or any other form. For dessert, the flan is very popular and often sells out. The owner, Sara Sanchez, is delightful and always smiling, with a warm, motherly personality that will make you feel right at home.
La Familia. 94-226 Leoku St. at the Waipahu S.C. in Waipahu. 671-8776. Lunch and dinner daily, except closed on Tuesday. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. In the un-touristy town of Waipahu, you’ll find a hole-in-the-wall where English is grudgingly spoken and customer service is at a minimum, but the food is authentic and delicious. You’ll be able to tell from the first thing that usually hits your table, salsa and chips, that you are in for a great Mexican meal. Fresh tomato, onions, cilantro, and lime with bits of spicy chili peppers are all you ever need. The pork (carnita) dishes are excellent and preferable over the beef (carne asada), which can be a little on the tough side.
El Burrito. 550 Piikoi St. near the Ala Moana S.C. 596-8225. Lunch and dinner daily, except closed on Sunday. Parking on street. Prices: $$. Map. Right across the street from the Ala Moana Shopping Center sits what used to be a run-down looking hole-in-the-wall for as long as I can remember, but they have recently renovated for the better with a light pastel-green that makes it look like a completely different restaurant. They serve up a wide variety of authentic Mexican foods that can be ordered in various combinations. The beef burritos are stuffed just the way I like ‘em – not with rice or beans and other fillers, but with tender shreds of beef cooked in rich, flavorful seasonings. The marinated pork with onions in the chef’s special sauce is another good choice, as is the chili verde, either in a burrito or in a bowl.
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The restaurant, not the car! Cholo's in Haleiwa town. |
Cholo’s. 66-250 Kamehameha Hwy. at the North Shore Marketplace in Haleiwa. 637-3059. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Cholo’s is quite the happening spot out on the surf-hip mecca of Haleiwa. The atmosphere is casual, contemporary, and cool. Fresh fish tacos, chicken fajita’s, spinach enchilada’s, veggie burrito’s, and much more on a large menu of choices to choose from. The many imported wall decorations brought in from Mexico are like a mini-flea market and all for sale, by the way.
Just Tacos Grill and Cantina. 95-1249 Meheula Pkwy. at the Mililani Town Center. Lunch and dinner daily, late-night till 2am Friday and Saturday. Parking at center lot. Prices: $$. Map. Just Tacos is not just tacos anymore! The original spot at the Remington College building in Downtown, 1111 Bishop St., and the latest, at 1029 Makolu St. at the Pearl City Shops, are both take-out-style eateries, but this Mililani location is a full-fledged grill and cantina, with an expanded menu and over 300 different kinds of tequila, many from Mexico and not found anywhere else on the island! Late-night weekends get pretty rowdy, with DJ’s, dancing, live entertainment, and a party-hearty crowd. Meal-times, however, are much tamer, with the same build-your-own tacos as the other shops, as well as flautas, fajitas, enchiladas, taco salads, and many drink-friendly appetizers like fried calamari, spicy jumbo shrimp, fresh fish ceviche, and guacamole. And don’t forget about the other two spots, which are very popular and also roll out some truly authentic tacos and more from freshly-made corn tortillas to order, with just the right amount of seasonings, cheeses, and other fillings to not become “Americanized!”
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Tacos Ricos in Kapahulu with a set of simple, authentic, no-frills Mexican street tacos waiting to be dressed at the self-serve salsa bar. |
Tacos Ricos. A Closer Look. 525 Kapahulu Ave. in Kapahulu. 636-4946. 12pm-2am daily, except closed at 12am Sunday. Parking only on street. Prices: $. Map. Located at the former Waiola Shave Ice shop, this corner shop just above Rainbow’s Drive-Inn has customers clamoring to get-in, despite having no parking lot whatsoever! Along with a few other notable restaurants, Tacos Ricos is about as authentic as it gets here in the islands, with no-frills Mexican foods all under ten bucks. Super-casual and laid-back, they won’t take cards and don’t give a whole lotta customer service, but the food itself is worth your trip. Street taco’s are easily the most popular items here, all served on two small, four-inch, toasted corn tortillas, topped with various meats like a familiar carne asada, ground beef, and carnita, along with less-familiar items like beef tongue and a stewed pork called conchinita. A self-serve salsa bar is used to finish the tacos, with added toppings such as cilantro, onions, cabbage, guacamole, verde, rojo, and pickled radishes and onions. Besides that, there are very few other items – a giant burrito, loaded nachos, and a great whole or half pollo asada (chicken), rubbed and grilled in Mexican spices. With hours till 2am, Tacos Ricos is a great late-night option, as well.
| Deep-fried flautas are the specialty of the house at Sergio's in Manoa, which serves all manner of Mexico City-style street foods. |  |
Serg’s Mexican Kitchen. Map. 2740 E. Manoa Rd. in Manoa. 988-8188. Lunch and dinner daily, late-night Friday and Saturday till 11pm. Parking fronting Store. Prices: $. A Closer Look. With great Mexico City-style street foods done inexpensively (for Hawaii!), Chef Sergio introduces, to name a few items, mini-chimichanga’s, quesadilla’s, mahimahi vera cruz, whole chicken w/guajillo spice and orange rub, steak picado, a variety of simple, great taco’s, and a really great flauta, which is the specialty of the house. Deep-fried, delicious, and served with your choice of meaty fillings, they are presented as a single, long tube, covered in avocado salsa, sour cream, and queso fresco, a white, creamy, crumbly type of Mexican cheese. There’s also a variety of other traditional treats, such as horchata’s (rice water w/cinnamon and sugar), raspado (Mexican shave ice), helato frido (deep-fried ice cream), elote (roasted corn drizzled with mayo, cheese, lime, spices, and other ingredients), and even bowls of tripe-filled menudo on Friday and Saturday. It’s byob here - perfect for the hordes of college students flowing out of nearby UH! The open-air dining and order-at-the-counter set-up keeps costs low, with the most expensive single item going for $8.95.
