| It's always a festive occasion at Mexico Lindo's, with great dishes like these sauteed mushrooms. |
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Mexico Lindo. A Closer Look. 600 Kailua Rd. in Kailua. 263-0055. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. This casual eatery sports a festive Kailua contingency where margarita’s and Mexican beers flow freely, and strong, bold flavors in Mexican cuisine complement the drinks well. The menu is large and diverse, with pupu items like champinones (sauteed mushrooms), shrimp w/chorizo sausages, bean or queso dip, and ceviche, along with the rest of your favorites like mojo de ajo, sopes, tamales, chimichangas, burritos, and enchiladas.
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An absolutely delicious diablo shrimp plate from Mexico Restaurant in Kalihi. |
Mexico Restaurant. Map. 1247 N. School St. in Kalihi. 845-9059. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking fronting store. Prices: $$. A Closer Look. Mexico Restaurant in Kalihi is sister location to Mexico Lindo in Kailua, and both are similar in every way, whether it comes to the food, décor, or atmosphere and general feel of the place. Bold, strong flavors are the norm, with killer appetizers like garlic sauteed mushrooms, garlic or chipotle scallops, a gooey-hot sizzling queso (cheese), and shrimp in garlic, chipotle, Diablo, or chorizo – all fabulous! The same wide variety of other entrée choices are also available, whether it be enchiladas, tacos, fajita’s, and taquito’s or a plate of machaca, carne arriera, or Acapulco pescado. Fun, buoyant atmosphere conducive to strong drink, and it does get busy with a mix of local and Military personnel enjoying good food and good times. The parking lot seems adequate, but it fills quickly, and you may have to park on the street.
Killer Tacos. 66-560 Kamehameha Hwy. in Haleiwa. 637-4573. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside store. Prices: $. Map. This small store on the Waialua side of Haleiwa is known for their large fish tacos and burritos, which are lightly batter-fried and stuffed with rice and other fillers. Otherwise, there are kalua pork, chicken, beef, and veggie choices as well. Items are ordered and picked up at the counter, with tables scattered inside and outside the shop.
Los Chaparros. 2140 S. Beretania St. in McCully/Moiliili. 951-6399. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside store. Prices: $$. Map. Los Chaparros is a clean, comfortable restaurant with warm and inviting hosts. You will find traditional foods like the mojo de ajo, with either marinated fish or shrimp, chicken mole, and many combination plates, but once in a while they throw you a curve with an off-the-wall item like won-ton-wrapped jalapeno peppers!
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A sampler pupu platter from long-time resident Bandito's, at the Pearl Ridge Shopping Center East. |
Banditos Cantina. A Closer Look. 98-151 Pali Momi St. at the Pearl Ridge S.C. East in Pearl City. 488-8888. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in lot behind store. Prices: $$. Map. One of the better old-time Mexican restaurants on the island, featuring a menu that often ventures north of the border with fries, buffalo-style chicken wings, sandwiches, burgers, and ribs. Mexican entries include flautas, taquitos, snow crab enchiladas, fish tacos, and chile rellenos. Many items can be ordered in combination plates of two or three separate choices.
| Large burritos are the most popular item at La Isla Burrito. |
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La Isla Burrito. A Closer Look. 661 Keeaumoku St. at Sam Sung Plaza in McCully/Moiliili. 947-5263. 9am-19pm Monday-Thursday; 9am-2am Friday-Saturday; Sunday closed. Parking in Plaza or on street. Prices: $. Map. Located across the street from Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club, this inexpensive, no-frills Mexican eatery features a no-nonsense menu all priced at $7.50 or less, including familiar faces like tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas, fajitas, quesadillas, and a massive burrito (lots of rice and beans), to name a few. There’s also Mexican sandwiches (tortas) and complete plates of chile verde, ranchera, carne asada, and an especially good carnita plate. Only a few small tables fill the small facility, so it’s mostly take-out. Though closed on Sundays, La Isla Burrito does open at 9am for breakfast, with a small list of huevos rancheros, chorizo, and other breakfast items, as well as staying open till 2am on Friday and Saturday!
El Charro. 111 Sand Island Access Road in Kalihi. 845-9637. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday-Saturday, 8am-4pm Sunday. Parking outside store. Prices: $$. Map. The last time we went to this eatery they served us salsa straight out of a jar from the supermarket shelf, and a chicken selection in a green sauce that tasted like a marriage between a Thai coconut milk curry and a can of Cambell’s cream-of-something or other. Hopefully my experience caught them on a rare bad day, as I hear there are different chefs and the main one does a great job, with a tender carne asada that, I hear, comes bursting with rich, juicy flavors and is well worth the trip.
Cha Cha Cha Salsaria. Hawaii Kai S.C. in Hawaii Kai. 395-7797. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $$. Map. The biggest Mexican restaurant in Hawaii Kai is a simple, casual eatery with a California-style atmosphere and dishes, very suitable for quick lunches or evening dinner and cocktails. There are a wide variety of menu items like jalapeno poppers, sizzling fajitas, chimichangas, jerk chicken burritos, and a chile relleno casserole with layers of Poblano chiles, three different cheeses, a light egg batter, and a spicy red chipotle salsa served on a bed of rice with black bean sauce.
Maui Tacos. Various locations around the state and two on Oahu: 539 Kailua Rd. in Kailua (map shown), 261-4155; and 95221 Kipapa Dr. in Mililani, 623-9405. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking outside both stores. Prices: $. Map. This international chain has a hip, surf-themed inspiration to its restaurants. The menu is Cal-Mex (or perhaps Cal-Mex-Hawaiian) and progressive, with both standard Mexican fare as well as such innovations as Mexican sushi, mango chicken salad in a crispy tortilla bowl, and a host of vegetarian dishes. The serve-yourself salsa bar is filled with several different home-made salsa’s that are pretty darn good.
Wahoo’s Fish Taco. 940 Auahi St. at the Ward Gateway Center. 591-1646. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking in center lot. Prices: $. Map. This casual eatery has a Starbuck’s-like vibe to it, and is a comfortable place to get some cheap Cal-Mex food and maybe a margarita or cold beer. There is a walk-up counter to order, and the menu can be confusing because of the many mix-and-match combinations that can include tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and taquitos with various fillings, as well as different sides of beans, salads, and rice. There are also many dishes of the progressive, funky kind not normally found in a Mexican outfit, such as teriyaki carne asada, Polynesian shrimp, and blackened chicken bowls.