I tried this Puerto Rican spot in a strip mall on North Ronald Reagan Blvd on Friday at lunch. They said that they have evolved from catering to a food truck to this. Open for a short time. Wednesday to Saturday. 11am to 7pm. Tiny foot print. No true seating. Little decor. I had a mofongo pernil (pork) for $13. It was good. The mashed plantains were better. It didn't love the chichurron or fat pieces mixed in. Impossible to chew. The pork didn't have a ton of flavor. A bit dry. Lots of long, stringy pieces too. Probably from the shoulder/butt. Probably cooked during their off days the week before. They also tossed in a basic l&t salad with Italian dressing. Fresh though. Decent portion size. I would have preferred less at a lesser price. You can choose from pernil, chicken, carne frita, palomilla steak and shrimp criollo. Or those options on their platos. All $13 and up. They also sell sandwiches such as tripleta, smoked steak, smoked chicken and Qban. Patacones Locos rice bowl too. Tequenos, sorullus (fritters), empanadas and bacon wrapped maduros round out the apps. $5 and up. Three desserts. If you are in the neighborhood...
*Travel Notes - Hawaii: I paid $546 for airfare to Kona (because cheaper than Hilo). Delta through LAX there and UA through Denver back. Morning flight there. Night flight back. UA provided a horrible cold chicken dinner. No tv from Denver. Slight delay for de-icing in Denver. I rented a car from Hertz for a week at $247. Gas was slightly under $5. I drove the first night up 190N to 200 (Saddle Road) to 11E to Banyan Rd in Hilo. Around 80 miles. It's hilly. You make a left out of the rental car area and then a quick right on to 19S. A left at the (first?) light near the Texaco station and up a hill through residential housing to 190N. Turn left. I stayed at the Hilo Reeds Bay Hotel for $134 (their worst quality room). Missed the 10pm closing time, but, they left key with security guard. Hotels in Kona are expensive as hell. A little better in Hilo. I didn't consider other areas. The plane noise in Hilo is ridiculous and most hotels had at least one window that only had a screen. They are all decrepit too. I had Taco Bell for dinner. It was the only chain that wasn't double the mainland price. All that was open. I ate a breakfast of Kalua Pig and cabbage bowl (with rice) at Verna's Drive In the next day. I went to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory off 11W. Then on to 130S to 137E to Kalapana and beyond. It's on the SE coast. Lava flows and State Parks. I was easing into it. I got some more TB and wine and Pringles and hummus at KTA (a supermarket) and went to the next hotel early to relax. It was a disaster. Wild Ginger Hotel (Expedia 8.2 could be 2.8). It looked good when I was going to go in June. And only $99 (pre-tax). $118 the week before I left. Two days later, it was $131 (pre-tax) and $154 with tax. And that was listed as 50% off! I booked the whole week. I am now fighting the owner over it. They fought me hard intitially and eventually acquiesced after a while (many missing amenities and in terrible condition and not connected to sea, etc) and promised (Expedia) to comp the one sleepless night with a no hot water morning. However, they ended up keeping two nights. Still fighting them. The next day I went to Hawaii Volcanoes NP. Bought an annual pass for $80 because it was $30 for here or $55 for a pass for the four parks on Hawaii (although the final three seemed free when I went). Drove 11E the Kilauea Crater and Chain of Craters Road to the ocean and a sea arch. Craters and lava tube and petroglyphs (path) and lava flows in between. I then drove a bit further on 11E to a road with a view of Mauna Loa. I turned back when it became less paved and one lane. It was cloudy anyway. Drove back to Hilo. Stopped in some village for Saucy Mama Food Truck. I had a Keiki plate of one Kalua Pork Taco with Hapa Rice. Very good. Learned later that Keiki means child. Went to KTA and discovered their poke was only $7.77 a lb. Got that and some wine and used the rice from Mama's for my own poke bowl. Stayed at Aaron's Cottage in Hilo that (and the next) night for $140 (including the $25 resort/cleaning ;fee). I wasn't about to book a long stay again. It was cute. A little room with windows that closed and shades that blocked light. Tv. Quietest. It had a beautiful cove/beach at the end of the road. Went there for sunset. There again in the morning. I had lunch of Momo Loco (egg and hb and rice) the next day at Cafe Pesto in DT Hilo. On 3D (that's Diners, Drive Ins and Dives). Drove 19N to Hamakua Coast (NE). To Waipo Valley Lookout to Waimea and up 250 to Kohola (NW) and Hawi. Down Kohala Coast to Pu'ukohola Heiau NHP. It was the home/palace of King Kamehameha. The rest of the parks I was to visit closed at 4pm, so, I had to skip them for another day. I bullshitted my way into the Mauna Kea Resort to see if it had changed since I was a kid. Not really. Back to Hilo via Waimea (19E) to 190S to 200E. KTA again for poke and Pringles and wine. Breakfast of Khop Kwiki (scrambled eggs with Portuguese sausage and cheese on a muffin) at Ken's House of Pancakes. Up 11W past the volcanoes to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park. Excellent. Onto Whittington Beach Park. Then had lunch at Ama's Kitchen Food Truck at Paradise Meadows on South Point Rd. Had fried Kamanu (rainbow runner or rainbow yellowtail) with ff. Down the road to Southernmost Point in US. There was also a green (yes!) sand beach near there with turtles. It was too far to walk and too rough to drive. I tried. Back on 11W around the SW part of the island to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP. You need to take a left on some road off 19 to get to the coast. This place translates to Place of Refuge. If you were an outcast you could ask for protection here. Back on 19 (now N), I drove through Kona. Too late (once again) for the final park. Took 190N to 200E to Hilo (again). Stayed at the Hilo Reeds Bay again (the final three nights). Better room. Bay view. $144. KTA had put away their poke, so, I went to Daiichi Ramen neat the Walmart for a special meal of Shio ramen with chicken katsu and gyoza. It rained the next day. Had a bacon and pate banh mi at Le Yellow Sub Food Truck (on 3D). I tried to find Rainbow Falls. Couldn't. Passed by Ola Brew Co and decided to have a rest day. Ate a fried mushroom bao there too. Poke dinner from KTA. The next day I walked Liliuokalani Gardens and had a terrible, hockey puck, blue cheese burger at Hilo Bay Cafe (on 3D). Fries sucked too. And they were full of themselves. Found Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots. Up Waianuenue Ave (by the schools). Huge Banyan Tree too. Back down to 19N. A left on some numbered road to Akaka Falls SP. They wanted $5 plus $10 for parking. I drove off. Up to Umauma Falls. You can see them from the highway. But, difficult to get close. I found some bridge near a zipline place on a backroad. Back to town. Got lost and found the Hilo Brewing Co. Got two to go. Poke at KTA. Checked out of hotel and had a teriyaki burger at Kozmic Cones (near the schools). Finally found 200W. Stopped in the middle and drove up to Mauna Kea VC. You had to have a four wheeler to continue. I think it was free. On to Waimea. Had a good cheddar burger at Merriman's in Waimea (very famous it seems). Back to Kohala Coast and down to Kaloko Honokohau NHP. It was where locals lived at some point. Through Kona again and back up to the airport. Weather was bizarre. West side is usually sunny. East side usually rainy. Cloudy and cool in between. High elevations. You can stay in the different towns. Some or remote though (like near the volcanoes). I should have stayed a few nights in Waimea. Horse and cattle ranches up there. I was there to see the parks and island. You will probably wish to do more sunbathing/activities. Hotel prices and resort/cleaning fees are the major obstacle. There were alot of hotels in Kona that must not list on travel sites or were booked up because they never appeared on searches. Gas and rental car were way cheaper than I expected. If you are looking at a Hilo map, rotate it so the land/bay looks like a "C" not a "U" or you will get lost. Find the free "101 Things To Do" Magazine asap.
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