American

Keoni By Keo’s

While Keoni’s serves American and Thai cuisine for lunch and dinner, the true star is its breakfast with egg yolks, fluffy rice, succulent ham and enough vegetarian options to keep the angriest of the granola crowd satisfied. The menu has all the standard local and mainland favorites–loco moco, Denver omelette, pancakes and bacon–as well a few surprises. Offering a rare combination of superior service, good food and reasonable prices with an atmosphere that can’t be beat, Keoni’s knows how to put a smile on any face.

– Rachel Brown (6/11/08)

Kona Brewing Company

Stick around for dessert and your faith in beer as an ingredient might be renewed. The desserts–beer-infused offerings such as mango bread pudding with pale ale caramel sauce and Tahitian vanilla bean ice-cream with Black Sand Porter sauce–do a much better job of showcasing the beers and what they can do for food. When it comes to locally made brews, there’s really no competition. Add to those hand-tossed pizzas and there’s all the reason you need to choose Kona Brewing Company over Outback.

– Kawehi Haug (5/16/07)

Tio’s Garage & Taco Station

Tio’s offers New-Mex cuisine with amazing spicy salsa–the kind that you shovel in your mouth and ask for a third basket, ending up being completely full by the time the entrees show up. The appetizers shine with flash fried calamari and the chile con queso. Dominated by reds and yellows, the room is airy, pleasant and fun, especially with the bushels of peppers on the walls and the Latin music pumping through the system. If you’re looking for a relaxing place to waste away an afternoon, Tio’s is the place to be.

–Ryan Senaga (1/30/08)

Mexican

Mexico Restaurant

The menu is mostly familiar (platters anchored by rice and beans and crested with sour cream and guacamole) with a few local touches (kalua pig enchiladas and quesadillas) and a scattering of surprises (crab chimichanga and scallop tacos). Best among the appetizers are the sizzling shrimp platters featuring large, shell-on but de-veined shrimp. Portions are generally large, but if you’ve got room, desserts (also more quantity than quality) include flan, churros with ice cream, a massive ball of fried ice cream and an interesting riff on the banana split.

– Napua Leong (1/24/07)

La Familia

The brilliance comes with the entrees. The fajitas include a choice of beef or chicken, with the chicken sizzling on an iron skillet with large slices of green peppers and onions. Combo plates are available for those who want to try more things. The tamales are concocted with a moist and pleasantly sweet corn meal, while the green tortilla-shredded beef enchiladas were luscious with more of that wonderful green sauce. All entree plates are served with Mexican rice, salad and refried beans. It’s almost like having an amazing home-cooked meal in someone’s kitchen.

– R. S. (2/20/08)

Southeast Asian & Indian

Bombay Indian Restaurant

One of the highlights of Indian cuisine is its wonderful treatment of vegetables, and I was thrilled to see my favorite dish on the menu: Baingan bhartha, baked and mashed eggplant cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices. The popular veggie standards are here also: Palak paneer, chana masala and dal makhni, plus lesser-known variations like bhindi masala made with okra. While some Indian desserts can be either excessively floral or clunky, the ones at Bombay are subtle and mostly pleasant. –N. L. (1/3/07)

India Cafe

India Cafe serves up some of the best curry-and-roti combos in town in a cozy, laid-back atmosphere. The menu is basic but varied, with six different chutneys, 11 types of bread and enough variations of curry to turn anyone’s head. It is vegetarian-friendly, with as many vegetable sambals and masalas as there are meat offerings. Of special note is the okra vegetable curry, a delicate, mild dish–the soft okra leaves room for the spices to stand out, creating a wonderfully complex mixture that starts out with a bite and goes down smooth. Spicy but not scorching, stop by India Cafe after your next Bollywood marathon and satisfy your craving for cayenne, tamarind and cinnamon.–R. B. (4/16/08)