Hidden Gem: Ma’ona Lunch Counter in Keaau, Hawaii

The menu items in this post were provided by Ma’ona Lunch Counter but the opinions expressed here are my own. 

As you drive from Hilo on Hawaii Belt Road/Mamalahoa Highway, Keaau is a small commercial/industrial area just south of the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory. In the W.H. Shipman Business Park, Ma’ona Lunch Counter is definitely a hidden gem that is open for breakfast and lunch. Ma’ona Lunch Counter started back in 2008 in the Hilo Farmers’ Market, but in July 2015, made a move to Keaau. The kitchen is run by Chef David Vera, graduate of the Culinary Institute who began his career as a private chef on Lanai. But the Big Island is his home now and you won’t believe what kind of food is coming out of this kitchen. His clientele is mostly construction/industrial workers and employees of companies in the business park, but I got to say, “These buggahs eat good!” from the amazing burgers to the plate lunches.

• Travel tip: If you are coming from Hilo, it is an easy right turn on to Kipimana Street. But if you are coming from the south (Kurtistown or Hawaii Volcanoes National Park), making a left from Mamalahoa Highway can be tricky. You have to time it just right and basically “burn rubbah” to get across, so be careful.

Da Bomb Burger ($10.95) is a ½ lb. burger with a spice rub topped with bacon, mushrooms, and bleu cheese served with French fries. This burger is well named. It is definitely “da bomb”! The homemade beef patty is what makes this burger so thick and juicy. I love when a burger is topped with bacon and bleu cheese! The bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor. The bleu cheese adds a creamy, punchy, zingy flavor. The mushrooms are an added bonus with their earthy flavor and meaty texture. The fries are crinkle cut and fried to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Rating: 5/5

Oyster Chicken Plate ($9.95) is their famous OC sauce marinated chicken and served with rice and salad. The chicken is tender and the OC sauce seasons the chicken just right for the grill. The sauce on top reminds me of a creamy Russian dressing with sweet and tangy flavors. Rating: 4.5/5

Loco Moco ($9.95) starts with rice topped with a handmade beef patty, brown onion gravy, and over-easy eggs with more rice and salad on the side. This is the best loco moco I have ever had! It sticks to its roots with the main ingredients of rice, hamburger patty, gravy, and egg. Being from Hilo and a profound “loco moco” connoisseur, there are two things that make this loco moco great: handmade seasoned beef patty and homemade brown gravy. You can taste the love that Chef David has for his ingredients. The handmade beef patty is locally-sourced and tastes like a juicy steak. The gravy just has a richness to it that is just miles away from the typical brown gravy. “Dis loco moco wen broke da mouth!”  Rating: 5/5

Blackened Ono ($9.95) is a daily special that you might find on a day you visit. Chef David only uses fresh, local-caught fish. The fish is seasoned and blackened to perfection with a great sear on the outside for a succulent, delicate fish on the inside. Sometimes a blackened technique means spicy, but not in this case. Restaurant quality fish dish at a lunch counter! Who knew! Rating: 5/5

If you live in Hilo/Keaau or are road-tripping through our beautiful Big Island, stop by Ma’ona Lunch Counter to fuel up with some onolicious food! Hidden gem indeed!

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5 stars

Décor: 3 out of 5 stars

Service: 5 out of 5 stars

Food: 5 out of 5 stars

For more information:
Ma’ona Lunch Counter

16-203 Williama Pl.

Keaau, HI 96749

+1.808.640.4244

Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Parking: Free parking in very small lot

Seating: Limited seating inside

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Hot from the pot: Hatch Chile season is approaching + recipe

The ingredients in this post were provided by Melissa’s Produce but the opinions expressed here are my own.

Hatch Chile season is one of my favorite times of the year. This delectable pepper has a unique flavor and if you have ever been to a roasting event, the char-grilled aroma is mesmerizing. Melissa’s Produce is a huge part of bringing the Hatch Chile to stores across the country. They are only available for a few short weeks each year in August and September, so get them while you can.  

Certain locations for these stores will be having Hatch Chile roasting events: Apple Market, Baker’s Store, Bristol Farms, Brookshire Brothers, Busch’s, Seaside Market, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Dillon’s, Fiesta Mart, Forest Hills Foods, Gelson’s, Harps Food, Heinen’s, Hy-Vee, Jensens Foods, Kroger, Lazy Acres, Market District, Price Chopper, Mollie Stone’s, Northgate Markets, Pavilions, Russ Market, Safeway, ShopRite, Smart & Final, Super Saver, Thriftway, VG’s, and Wegmans. Click here to find a location near you.

Melissa’s Produce also has amazing Hatch Chile recipes on their website like Hatch Chile Deviled Eggs, Shrimp Hatch Chile Jalapeno Poppers, Hatch Chile S’mores, Bleu Cheese Stuffed Hatch Chile Burgers, and Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes with Roasted Hatch Chile Vinaigrette.

Hatch Chile season inspired me to create a new recipe, Spicy Hatch Chile Pork Tofu. Growing up around the melting pot cuisine of Hawaii, I took some hatch chiles on a virtual plane ride to Hawaii. Pork (Mapo) Tofu has its roots in Chinese cuisine, utilizing a wok to combine ingredients for optimum flavor and texture. This dish was inspired by my mom and her love of Hawaiian comfort foods and my dad who loves spicy chiles.

Spicy Hatch Chile Pork Tofu by OC Food Diva

Servings: 4

8 oz package Melissa’s Organic Red Quinoa, follow cooking instructions on package

½ cup Melissa’s Hot Hatch Chile Salsa

3 tbsp Aloha Shoyu or your favorite soy sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 lb package Johnsonville Ground Hot Italian Sausage

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 large cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp Melissa’s Dry Ground Green Hatch Chile Pepper

½ cup green onions, sliced

18 oz package Melissa’s Firm Tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

8 oz package Melissa’s Sno Peas, strings and tips removed

1 tsp sesame oil

1. Cook quinoa per package directions.
2. In a small bowl, combine salsa, shoyu, cornstarch, and rice vinegar. Stir until cornstarch is completely incorporated. Set aside.
3. Lightly coat wok or pot with high sides with vegetable oil and preheat over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add ginger, garlic, and green hatch chile pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add green onions and cook for 1 minute.
4. Give the cornstarch mix a stir and add to wok. Cook and stir until boiling. Add tofu cubes, sno peas, and sesame oil. Cook and stir gently for 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through.
5. Serve atop quinoa and enjoy!

Enjoy Hatch Chile season and let me know if you try the recipe. I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Enjoy a summer’s night out at Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern in Brea, California

The menu items in this post were provided by Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern but the opinions expressed here are my own. 

If you have been following me, you know I absolutely love, love, love Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (JFAT for short)! Now that summer is in full swing, they have new summer drinks to cool you off during our hot, sweltering SoCal summer: The Pearfectionist, SoCal Sour, Summer Sunrise (on the brunch menu only), Blackberry Sangria, Peach Sangria, and Classic Sangria.

New aspects of JFAT is that they have partnered with Aquarium of the Pacific’s Seafood for the Future (SFF) program committed to responsible seafood sourcing. They are also a Certified Green Restaurant, making them environmentally sustainable in energy, water, waste, food, chemicals, disposables, and building.

Let’s take a look at some of cool and sizzling summer menu items:

Peach Sangria ($13) combines Simi Sauvignon Blanc, Christian Brothers Sacred Bond Brandy, peach puree, and peach schnapps. The cocktail was a little tart. It could be a little sweeter to bring the peach flavor forward. Rating: 3.5/5

Summer Sunrise ($13, on brunch menu) combines Ketel One, blood orange juice, blood orange liqueur, and sparkling float. I absolutely loved the flavors in this drink. It was sweet and juicy like a summer drink should be. Rating: 4.8/5

Spicy N’awlins style Peel & Eat Shrimp ($14) bathing in wine, garlic butter, cajun spices, and served with grilled sourdough. The shrimp were seasoned well and cooked perfectly with a nice snap although I would have preferred it to be just a bit spicier. Rating: 4.3/5

BBQ Pork Cheeseburger ($18, daily specials menu) is a cheeseburger topped with pulled pork simmered in BBQ sauce, onion fritters, Anaheim chile, and chipotle aioli. This burger was overwhelmingly savory. It needed an acidity and/or sweet component to balance out all the savory notes. A sweeter BBQ sauce, spicy pickled jalapeno, and/or macerated red onions would do the trick. The truffle parmesan fries were awesome as usual. Rating: 3.8/5

Beef Stroganoff ($24) starts with filet mignon strips, forest mushrooms, pearl onions, tarragon, Dijon cream sauce atop pappardelle. The filet added a meaty bite but this dish might be better with a braised beef, like short rib, for a more tender texture. The sauce was creamy with subtle hints of Dijon. The pappardelle were cooked perfectly and caught all of the sauce. The crispy onions strings on top added a crunchy texture. Rating: 4.5/5

If you’re looking for a great place to hang out for a summer meal, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern will have a something perfect for your summer cravings.

Atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars

Décor: 5 out of 5 stars

Service: 5 out of 5 stars

Food: 4 out of 5 stars

For more information:
Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern

3325 E. Imperial Hwy.

Brea, CA 92823

+1.714.733.1310

Hours: Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to close, Sunday from 11 a.m. to close

Parking: Free parking in Village at La Floresta shopping center

Seating: Interior and exterior

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