Childhood Memories at Café 100 in Hilo, Hawaii

The menu items in this post were provided by Café 100 but the opinions expressed here are my own.

When I think back to my childhood memories in Hilo, the first thing I think of is my grandpa. In retirement, he kept busy by being a pin-machine mechanic at the Hilo Lanes (no longer there) and filling up cigarette and candy machines all over town. My brother, my cousin, and I would ride around in his station wagon for the early part of the day on his stops. As a reward for guarding the boxes while he filled up the vending machines, we got to choose a candy at the last stop. On the weekends, he took us to Onekahakaha Beach Park to play/swim in the tranquil waters, stop for ice shave (or known as shave ice on the other islands) at Itsu’s (no longer there), and get a loco moco from Café 100. Over the last 40 years, Hilo has changed with new restaurants and shopping centers, and even a drive-thru coffee house. But one thing has stayed the same, Café 100.
 

Richard and Evelyn Miyashiro opened the first Café 100 in 1946 (on the corner of Kamehameha Avenue and Manono Street) and three months later the 1946 tsunami hit Hilo. The restaurant sustained significant damage, but was rebuilt and the family expanded with three daughters. In 1960, they moved to a larger, modern building on Manono Street. Ironically, three weeks later another tsunami hit and from their house, the Miyashiros watched their restaurant explode. Their house was also carried away with a powerful wave until it was lodged into a tree. Third times the charm, Richard built the third and present-day location on Kilauea Avenue. This is where my story actually begins as my mom and dad used to go here while they were young, dating, and then married. The loco moco was invented in Hilo and I think I have loco moco in my DNA. Since 1982, Gail Miyashiro, one of Richard’s daughter, has held the reigns of this historic restaurant – “Home of the Loco Moco®”.
 

Korean Fried Chicken Plate ($7.80) is served with 1 scoop mac salad and 2 scoops rice. This KFC has a good flavor. The chicken is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. The sauce on the outside has a nice balance of sweet and savory like a light teriyaki sauce. I am very picky about my mac salad, growing up with my dad’s recipe. Café 100’s mac salad has a very good flavor. Rating: 4.5/5
 

Beef Stew Plate ($7.75, Saturday Daily Special) is an original Miyashiro family recipe served with 1 scoop mac salad and 2 scoops rice. The beef stew has a good homemade base with lots of flavor. You can taste the rich beef and slow cooked tomatoes. The beef chunks are large and so tender. The carrots and potatoes are tender but not mushy. Eat your rice with the leftover sauce! Rating: 4.5/5
 

Super Loco ($6.99) is loco moco to da max! It is rice stacked with 1 hamburger patty, Portuguese sausage, Spam, and 2 eggs. The meats are juicy with caramelized edges from the flat-top grill, adding another layer of flavor of fatty, porky goodness. The gravy has just the right consistency, not too thick and not too thin, and enrobes the rice and meats with ease. Break those yolks and the richness of the egg adds yet another layer of flavor. Rating: 5/5
 

Turnovers ($2.75) are something that my mom has a craving for every time she comes back home. I had not tried them before, but I have to say, I now know why she loves them so much. The turnovers are handmade and they sometimes run out, so go early. These were filled with apple pie filling encased in a homemade crust, deep-fried to a crispy, golden brown exterior, and topped off with powdered sugar. The baked aroma and sweet apple filling will transport you to a time where you are back in the kitchen as a child with your mom and/or grandma baking. Rating: 5/5

Whether you live in or are visiting Hilo and want to stop for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or order pupu platters for a party, historic Café 100 has what you are craving! 
 

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:
Cafe 100

969 Kilauea Ave.

Hilo, HI 96720

+1.808.935.8683 (Menu hotline: +1.808.935.6368)

Hours: Monday through Friday from 6:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Closed Sunday

Parking: Free parking

Seating: Exterior

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