Tremors

I grew up on Hawaii and lived mostly in Kapoho which is just on the other side of Pahoa. I was just there and did not se this BBQ place people are raving about - but Pahoa is small so if its' there you shouldbe able to find it. For local food go to K's Drive In or Cafe 100 for lunch plate. Go to Ken's Pancake House for good local breakfast (altho I was disappointed with their portugese sausage on my last visit.) Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea is the best place for a huge breakfast . Don't forget Tex's in Honokaa for malasadas. They've gotten a bit commercial but the quality is still great. I would skip the Parker Ranch grill - Merriman's or Theibault's is much better and I don't think there is a big price difference. On a side note - you must go see the lava flow at night. If you stay at Dolphin Bay Hotel in Hilo - John the owner can give you great details on how/where/etc. He is a great resource and I recommend his hotel as a base for volcano watching. This is a once in a lifetime thing - I've seen it many times and I still am blown away every time I go. John goes 2 -3 times a week! Have fun - Big Island Mo Bettah!

Tejon, I think the address is wrong - 4226 would be way out 42nd and Broadway in the Hollywood district - could it be 2426? For those who remember the brief stint of Misohapi's second restaurant on NE Broadway - that is where Noodlehead is at.

Jim, Re: Rogue Brewery's supposed geography blunder - my failing memory seems to recall that the Rogue Brewery did start in Ashland (still not on the Rogue River but I suppose semi-technically in the Rogue Valley) - and had a brewpub down creek from the plaza - the flood of 199? wiped them out and they never rebuilt in Ashland. Not sure why. Hence why you see Shakespeare Stout and other theater related names on their brews is my guess. Cheers - thanks for the Navarre tip - may have to head over after my soccer game.

Standing Stone in Ashland is pretty good brewpub type place. Lots of breakfast opps in Ashland - Brothers near the plaza is an old favorite, my new favorite is Morning Glory on Siskiyou closer to the college - next to the Fairway (Fairview???Fairhaven???) Motel is great - all homemade stuff and some unique menu items - highly recommended. Also one of the bakeries (Ashland Bakery possible?) near the plaza has a good breakfast as well. Good luck and let us know.

Portlander for 23 years and I am enjoying everyone's observations about our humble town. If you are coming from NY - Portland is really not that diverse. I lived in DC for a year and was blown away by the diversity - I loved it and miss that here. No shame to Portland cause we can't and shouldn't try to be the end-all be-all of cities. But if that's important to you - you should be aware of that. My brother and sis-in-law live in Seattle and despite all the stats about climate - there is a slight difference in weather between SEA and PDX and in March when you have had it up to here in cloudy days that slight difference can mean the world. On the other hand - PDX has hotter weather in summer which can be a drag if you are a gardener or you have no air conditioning. I agree with Jim's observations that what makes PDX so charming is that natives still think PDX is a small town. Although we do not have the breadth of stuff (food) you find in SEA, SF, or NY we have a little of a lot. And you cannot beat the outdoor opportunities. Good luck with your decision.

Went there for the first time last week and thought it was great and very reasonably priced. One of the specials the night I went was a prawn sauteed in butter and was very very tasty. The carrot salad is great as is the lentil and beet salad. I liked the pumpkin fritters for their interesting texture (crispy outside, soft inside) but it was lacking something - not sure what. I will order again tho. I think their wine prices are very good and they have a nice selection.