BIG ISLAND EDITION: Umeke's

We spent our morning painting the house and our afternoon soaking in the sun at a gorgeous, dog friendly beach.  By the time we got back to the car, we were starving and ready for some nachos.  We found Umekes Fishmarket Bar and Grill which happened to have nachos as their Sunday Special. When we arrived we got a table outside and perused the menu.  It was filled with so much yum.  Upon reading the nachos, we were somewhat hesitant.  The description on the menu in no way does them justice. It simply lists the ingredients of wonton chips, garlic aioli, lomi lomi salmon and your choice of kalua pork or poke.  Nicole has a gluten sensitivity so wonton chips were not ideal.  Both Blythe and I are not fans of lomi lomi salmon.  We almost didn’t get them because they did not sound appetizing to any of us.  Blythe persuaded and said, “Drink your shot of tequila and let’s do this. We have to.  It’s the Sunday Special and we are here!”  OMG we are sooooo glad we did!  They came in a huge bowl and in addition to the toppings listed had a delicious seaweed salad garnish and what we think was unagi sauce. It was an explosion of flavors in your mouth you weren’t used to having there. So many different pops that came together for delicious bite after delicious bite. It's like a bunch of flavors you wouldn't normally invite to a nacho party all crashing it and making it the best party ever. We ordered them thinking we would taste some and not like them.  We devoured the entire bowl.  Definitely on the list of "must try" nachos in Hawaii.

My favorite adventure buddies

Umeke Nachos $14 - Crispy wonton chips, garlic aioli, lomi lomi salmon topped off with kalua pork or poke

Schubes (5) – PRESENTATION: Beautiful multi colored bowl of nachos.  RAD: Presentation!  Flavor! Sauces!!! Bonus seaweed salad.  LAME: Menu description is weak!  Flies mostly, and gluten but only cause I’m special (farts).  TOPPING TO CHIP RATIO: 4.5, Ample wonton chips!  We may have loaded our wontons so much that we ran out prematurely of toppings. Nice breeze but to many muthafrickin flies!

Blythe (5) – PRESENTATION: Sunday Special!  Beautiful huge bowl!  Great textures, looks delicious.  RAD: Wontons, kalua pork, seaweed salad, and garlic aioli were all ONO!  Magical combination of ingredients, highly recommend.  LAME: We were worried about the lomi salmon since 2/3 of us usually don’t like it, but it was mostly tomato and AWESOME.  TOPPING TO CHIP RATIO: 5, perfect.  All delicious things, YUM!  Lovely atmosphere and service also fantastic.  Poke (we had balls and inari style)

 

Shananigans (4.75) – PRESENTATION: Big bowl of awesomeness.  Is that seaweed?  Can’t wait to dive in!  RAD: Pork is ridiculously flavorful.  Unagi sauce provides the perfect amount of sweet I never knew I wanted on nachos.  The flavors explode in your mouth in a giant party.  LAME: They should list all the ingredients better, I think they would appeal to people more if they did.  SO many flies. I hate you flies. TOPPING TO CHIP RATIO: 4.75, best unconventional nachos I have had.  Even though it is nice outside, probably better to sit inside to avoid the overly persistent flies.  It would be nicer outside too if music played out there.  I also had their burger and it was so juicy and delicious.  Way better than the mega expensive burger we had the day before in Kohala.  I don’t want to leave you Big Island!