Visit Hilo: Big Island Top Dogs

Even though I rarely eat hot dogs, Big Island Top Dogs is one of my favorite places to eat in Hilo.  I did try a Pocho Dog the last time I visited, but I really enjoy the chantilly desserts and fries!

On a recent visit, they didn't have the Chantilly Brownies that I was craving, but they did have Chantilly Banana Bread!

Chantilly Banana Bread

The banana bread was yummy and moist, and the chantilly frosting was just heavenly.  I do hope the next time I go they are offering the brownies though - I just love them!

Chili Cheese Fries

Big Island Top Dogs offers a variety of fries, and on this visit I had the Chili Cheese Fries.  The crispy, crinkle fries were loaded with chili and cheese, and quite honestly - I was happy with just the plain fries, but the chili and cheese made them that much better!

The eatery of course offers a variety of hot dogs, as well as burgers and local plate lunch faves.

The Long Board

The Long Board consists of linguica, house sauerkraut, lilikoi mustard, and house pickled onions.

They also offer salads!

Chicken Bacon Salad

I was actually impressed with the Chicken Bacon Salad!  The chicken was nicely cooked and seasoned, and there were lots of crispy bacon bits.  It was a great salad!

Big Island Top Dogs
811 Laukapu St #6

Hilo, HI 96720

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Visit Chicago: Portillo's

After being on the road for several hours from Detroit, we arrived in Chicago tired and hungry, so we picked up take-out from Portillo's, a popular chain found throughout Chicago.

They have a pretty large menu full of hot dogs, burgers, salads, pastas, and more.

Their Signature Hot Dog consists of mustard, relish, celery salt, onions, tomatoes, kosher pickle, and sport peppers in a poppy bun.

Hot Dog

Chicken Tenders

Cheese Fries

I don't eat a lot of hot dogs, so I just got some Chicken Tenders and Cheese Fries.  It was the perfect amount of food!

Clam Chowder

Fettuccine Alfredo with Meatball

Onion Rings

Chili & Cheese Dog

Portillo's also offers shakes!

The variety of foods offered meant there was something for everyone!

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Visit Hilo: Big Island Top Dogs

Sometimes you crave something as simple as a hot dog, and if that happens when you're in Hilo, Big Island Top Dogs will satisfy your craving for hot dogs and so much more.

Chicago Dog

Pocho Dog

I had the Pocho Dog - Portuguese Sausage, pickled onions, sauerkraut, and a liliko`i mustard sauce.  It was yummy!  I loved the sweet, tanginess of the sauce.

Spudzilla Fries

The Spudzilla Fries included cheese, bacon, sour cream, aioli, chives, and crispy fried garlic.  Very delicious.  

They even had Chantilly Brownies! I love chantilly, and these Brownies were so rich and fudgy, with the perfect amount of chantilly.  

Big Island Top Dogs was very busy, so I highly recommend you call in your order to lessen the wait.

Big Island Top Dogs
811 Laukapu St #6

Hilo, HI 96720

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Nadia's Experience at Tokyo Hotdogs

I was pretty excited when I visited Shirokiya's new Japan Village Walk for the first time, but I found the crowds to be quite overwhelming.  There are like a gazillion eateries, but none that were new or exciting to me.  That is, until I found Tokyo Hotdogs.  

These hotdogs are not your ordinary hotdogs and are topped with enough food to make a second meal!  As guests of Tokyo Hotdogs, we tried the yakisoba dog, karaage dog, and my personal favorite the beef bowl dog which is topped with the same yummy beef from their sister restaurant Mei-Ko-En.     

Yakisoba dog

Karaage dog

Beef Bowl dog

Each hotdog is paired with some crinkle cut fries and while the fries could have used some more salt, I thought the hotdogs were pretty close to perfection.  The bun (from La Tour Café) complimented the hotdogs like a dream.  You're getting perfect bun to hotdog ratio!  As for the toppings, you cannot go wrong with the beef; the yakisoba is sure to be a favorite with the kids; and the huge chicken karaage pieces will deliver.   

Tokyo Hotdogs make a filling meal and are a fun option among the other contenders at the Japan Village Walk.  They are open daily from 10am to 10pm.  Be sure to check them out! 

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New Eats: Hale Pops

Kaneohe is slowly transforming into a foodie's paradise thanks to new places that have been opening recently, including a place called Hale Pops. It's located in an old pink building on Kamehameha Highway just down the road from Servco Toyota (on the opposite side of Kam Highway).  

It's one of those places that you wouldn't really think twice about trying if you spotted it from the road. But don't judge a book by its cover, because it turns out that Hale Pops serves some of the best Hawaiian food and gourmet hot dogs on the island!

We ordered take out from them last weekend, and we were impressed with everything: the cleanliness of the restaurant, the friendliness of the staff/owners, the portions, and quality of the food.  

The hubby ordered the Ohana Special, and to his surprise, they threw in both kalua pig and lau lau, even though it's only supposed to come with either-or.  It was a lot of food, and he saved half of it for lunch the next day.

Hale Pops Hawaiian Food

I got the steak and shrimp combo plate, which was an excellent serving of steak with grilled onions and mushrooms.

Steak and Shrimp Combo

One of our friends ordered the pesto dog and ended up sharing half of it with the rest of us because it was GIGANTIC! The hot dog itself is longer and thicker than any hot dog I've ever seen.  It was really tasty and juicy.  I love how they serve it on a french bread roll instead of a regular hot dog roll.

Pesto Dog

The only thing we didn't like about our experience at Hale Pops was that they did not answer their phone when we tried to call in our order ahead of time.  We asked the owner about this and they said that their credit card machine uses the phone line, so between the two, they'd rather run the credit card machine than field phone calls.  I'm not sure what to think about that explanation, but it won't stop me from coming here, because the food and service make up for it.

There is a lot more to Hale Pops - including shave ice, Samurai Soft Serve, poke bowls and sandwiches. We'll definitely be back to try them all!




Hale Pops
45-726 Kamehameha Highway
(808) 235-0643
Hours: Monday - Friday 6am - 6pm, Sat - Sun 8am - 6pm

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Tokyo Hotdogs and Mei-Ko-En Beef Bowls at Shirokiya Japan Village Walk

Tokyo Hotdogs

Shirokiya Japan Village Walk has welcomed non-stop crowds ever since its opening last month, and over the weekend I got to try out two of the eateries with @nanigurl808 and @wehearthawaii  - Tokyo Hotdogs and Mei-Ko-En, both of which are Meat Hero, Inc. companies.

We met with co-founder "Aki" over the weekend to sample some of Tokyo Hotdogs' and Mei-Ko-En's eats.

Tokyo Hotdogs offers hot dogs stuffed in buns made by La Tour, topped with a variety of fixings, and accompanied by some fries.  .

The best seller is the Yakisoba Dog - Yakisoba, mayo, dried seaweed, and red pickled ginger.  Aki advised that in Japan, Yakisoba is commonly eaten in a roll split down the middle, so I can see why the Yakisoba Dog is a best-seller.

Yakisoba Dog

I tried the Karaage Dog.  I loved it.  The pieces of chicken were juicy and flavorful.  

Karaage Dog

Be sure to grab a knife and fork - most of the hot dogs are piled high with toppings making it nearly impossible to eat mess-free with just your hands.

Other hot dogs we tried that day were the Kimchee Dog and Beef Bowl Dog.

Kimchee Dog

Beef Bowl Dog

The hot dogs are very filling because they're just loaded with toppings.

For less adventurous eaters, Tokyo Hotdogs offers a Classic Dog with just Ketchup and Mustard, and will soon be offering a Chili Cheese Dog.  A Terimayo Chicken Dog is coming soon as well - I definitely would want to give that a try.

And in case you're wondering what Aki's favorite hotdog is - it's the Natto Dog!

Natto Dog

At the other end of Shirokiya Japan Village Walk is Mei-Ko-En.  Mei-Ko-En, which was established in 1978 in Japan, specializes in Gyu-Don, or Beef Bowls.  

For just $8.99, you'll get a generous bowl of rice topped with thinly sliced beef in the secret Gyu-Don Sauce. 

The bowls are huge, and could easily be shared!  Mei-Ko-En also offers beef bowls with kimchee or cheese, as well as a variety of bentos.

Both Tokyo Hotdogs and Mei-Ko-En offer delicious and convenient grab-and-go eats.

Check them out the next time you're at Shirokiya Japan Village Walk!

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