Fish Hopper is Tops!
Steak, seafood and an akamai waitstaff!

by Carrie Kuwada Phipps

When it comes to a great first impression while dining out in Kailua-Kona, the Fish Hopper is at the upper crust of my list. This eatery opened four months ago at the old Ocean View Inn location on the Ali'i Drive strip in Kailua-Kona; it offers excellent service, fabulous sunset and bay views, is a great venue for people-watching and has a lot more than just great local seafood.
On a recent visit, three different staff members enthusiastically greeted Mark and me before we were ushered to our table for dinner. Immediately impressed, we recalled the innumerable times that we had entered a dining establishment or place of business in town and been completely ignored.
The restaurant has been renovated into a relaxed and casual Polynesian Style décor with earth tones, large comfy booths at the rear, and a bamboo-roofed bar. Gone are the old screens and louvered windows that once blocked the stunning views of the bay. In its place were open-aired walls inviting the outside in and the inside out.
This is the newest one of seven restaurants owned by Sabu Shake and family. The other six, including the original Fish Hopper, are all in Monterey, California. The family's 30 years in the restaurant business were clearly evident, especially in the well-trained staff. Our waiter, Jonathan, was totally on top of it; he knew exactly what it took to provide A+ service.
Besides the steaks and the fresh, local fish, menu items include fish flown in from the mainland: seasonal Dungeness crab, Sand dabs from Monterey, Petrali Sole, fresh Alaskan halibut, Corvena sea bass and wild salmon.
We started with the Chef's Sampler Plate ($16.95) - enough for at least two - featuring their Fire Roasted Artichoke with Roasted Garlic Aioli, a Dungeness crab cake and calamari. The generous platter, beautifully presented, was absolutely delicious. The marinated artichoke was excellent, the calamari rings plump and light, and the crab cake was crispy on the outside and moist and succulent on the inside.
A Poached Pear Gorgonzola Salad arrived next, with candied walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette dressing ($9.95). We told Jonathan we planned to share this large salad, so he served it already divvied up. Topped with three thick slices of poached pear, generous amounts of walnuts and Gorgonzola, the sweet and savory salad was a delight, both beautiful to look at and a knockout for the palate.
I debated between the Sand Dabs (which I've never tried) and the Stuffed Jumbo Prawn Pasta, but the pasta finally won out. My $23.95 platter included three jumbo prawns stuffed with crab meat and served over angel hair pasta and tossed with portabella mushroom, fresh spinach and tomatoes. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was light yet rich with white wine, butter, and garlic. The finishing touch was a dusting of Parmesan cheese which Jonathan hand-grated. This was paired with a glass of full-bodied red wine (Ferrari Carano), and the combination was really out of this world.
Mark ordered up the Seafood Cioppino ($29.95) which contained one-half of a Dungeness crab, jumbo shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and fish in a tomato broth with fennel. The broth was extraordinarily good: buttery, rich, and savory. This dish was most stunningly presented in a large white bowl that looked like a giant saimin spoon. Mark kept commenting throughout dinner - and throughout the next week and until today - how great his Cioppino was.
All servings were generous, and we both had another meal or two with the leftovers.
To finish the meal, we ordered a Triple Berry Mango Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.95) and the Macadamia Torte for dessert. The cobbler was excellent, with the perfect amount of sweetness. The Torte came with a macadamia nut crust and a layer of caramel and was topped with chocolate and caramel, but it was my only disappointment of the evening as the caramel layer was crystallized, and this particular dessert was a little overly sweet in my opinion.
If you're looking for quiet romantic ambiance, the Fish Hopper won't cut it, but if you're looking for some great and creative food, great service and killer views of the bay right in town, hop on over. Beyond the great seafood and steaks, they also offer prime rib nightly, as well as Alaskan king crab, their award-winning clam chowder (which is their specialty and an original family recipe), and some very creative Polynesian drinks. Their signature Bucket of Fire serves two or more and contains four different types of alcohol (vodka, two rums, brandy) and is served as a flaming volcano! Great wine pairings are also suggested and available.
The Hopper serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Reservations highly recommended for dinner. Great place - I've already been back once for lunch.
The Fish Hopper
75-5683 Ali'i Dr.
Kailua-Kona
326-2002
FishHopper.com
Open:
7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Entrees:
Breakfast $8.95-14.95
Lunch $10.95-15.95
Dinner $15.95-25.95
Plastic: Discover, Amex, Visa, MC, Diner's, JCB
Parking: Behind restaurant or public lot (entrance off Kuakini Hwy.)
Our reviewers are anonymous and never identify themselves to anyone connected with the restaurant until after the meal is finished and the check is settled (if then). HIJ pays the entire food tab and our sales staffers never accompany reviewers. We insist our food critics, like all our other writers, be fair, accurate and independent; to call 'em as the see 'em and let the chips (and, in this case, the appetizers and desserts) fall where they may. -Editor

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