Today is Cinco de Mayo. Thus we find ourselves at Rosa’s Cantina and Sunset Grill. The location is ideally set in Coconut Grove shopping area on Ali’i Drive in downtown Kailua-Kona. The restaurant is upstairs. Other than the power lines cutting through the horizon the view is great and an excellent place for sunsets. The waitstaff delivers chips and salsa while Leise awaits her virgin strawberry daiquiri. At first look I am concerned. The salsa is more like watery soup than the thicker salsa I grew up with in the Southwest U.S.  Other than the wateriness of the salsa, the flavor is good. Leise says she likes her daiquiri.  Rosa’s was recommended over Pancho Lefty’s because I was told that Pancho Lefty’s is dirty.  Then I look at the menu and it states that Pancho Lefty’s is a sister restaurant.  Luckily Rosa’s is clean.

I order the chile relleno with boracho beans.  Boracho beans? Drunk beans?  I must ask more about this. I have found that if a mexican restaurant can get relleno right then everything else is bound to be pretty good. At first bite I reach for my iPad to share how amazing it is!!!  The batter covering the chile is light and flavorful. The chile is spicy but not too spicy with good flavor. The cheese inside the chile is better quality than most and has good flavor as well. I immediately go back in for a second and third bite before I have to share it with Leise. The beans and the fried rice both have great flavor. Leise ordered the fish tacos with the black beans. The fish has a light flavor and the black beans taste great. There is enough food that we were not left hungry for desert.  Maybe next time.

With the waves crashing across the street and the Cinco de Maya give always and raffle supporting the local high school, we are truly enjoying this experience and will come back again. For ambience I give Rosa’s Cantina and Sunset Grill 4 out of 5 surfboards. For food quality I give 3.5 out of 5 surfboards. For service I give 3 out of 5 surfboards. Overall I give it a 3.5 surfboards.

Aloha,

James Christopher

ThruJimsEyes.com

http://www.tripadvisor.com/members/ThruJimsEyes