Genki Buffet

[2liveque]

Went there for dinner.
Basically, it is a cheap Chinese Buffet you will find in any other locale throughout the country. Only difference is the price....I'm sure rent at the Town Center calls for creative ways to make a buck.

The food was not bad and the service was good. Just don't go in there expecting top quality food or ingredients. Other than that, it is ok.

Best Chinese/Asian would probably be two doors up....Lemongrass. But if you trying to stuff your belly buffet style, Genki 'aint too bad. Chinese Buffet with Japanese name.

[ericlp]

yup.... gotta agree lemongrass is still king. I have feeling that between the asian food restaurants... This one will probably be closing it's doors. I think they should have made a noodle shop or something that offered a different flavor. I won't be trying it. Rather spend my money at lemongrass than average food, if I wanted that, I'd go to L&L.... or #1 BBQ. We call these places back home in oregon (chinatown) scarf and barf.

[terracore]

I've never been to a Chinese buffet twice. Life is too short for bland overpriced food. I'm more about quality than quantity. Thanks to Punawebers, I don't need to try this place out.

I'm amazed that being surrounded by Asian restaurants, somebody decided "We need another Asian restaurant in this strip mall!" Mall rent $ is a KILLER.

Why bring another bland Asian food restaurant- drowning in a sea of bland Asian restaurants, into an area smaller than a little leaguer could hit a ground ball? I wish this place well but history is not on it's side.

A restaurant that wants to make money would open up midway between Keaau and Pahoa, and offer delivery to Orchidland.

[macuu222]

And HPP

[birdmove]

We eat, or take out, from Lemongrass pretty often. Pretty good food, and nice people. For Mexican style, I like Lucy's in Hilo. For Thai, we like the place adjoining a nice park in Hilo, across from a museum. It's the New Chiang Mai Thai Cuisine. Great food. Great people. The curry dishes are so good, I always get a spoon so I get every drop. There is a wonderful black bean noodle dish, and the pad Thai is great too. This Thai place is my favorite place to eat. We usually drop in for lunch. The green papaya salad is great too. I'm getting hungy just thinking about it.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[ElysianWort]

Yeah I've been living here since 1980 and that Keaau strip mall got constructed around that time. I haven't kept track but I'm going to guess it's been between 6 to 8 restaurant/ bars that have come and gone in that exact location. I agree with terracore. Maybe not the smartest move bringing more of the same in that spot. Hmm maybe we should start a wagering pool? I'll go with 18 months max before that place goes belly up.

[leilanidude]

For Thai, we like the place adjoining a nice park in Hilo, across from a museum. It's the New Chiang Mai Thai Cuisine. Great food. Great people.
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AGREED!

[Lee M-S]

For Thai, the place next to Kalakaua park is nice, but I prefer Hilo Siam, on Mamo next to KTA.

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[terracore]

I hate to see new businesses fail. Maybe they will reinvent themselves into something more popular. What do you think would be a money maker in that spot?

[Lee M-S]

So what's been there so far? I remember Paradise, Charlie's (both pau hana spots) Hokulani Steakhouse (I heard they failed because bar staff was skimming), and the Italian Place (it was only filling in the end of Hokulani's lease). Someone mentioned Mama Lani's--what was there before that?

I suspect another pau hana spot would do well, now that there are more workers in the area. I'd like to see another nice dinner place like Hokulani--all the other restaurants in the area are quick lunch places. I'd even go for a chain Mexican place, like Pancho and Lefty's. mmmmmmexican...




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