Eric's Tummy Points
Friday, 04 December 2009
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Rainbow Drive-in
Rainbow Drive-in
3308 Kanaina Ave.
Honolulu, HI
808-737-0177
http://www.rainbowdrivein.com
Price: $
Ambiance: Casual
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Tummy Points: 3/5
Notes: Rainbow Special (2
patty burger) $3.30, Boneless
Chicken w/gravy $6.50.
Opened back in 1961, Rainbow Drive-in has long been serving various plate lunches in Honolulu. They pride themselves on serving generous portions of hearty simple food at reasonable prices and counting on sales volume. Food they serve is geared for workers and beach-goers in the area so it was all quick foods.
The ordering is fast and you feel very rushed since a line quickly forms behind but they didn't rush us. The menu is on the wall behind the cashier with black pre-cut plastic letters on a lighted yellow board.
There's only outdoor covered seating on contoured plastic chairs. Seating space is limited to a number of people were eating in the parking lot sitting on the curb. I guess they don't need much since they're called a drive-in and not a restaurant it's not expected everyone sits there to eat.
Rainbow special burger didn't look impressive at first. It was small with two patties that resembled what you'd get from Wendy's. they tasted like beef from Wendy's too. But what was different was the fresh onion and lettuce stood out as well as the sauce. They had a yellowy greenish sauce that wasn't thousand island sauce but like a tartar sauce. I like that.
Boneless Chicken w/gravy came out on a plate inside a paper box. Every plate lunch comes with 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. The gravy is very light and not salty. It doesn't have too much taste to it but it got me wanting more. I'm normally not keen on macaroni salad but this was good. Macaroni was light on the mayo dressing and freshly prepared so it wasn't soggy or overly cold. Rice came out hot and fluffy.
The breading is fresh, hand packed, and light. The amount of breading is about equal to the amount of chicken. I found out one of the reasons the chicken was so yummy. The chicken includes a thin layer of skin to keep the chicken moist and almost everyone loves eating animal fat!
The prices were reasonable for what you get. Everything is prepared fresh and come out warm. Unfortunately the drinks come in cups fille with 3/4rds of it ice but the syrup to water ratio was correct. Rainbow Drive-in didn't strike me as amazing so I'd only recommend a visit if you're in the area.
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Comments (13)
you're lucky. you have a job that requires you to travel. what is your occupation?
@falconfraudless - traveling for work isn't for everyone but I enjoy it. I'm a consultant sot the client is always somewhere else; I do a lot of travelling for fun too.
Me so hungry! I really want that burger right now.
@osmundaregalis - LOL i'm hungry too. I'm doing Swiss Chalet tonight. What's on your plate?
@rice_eric - don't know yet.
Rainbow Drive In is one of those places that people always tell people to go to; and that local people seem to love. I, for one, cannot stand the place. Funny thing too is I know the owner; enough that I ended up buying his car from him.
I think every single time I've been there, I've had an upset stomach afterwards haha.
@chow@ireallylikefood - LOL! The place gives you stomach aches and you suggested it? j/k it was alright and I was fine after. Maybe you're too used to healthy foods and Rainbow drive-in doesn't fit that?
@rice_eric - Hahaha, no! I didn't suggest this place :P I suggested Helena's if you wanted to try Hawaiian food, and Zippy's if you wanted to try standard local cuisine. The only way I would have recommended Rainbow Drive In to you is if I were really drunk...
...which I may have been. If I did, my apologies haha.
@arenadi - Zippy's!!! :D
The beef isn't that good, huh? Pretty much a good way to ruin a burger. Good burgers are something badly missing in Thailand. Thank goodness there is an In-n-Out burger near the end of the runway at LAX, perfect for running to when changing planes on the way back to the US.
@arenadi - lol it's ok. it was worth a try. I liked the gravy and chicken.
@yang1815 - I saw that but it was a chain so I didn't think much of it
@christao408 - i'm not fond of In-n-Out. Everyone on the west raves about it but I had it and was very disappointed. I reviewed it on my blog. Some ppl agree and some don't
@rice_eric - Yeah I think Zippy's is one of those exceptions where even the locals like it.
i like how the two scoops are rice are literally two separate scoops. LOL. i'd try it just cause they're cute. (: