An Annie's Update

Annie’s ( www.anniesislandfreshburgers.com )

For a burger joint this is quite a nice culinary experience.

Passing south through Kainaliu village you would find the Mango Court Shopping Center, a small strip mall situated on the makai side of the road.  In the midst of the shops you will find where Annie plies her trade.

The ambiance is interesting.  Although the eating area is totally enclosed the makai windows, when opened, give the essence of al fresco dining.  The diners may overlook a parking lot bellow but the ocean appears to be within reach.  The restaurant is small but is not too noisy.  The service is friendly but not overwhelming.

The menu is full of burger variations with a couple of vegetarian sandwiches.  I have eaten at Annie’s a number of times and my overall impression is that it has its excellent features and it has some features that are not so great.  The first thing to report is that it is no value.  The food is good but the prices are high.

Regarding the food, the meat (local grass-fed beef) is very good.  The toppings are fresh and very tasty.  A really excellent topping, which is applied too sparingly, is Annie’s Homemade Pickles.  However, the buns (a very important part of the burger sandwich for me) are problematic.  The normal hamburger buns are very good but the chibbata-type buns are dry and undermine the sandwich.  Of course, that’s just my opinion, but it has proven true each time I have eaten with Annie.  The fries are excellent and the portion is large.  However, the onion rings have too much breading and are greasy.

The bottom line for me is that, if I want to spend a little extra for a burger and fries, I will gladly sit down to Annie’s Ultimate Classic Burger with extra pickles and an order of fries.  My experience has been that that is an excellent meal.  One additional comment is that, while I love meat and I like my burgers bloody, friends have reported to me that all of Annie’s servings are rare.  So, perish the thought, if you want a well-done burger this may not be the place for you.  I will recommend Annie’s, with a few caveats, and will definitely eat there again.