This is part of a series of five excerpts from a book by Jessica Ferracane, "50 Thrifty Big Island Restaurants". Foodies trolling for blue collar grubs should dig in. And a hat tip to the folks at Watermark Publishing who agreed to the excerpts. If you buy the book through these links, I will get a small cut so help me help them help you ;).

Punalu‘u Bake Shop & Gift Shop

This spotless and charming roadside attraction is a must-stop for anyone traveling around the island or heading to the nearby black sand beach, and it’s a worthwhile destination for a Sunday drive. Its claim to fame is that it’s the southernmost bakery in the nation, but Punalu‘u Bake Shop is much more than a geographical point, and more than a bakery. For instance, the Roast Pork with Gravy Plate Lunch ($6.95) is as moist and succulent as you’d hope, even without the gravy. It’s so large you might need a nap after consuming it, even without the potato-macaroni salad and rice that come with all their plate lunches.

The bakery’s signature soft-textured Punalu‘u Sweet Bread is baked fresh daily and is the star of the sandwich menu, showing up in such delights as the tasty Seafood Supreme sandwich ($4.99), which contains a seafood salad of shrimp, imitation crab meat and mayonnaise. The 24-ounce loaves are available in several flavors (guava, taro, coconut, cinnamon-raisin and macadamia nut) and make welcome gifts. You can watch the bakery crew at work through the exhibition windows, which reveal a gleaming kitchen.Punalu ‘u Bake Shop offers picturesque seating in gazebos nestled alongside a gurgling waterfall, amid resplendent tropical landscaping. The newly renovated gift shop features an array of island-inspired trinkets, artwork and food items, but most irresistible is the new bakery display case, which shamelessly tempts customers with homemade malasadas, cookies, macadamia nut cinnamon rolls (we consumed one of these in less than two minutes), pies and more. Save some calories for the Punalu‘u Bake Shop—it’s well worth the drive.

• WEB: www.punaluubakeshop.com
• CUISINE Sandwiches, plate lunches and bakery items
• LOCATION 95-5642 Mamalahoa Highway (Highway 11 ) in Na ‘alehu (Map / Reviews)
• HOURS Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• ALCOHOL No

—Alex, 10/20/06