Noted restaurateur Peter Merriman was one of the original founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine (HRC) over a decade ago. His flagship eatery in upcountry Waimea is an island institution with intricate plates crafted from Big Island produce (he has apparently locked up the supply from two of the most sought after tomato growers in the state). He also runs a more casual dining offshoot in the Waikoloa development along the sunny South Kohala Coast. With market umbrellas covering outdoor tables and tile floors, the restaurant projects a sunny, faux Mediterranean charm that is welcome in a relatively sedate resort mall complex of beachy shops. The food is also Mediterranean inflected with an emphasis on light flavors, lemons, olive oils, fresh fish and meats sourced from nearby ranchers.

Typical listings: hearts of Waimea romaine caesar, white anchovies and Parmesan crostini or tagine roasted fresh island catch in the Moroccan style with saffron, olive and preserved lemons over couscous. The wine listings are well-thought out and reasonably priced with representatives from California, France and other vineyard centers. At lunch the outdoor seating even in the shade of the market umbrellas so diner be warned. In the evenings the tables tend to fill up. Lunch is a better meal for families here, no doubt, as the pace is more casual and the crush usually non-existent. Waikoloa remains fairly barren in terms of good restaurants. According to TripAdvisor, service can be spotty but when I ate there it was quite fine. For the money, Merriman's is no bargain -- dinner entrees are $22 and up, for the most part -- but then again in Waikoloa nothing is cheap.

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—Alex, 12/14/06