Kona Steak & Seafood
1200 Del Monte Center, Monterey
(831) 920-2911, konamonterey.com
In the traditional Hawaiian game of kónane – somewhat similar to checkers or chess – players must employ strategy to capture and block their opponent’s pieces. When he opened Kona in 2023, restaurateur Bill Lee built a Hawaiian-Asian-fusion menu that was basically a winning version of kónane: He took the best dishes he’d perfected, and added flavorful interpretations of classics. There are generous tiki drinks garnished with tropical fruits and flowers. There’s even a shaved ice shack offering the beloved dessert. To dine in a shopping center and feel transported across the ocean is a feat even tougher than winning at kónane.
