I heard about Big Kahuna's from a friend who has a family friend involved with the restaurant. The DA did a story on it, and it's been on my radar ever since. When my friend Kristen said she didn't want to go somewhere right in town, I knew Big Kahuna's would be a decent choice. It's located on Grafton Road, a few miles past the Walmart.

The restaurant itself is a small area, seating about 20 people total, maybe. There's also an attached bar/gambling area. The fixtures were pretty basic, and there were a few "Hawaiian-style" cardboard designs on the walls - nothing fancy. The menu had the typical American grub - hoagies, burgers, pizzas. Some of the dishes did carry on the Hawaiian theme by infusing some pineapples, etc. into the food.

I ordered chili cheese fries and the "Big Kahuna's" burger. The fries were a huge portion - enough for a full appetizer. They came out in a fast-food fry basket, and were doused in a few types of cheese and a mild chili sauce. It was the kind of chili cheese fries that require a fork, which means there's more than enough flavor to go around. They were also served with sour cream, which topped off the meal perfectly.

The burger was cooked perfectly and topped with gouda cheese, pineapple, bacon, tomato, lettuce and a tangy barbecue sauce. The combination was like an explosion of excellent flavors - maybe straight from Hawaii. I really have no complaints about this burger. I really enjoyed the tangy sweet flavor, and I'd go back to have it again - despite the distant from campus.

Grade: B