Eating in Hawaii
April 18, 2009
Contemporary food in Hawaii, like the language and popular culture, is a medley of traditional Hawaiian, Portugese, American, and Asian Pacific flavors. Pacific “fusion” cuisine was largely invented in Hawaii. Well-known local chefs include Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Russell Siu, Roy Yamaguchi, and George “Chef Mavro” Mavrothalassitis. Seafood is, of course, fresh and tasty. Local beef comes from ranches on Maui and coffee is grown on the Big Island. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, bananas, guavas, and papaya - as well as fresh sugar cane, can be bought in most corner stores (although you may be surprised to learn that many of those fruits are now imported from distant locales such as The Philippines & Brazil).
One of the most common ways that local food is served is in the form of plate lunch, usually meat or fish with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. It’s always a good deal at any lunch wagon, mall, or outside food court. L&L Drive Inn and Zippy’s are probably the most widely distributed chain of plate lunch spots in the Hawaiian islands. Branches of L&L are in some locations on the Mainland as well (as L&L Hawaiian Barbecue).
Another way of enjoying local food when roaming around the island is to keep an eye out for the converted trucks/vans that are parked in their regular spots in gas station parking lots, some parks and a variety of places on the island. They offer the “plate lunches”, are popular with the locals and provide great meals (on plastic plates} at very reasonable prices. There is no reason to fear them, they are very common and popular.
Perhaps the best setting for tourists to enjoy traditional Hawaiian food is at a luau, or a traditional Hawaiian feast. Tourists can find luaus at various locations in the Islands, including many of the major resort hotels. At a modern luau traditional Hawaiian favorites are served buffet style, and there is also Hawaiian music, hula, and other Polynesian entertainment. The downside is that they can be pricey and prices can vary widely; expect to pay between USD $50 and $90 per adult and about half that per child.
Dishes that are often found at luaus include:
* Lomi salmon, salted salmon mixed with tomatoes, onions, & pepper; like an island salsa
* Kalua pig, pork wrapped in banana leaves and steamed inside an imu (ground boiler); similar to pulled pork
* Pipi kaula, Hawaiian style beef jerky
* Poi, ground and boiled taro root paste
* Laulau, pork & butterfish (black cod) wrapped in ti leaves then steamed
* Luau, seafood (often squid) prepared in a mixture of boiled taro leaves and coconut milk
* Haupia, a gelatin-like dessert prepared from thickened coconut milk
Other local dishes include favorites such as the following:
* Ahi, tuna, excellent as sashimi (Japanese style sliced raw fish) or as poke (chopped and seasoned raw fish).
* Mahi Mahi or dolphin fish, served as a steak, sandwich, or in almost-raw thin strips .
* Ono, A type of fish also known as wahoo. Not coincidentally, the name resembles the Hawaiian word for “delicious.”
* Shave ice, an island version of snow cones made from finely shaved ice, comes in lots of ono flavors. Order your shave ice with azuki beans and/or a scoop of ice cream.
* Saimin, Hawaii’s version of noodle soup or ramen.
* Malasada, Fried bread rolled in plenty of sugar, often sold at special events. Portugese origin.
* Manapua, local name for a popular type of Chinese dim-sum otherwise known as “char-siu-bao”. Cured sweet pork wrapped in soft white bread.
* Spam musubi, an unorthodox variant of Japanese riceballs (musubi), composed of salted rice formed into a rectangular shape and topped with spam, wrapped in seaweed. Popular enough to be sold in every Hawaiian 7-11.
* Chicken/Pork Adobo, Filipino dish widely offered and appreciated in Hawaii.
If you are roaming the island away from tourist areas, you may find restaurants are scarce. Many of the numerous golf courses have dining rooms open to the public that offer great meals at very good prices. They seem to welcome the non-golfer. For specific places at which to eat, see the individual island or city articles. Be sure to check the coupon books that are available at display stands for meal specials.
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