I think I could probably write hundreds of blogs, articles and books about eating and cooking in Hawaii and I would probably leave something out... so I will simply offer my most savory suggestions. One of my favorite things in the world is cooking for friends and another is sitting down with them and enjoying a wonderful meal. Hawaii has such a rich culinary world because the islands have been the destination for many people who have immigrated from Asia, Polynesia, Europe and the mainland bringing many tastes, ideas and traditions resulting in the very exciting and diverse foods you find in Hawaii. I can't ever recall a bad meal in Hawaii... I equally enjoy the shrimp off the trucks on the North Shore to the destination restaurants in Ala Moana and Wikkiki.
No matter where I go in the world I'm not very likely to go to a fast-food or a franchised restaurant as I would rather enjoy the local flavors offered by a family business. The shrimp trucks are one of my favorite ways to enjoy lunch or a snack... most are located on the North Shore near Kahuku... you can enjoy fresh shrimp with rice (sometimes macaroni salad if you are lucky)and a slice of pineapple and a beverage and get change back from $20... but the best thing is you get to enjoy a wonderful and delicious plate of food al fresco.
OK let's talk about Spam... not the computer kind... but the canned meat kind... Hawaii has the nations highest per capita consumption of Spam or loco mocco (roughly 7 million cans a year)... OK hear me out on this... if you have not tried Spam in Hawaii stop rolling your eyes and open your mind to trying something new. There are more varieties available in Hawaii than anywhere else (eleven flavors). The whole thing started during WWII with meat and other foods being rationed... and it continued to be popular(ish) being a food item that was relatively inexpensive that did not require refrigeration and had a relatively long shelf life.... it was not until the swinging 70's that someone created Spam Musubi... essentially teriyaki fried Spam combined with rice and wrapped in nori seaweed. (It's divine trust me) You can go to almost any local restaurant and get Spam and eggs for breakfast (including Mc Donald's) Sam Choy even serves Spam Kabobs in his restaurants.
There are a lot of little places that are sometimes off the beaten path that offer simply mouth watering food and by Hawaii standards relatively inexpensively... The thing that you need to keep in mind when you are shopping in a grocery store or dining out is that the majority of food consumed is shipped in and typically will cost about 30% more than the mainland as a result.
Every year at the Hawaii State Fair there is a contest for the " Best Local Pie" using ingredients indigenous to Hawaii... the winner for 2015 made a pie using pineapple. apple, banana and liliko'i with a crumb topping (I can't wait to get my hands on that recipe and the local ingredients) You can find it on line.
One of my all time favorite snacks and comfort food is a manapua... it's a steamed roll filled wth BBQ pork or chicken... I have been known to make a meal out of them by eating five or six. I was first introduced to them in the 60's going to Libby Manapua but you can get them in many places including the Manoa Marketplace. I can remember being sent to bring them home and eating almost an entire box in the car by myself.
Nothing tops off a snack of eating a few manapua quite like stopping for Shave Ice or Ice Shave as it's called on the Big Island... but whatever you do don't call it a snow cone. Shave ice originated in Japan and is known as Kakigori... essentially it's shaved ice flavored with syrup and served in a cup with a straw... There are many flavors and I intend to try them all in my lifetime but currently my favorite is guava, pineapple and coconut.
Hawaii regional cuisine is a movement that spotlights the diverse flavors and products of Hawaii including but not limited to beef raised on the Big Island, sweet potatoes from Moloka'I, onions from Maui, Kona coffee and island grown vanilla and chocolate. Some of the pioneering chefs include Alan Wong, Peter Merriman, Roy Yamaguchi and Sam Choy who all have namesake restaurants on the islands.
Without a doubt my favorite special occasion restaurant in the entire world is La Mer at The Halekulani... I have celebrated some of the best birthday's and weddings and anniversaries and life's special moments at La Mer; the food, service and ambience have earned it a five star rating. If you decide to indulge yourself they have a dress code so make sure you understand that when you make a reservation... and you will need a reservation; the last time I went I made it two months in advance... not always necessary but I wanted to make sure I got a specific date and time.
Another favorite is going to the food court at Shirokiya at the Ala Moana Center...
You can get the most amazing food for lunch, dinner or just a snack on the second floor and sometimes I walk over to Ala Moana Beach Park and enjoy and savor the meal and the moment.
There is so much more that I wanted to include in this like the luau for a child's first birthday and the unique foods and preparations and traditions as well as some of my favorite things to eat like Kalua Pork, Lomi Salmon, Shoyu Chicken, Laulau, Char Sui and Okinawan Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie; perhaps I need to devote an entire segment to these or maybe I'll try to incorporate a few things into the Hawaiian traditions and cultural influences I have planned in a couple weeks.
I'll close with this... Poi is considered one of the sacred aspects of "Old Hawaii' and is thought of and treated with reverence. It is made in an ancient tradition of grinding taro root and making a sticky paste often served with fresh fish... I actually like poi but for many it's an acquired taste that most visitors to the islands find a bit too exotic... but you never know until you try it... However if it's not to your liking please don't refer to it as tasting like wallpaper paste and move on to something else whether you are noshing on the North Shore or eating ala carte at Ala Moana you will always find something Onolicious!
Aloha, a hui hou. (Good-bye, Until we meet again.)
