Chowhound's Latest » Hawaii

origin of the loco moco

Tripeler — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:17:59 GMT

I keep imagining the Loco Moco was a dance craze from the early 60s. Still, you can't get any more Hawaiian than this popular dish.

Observations on Mama's and Gerrard's on Maui

Joebob — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:22:25 GMT

I checked with Gerard's. It was (of course) Ch. de Sancerre.

Maui (Lahaina / Hana) & Big Island (Kona / Volcano Village) recs sought

killersmile — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:14:26 GMT

To answer some of your questions: Lychee season runs from now through the summer. Musubi and onigiri are one and the same, although some musubi are shaped differently, i.e. spam musubi. Here in Hawaii I think most people associate manju with the flaky pie crust type manju, not the steamed type or "mochi wrapped around filling" type the way the Japanese define manju. Best examples of this type of manju are Home Maid Bakery or Sam Sato's on Maui and Lawai Manju on Kauai.

Eating your way around the island of Kauai

gator28 — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:31:39 GMT

Also, check out the Koloa Fish Market for fresh poke.

Oahu trip report -- May 2012

chloehk — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:18:27 GMT

Roy's is a classic experience, right in the center of the action, and fun. If I could only go one place, I'd make it there. But I think Hiroshi's would make a good #2. I think the food is just as good (if not better than) Roy's, but the atmosphere and location aren't as good.

The Nasturtium Cafe, Big Island Hawaii

LaBedaine — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:38:45 GMT

The Nasturtium Cafe 79-7491 B Mamalahoa Highway Kealakekua, HI 96750 808-322-5083 We had the best meal of our trip in the Big Island at this lovely cafe. Friends of ours had eaten there on their honeymoon and had recommended it to us--and I'm glad they did! Everything was fresh, delicious, used local ingredients and looked beautiful on the plate.

Musubi

Clinton — Mon, 14 May 2012 03:12:32 GMT

You're probably correct in that assumption Kman. I found that the Japanese in Hawaii have their own "slangs" or colloquialisms which is slightly different from the mainland and Japan cultures IMO. For example, "chirashi" was unfamiliar to me when it was served here in SoCal. In Hawaii, it was commonly refered to as "sushi rice" with veggies and kamaboko in it. Normally it is stuffed in cone sushi or inari back home. I guess it's like dialects, different regions have their own peculiarities and identities?

Moving to O'ahu, Looking for Specialty Grocery

macaraca — Sun, 13 May 2012 05:35:05 GMT

I understand your desire very well, and suggest you stock up on some essentials to ship here when you move to help tide you over until you are able to find the best local sources for those necessities. Don't know where you are, but confess to hitting up Trader Joe's and other places in SFO myself when I travel for some things I can't find here. Two things come to mind for my larder: dried porcini mushrooms, which I get from the mushroom dealers inside the Ferry Bldg, and really good orange marmalade. Can get great fresh mushrooms here now, but dried porcinis here are ridiculous expensive or of poor quality, and they keep well, so I stock up. Have not found a really good local marmalade, and Hero brand used to be available some places, but haven't found it lately. Of course I also take advantage of home-made lilikoi and guava jelly from local artisans, but sometimes I just want good marmalade! If you have a lot of stuff to ship, you may want to check with the "Ship to Hawaii" people...if you sign up with them or their competitors, you can use them for relatively inexpensive shipping costs on internet orders that otherwise charge outrageous prices for sending things here.

Hanapepe, Kauai Dinner on a Friday Night

Raboi — Sun, 13 May 2012 02:50:30 GMT

Where do we eat in Hanapepe while we are there for the Friday Night Art Thing. We eat anything and everything. The more adventurous the better. Thanks.

Ko Olina Area

KaimukiMan — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:04:35 GMT

maybe after decades on Oahu my expectations are just low. and i never lived in pizza cities like nyc or chicago. hope you make it over there to give us another review.

Fried Chicken on Oahu

KaimukiMan — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:10:45 GMT

yes, its excellent, but somehow its not what i think of when i think of fried chicken. i can think of some great mochiko chicken too, but again to me, while it may be chicken, and it may be breaded/battered and fried - its not 'fried chicken' thanks for the info on churches. there used to be one hidden away somewhere in pearl ridge, but i can never remember where unless i stumble upon it... it may still be there, not sure.

queen's surf snack bar

KaimukiMan — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:08:45 GMT

the problem with the Alley is there is too much to choose from. i haven't worked my way up to? down to? the oxtail, but i will keep your recommendation in mind!

Okolemaluna Tiki Bar in Kailua-Kona, any reports?

kathryn — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:14:59 GMT

Thanks for the report!

Amasia - Alan Wong's Maui

killersmile — Wed, 09 May 2012 23:15:20 GMT

I read the article this morning. The interesting thing to me was that the restaurant wasn't a duplicate of his main restaurant, but a different style. At least that was the impression I got while reading about the dishes and multitude of small plates. I guess the style fits in more with the resort atmosphere.

Honolulu Report - 3 Night Visit

KaimukiMan — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:01:52 GMT

yes, the area is called Kalihi Kai (makai of the highway) 267 Mokauea St, Between Home Rule and Democrat streets, a block down from Republican (yes, really) I think the place you are thinking of is Fort Ruger Market, 3585 Alohea Ave in Kapahulu/Kaimuki. Also well worth a visit. Ummmm... boiled peanuts....musubi.... poke

Aloha Shiro Matsuo

curiousgeo — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:01:20 GMT

Too bad, sorry to hear of his passing. Shiro's in Waimalu was always a good fall back place to eat. Not my favorite saimin restaurant on Oahu, but you always knew what to expect when eating there and would have a decent meal. The saimin choices were mind boggling sometimes.

da falafel king (honolulu)

arni psito — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:45:12 GMT

thanks, was wondering where they went

Feeling Doubts About Going to Alan Wong Tomorrow

beantowntitletown — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:16:25 GMT

Without a doubt, Joebob, the feedback here was valuable. Unless there was an overwhelmingly negative response from the fine dining posters here, we weren’t gonna pass up dinner at AWR. Dinner wasn’t perfect, but yeah, Hunt, that coconut was a knockout. Our subsequent meals there must end with the coconut.

Oahu, great fries?

igetfuzzy — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:13:59 GMT

Have you tried the duck fat fries at Hank's Haute Dogs on Coral Street? I thought they were different and excellent.

Seeking very special restaurant for family wedding in Oahu (Makaha / Ko Olina area)

flylice2x — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:16:25 GMT

The place you are staying at, is it a hotel? How far do yo want to travel for the event?

Adventurous family looking for chowhound worthy food maui/oahu

Beach Chick — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:00:07 GMT

Aloha Joebob...good to hear about the retirement is possible..for us, it's choosing what island. O'ahu for the food and city life, Kaua'i for the aloha, Maui for the golf, food/beaches. Aloha & Mahalo to all..

Maui: Gannon's, new Alan Wong, Merriman's, Haile Maile...decisions!

pilotgirl210 — Fri, 04 May 2012 22:04:48 GMT

Spent a couple of weeks on Maui over St. Paddy's Day and, in addition to hitting our usual haunts, discovered The Star Noodle, which was very, very good for lunch. The Pan Asian restaurant specializes in *small plates, * a la Spanish tapas, and we really loved the tempura shrimp, two colossal shrimp (isn't that an oxymoron?) in a perfect batter served with some type of yummy dark sauce. Wished, though, that there had been more of the sauce on the plate. Hubby had the barbequed pork buns, which he really liked, but too much breading for me. We then split a bowl of pho, which was very good. Rather hard to find in an industrial area up the hill from Walgreen's. Really fills up at lunch time. We arrived about 11 and it was perfect. Great table and ocean/harbor view. They also have a sushi bar and a long, communal table that runs the length of the restaurant. Visit the restrooms. They are unusual! No trip to Maui for us is complete without a late breakfast at The Plantation House in Kapalua. We usually arrive between 10 and 11 a.m. and have always been given a front-row, killer view table. I had the crab egg Benedicts ($13.95) and hubby had the ahi egg Benedicts. Great coffee and wonderful serving cups. You can just imagine Tiger teeing off just below the restaurant. And the view just takes my breath away. Other breakfast spots we hit are Cane and Taro, Hula Grill and Kihei Caffe. We tried the new --to us anyway -- Capt. Jack's on Front Street and the food was very good but the service was deplorable!! I specifically ordered a condiment when I gave my breakfast order and when the food arrived, I reminded the server of my request. I sat there and waited and waited and waited for him to return from the kitchen as my food went from hot to tepid. He had the personality of a slug and appeared hung-over. I wish I were one who could equate my tip with service but, unfortunately, I always leave 20 percent or better. Then, I just never return. The best mai tais we had were at the Mai Tai Lounge on Front Street. Unfortunately, we didn't discover them until a couple of nights before we returned home. Had a memorable St. Paddy's day at Lahaina Coolers, one of my favorite happy hour places. Many locals patronize this bar/restaurant and I can see why. We'd had breakfast there prior to a whale-watching cruise and, walking back to our condo in late afternoon, we returned to LC for a cocktail. We were greeted like long-lost family. A wahine put green beads around my neck and before I knew it, she had painted a shamrock on the back of my hand and on one cheek. We had a great time partying with our new-found friends. Made me feel like we were back in our Elks Lodge at home! And to top it off, hubby surprised me with tickets to the Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefers Band concert at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center! Wow. Just wow. Be sure to check their entertainment schedule for the time of your visit. You might find something good going on. Great trip and I can't wait to return next March!

Luau: Honolulu or Maui?

honu2 — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:14:26 GMT

Probably an attempt this year to limit protesters to the sidewalk outside the church grounds.

drinking water on Maui...bring a Brita filter or buy filtered water

russkar — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:39:02 GMT

Hawaiian Isle Bottled Water is R/O filtered.

Best sushi/sashimi in Honolulu

killersmile — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:52:17 GMT

I'm headed there for Mother's Day actually as it is one of my mom's favorite restaurants. Small portions (perfect sized for her), delicately flavored seasonal food served on nice pieces of original pottery. A good reminder of visits to Kyoto, although I have never been to their sister restaurant in Kyoto.

eat the street - bacon

manomin — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:24:43 GMT

Hope it was fun! I do not respond well to mass hysteria! Going to "Taste of the Nation" tomorrow which I doubt will be as hectic! I like the sound of what you at mostly.

Are any of the Entertainment Book Coupon Restaurants Chowhound Worthy?

KaimukiMan — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:30:00 GMT

whoops... how come i didn't delete that. good save manomin, thanks.

Maui trip report and Waikiki

Beach Chick — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:23:49 GMT

Man, what I wouldn't do for a fresh hot Leonard's malasada right now...vanilla custard. www.leonardshawaii.com

gluten-free vegan Honolulu and Hilo area

lgss — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:48:11 GMT

In Honolulu we ate and shopped at Down to Earth several times, ate at Simple Joy and Peace Cafe, and got fruit at Ala Moana farmer's market. On the Big Island we shopped and ate at Island Naturals, shopped at HIlo Farmer's Market, and ate at Cafe Ono when we went to Volcano.

Kauai Report (Mostly North Shore) - Feb/March 2012

kaleokahu — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:00:19 GMT

Hi, dailywaffle: "Get there when it opens (or even a little before)." You go stay go, but no try buy before da horn blows... Pono 'ole, wop yo jaw, hiki no? ;) Aloha, Kaleo

Shinsato pork at Kokua Market

macaraca — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:42:51 GMT

Turns out the Shinsato family will visit Kokua on Monday, April 30 from 11:30-1pm for a "Meet your Farmer" event. http://api.ning.com/files/2I*LOCKMydS81Tl9sBprEtfOZCrpDAFykbIzF2TyIshjG82jWWUEvnU49MMt2s*JRUbWDdsqFdo4Bl7ZyCeaAX9wc3rmmk*P/MeetYourFarmer.jpg

Sunday Brunch--Maui

Beach Chick — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:16:47 GMT

I have not been but my fave is Plantation House at Kapalua Golf Course.. Great food and views with no wait. Ahi benedict with wasabi hollandaise is sublime. Aloha

Chinese Restaurant Tea in Honolulu

KaimukiMan — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:50:21 GMT

I just finished reading (although I can't say comprehending) the thread about what tea to drink with Dim Sum. I'm overwhelmed . Been a long time since I thought of myself as 'one dumb haole' but apparently when it comes to tea, that's exactly what I am. I know a couple of places serve jasmine tea (or at least do sometimes), but when the server asks if I want tea, instead of just saying yes should I be asking what kind? (yeah, right) And what should I expect here in Honolulu? Is it different than what I would get in LA or SF? Are they just serving plain old lipton and laughing their heads off at me?

Great family-friendly & date night restaurants in Oahu?

KaimukiMan — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:42:21 GMT

i think if you check out the thread about the Hale Aina awards, then come back with specific questions about places that look interesting to you we might be able to be more helpful. The top few would be Alan Wongs, Chef Mavro, Roy's, Nobu's, Le Bistro, and depending on the re-opening schedule La Mer.

2012 Hale Aina awards from Honolulu Magazine

Hoc — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:08:06 GMT

That may be true. I kept returning to Ryan's Park Place repeatedly, hoping it was a shadow of what it had been in 1984, but I finally gave up on it a few years ago.

Shave Ice on Oahu

socal boy — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:18:36 GMT

Uncle Clay's sound good. Making a new list of shave ice places to visit the next time I am in town.

Mama's Fish House and Rd. to Hana

girlstar — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:28:37 GMT

Thanks :)

Top 50 best Chinese restaurants in the U.S.

flylice2x — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:33:18 GMT

Correction to address... Sweet Home Cafe 2334 S. King St., Honolulu; +1 808 947 3707

Any bacon desserts in Oahu ?

Dmr_329 — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 01:10:27 GMT

Looks like some more adds to the list you guys are awesome

2012 Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

manomin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:20:36 GMT

Me! I went last year it was awesome. Although this year it is more spread out. Had a great time and saw so many friends and made new ones!

O'ahu Luau

Bill Hunt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:08:03 GMT

Fantastic, and mahalo nui! Often, posters ask for non-commercial lua`aus, and other than to recommend the local papers, we seldom have much to offer. Appreciated, Hunt

Whole Ox Deli

fatstern — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:32:48 GMT

as of now, they don't....but they're essentially the same, just different bread.

best mexican food on oahu

fatstern — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:36:23 GMT

been to and appreciated Serg's Manoa several times....i hit up the Serg's in 'nalo for the first time on saturday, shared an order of chicken tostadas (one of my faves there) and a carne asada taco. the tostadas (2) are a crispy corn tortilla, generous serving of their delish black beans, chicken stewed in a tomato/chipotle sauce, topped with onion, queso fresco, and crema. unlike tostadas at most joints around here, its about the tasty stewed meat and beans, rather than a pile of crappy gray shredded iceberg and unripe tomato. there's a little iceberg on the side as a garnish at serg's, adds a little texture. and the carne asada taco was damn good. simple simple. loaded with smallish diced carne asada, topped with onions, cilantro. super flavorful (especially with their awesome hot avo salsa). nice to see they're maintaining quality out at the new spot. love serg's, so not worth messing around with other mexican joints, though i'll try to remember to hit el palenque next time i'm headed home from north shore. also, the fish dish with the tropical salsa at el mariache in kaneohe is pretty tasty, and if i remember correctly, i think you get what you pay for with this one, generous serving. dont remember their beans and rice being anything special, though.

Lunch on east side of hwy.

Bill Hunt — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:10:32 GMT

OK, that would be one way. Going to Turtle Bay, we normally head across the Island, pretty much from HNL. However, we almost always drive around the Island back to Honolulu, for the several days on that side of O`ahu. Basically, there are four ways to get from HNL to Turtle Bay. One is direct. Two are a tad round-about, and the third is an "Island circle," but lovely, albeit slow. The H-3 is the only one, that does not expose one to a lot of options, until one has reached the Windward Side. Even the Pali has a few spots, before the upper reaches, and then, it gets back down to some neat local restaurants. Thanks for the clarification. Now I understand a bit better, what you are doing, and where you are heading. That will help others, too. Enjoy, and travel safely. Hunt PS - over the years, I have done some reviews of the Turtle Bay dining scene. Once, it was horribly bleak, then expanded, then things changed. Last trip (cannot recall if I did a review?), we greatly enjoyed 21 Degrees North, and also Ola and Lei-Lei's, at the golf course. What was once the Palm Terrace, and was last an Italian restaurant and a buffet, was not up to par. Just got an e-mail, that a new bar has opened at Turtle Bay, but obviously, we have not experienced that yet.

Underground Restaurants in Oahu?

killersmile — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:26:36 GMT

Just an update for this thread. The following are the list of popups that I know about that are currently active. Prima Kailua infrequently holds popups where guest chefs use their space. They announce info before the event on their facebook and twitter accounts. Miso & Ale is a popup gastropub that has recently started doing events. They have a website http://misoandale.com/ and twitter account. Supper Club is the other popup that's been going on since late last year. You can read more info about them at the following article which also tells you how you can sign up for the events. http://www.honolulupulse.com/blogs/grind-time-pop-up-supper-club-satisfies If anyone has ever gone to any of these events, it would be nice to have a writeup.

Interesting food at Merrie Monarch?

KaimukiMan — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:41:05 GMT

Any special foods being served/sold at Merrie Monarch this year? the competition is streaming live Friday&Saturday (6pm Hawaii Time) www.k5thehometeam.com this is the premiere hula event of the year, and along with the kamehameha songfest arguably the most important Hawaiian Cultural event.

another best burger nominee: The Whole Ox

fatstern — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:16:13 GMT

anybody try it yet? had one earlier this week, and it was a good one. dry-aged hawaiian beef (menu says its served medium), carmelized onion, caper ailoi, soft onion roll. ~10 bucks why does this not come with cheese? i added gruyere (50 cents) and it was a perfect match, generously melted on the burger. the burger itself is a probably around a 6 oz patty...came with a modest serving of carmelized red onion that turned out to be a bit unwieldy - really my only complaint about the burger....not easy to bite completely through them, so when my teeth latched onto the onion many of them came out, leaving me to restuff 'em back in. i gotta hand it to them, though --- this was the juiciest burger i've had in honolulu. fantastic BEEFiness, now, my burger was arguably medium in the middle, but overall i think they slightly overcooked it to medium well. i may have returned it for a new one at other places (i'd prefer medium rare, but i'm not sure they'd oblige given that the menu states they serve it medium) but this thing still managed to be crazy juicy and flavorful so i really didnt care. juicy levels hint that they are using a nice fatty grind of beef -- just the way a burger should be. highly recommend this burger in its simplicity, stoked to return for another....

Late Night Dining and Drinks near Waikiki

Bill Hunt — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:03:26 GMT

The cultures are quite different, even the "tourist" cultures. "Island time" is something unique. Most relish it, and try to get in tune with it, ASAP. I used to live in New Orleans, well pre-K, and while it was not on the same timetable, as LV, it was not THAT far behind. We often dined at 10:30, until about 1:00AM, and then headed to the Cafe du Monde for late night coffee and beignets until about 3:00AM. When I started spending time in Europe/UK, it was even later. Some restaurants do not even open, until about 10:00PM. Now in Hawaii, things are reversed. We do not go for "early bird specials," but do try to dine around sunset - regardless of what time of year, we are there. The entire pace slows down. If one could have the opposite of Rome, it would be Hawaii. Arriving late can be an issue. Heck, post-K, it can be an issue in New Orleans, a city that once seldom went to sleep. Just a different culture. Enjoy, Hunt

L&L garlic shrimp

KaimukiMan — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:21:24 GMT

we all have places we are partial to that some others don't like. I'm glad you found something that works for you, and I'm not being snarky. It's what makes this room worthwhile. I like a lot of the food at zippy's, others here can't understand that. I have other friends that love some of the most popular japanese restaurants, but still like some of the places that others consider an affront to japanese cuisine. So it goes.