11283 Wed Dec 18 12:20:36 -0800 2002 62 4 Pacific Northwest 0 16451 I awaited the new Hawaiian takeout in Uwajimaya with great expectations, and was sorry to find that it was about the WORST Hawaiian food - nay, worst ANY food - I've ever had. Owner obviously knows NOTHING about Hawaiian food. Same owner as the Thai place on the end, I understand. Actually, I like that food just fine, but he really shouldn't diversify into fields he doesn't understand. Even the staff of the supermarket is making fun of the place. I doubt it will last long. Anyone know the new Hawaiian restaurant (bakery only?) in Issaquah, btw? I was told it might be called "Maile", but can't find details yet. Wed Dec 18 12:20:36 -0800 2002 0 side dish 1 16453 There's also a new Hawaiian place in Redmond, and I think I saw another Hawaiian place open up somewhere else recently. I don't even know what Hawaiian food is - educate me. Wed Dec 18 13:02:29 -0800 2002 16451 0 Tobias 2 16457 Hawaiian is anything smothered in pinapple. (Which is rarely, if ever, used as a food ingredient in any other culture.) Note the lack of Hawaiian cookbooks at the bookstore..... Wed Dec 18 15:46:27 -0800 2002 16453 0 Leper 3 16458 I'm a little stunned by the response here. Isn't this a foodie site? Hawaiian has nothing to do with pineapple, and there are plenty of Hawaiian cookbooks! Typical dishes are kalua pig/pork (oft misspelled "kahlua..."), lau-lau, lomi(-lomi) salmon, and poi. Some less "Hawaiian", yet very common "local" dishes include loco moco (gravy burger on rice), various spam dishes (especially in sushi), and macaroni salad. In addition, certain Asian dishes have really integrated themselves -- teriyaki dishes, katsu (Japanese cutlets), and kimchi are not out of place on "Hawaiian" menus. Wed Dec 18 16:13:42 -0800 2002 16457 0 side dish 4 16460 Where do you live, Hawaii? or do you come from there? I have never seen a Hawaiian cookbook in any bookstore I have been in. I have never seen a Hawaiian restaurant outside of Hawaii. I have been to Hawaii once in my life. I think most Americans would not recognize the cuisine, and restaurateurs have capitalized on this with "Polynesian-American" restaurants that serve vat-like drinks to customers eating mystery meat in pineapple goo. Wed Dec 18 16:54:33 -0800 2002 16458 0 ironmom 5 16461 I am with you. Hawaiian "cuisine" is like Ethiopian "cuisine". At best, a myth. At worst, an insult. Wed Dec 18 17:00:59 -0800 2002 16460 0 Richard Harding 6 16464 Your comment is bizarre. The fact that true Hawaiian cooking has achieved little mainstream penetration has little to do with your opinion on Ethiopian cooking, or the legitimacy of either. Wed Dec 18 18:09:32 -0800 2002 16461 0 ironmom 7 16484 Ironically, he was agreeing with you ironmom. Thu Dec 19 18:17:30 -0800 2002 16464 0 Hunter 8 16582 I just came back from Kona, where I had some really great food (and in Waimea). The only Hawai'an place I know of in Portland is that place at SE 26th and Clinton. Anyone have an opinion (ha ha!) about it, and/or know of Hawai'ian food in Portland that they like? Thanks! Fri Dec 27 20:42:54 -0800 2002 16484 0 Robert 9 16610 Robert, Great posting above on good eateries in Portland. Re: Hawaiian - Noho's (26th and Clinton) is pretty good I especially like Phil's Ono Chicken and the korean ribs and their teri beef will fill that craving until you get back to the islands. There is a place in east Vancouver that is also very good but doggomit I can't remember the name. I have the menu at home and will get the particulars for you. The folks there were very very friendly (aren't all Hawaiians) and the food was ono. I could also get crack seed there - bonus. I fell upon it on the way to a game and what a find it was. Glad you liked Waimea - I went to high school there and it is a great place. In those days no Merriman's but we used to eat at a local place called "The Deli" that had great plate lunch and saimin. Mon Dec 30 12:15:12 -0800 2002 16582 0 Amy B 10 16613 Amy: gladja liked my take on SE Portland. I am a serious student. (So -- went to Hawaii Prep, did you?) Now in Waimea there is a restaurant called Aioli that specializes in garlic abuse, and they do it well. I went to Merriman's about thirteen years ago and thought it just okay. But what did I know. Mon Dec 30 14:50:53 -0800 2002 16610 0 Robert 10 16614 In a Hawaiian joint in Seattle yesterday (seperate post), two "locals" informed me there was a "great place" in Oregon. I asked "Portland?" and they answered something..."no", I think. We were 12 seats apart, and the owner's kids were drowning out 2/3 of the conversation. In any case, I got the impression that she said "Two Brothers" (name of place?), and that it was somewhere in Oregon other than Portland. Anybody know? Mon Dec 30 16:09:09 -0800 2002 16610 0 side dish 10 16616 Oooh, I forgot the other half of my post (again - HOW DO I EDIT HERE?!): Does someone have a good list of Hawaiian places IN HAWAII? Is Hawaii part of the NW board? I would have thought they had their own board here, but I can't find it. Anyway, in a Hawaiian joint the other day (a different one from my last post), and the Samoan (I think) waitress was reminiscing about Hawaiian places in Honolulu. NONE of which sounded familiar! She said the best one of all was "Highway N" in Waipahu. As someone who used to LIVE in Waipahu, I had to say "Whu..?!". Fairly recent, I guess. She also mentioned some place called "Mama (something)" or "Auntie (something)" or something like that. I forget the details. Meanwhile, she had never heard of People's Cafe, which was one of only THREE places in town (the others being Ono's and Poi Bowl, of course) when I was there. Anyone have a link for a current list? Mon Dec 30 16:18:31 -0800 2002 16610 0 side dish 11 16630 Side Dish, The postings for Hawaii are in the "Elsewhere in America" board. Since I grew up on the Big Island I don't much about Oahu food - in Hilo I like Cafe 100 (the birthplace of the loco moco) and K's Drive In mostly for sentimental reasons. You can't beat Tex's for malasadas and plate lunch - that is in Honokaa. The "two brothers" reference I think you may have over heard does relate to Noho's or perhaps could if they were talking about the following story. The guy who started Noho's originally opened under the name Local Boys - his brother opened a place on the Oregon coast also called Local Boys (don't ask me where on the coast that little detail I can't remember). I heard they had a falling out and after a court settlement Noho lost rights to the name and renamed his place Nohos. I have heard that the place at the coast (still named Local Boys) - is very good but I have never been. Noho then partnered with someone else and opened a place in Portland's west side also called Noho's. They have also had a falling out and that place (near John's Landing) has been renamed and is independent of Noho's now. Their food is not bad and once again the folks are very friendly. On Friday they usually have kalua pig as a special. Robert - yes I did go to Hawaii Prep - go Kamakani's! Besides the Deli we also used to eat at this very bad Chinese place called "Great Wall" - they let us drink beer even tho most of us were under age and I think that was the complete attraction. I'm still tracking down the name of that place in the "Coov" for ya. Happy New Year! Tue Dec 31 13:15:00 -0800 2002 16616 0 Amy B 11 16631 The best restaurant in Hawai'i, as far as I know, is the Hali'imaile General Store on Maui. Tue Dec 31 14:44:04 -0800 2002 16616 0 Robert 7 16486 i'm sure that you're aware that the ethiopian cusine served in seattle and most of the united states has very little in common with the food served generally in ethiopia. it's more similar to the modified chinese type of chop suey, chow mein that used to be the standard of american chinese food until the influx and availability of the real thing. the difference is that hawaiian food evolved thru ASSIMULATION from the ethinic additions into the population. all the years that i lived in hawaii there wasn't any local foods except sweet and sour pork that contained pineapple except for the chain store pizza that combined pineapple with canadian bacon [yuk]. you'd be surprised that when people visit the mainland from the islands they are surprised that fresh pineapple is available at much lower prices then hawaii where it's always expensive. Thu Dec 19 19:36:13 -0800 2002 16464 0 irwin koval 8 16490 No, I didn't know your local Ethiopian restaurants suck. Too bad. Thu Dec 19 20:48:48 -0800 2002 16486 0 ironmom 9 16492 NOWHERE!! did i say anything negative about local or any ethiopean restaurants. they are attempting to serve and prepare the dishes that they have adapted from the culture in a matter acceptable made to please customers. i'm not sure what you're ethinic basis is but i'm sure there's very few places that please anyone who try's to be difficult while flaunting their ignorance. all our different ethinic restaurants are doing there best to enourage us to share the foods that they are most proud of in a manner so as to please. we have italian restaurants offering morrocan food, plus look in your replies about the tasty marriage of roxy pastrumi with other ethinic dishes. i'll be the first to agree the ujimiya try's hard and sometimes misses the target but put it all together and it's only fun. i could tell you stories about mixing and matching cusine after having started french, mexican, jewish, italian and german restaurants in hong kong where my most popular item at lindys was american style chinese pork spare ribs [they had never seen anything like that] that we were able to sell more orders of then cheesecake. loosen up and have fun in the pleasure of chowing down like a true chowhound. Thu Dec 19 21:37:04 -0800 2002 16490 0 irwin koval 10 16494 Sorry. When you compared Ethiopian food in your area directly with chop suey/chow mein, I was assuming you were saying bad things about it. An honest mistake. I make my own Ethiopian food at home. Somalian, we get out. I have no idea what the rest of your message is about. Thu Dec 19 21:53:04 -0800 2002 16492 0 ironmom 11 16498 spent some time in georgetown, washington d.c. in the kitchen of zed wondenu's "ZED'S ETHIOPIAN CUSINE" where he taught me that the food is north african influenced with some tastes adapted from italy but most interesting that berebere {piri-piri} sauce and curries were introduced by jewish merchants almost 600 years ago who were originally from asia minor and portugal, also the differences in somalian dishes were more influnced by italian. with the tea from portugese merchants as well as spices even soy sauce for the famous chicken wing dishes with ginger. Thu Dec 19 23:43:28 -0800 2002 16494 0 irwin koval 12 16501 If you are saying that all so-called "authentic" cuisines are a result of interaction between various cultures, geographies and ingredients, I've said that myself. If you're saying that all food is fusion, all fusion is good food, and therefore it's all a souce of ethnic pride and it's all good eatin', I'd say that's a big stretch. Speaking as a member of a major ethnic group in this country, I can say that I consider one of our traditional foods to be the hamburger. They have been popular for most of a century. When I make mine, sometimes I buy the beef ground, but sometimes I grind my own meat. I have found that beef brisket makes the most flavorful burger imaginable. I choose only certain types of rolls or bread, which I grill buttered. I hand-shape the patty, season the exterior with salt and pepper, and grill it until the outside is crisp and the inside juicy, warm and red. Gorgonzola cheese melts on top of the burger. The burger gets mushrooms sauteed in butter or olive oil and seasoned with sherry, salt and pepper. To top it off, I put a slice of ripe tomato, a leaf of lettuce, a dollup of mayo and a smear of dijon mustard. I serve that burger with homemade french fries, fried twice in olive oil. The fries get Heinz ketchup. You eat the burger leaning over your plate, with plenty of napkins on hand. Do I think there are fusion influences in there? Sure. Do I find a big mac to be a source of ethnic pride for me? No, and I don't know anyone who thinks of McDonald's as anything but a place to grab something fast and cheap. I don't hold it against the company for getting rich by providing the public a product that they no longer have the time, cash, or the ability to make for themselves. I just don't eat there. All foods are not created equal. Fri Dec 20 10:53:10 -0800 2002 16498 0 ironmom 13 16515 This board is not for big issue contentious debates. It's for tipping each other to great food in the Pacific Northwest. Ironmom, this was a perfectly useful discussion of a local restaurant before you stepped in from several thousand miles away to expand the discussion to a larger issue. We'd ask you to please refrain from doing so in future. Our regional boards are exclusively for discussion of local dining, not "larger issues". Larger issues are off-topic, they lead to flame wars, and they elicit a tone - and an element - that's strongly at odds with the uniquely friendly, informative, and tightly-focused quality of this site So, has anyone eaten anything great lately? Fri Dec 20 15:53:57 -0800 2002 16501 2 The Chowhound Team 6 16477 Please explain your reasoning behind declaring Ethiopian food to be, at best, a myth. What is your basis for this statement? Wed Dec 18 22:16:12 -0800 2002 16461 0 RachaelLK 7 16491 Ummm, can you tell me what an average Ethiopian eats in his/her country every day? The price you pay for Ethiopian food here in America probably can buy a few donkeys there. Thu Dec 19 20:56:54 -0800 2002 16477 0 Richard Harding 8 16511 What's your point? Ethiopians in the U.S. are just making this stuff up? What does an average American eat every day? We should never go to Morton's? You need to open your eyes. Turn your TV off and read a book. Fri Dec 20 12:19:11 -0800 2002 16491 0 Tobias 9 16514 Yes, Ethiopian "cuisine" is a farce. But hey, if it can attract wannabe-hip people who are tired of the other ethnic food, then why not? Restaurant owners can serve what they want in this free country. But do they have Chop Suey, Mongolian beef, General Tso's Chicken in Hong Kong? No. Are they real Chinese food? No. Hawaiian "cuisine" is more like a mix-and-match Japanese and Asian food. It is made up but it is not as blatant as the Ethiopian one. Fri Dec 20 15:48:32 -0800 2002 16511 0 Richard Harding 10 16521 You know, I'm going to confuse everyone by agreeing with you somewhat. Hawaiian "local" cuisine is a mish-mash of Asian -- mostly Japanese -- and American food. But HAWAIIAN food is not Hawaiian LOCAL food. I cannot blame you for getting this wrong, as I myself and several other "locals" have been very loose about switching back and forth on the terms in every other post. HAWAIIAN food includes kalua pig, lau-lau, lomi[-lomi] salmon, squid luau, pipikaula, poki, and poi. NOTHING on that list is the least bit Asian or American!! (OK, pipikaula might squeak by as charsiu or beef jerky, actually. None of the rest, tho). Had you said that Hawaiian cuisine is simply plagiarized SAMOAN cuisine, I might agree (a bit). Obviously the roots of pretty much everything in Hawaii come from Polynesia, once you eliminate the Asian and American influences. But every time anyone mentions "Polynesian cuisine", everyone jumps to thinking of tacky lounges. Real-live Samoan/Tongan/Fijian restaurants are so very hard to find, I cannot blame anyone for not knowing the cuising. By the way, the OED (I think it was) lists poi as being a mash of 1) bananas or 2) taro. This confirms something a Samoan said, that the Hawaiians "ruined" poi, that it was supposed to be a sweet banana mash (custard?), not what it is now. I've seen plenty of mashed banana type desserts in SE Asian cuisine, but never one claiming to be poi. Has anyone ever SEEN "banana poi"? [Note: google provides some hits on this, but they strike me as too creative. The recipe below could just as well be "fusion", rather than any indication of authentic Tahitian style. I would rather track down an actual poi packery in Pago-pago (say that 3 times fast!).] As for ETHIOPIAN, I don't even grasp your point, Richard. All the Ethiopian places I've been to have been run-down little shacks, populated by poor immigrant cab drivers. Perhaps you're in another city where the food is "trendy" (Washington DC?), and thereby suspect, but I can assure you that when I go in one in Seattle, I am the only US-born person in there. The places are thick with accents and smoke. Link: http://www.suresave.com/SamRecipes/1999/SC_Recipe_January9.html Sat Dec 21 15:23:36 -0800 2002 16514 0 side dish 11 16522 Once again, I wish to correct something the moment after I post it (wanted to add "haupia" to the list of Hawaiian foods). Just how DOES one edit a post here? Sat Dec 21 15:25:02 -0800 2002 16521 0 side dish 8 16516 I hope that you will be adult enough to recognize the foolish logic of your statement. "Real" Mexican can be found in Portland, as can "real" Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and, yes, Ethiopian. Not all of the Thai etc. restaurants are authentic, but read my previous postings and you'll see that I gravitate towards cheap mom and pop ethinic restaurants found in neighborhoods with immigrants from that given country. Even at these places, the cost of the dining experience is determined by the economic value system of our contry. The authenticity of a given cuisine is not directly related to the price tag, and certainly not related to the comperable price in the country of origin. Is a Audi not essentially the same Audi if it costs more here than in Germany? That said....I have never been to Ethiopia, (but have been to many of the countries mentioned above, and on a student's budget, i.e. chowing on street food and in markets, NOT at touristy restaurants) but as a teacher in a N. PDX school that has had an influx of Ethiopian immigrants in the past few years, I have quite a bit of exposure to the culture and the food. Stews, lentils and Injera are frequently seen at the dinner table of my students, and often find themselves in the lunches on which these students dine. TRUE, in Ethiopia, the frequency with which lamb or beef is seen is not comparable to the frequency with which it is ordered in the US, but the flavors, the grains and the presentation does very much exist. I have had the distinct pleasure of eating with some of my Ethiopian students, and I assure you, there is not some big conspiracy, nor an attempt at "hipness" to appeal to their "trendy" science teacher. Just good, homemade and distinct food. Now honestly, be an adult and admit you were off base. Option two: jump into that deep hole you insist on digging. Fri Dec 20 16:09:51 -0800 2002 16491 0 RachaelLK 9 16518 Thank you for your post. I just happened onto the Northwest board looking for some dining help in PDX, but I couldn't resist reading through the Hawaiian/Ethiopian discussion. After reading Mr. Harding's posts, I kept wondering if he was a professional blowhard--or just an amateur. My experience is much like yours: Ethiopians eat Ethiopian food. Every Ethiopian restaurant I go to in San Diego is full of Ethiopians, so if Ethiopian food is some sort of Americanized concoction, we've managed to fool a large number of Ethiopians as well. Also, any help you can provide in answer to my query about Portland's best(posted 12-20 on this board) would be much appreciated. I too like the vivid, homestyle ethnic cuisines. Fri Dec 20 18:18:47 -0800 2002 16516 0 e.d. 5 16466 I am further stunned. I thought the dismissive remarks were from the lunatic fringe, but from what I've seen here in my lurkdom, you ironmom, are one of the major heavyweights. Seattle has at least 18 Hawaiian restaurants -- 14 on the attached link, plus the 4 new ones we've mentioned. Luau borders a bit on "Polynesian-American", but for the most part those have been excluded ("Lava Lounge" and "Tiki Hut" for example). And I wonder about "Kau Kau" being on the list. But the other 12 are quite legit (plus 3 of the new 4, I guess). I would assume that the major cities in California (and possibly New York) would each have even more than this. Obviously, I don't expect 8 dozen in Chicago or Miami, but to imply that there are none outside of Hawaii is ridiculous! I have several Hawaiian cookbooks, but admittedly, they're all published in Honolulu. I did, however, stumble across a couple of them in California. And, FWIW, I cannot think of a SINGLE dish with pineapple in it! Ham and pineapple can be found just as easily in Connecticut as in Honolulu, and pineapple pizza is an abomination sold primarily in the OTHER 49 states. I did have pineapple fried rice in Hilo once, but it was in a Thai restaurant. Link: http://www.ohanaoolympia.homestead.com/grinds.html Wed Dec 18 19:01:26 -0800 2002 16460 0 side dish 6 16467 BTW, I *love* Ethiopian food. I am really baffled over these replies! Am I being put on? Wed Dec 18 19:04:58 -0800 2002 16466 0 side dish 6 16470 I think you're misreading what I have written. But you're also mistaken in thinking that what you're seeing in Seattle is typical of the rest of the country, the non-west-coast part. Why don't you go to the Chowhound home page and search on "hawaiian"? Aside from the West Coast, you only see postings once or twice a year in Manhattan and Chicago, and the concensus is that there is little available in those areas, and it's all bad. And I never said real Hawaiian food had pineapple in it, that was a different poster. I was speaking of bogus "Hawaiian/Polynesian" restaurants that can get away with serving horrible food to unsophisticated diners who only know that Hawaii produces pineapple, and expect to find it in everything. It's like people who go to Italy, but are disappointed because they can't find the good spaghetti and meatballs. You may not have many restaurants of that type in Seattle, but I assure you, you are the exception, not the rule. Wed Dec 18 19:49:13 -0800 2002 16466 0 ironmom 7 16472 Again, Ironmom, did any of us try to relate this thread to Hawaiian food in the rest of the country? Am I missing something here? From Ironmom: "But you're also mistaken in thinking that what you're seeing in Seattle is typical of the rest of the country, the non-west-coast part." Duh, in the PACIFIC Northwest, Pacific cuisine reigns supreme, Ironmom. Wed Dec 18 21:29:13 -0800 2002 16470 0 Becky McNabb 8 16476 To explain, the ever-outspoken Ironmom is one of our longtime regulars on the northeastern boards (and General Topics). She's just dropping by. We urge anyone who posts to far-flung boards to bear in mind they're joining highly-localized and pre-existing discussions, and it's always prudent (not to mention good manners) to tread gently when first chiming in on a discussion in a strange community, to ensure that information's disseminated, rather than confusion. E.g. not everyone expects a pragmatic discussion of a local restaurant or food issue to suddenly (and sardonically) expand into a larger issue. Which, per Ironmom's explanations, is all she was doing. Wed Dec 18 22:01:02 -0800 2002 16472 2 The Chowhound Team 6 16513 I did some calling around. In no particular order: Aloha Gourmet (Bothell) has been gone for about 2 years. It is a Mexican place now, who thinks they went out of business (as opposed to moved somewhere). Kona Smoke House is a "Hawaiian beef jerky" manufacturer. No restaurant. Not much of an outlet, either (cf. Oberto factory sells hot sandwiches). Just a sales counter. Ohana Seafood Market is a fish market. Lot of Hawaiian and Asian stuff, but no restaurant. Like Mutual Fish, I would guess. Inclusion on list might have been due to confusion with Ohana (Restaurant) in Belltown. That's one of those tacky Polynesian places. And mostly sushi, I think. But I hear good things. Perhaps we need to separate "good Polynesian" (Ohana, Luau) and "bad Polynesian" (Tiki Hut, Lava Lounge). Kau Kau is a Chinese retaurant. No Hawaiian food and owner is not from Hawaii. Totally clueless why he made the list - sells a lot of charsiu-type stuff at the takeout window; perhaps the style impressed the listmakers somehow as being particularly "local". I dunno. Place is popular with cops, so the BBQ must be good. Just not Hawaiian. Lastly, two honorable mentions not on the list: Primo Burgers (U Dist, Roosevelt & 65th). Tackyiest Polynesian decor in town, all crammed into a 2x4 takeout space! Japanese-style burgers like soy ginger and teriyaki. Milkshakes in 20 flavors, including macadamia nut [GREAT!] and coconut, which for some strange reason, are not listed. And, yes, ironmom, they have pineapple burgers just for you. :-) Broadway Cafe (I think; Vietnamesey vegetarian place a block uphill from Pine) - has "Hawaiian-style corned beef" on the menu. I have no idea what this means; my guess is something like kalua pig & cabbage. A different menu item (pho with tiny egg rolls, tho I forget what she calls it) is so incredible tasting that I can never get past it to order the corned beef. In fact, I intend to go there tomorrow and report back how the corned beef was...but I will surely fail...as soon as I notice that noodle dish again.... Fri Dec 20 14:05:22 -0800 2002 16466 0 side dish 5 16471 from Ironmom: "Where do you live, Hawaii? or do you come from there? .... I have never seen a Hawaiian cookbook in any bookstore I have been in. ... I think most Americans would not recognize the cuisine...." Umm, helloooooooo? Earth to Ironmom. You're on the Pacific Northwest board, not the main board. You've got to imagine that on this board, with our HUGE influence from the islands and the Asian culture... and I might add, HUGE island/Asian population here ... that this discussion would fit here. Why do you even bring up your comments about the rest of Americans? Who cares about what the rest of the country or the CH board thinks, we're talking about Hawaiian food in the PNW. Geesh. Wed Dec 18 21:24:09 -0800 2002 16460 0 Becky McNabb 6 16474 Because the thread was started about a crummy pseudo Hawaiian restaurant run by Thais, and the poster was wondering how such a place could survive. Here's how: Middle America is an inexhaustible source of unsophisticated diners who find anything remotely authentic to be threatening. When they move to your area they support restaurants that have no right to exist. Another poster wrote that it was impossible not to be completely familiar with Hawaiian cooking in America. For the same reason as above, it is very possible for many people, even those who live in your area. Yet another poster wrote that there are more authentic Hawaiian restaurants in NYC than in Seattle. No comment. Wed Dec 18 21:40:02 -0800 2002 16471 0 ironmom 4 16462 Thank you, Leper! I too was astonished by the off handed response of folks. It may not be a familiar cuisine, but that's no reason to slam it! We did a Hawaiian party at my office (a food website), and a quick search on the Web turned up a definate cuisine. And we had a really easy time of it finding all of the ingredients, and pre-made items at...Uwajamaya (though, not at the fast food court). And, oddly enough, during the week that we did this party, it was 'Hawaiian Week'! So much for Hawaiians only eating pineapple goo covered meals. Wed Dec 18 17:56:49 -0800 2002 16458 0 krissy 4 16465 Try the Kaui Family Restaurant in Georgetown-- it's a very nice place that turns out good food at a great price. A write-up from the P-I is attached. Link: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/92707_eat25.shtml Wed Dec 18 18:28:04 -0800 2002 16458 0 Moke 3 16468 i'm amazed at all the reactions, especially from poster's that often seem knowlegable. thank you for the few who have stood up for and acknowlege hawaiian cusine. before you knock anything learn first. TERRIYAKI [as we know it] was invented in hawaii by okinawian immigrants who utilized the fresh ginger, garlic and soy sauce mixture with sugar as something to cover the talcumed rice that was available to them. as the island's culture grew with influxes of japanese, chinese, portugese cultures plus the influx of new ingredients chickens, pigs, cattle, spam, etc. it was added to the native dishes mostly seafood but quite wonderfull. our seemingly american standard seafood favorite of canned tuna evolved from the way hawaiians were able to use salt to preserve and extend the life of foods thru smoking, curing and plants. almost all canned tuna until modern times was initially canned in hawaii. the japanese and chinese cusines evolved taking and adapting fropm others as well such as pan, tempura from potugesse to japanese as well as most chinese steamed savory cakes and egg tarts, chicken and curry bow's from the portugese. i understand that opening soon in the seattle area is a hawaian originated drive in operation featuring "plate lunches" that has many mainland locations. if anyone is interested i have in my library in excess of 60 hawaiian cookbooks. my inital experience with the island's foods began when i worked at the "hawaiian room"in new york city. i lived and operated restaurant's in honolulu from 1972 until 1988 so i'm not just "talking story". Wed Dec 18 19:06:50 -0800 2002 16457 0 irwin koval 4 16482 Well said....a great book to read if anyone is interested in the food of Hawaii is The Food of Paradise written by Rachel Lauden a food anthropologist. It goes through the diverse influences of Hawaiian Food ("local food"). People in Hawaii really treasure their food, if you ask any ex-pat Kama 'aina what they miss the most about Hi the list would always include Food..... Thu Dec 19 17:30:24 -0800 2002 16468 0 KirkK 5 17320 hello, i was wondering if you could help me get in touch with Rachel Lauden, or to find her article on Mole Poblano. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated, thank you, Tess Lanning Tue Feb 25 14:59:48 -0800 2003 16482 0 Tess Lanning 1 16469 Malie's Bakery is new to Gilman Village in Issaquah. You have GOT to try their Portuguese Sweet Bread - it's amazingly good (and nothing like the King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread products you can find in most stores around here.) And I'd have to put myself in the camp of those who are stunned at the ignorant and insulting remarks about Hawaiian cuisine in this thread. Local grinds are ONO! So much of Hawaiian life circulates around the wonderful foods of the islands, a fantastic blend of traditional cuisine and international influences. Broke da mout'! (The author, while not originally from Hawai'i, is a host on two local Hawaiian radio programs, as well as a haumana hula/'ukulele player, with 'ohana in Kane'ohe.) Wed Dec 18 19:46:34 -0800 2002 16451 0 Retro 2 16541 Sorry --- I realized that the way I typed the header implied that Malie's was lousy, and it's NOT. (Gotta be careful how I mix topics...) Tue Dec 24 13:43:51 -0800 2002 16469 0 Retro 1 16489 hey enuff sniping,let's talk food!! having spent a week in either kihei or kona for each of the last 12 yrs., i look forward to any chance to test the waters of the versions of the food in this area. if you look at the link on another post in this thread,that list is pretty complete. here's my take of the one's i have tried. aloha gourmet-bothell-not bad seems to get better every time. hawaiian bbq-university way-nicest people and they have excellent lomi lomi salmon. kauai's-georgetown-the best here locally,where i go when i need a fix luau-greenlake-not really authentic but excellent food waikiki luau-west seattle-probably 2nd best in town i plan to try the bakery in issaquah and if one is open in redmond i'll find it. the drive in with plate lunches mentioned in another post is called L&L and is soon to open in lynnwood. the other locations i have tried have done a great job of the plate lunch. any body know anything about the kona smoke house in bellevue?? Thu Dec 19 20:12:30 -0800 2002 16451 0 bighound 2 16496 Is Waikiki Luau in West Seattle located on California Ave? Is it the one that shares space with the Czech bakery? Any suggestions on what to order there? Also - looking forwards to your update on the drive-in - sounds like a lot of fun! Thank you, ElizabethC Thu Dec 19 22:38:13 -0800 2002 16489 0 ElizabethC 2 16503 I have heard that Bobby's in Everett is the best around, but I've yet to try it. I liked Kauai's, but thought it too pricey. Waikiki Luau (to answer ElizabethC's question) is indeed the place squished in with "Little Prague"; I like it for that fact alone. The owner is Samoan - I thought it must be a Samoan-Czech couple, but in fact it really IS just a "shared" building. They have little to do with one another, except for the fact that LP sublets half of WL's space. BTW - WL's catering name "Stuffed Shirt" features more prominently on their storefront. It is easy to mistake the place for a dry-cleaner's. I love the place, but haven't been in ages, since WL shows up as a booth at so many festivals. And next time I go, I think I'll give the Czech half a try anyways. I've yet to try Kona Smokehouse - it's on my list. After Bobby's, Saimin Says, and (now) Maile and L&L. Hey, does anyone have better details on L&L - when and exactly where in Lynnwood? [The list was in my "Speechless" post, btw.] Finally, I have a weak spot for Hoki's on the Ballard/Fremont line (flourescent orange box - hard to miss). No more "authentic" than the one in the U District - Korean owner who's been to Hawaii for maybe a week, total - and yet, the food has been consistently on the mark. Plus, the crowd (bunch of Ballard shipworkers and construction-types) just SCREAMS "plate lunch" at me. Oh, and btw - I was refering to the new "Aloha [Something]" in Uwajimaya SEATTLE, in my original "lousy" post. The one in Bellevue is quite good, IMHO. Mixed in with the regular food, and the lady running has a "feel" for it (married to a local, for starters). By contrast, the new one in Seattle - a distinct Hawaiian takeout -- just plain sucks. HOWEVER, I must give kudos where kudos are due. I tried the place once more yesterday, just to convince myself that I hadn't been hasty in my repulsion (NB: nope, still sucks), and the one surprise was the MALASADAS. Not anything like a malasada as I know them (closed to an ube-stuffed andagi), but scrumptious beyond words. When the rest of the shop goes belly up, maybe the owner would consider a bakery counter instead? Fri Dec 20 11:34:22 -0800 2002 16489 0 side dish 3 16504 Yikes. Is there any way to edit posts once made? Fri Dec 20 11:45:00 -0800 2002 16503 0 side dish 2 16506 The place in Redmond is called something like "The Hawaiian Bento Takeout", and it's in a space where two other restaurants have come and gone in the space of 6 months or so. It used to be the hugely popular Acapulco Fresh (which has moved and seems even more popular), then it was Go Fish, kind of a catfish & hushpuppies/fish & chips place, then when that tanked, the same people opened Silly Boys Burgers, then that tanked, and now it's the Hawaiian place (and if it's still the same people running it, you've got to admire their determination and perseverence, but I kind of hope and suspect it's not). Anyway, from knowing nothing two days ago about Hawaiian food, and frankly, having very little interest in it, I now know a heck of a lot more, and can hardly wait to check this, or any of the other places mentioned, out. Gotta love Chowhound.com, where people can talk about, vent, learn, misunderstand, snipe, rebut, and ultimately discover and EAT great food. Fri Dec 20 11:59:22 -0800 2002 16489 0 Tobias 3 16510 As a novice, I'd suggest you look for a combo plate which has as many of the following as possible: kalua pig/pork lau-lau lomi(lomi) salmon mac salad poi Many places will have exactly this (plus rice) as a set. --- Teriyaki, katsu, kimchee, etc., while very "local", are not particularly different than the "standard" versions. Not worth blowing a first visit on. Loco moco, OTOH, *is*, but...it's such a filling meal in itself, you won't have much room for anything else. Fri Dec 20 12:06:14 -0800 2002 16506 0 side dish 4 16512 One combo plate comin' up! Fri Dec 20 12:23:25 -0800 2002 16510 0 Tobias 1 16497 I have watched this thread so far and can't resist offering my two-cents worth, if it is indeed worth that much. First off, I tried out the Hawaiian-style food court at the Portland Uwajimaya some months ago and I thought that the food was terrible, yukkie, greasy glop. The store is great, however. Having lived 8 years in Hawaii, I learned the pleasures of spam musubi, plate lunches from trucks, but mostly from Byrons and other places, with such things as lup cheong/watercress or spare rib with black bean, or beef cutlet. Long rice made by some auntie at a baby luau; the real thing here: (all bow): Libby's Manapua. And what about the anomalies? Brochen from the German bakery in Kalihi, or their tortes? I never got into the 8,000+ varieties of whtever they sold at Shirokiya's, but someone obviously did. How about waffledogs? Certainly ironmom will sneer at the uppity brazeness of even CONSIDERING macaroni salad as a CUISINE!? Are we to speak of chowhounding without considering the amazing stuff called crack seed, one of the few things, besides azuki beans, that I never did cultivate a taste for? Well ironmom is right in one respect: the many wonderful culturally-diverse foods that Hawaii can offer do not really constitute a "CUISINE", any more than a mongrell dog constitutes a breed. Consider this ironmom: as you are reading this, some bradda wen jump da fence and is now creating some broke-da-mout creation that you may never have the nerve to sample. auwe Is it just me or have any of you noticed that the general topics board seems to be more civilized and less testy and cantankarous than the PNB board? Thu Dec 19 23:06:37 -0800 2002 16451 0 onehualebugga 2 16500 Well I'm not sure what PNB means but personally I find the Pac NW Board quite civil. This thread notwithstanding. Frankly, this is a good example why I only lurk on other regional boards (no offense meant to ironmom). Fri Dec 20 09:36:29 -0800 2002 16497 0 Hunter 2 16502 "Well ironmom is right in one respect: the many wonderful culturally-diverse foods that Hawaii can offer do not really constitute a "CUISINE", any more than a mongrell dog constitutes a breed." Show me where I said this. My position has been that Hawaiian food does indeed constitute a cuisine. "Consider this ironmom: as you are reading this, some bradda wen jump da fence and is now creating some broke-da-mout creation that you may never have the nerve to sample." I presume this is intended to be an insult. "Is it just me or have any of you noticed that the general topics board seems to be more civilized and less testy and cantankarous than the PNB board?" Speak for yourself. I have insulted no one. Fri Dec 20 11:21:43 -0800 2002 16497 0 ironmom 3 16508 With all due respect ironmom, your posts have been more and more defensive, e.g. "Your comment is bizarre. The fact that true Hawaiian cooking has achieved little mainstream penetration has little to do with your opinion on Ethiopian cooking, or the legitimacy of either." I am not saying that the defensive stance is not called for and I am not trying to slight you but your tone has not been completely friendly, notwithstanding the chowteam's defensive interference. Everyone needs to take a breath and let this one go. Fri Dec 20 11:59:40 -0800 2002 16502 0 Hunter 1 16527 By the way, if any of you are ever in San Diego, drive up to Encinitas (north coast) and go to Kealani's on D Street, great inexpensive Hawaiian food, eat in or take out. Their macaroni salad was out of the ordinary yummy. Mon Dec 23 03:49:54 -0800 2002 16451 0 Stephanie 2 16545 You're absolutely correct - best Hawaiian in the SD area...only thing is that they're closed until 01/02 just when I'm really missing "home"....realized that I need to write up on Calif board... Wed Dec 25 00:13:48 -0800 2002 16527 0 KirkK 1 16544 This whole discussion? Has required me to request immediate shipment that I received today direct from honolulu. 1 Pound of Pipikalua and 1 Quart of Squid Luau, unfortunately no Aki was available, but i'm feeling glad that i've had my comfort cure caused by this interesting topic that excited my munchies. Tue Dec 24 23:20:34 -0800 2002 16451 0 irwin koval 1 16619 Ran around trying a bunch of them. Saimin Says in Kent is a gem. Bland lunch counter, very "local" menu (less Hawaiian; more teri and katsu), and plenty of legit-looking customers. I felt like I was in some diner in Waimanalo. I am not a big fan of saimin (local-style ramen), which is generally tasteless and gummy. But seeing as it was in their name, I gave the "Papa Jim" a try. It was so good (mostly due to the addition of Chinese mustard [which I don't recall from Hawaii]), that I spent the weekend experimenting with squirting various mustards into my own cup ramens at home. While there, I also ordered a veggie "cake noodle" for take-out, but ended up eating the whole thing with my saimin! Not that it was that good (too many veggies; I think they were trying to be generous, but it ended up looking like they were skimping on the NOODLES), but that it's been like 8 years since I've had them. In fact, I don't think I've seen them in a single other place I've gone to. Anyway, I noticed a special "weekend" menu on the back, so I made the trek again yesterday and tried the macadamia nut pancakes. They were ok, I guess (with maple syrup; the coconut stuff was FOWL), but I'm not much of a pancake guy in the first place. What was I thinking?! 2 spam musubi for the bus ride home made things right again. I think I'll be making a third trek soon to try the "Sumo Sumu". They have a nice website: http://www.globaltelesis.com/saiminsays Next I did Bobby's in Everett (http://www.bobbyshawaiianstylerestaurant.com). A bit "lounge"-like; heavy on the decor, and stage set up for music at night. Still, staff is local (Samoan?), and food seems pretty legit. They had lots of nice combos, both of the "local" variety and of the "Hawaiian" variety. On the latter, they had a "lau lau or kalua pig" combo (with lomi salmon and poi or something) for $9.95. That's a bit steep for something that doesn't have BOTH. (I think the full combo at Kauai's Family Kitchen was in fact $8.75-ish). HOWEVER, right below it is a combo plate unrivaled anywhere, even in Honolulu. IIRC: lau-lau, kalua pig, lomilomi, chicken long rice, poke, poi, and rice. I'm embarassed that I had yet to mention long rice in this thread. That, like loco moco, is a superpopular "local" version of a standard dish (in this case, some sort of Vietnamese chowmein, I guess). Poke is raw fish, perhaps marinated with something. It came in big pieces, and seemed to be the maguro normally see on sushi. It tasted fine, altho I'm normally not a big poke fan (especially limu poke, when they mix it up with all sorts of weird seaweeds; luckily, I haven't seen that in ANY of these restaurants here - in fact, this was my first sighting of any sort of poke at all). Well, $15.95 is obscene for lunch, but I simply needed to try all of this, so I got it. No complaints, altho I found the food only so-so compared to some of the other places. In particular, the poi stunk!! Way too fresh; way too sweet! In fairness, it was enough to feed two, so that $15.95 has to be seen in the right light. I would still recommend it as a perfect way for a novice (better yet, novice COUPLE) to break into Hawaiian food. BTW, they're having a New Year's party tomorrow night. All-u-can-eat buffet, music, and first 3 drinks, $65. If it weren't so damned FAR for me, I'd consider going. I'll also mention that it's the only place I've seen "mochi chicken" (breadcrumbs replaced by mochiko flour, for an interesting coating) so far. Saimin Says claims to do it better, but only at random times. Like once a month. Incidentally, since I mentioned Kauai's as a cheaper place to get the basic combo (and Saimin Says is good for the "local" combos), I'll also mention that Waikiki Luau/Stuffed Shirt has a great long rice. And an even greater "sapasui", which they told me was Samoan chopsuey. Basically chowmein and longrice mixed together. Filipino Pancit, really. Lastly, I tried the corned beef at Broadway Cafe (name of restaurant confirmed since last time I mentioned it). Was very nice - the Vietnamese owner has a "local" husband, and has a good feel for the food, altho she herself is not a local. But I cannot recommend this dish. For the sole reason that I urge anyone going there to get the NUMBER 9 WITH EGG ROLLS. This is perhaps my favorite dish in all of Seattle. Just for the record, it took me 4 attempts to order the corned beef, because I kept switching back to the #9 every time I got there. OK, I think that's everything (for now). I have yet to try Kona Kitchen (Northgate), and may not bother after the sole hit on google labeled it "more American than Hawaiian". Well, that probably just means "local", like Saimin Says, but somehow it didn't set right with me. Likewise, I dunno if I'll bother making the trek for Hawaii BBQ (Lynnwood one, not the U-Dist one which I long ago tried) - anyone know anything about this place? Now, could someone PLEASE tell me: 1) details on Hawaiian Bento Takeout in Kirkland, 2) phone # for Maile in Issaquah, if you know (can't find online yet), and 3) details/phone number for that L&L in Lynnwood? Is it open yet? Mahalo. Link: http://www.ohanaoolympia.homestead.com/grinds.html Mon Dec 30 17:42:03 -0800 2002 16451 0 side dish 1 16663 just for anyone who is interested---La Conner Seafood Shop has a great seafood plate lunch--some very "northwest" such as halibut, some more Hawaiian such as ahi, poke, mahi mahi. Takeout only. Located on a side street across/east of the grocery store. Fri Jan 03 03:24:38 -0800 2003 16451 0 maw 2 16832 is now closed, very sad about it--it was a great lil place. Tue Jan 14 22:14:18 -0800 2003 16663 0 maw 1 17137 gosh how i wish i had found chowhound before we ate at the Uwajimaya take out. i regret i didnt walk away from the steam table, but i felt sorry for the ladies behind the counter. big mistake. i didnt finish my food. it was worse than aweful. i'll leave my review at that. now: onto a GREAT Plate Lunch Restaurant: L&L Hawaiian Barbeque 19709 Hwy 99 North Lynnwood, WA The food will remind you of a sunny day on oahu ~ the restaurant will remind you that you are in a strip mall. theres seating for 85 people, and the place was very busy saturday night! good hawaiian music in the background, lots of smiling faces. Happy families sharing from the foam cartons.. The service was lightning fast n friendly. the portions large, no I take that back ~ they’re HUGE. “two scoops” is more like FOUR. I had the Seafood Combo (3 fried shrimp, mahi mahi, Short ribs), my husband had the Chicken Curry Katsu we were going to share a Spam Musubi, but couldn’t finish our dinners! The mac salad is perfection ~ flavor all through, without gobs of dressing. We should have ordered minis! but the leftovers were good the next day.. No lomi lomi, lau lau or long rice ~ but there are so many other things on the menu. 3 combo plates, and they do have daily specials (kalua pork with cabbage). mahalo! Link: http://www.lldriveinn.com/index.htm Mon Feb 10 03:59:25 -0800 2003 16451 0 elicia