This weekend marks the beginning of the 12th Annual Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. This festival happens across three weekends and as many islands. Maui, Oahu, and yep, the Big Island.
To celebrate, I’ve put together a list of five Hawaiian food favorites. Dig in!
1. Poke
A vibrantly colored poke bowl proves that fresh is best.
Poke combines cubes of raw fish – traditionally aku (skipjack tuna) and heʻe (octopus) – marinated with ingredients like maui onions, nutty inamona, Hawaiian sea salt, and limu. It’s often served over rice.
Head to Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill for some of Kona’s best poke. (And if you want to sound like a local… it rhymes with “okay” not “hokey”.)
2. Poi
Poi lacks the visual appeal of poke, but give it a chance. The early Polynesian settlers of Hawaii considered poi to be a sacred dish!
This staple food comes from mashed taro root. It looks like a pale purple pudding with a texture that varies from watery to pasty.
When eaten immediately, poi is sweet and creamy. When left to ferment, poi develops a sour tang similar to yogurt. A perfect compliment to lomi salmon.
3. Laulau
Here’s another traditional Polynesian dish that showcases the taro plant – this time, the leaves.
Laulau uses cooked taro leaves to contain tasty fillings – usually fatty pork and butterfish. It’s a popular plate lunch feature, often served with rice and mac salad.
For the real deal, travel just south of Kona to Kaaloa's Super Js Authentic Hawaiian.
4. Lomi Lomi Salmon
Although first introduced by Western sailors, lomi lomi has since become a luau staple. And it’s easy to understand why.
Lomi lomi salmon combines the fresh raw fish with green onions, tomatoes, and salt. Super simple and super tasty.
The secret to excellent lomi lomi? Massaging, or mixing, the ingredients by hand.
5. Kalua Pork
Kalua pork is the centerpiece of Hawaiian luaus.
Traditional kalua pork follows a very simple recipe: Hawaiian sea salt and pork shoulder butt. Wrapped in banana leaves, the pig is cooked in an imu (an underground oven that uses heated stones). This slow-cooking technique gives the meat subtle earthy flavors and a supple texture.
The best place to try kalua pork is of course at a luau. The second best place? Broke Da Mouth Grindz.
Save Room For Desert!
No Hawaiian plate lunch is complete without dessert. And usually that dessert is haupia – a must-try for anyone who loves coconut.
Haupia has a texture somewhere between jello and pudding. You can eat it by the cube or enjoy its subtly sweet coconut flavors on top of a chocolate pie.
Want something slightly healthier?
Try any of the glorious tropical fruits that grow on this island! Papaya, lychee, mangoes, star fruit, breadfruit, apple bananas, pineapple, guava, and lilikoi (aka passion fruit). Oh, and you know, the coconut.
See What’s on the Menu
Once you’ve eaten your fill of Big Island cuisine, give me a call. I’ll help you figure out how to become a local yourself.
Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii.