Last summer, Koloa Rum Company planted its first field of sugarcane on Kauai since the island’s last sugar plantation shut down a few years ago. According to Koloa President and CEO Bob Gunter, the first harvest will be ready in the next few weeks.
Taste broke some major ground with its rotating schedule of chefs and pop-ups. With this cycle coming to a close, the Weekly checked in with co-founders Mark “Gooch” Noguchi and Amanda Corby and general manager Adam Lock (aka “our rock,” according to Corby) to see what eaters can feast upon in the next round.
As consumers, we look forward to that delightful first bite of mango, and that’s usually the extent of our enjoyment. But there are some for whom fruit is more than just a tasty hobby–it’s a way of life.
Hawaiian-style tea doesn’t necessarily mean Hawaii-grown. For example, Hawaiian Islands Tea Company offers the flavors hibiscus honey lemon, coconut macadamia and mango Maui.
My hanai sister has a gluten allergy. With one bite of anything that’s touched wheat or barley, she gets intense stomach cramps and rashes, and her immune system goes haywire.
Amongst the smorgasbord of Hawaii’s mixed cuisines, it can be difficult to pin down the authentic. One rule of thumb is that dishes should be prepared using ingredients similar to those from the homeland.
There is a magic elixir, locally known as kombucha, that has been around for centuries, but only burst into the Hawaii food scene three and a half years ago. It’s a tangy, sweet, fermented tea carrying a slew of vitamins and minerals.
Looks like locavore-friendly, farmers’ market-regular OnoPops has gone all sweet on us. Its new line of natural syrups are ideal for mixing into Italian sodas on those humid, sweltering days.
The art of making fresh tofu is a craft that is slowly dwindling away. Once, there were 14 local factories, but now, less than a handful remain.
Molii fishpond, beyond its ancient green and muddled reflection, hides a sea of oysters. Kualoa Ranch’s Hawaiian fishpond is nutrient-rich and perfect for growing the shellfish.
Anyone who’s dined there has felt personally welcomed by kindly Chef Chai Chaowasaree of Chai’s Island Bistro, which recently closed its palatial doors after 14 years of turning out fine Thai and Pacific Rim cuisine. His new venture, simply and aptly named Chef Chai (his name is already a bona fide brand), officially opened Saturday, March 9 at the Pacifica Honolulu.
Anyone interested in a fruit that tastes like tangy brown sugar? Look in Chinatown markets for a marvel called the “chiko,” or what is more commonly known as a sapodilla, pronounced sa-po-DEE-ya.
One name satisfies any craving for a simple, all-American burger–Teddy’s Bigger Burgers. At Teddy’s, simple, straightforward preparation is married with bold, beefy flavor.
As much as we’re grateful to the Maya for their inventions–a system of government, pottery, corn tortillas–all that apocalyptic fretting was something we could have done without. Lest we forget the value of portents, Maui Brewing Company crafted a brew to commemorate the supposed fatalism of 2012, Aloha Baktun.
Juice Box, a petite juice joint on Monsarrat Avenue, wears a black exterior, houses wooden stools and stacks books about liquid diets on its bar. A chalkboard menu boasts various juices and blends–aka smoothies–along with a short manifesto that includes buying locally and organically, using real ingredients and not much sugar, providing health information and, well, just being nice.
“‘Made In Hawaii’ was not [always] as mainstream as it is now,” says Amy Hammond, the director of the Made in Hawaii Festival and volunteer executive director of the Hawaii Chocolate & Cacao Association. She recalls that locavore ideology has never been as in-vogue as it is today, even when considering chocolate.
Half off sounds good any day, especially when talking about Chef Hiroshi Fukui’s contemporary, fresh sushi and seafood creations at Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas. Fancy, locally sourced ingredients prepared with sophistication by the hands of a James Beard Award nominee?
The best-beloved cookbooks are practical, no-nonsense and not for the squeamish. To make soup from a bird’s nest, “Wash carefully several times, removing tiny feathers,” instructs Mary Sia in her Classic Chinese Cookbook.
Raised on johnnycake, scrapple, spoonbread, hush puppies, grits–the uses of cornmeal (which, by itself, is rather bland) are many in a Southern household–I was transformed by my first tamale. Here, at last, was cornmeal mush cooked with something tasty inside.
When Grand Cafe & Bakery first opened in 1923, it faced closure after a few years. Fast forward three generations to 2005, when the cafe was resurrected by owners Patsy Izumo and the original owner’s granddaughter, Mona Chang Vierra.
In early December, Hawaiian Style opened where Quiksilver used to be on Kapiolani Boulevard. The store sells the usual surf merchandise: surfboards, shirts, swimsuits and–yes–pies.
Since opening a third location in November, Eggs ‘n Things (established in Hawaii in 1974) has extended the tourist hotspot from the heart of Waikiki to international shopping destination Ala Moana Center, all while preserving what makes the restaurant chain popular. With creamy yellow walls adorned with vintage photographs of Hawaii and light fixtures hanging above booths and tables, the Ala Moana location of Eggs ‘n Things is the type of diner you might not expect to find near a fast-paced urban shopping center.
A bistro evokes thoughts of Parisian restaurants serving classic, homey, deceptively simple cooking such as cassoulet, the original pork and beans. Now, adding to the distinguished yet sparse selection of Honolulu bistros–JJ Bistro, Duc’s Bistro and Le Bistro, to name a few–is HASR Bistro, which opened its French doors in October.
Without the Northern blaze of fall leaves and snow, the idea of winter squash–with its thick, starchy skin–loses some relevance in the tropics. An example: Hawaii’s obvious lack of root cellars.
Food Box / This is not your supermarket sliced bread. “Parents have actually said their kids like my bread .
For this year’s Food + Drink issue, we compiled 100-plus memories of the fantastic bites we’ve taken, the culinary experiences we’ve undergone and other tasteful moments of absolutely loving what Hawaii’s food scene has to offer. The result is a mixed plate of the Weekly ‘ohana’s favorite dishes, libations, produce, places and some lesser-known joys.
Respect Your Veg At long last, vegetables are being recognized as culinary stars. The following dishes have two things in common: They’re veggie-centric, if not strictly vegetarian, and best eaten on the spot.
Paitan Broth: Kyoto Ramen Yotekko-Ya If you’re a ramen lover, you know the most important element of the bowl is the broth. At Kyoto Ramen Yotekko-Ya, the paitan broth ($9.95 for paitan chashu ramen) is deeply savory.
Naan: Cafe Maharani “The dough is just special,” says owner Chris Rahman of Cafe Maharani. The naan ($2.99) is made to order and handled very delicately.
Asian: Green Door Cafe Enter into Green Door Cafe to find a whole ‘nother world. Owner Betty Peng is a one-woman show (don’t start with her, or else) and cooks all of her Singaporean dishes to order.
Byron’s Drive-in The vacant, former Byron’s Drive-in building still stands near the airport since closing its doors in February. “We’d always go [to Byron’s] late at night,” says Sabrina Thompson, a Tripler Hospital nurse.
Shinsato Pork: Guava Smoked Scott Shibuya of Guava Smoked made a splash in the farmers’ market scene with his finger-licking good, guava wood-smoked Shinsato Pork. “I really wanted to be my own boss,” he says.
Cheese: Surfing Goat Dairy Owners Thomas and Eva Kafsack moved from Germany to Maui and found that they missed receiving fresh goat cheese from their neighbors’ backyards. A few goats from the Big Island (and a huge investment) later, Surfing Goat Dairy was born.
Decadent Fries: Home Bar and Grill These aren’t ordinary fried potatoes. Chef Neil Nakasone’s Parmesan truffle fries ($8) are an elite class of spuds.
Rotations: Taste Some might say Chef Mark “Gooch” Noguchi and partner Amanda Corby, with the help of another power couple, Poni and Brandon Askew of StreetGrindz, fleshed out the pop-up trend with Taste. But: “Actually, Adam is Taste,” Gooch explains, referring to Taste’s general manager, Adam Lock.
Healthy Food Truck: Beet Box Cafe The Beet Box Cafe is a sit-down eatery located in Haleiwa Town, but their bright yellow lunch wagon is also worth following. The lunchtruck serves organic, vegetarian burritos ($7-10), a special of the day made with farm-to-table ingredients ($10-12), smoothies ($7.50), kombucha ($5) and snacks such as baked goods and dried fruits ($3).
A Cook’s Catch When it comes to fish, freshness really matters, so eating local from our Hawaiian waters is always in the best of taste. Health and sustainability also count.
Whole Foods & Down To Earth Down to Earth offers strictly vegetarian delights such as Bombay spinach, eggplant parmesan, stuffed shells, Thai curry and vegetable korma ($9.59/pound). The tofu and eggplant are always sourced from local producers.
Edible Land: Permablitz Fruit trees flourish in Hawaii but sadly, much goes to waste. Permablitz aims to change that.
Foraging: Strawberry Guava at Waahila Ridge Strawberry guava is invasive to Hawaii, which is why I don’t feel an ounce of guilt picking the small, red fruits in (free!) handfuls whenever I hike up Waahila Ridge. When they’re a light red color, just pull them off the trees, check for bug-made holes and bite in.
Nutmeg and Cloves: Frankie’s Nursery Want to spice up your kitchen? Lynn Tsuruda of Frankie’s Nursery says they sell spices grown in Hawaii, by the plant or the fruit.
Filipino: Pacific Drive out to Central Oahu and find Pacific Supermarket, a haven for all things Southeast Asian. With the Leeward community’s large Filipino population, access to local favorites at Pacific is a big deal.
Korean Chew: Taegu Taegu, more properly pronounced as dae-goo, is either a variety of cod, sliced into strips and seasoned, or a seasoned side dish. There is some confusion, as I came to realize while asking my born-and-raised-in-Korea mom, because those side dishes are made with different fish.
Matcha Latte: Peace Cafe Peace Cafe, a second home for vegans, carries a matcha (green tea) latte with a secret. “The first sip is always the most important,” explains an employee.
Good For You: Kombucha A SCOBY is a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast integral to making kombucha. Kombucha, a fizzy tea, is full of promises to boost detoxification, immunity and digestion and joint health.
Free: Whole Foods Whole Foods Market Kahala offers free cooking classes at CookSpace in Ward Warehouse. “We just did a Health Starts Here cooking class,” says Whole Foods marketing supervisor Natalie Aczon.
Wine Tasting: Kalapawai Cafe Every second Sunday of the month at 3:30 p.m., Kalapawai Cafe holds a free wine tasting. “We [have] five wines.
Dear Friends, Readers, and Advertisers, I am sorry to say that this will be the last issue of the Weekly that we will print. I am sad about closing but I see no way that we can maintain our revenue stream and our fiscal health.
Native Hawaiians and preservationists have pledged to fight a law, signed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie on May 28, that will allow some construction projects to begin before the site has been fully inspected for ancient burials.
Imagine you’re walking through downtown Honolulu and, rather than bypassing an empty, blighted park, you’re drawn into an urban oasis–a forest of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. You could spend your lunch break chatting with friends in the shade of an ‘ulu tree–and, if you’re hungry, pick whatever’s in season.
Road Rule On May 20, Gov. Abercrombie signed Act 73, requiring all vehicle passengers to buckle up regardless of age or seating arrangement.
Tourists enjoying the Waikiki waterfront were treated to Hawaiian phrases such as “Aole, aole, aole GMO!” chanted by protesters in the March Against Monsanto on Sat., May 25. Translation: No GMOs, ever.
The Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) made its proposed plan to redevelop the Kakaako district available to the community during an open house on Thu., May 23. HCDA Executive Director Tony Ching began with a presentation of the new Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) plan before letting residents ask questions.
In 2011 the city Department of Transportation Services (DTS) was tasked by then-Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration to shave $10 million from its budget. Over the course of a year, several bus routes were cut and many more were shortened or reconfigured and the frequency of service decreased.
You mentioned in your May 29 GMO article (“Big Pharm Fallout”) that GMO bans were placed on taro and coffee in 2008 in Kohala County. However it was an islandwide ban in Hawaii County.
What a great quote: “I understand that it’s frustrating that we can’t get past the issue of homelessness . .
I know space is limited and you couldn’t put everything in one small article (“Art with HART,” May 29). Here is the rest of what I wanted to have said.
Have five or more contractors “compete” by tackling sections of roadway (“Road Repaving,” May 29). Criteria for competing are expenses, timeliness and a level of quality assurance standards.
Thanks for this article (“The Naked Truth,” May 22), I’m Mykel Hicks, grandson of Sharon Hicks, and I am so proud of my grandma for all she has done for herself, this family and specifically me. She is an amazing grandma who comes with a moving story I hope can help people around the world.
Please remind readers that the HCDA is not interested in providing housing for minimum wage individuals or families, but in providing property developers with profitable opportunities; that our ancient water and sewage lines were not designed to support the needs of thousands of condo and apartment dwellers, but no one is interested in replacing them because no one wants to pay the price (“Civix,” May 22). As a result, Kakaako’s streets are regularly flooded with no sidewalk retreat for pedestrians, wheelchairs, bicyclists, skateboarders, etc., and constantly excavated/repaired to accommodate one project after the other.
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