Dining room at Helena’s, from Onolicious Hawai’i blog.
During my advertising career, I had a dream assignment for a rental car agency based in Hawaii. Each year they’d run a sweepstakes for travel agents and it was my job to scout locations and attractions that might appeal to a jaded visitor. I wish I had known about Onolicious Hawai’i but it probably didn’t exist back in those (late 90s) days.
Onolicious Hawai’i will give you recipes for classic Hawaiian dishes, but it will also show you what those dishes look like as they are found in various restaurants, retail shops or farmer’s markets. This will help if you’re planning a trip to the Islands, but even more so if you’re making a dish at home and want to know what it should look like when done.
Kalua Pig and Cabbage at Helena’s. Recipe here.
There are also recommendations for places to eat and (food-oriented) places to visit. We were thrilled that their favorite restaurant for Hawaiian food (as opposed to “local” food like spam musubi) is Helena’s Hawaiian Food. We had a memorable meal there in which our (mainland) client almost refused to get out of the car when he saw a patron relieving himself against the back wall and watched me order ake (raw liver) poke once inside.
If you’re going to Hawaii, head to Onolicious Hawai’i right now and sign up for their newsletter. If you’re just dreaming, you’ll find plenty of ideas for dishes to make in your own kitchen as you plan for that future trip. Check it out.
There were a few joints in Syracuse and Watertown (Ft Drum) that tried the “…“local” food like spam musubi…” All gone to my knowledge. Prolly better in HI, like how great liver is at a clam bake. Anyway, that’s a good blog. Not as good as BMF of course. Now I can fantasize about a vacation in HI while making okra and bacon. Thanks!
I am a fan of “Hawaiian” but not of “local” which to me seems mostly an excuse to carb up before you go surfing. One of the best meals of my life was a church luau I happened into just wandering around. All kinds of seaweed and shellfish in addition to the lomi lomi etc. I highly recommend Oahu… lots of people, so lots of eating options…. as a food destination.
I love poke, ….but I think I may hit pause with liver poke…..now I do like liver as long as it’s prepared well…but not sure I would like this texturally….
It doesn’t really taste like liver and the texture is like a firm fleshed fish, tuna for example. The key is that the liver must be very fresh. The one time I made it (link in the post) I used liver from a friend’s cow that had just been butchered.