Friendship, food and fun highlighted this year’s Honolulu Festival. The yearly event pulls culture, cuisine and entertainment from all over the Pacific for international goodwill.
Here’s a little know fact that will prove to you how much I love the Honolulu Festival. I had just moved here five years ago and decided to attend, along with untold thousands of other people. Like most of them, I entered my name in the box to win prizes. That year the first prize was BIG…a trip to Japan for two. And guess who won!!! Yup, me. So magic does happen here in Hawai‘i.
This year was the first time I attended the pre-festival Friendship Gala. This fundraiser, open to the public, and visiting participants, is a great party to get a preview of upcoming entertainment but especially, to eat amazing food. I was thrilled to be able to sample from 12 top restaurants, featuring some of the best chefs in the state. These award-winning chefs have quite a following of fans, and it was a real treat to taste what they specialize in. I can’t claim that I’m a "foodie," but I do appreciate good food, so I hope I can help entice you to try some of these restaurants the next time you're in the islands.
"Where to start!" That’s what hits you as soon as you walk through the door. You can follow the crowds to the most popular food booths or leisurely pick and choose all night. All the eateries have a stall with a plated pupu-sized portion (appetizer size). Your tickets gets you one sample plate. While juggling a plate(s) in one hand, you might try to eat as you make your way over to another line. Most claim a table and pile it high with everything, and then eat together. It’s all fun.
My favs: While not local, Ruth's Chris provided a beef and potato item that was the best I’ve had in some time and made me an instant fan.
Mariposa, located in Nordstrom at Ala Moana Shopping Center, offered butterfish with black Thai rice. The rice was as rich as a scallop or lump crab and truly melted like butter in your mouth.
12th Ave Grill, situated in hip Kaimukī and voted their best neighborhood restaurant, made a bold dish consisting of lamb. It was served over creamy polenta with mashed root vegetables, possibly one of my favorite dishes of the night. Also very well liked by the crowd was the ever-favorite local “poke sampler” from famous Nico’s Pier 38.
After a tribute and introduction of the chefs, international entertainers presented a sampling of what was to come during the rest of the festival. The evening was the most fun I’ve had eating while standing up in a long time. I’d do it again.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
The best part about any holiday or tradition is always the food, especially when that particular dish brings good fortune and good health. Sakura mochi falls into such a category for Girls' Day revelers. It's a light-pink mochi said to bring happiness and luck to the ladies.
In fact, sakura mochi maintains a ladylike poise of her own – making it almost too pretty to eat. Delicately wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf, the dainty-colored treat has a taste even more delicate. A subtle sweetness and hint of salty perfection tickle the fancies of your taste buds. Sakura definitely knows how to be pretty in pink.
And it's a speciality that can only be found for a few days during this time of year. Made with sweetened rice and a sweet red bean filling, you can buy it at almost any Japanese confectionary shop or bakery; some Hawai‘i supermarkets also carry them. But for a guaranteed way to try sakura, head to the local Girls' Day festivals that take place throughout the islands.
The sweet rice treat coincides with the blossoming of the sakura, or cherry trees, in Japan. Some places may even go as far as shaping the mochi into little pink flowers and serving them with a dainty cherry blossom branch. But no matter the presentation, sakura will remain a Girls' Day tradition for generations to come.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
Hawai‘i's verdant lands and warm tropical weather are a combo for perfection when it comes to farming in the islands. Miles and miles of farmlands make up the view for those heading to the more isolated parts of Hawai‘i. The drive to O‘ahu's North Shore includes pineapples, coffee and sunflowers fields. On Kaua‘i's west side, there are rows and rows of corn.
From Farm
Of course, the crops aren't there for show. Once harvested, they're sold at local grocery stores and farmers markets, where you can get a taste of them. Fresh fruits and vegetables sold at the local markets will most likely be cheaper than at the store. You'll also get a chance to talk story with the very people who grew them.
Hawai‘i farmers makets, in particular, are known for their unique produce. ‘Ulu (breadfruit), avocado, star fruit and mango top the list of local flavors. Some islands specialize in certain produce, such as Maui's famously sweet onions and Kona's juicy oranges. Tourists are always amazed when they try an apple banana for the first time. These, you must try; they're so sweet and so good for you.
To Fork
Some farmers market vendors or local eateries incorporate their fresh produce into specialty foods, such as jams, jellies or smoothies. Many restaurants nowadays will brag about using all local produce and ingredients. Why is that important? Because it assures customers they'll get the best quality and taste from their meals.
And from farm to fork to your body, you could also lather yourself with fruit-scented lotions and perfumes. A walking fruit basket, if you will.
The Puna Culinary Festival is underway on the Big Island, south of Hilo. Every year, it not only features local chefs but local famers. "Taste of Pahoa" is perhaps the most popular because it showcases restaurants and entertainment. There will also be a "Behind the Scenes Luau," complete with fire dancing, hula and delicious lu‘au foods.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
Lychee is truly a "gift for a joyful life," as it's translated from Chinese. You know, that small, prickly red fruit that you see growing all over Hawai‘i? Perhaps you've tried it at a local farmers market? Aside from the pain of peeling off the prickly shell, this fruit definitely brings happiness to anyone who eats it.
That is, if you're brave enough. Lychee has been called a "super fruit" for its many health benefits. But it's also been called an exotic one because it just looks so weird, so intimidating. How do you eat this thing? Lychee is about the size of a chestnut, but its outer shell can make someone think twice before trying it. Once finally figuring out how to peel it off, you discover a white slippery inside that's even weirder looking.
The best way to break through the hard outer shell of lychee would be with your thumbnail. Otherwise, you could use your teeth or a knife. While you don't consume the shell, the inside of the fruit should be eaten very carefully. Its small size makes it easy to choke on; plus, there's a seed in the middle that you don't want slipping down your throat! Either way, it's a succulent fruit that's worth savoring the flavor.
Going back to lychee bringing joy to one's life; the fruit contains vitamins and minerals that promote a healthy diet. It's also a great source of vitamin C, which helps the body fight heart disease and cancer. Two studies conducted in China show that lychee prevents cancer cells from growing because of the flavonoids it contains. At a more day-to-day level, lychee is good for skin and bones and helps those suffering from a common cold, fever or sore throat.
If you haven't guessed yet, lychee comes from China. The fruit was brought to the Hawaiian Islands during the early 1870s. It usually grows during the summer months and does well in wetter areas, such as in Hilo. Lychee is definitely something you have to try while in the islands; if not the raw fruit, then perhaps in a cocktail or pastry!
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
Tucked away in Kailua on the island of Oahu you'll find the Manoa chocolate factory. The brainchild of Dylan Butterbaugh this modest factory is cranking out delicious chocolates made from the Cacao Beans grown in Hawaii and other parts of the world. Butterbaugh fell in love with making chocolate while attending the University of Hawaii and with the help of one of his professors created a method for making these delicacies using very simple materials. The result; excellent tasting chocolate that's good for you and filled with deliciousness.
The Final product is a wide variety of chocolate bars made from Goat Milk, Ginger and Chili and even a healthy breakfast bar.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
If you’ve been here on a Hawaii Vacation, then we hope (fingers crossed) that you’ve sampled a Malasada. These Portuguese balls of dough are deep-fried in oil and rolled in granulated sugar, much like a donut, but minus the hole. They are warm, sugary, cinnamon-rolled and fried to perfection, and can be found at many roadside stands, bakeries, and food booths in Hawaii. Because we love these local goodies so much, we’ve decided to share with you the recipe, in hopes that you will bring these malasadas back home and share them with friends and family. They are great as a dessert, midday treat, or breakfast for the carb lover, and who are we kidding, aren’t we all? This easy recipe produces soul-warming malasadas that are guaranteed to become a favorite in no time. Just make sure to pass the recipe along to those who love them too, otherwise you’ll have neighbors knocking on the door for more, all the time!
Malasada Recipe:
(Makes 34 – loz portions)
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of Bread Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of Instant Yeast
2 teaspoons of Salt
5 1/4 tablespoons of Sugar
5 Egg Yolks
3/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Milk
4 1/4 teaspoons of Butter
Mixing:
1. In a mixing bowl with paddle, place all dry ingredients.
2. Start mixing and add all liquids slowly.
3. Mix 2 minutes on first speed until ingredients are combined and 10 minutes on second speed.
4. Remove dough and cover and let it rest for 5 minutes covered.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Using a round cutter, cut out circles and place on a floured cloth or a pan lined with pan liner.
7. Proof for 1 1/2 hour.
8. Fry at 350°F in a saucepan with oil about 3 inch high.
9. Remove when a uniform color is reached.
10. Drain the donuts before rolling in cinnamon sugar.
This can be eaten as is or stuffed with your favorite type of filling.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
A luau is one of the most popular activities to do while vacationing in Hawaii, simply because it’s a whole lot of fun and a great introduction to the traditional Hawaiian culture. Many hotels and resorts offer luaus, as well as other private companies, so it’s not hard to find while on island. But you do want to make sure you book an authentic luau, as some can be overly touristy or hokey. You also want to make sure you’ll be experiencing some traditional food while at this Hawaii luau, like poi, kalua pork, and lau lau.
Many don’t know this, but the focal point of a luau is at the imu, or underground oven. Here the pig is roasted on a bed of ti and banana leaf and during the luau, it is unearthed, prepared, and served to all the guests in a variety of ways. It was tradition to throw a celebration after a pig was hunted and killed, as food was highly revered in the Hawaiian culture. And since pig was a main source of meat on the islands, it is customary to serve pork at every luau. However, for those vegetarians out there, the dinner spread always offers vegetarian options as well.
One of the most common foods served at a Hawaiian luau is laulau, which is a bundle of meat wrapped in ti leaves, almost like Hawaiian style tamale. You can also find a variety of taro dishes, such as poi (taro pounded into a liquidy paste) and kulolo (taro pudding). Poke is also common (raw ahi flavored with green onion and soy sauce), as well as kalua pig, teriyaki chicken or beef, potato-mac salad, fresh fruits, and green salads. And don’t forget the desserts! Haupia is a favorite (coconut pudding dessert), mochi (sweet rice cake), and a variety of sweets that incorporate Hawaiian fruits such as lilikoi, guava, and pineapple. A Hawaii luau is a fun place to sample local dishes and learn a little about the culture and history of Hawaii. Make sure to try a little of everything too, you don’t want to miss out on any of those flavorful foods!
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
"What do you recommend for fresh fish?" a friend asked on his recent visit to O‘ahu. While Honolulu is filled with great restaurants, fish doesn't get much fresher than at Nico's Pier 38. The Honolulu Fish Auction is just across the street, which produces the daily menu. Large open-air windows in the dining area look out toward the fishing boats that supply the daily auction.
The lunch crowd at Nico's gets a front-row view of the fishing boats.
Nico's has recently been transformed from a small lunch counter to a full-scale restaurant. In the move to larger quarters across the street, Nico's added a fish market that sells wonderfully fresh poke, other fresh fish and assorted sauces, seasonings and sides. While you could always get a great sandwich and beer, the new Nico's features a full bar with beer on draft and mixed drinks. The menu has also expanded: the Pier 38 Fish Tacos are now joined by dishes like fish and chips, garlic pesto shrimp, seared ahi poke salad and fried ahi belly (I don't know if that last one is a Hawai‘i invention, but I haven't seen it on mainland menus.)
The menu includes local plate lunch favorites, such as pork chops, chicken katsu, loco moco and Hoisin BBQ or orange fried chicken. These plate lunches come with the traditional two scoops of rice and mac/tossed salad, but Nico's also adds chow mein noodles. On Fridays, the Hawaiian plate lunch features laulau, kalua pig, lomi salmon, rice and poi. Prices for lunches range from $9 to $15.
On the lunch menu at Nico's: Fish and Chips ($10.95) and the Fisherman's Stew ($7).
Rick and I had lunch at the new location the first weekend they were open. It was wonderful. The food was as good as I expected, and the view is fabulous. However, I saw some local comments that the location had gotten so popular that service was slow, so we went back for a second visit. We arrived at the end of the lunch rush while it was still busy. Most of the tables were full, inside and outside on the patio; however, seating was still available. There was no line to place our order, which went in at 1:09 p.m. We were given a beeper to let us know when it was ready to pick up. We barely had time to order a beer at the bar when the beeper lit up. Our fellow diners seemed to be a mix of locals and visitors from Japan and the mainland.
I have not yet visited Nico's for dinner. They have live entertainment and the menu says "it's a different vibe at dinner time." The appetizer list includes several versions of poke, along with Marlin Carpaccio, sashimi and non-fish options. The fried ahi belly returns as an entree, as do some of the other lunch items, which include Nico's steamed clams and seafood pasta. There are also salads, sandwiches, burgers and pizza, as at lunch. Sunset at the waterfront is always special, and it can't be hurt by good music and great food.
Nico's at Pier 38 has lots of open-air seating, next to the fish market.
If you are new to Honolulu, it is important to know that the large front entrance faces the water, not the street. There is a sign on Nimitz Highway that says "Pier 38, Fishing Village" marking the place to turn. It lists six businesses, but you won't be able to read them or find Nico's on the second line, if you're driving past. Very generally, Pier 38 is between the airport and Waikīkī as you drive along the coast.
NICO'S PIER 38 / 1133 N. Nimitz Hwy., Honolulu, HI 96817 (Map) / Opens Mon-Sat 10am-4pm (lunch), 5-9pm (dinner), Sunday lunch only / 808-540-1377
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
Every Memorial Day on Round Top Drive, a cannon sounds to signal the start of a much-anticipated chili cook-off. Most have been participating since the ritual started decades ago and call themselves veterans of the stew-like soup made entirely of meats, chilies and chili powders. This year's Great Hawaiian Chili Cook-Off, however, took on a flavor of its own – one with a somber undertone, as it was the very last time that Hawai‘i chili lovers would revel in the spirit of this Mexican dish.
According to this team, bell peppers are a "must-have" in any good chili recipe.
Since the late 1980s, chili enthusiasts Dr. Jack Scaff and his wife Donna have graciously opened up their home to hundreds of fellow chili fanatics. This year would be their last hoorah. Luckily, I live right down the street from what has been called one of the island's hottest cook-offs and got a taste of my first (and last) cook-off this past Memorial Day. By mid-morning, the entire street was packed with cars; so packed, that shuttles have to transport people up and down the notoriously winding hill.
White-topped tents line the long driveway; underneath, cooks from Hawai‘i and across the nation race the clock as they slice, dice and mix their hopefully winning recipes. We spent some time talking story with a team of local ladies who has been entering for the past 16 years. They laughed and joked with each other while throwing fresh ingredients into the big boiling pot. The ladies told me that although their recipe somehow gets spicier and spicier every year, the flavor always seems to fit with their team motto: "Some like it HOT!" And, boy, did their chili have a kick! Or maybe it's just that my threshold for spice is somewhat on the lower end than most who quickly slurped up the sample beside me.
These women have been a part of the Hawai‘i chili craze for the past 16 years.
Of course a day of chili wouldn't be complete without live entertainment from a mariachi band and a group of Scottish bagpipe players. Everyone danced and "cheersed" their (free) beers and margaritas before the winners were finally announced. The winner happened to be a guy from Texas, who calls his chili, the "Alien Chili;" not only because it was "out-of-this-world delicious" but because he considers himself an alien! (I promise; that's what he told us.) Perhaps that's the secret to a successful recipe – one that's made by a cook as quirky as this guy!
No word yet on if the annual cook-off will continue in the care of some other chili enthusiasts. I'm hoping so because it's one of the only places in the islands that you'll find authentic Mexican cuisine and a community tightly knit by an affinity for all things chili.
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
I'm pretty certain that you won't find another shave ice place like Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha (HOPA), and you most definitely won't find another Uncle Clay. This cute Chinese man has one of those ridiculously contagious smiles; the kind that not only shows in the curves of his mouth but in his happily squinting eyes and in his overall welcoming demeanor, as he affectionately greets each and every customer who walks into his ‘Āina Haina "House" with nothing but aloha. To him, everyone is ‘ohana (family).
Customers affectionately call HOPA owner Clayton Chang, "Uncle Clay," which is a common local custom that shows respect to the person.
It's a mantra he's carried on throughout his 15-plus years in the biz. Starting out a couple doors down from where HOPA is today, Uncle Clay turned a childhood dream into reality when he opened a snack shop called Doe Fang. Locals and visitors alike knew Doe Fang as the go-to place for crack seed treats and refreshing "Magic ICEEs." And everyone knew to order the "Hawaiian Superman ICEE," named for its sweet-and-salty li hing mui flavor.
Today, Uncle Clay continues to share the spirit of aloha by way of a different frozen treat – one shave ice at a time. It's not only served with "pure aloha," as the shop's name suggest, but with all-natural local produce and ingredients made fresh every morning. Nothing like what you might find at Matsumoto's Shave Ice on the North Shore. HOPA's flavors are true to their fruit – mango, coconut, papaya, lychee and liliko‘i – and topped with creamy Waialua milk chocolate or Big Island ice cream. Health fanatics might enjoy the Kalespin, made with spinach and kale, yes, kale.
Pure aloha in every scoop of shave ice.
Today also marks the first anniversary of HOPA, and in the spirit of pure aloha, Uncle Clay and his crew will launch the "Share-HOPA-Forward" campaign. The "pay-it-forward" system allows customers to donate toward the cause until they reach their goal of $2,012 (for year 2012). Then, HOPA will have "Sharing Days" throughout O‘ahu – a chance for people to enjoy free shave ice or to continue the pay-it-forward notion. Cool idea, huh?
The "Hawaiian Superman" flavor still exists!
The spirt of aloha can be found wherever you go in the islands – in the sway of hula dancers' hips, in the golden glow of a setting Hawaiian sun or in the beauty of the people. But in the case of Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha, the way of the islands can be found in each and every savory bite of shave ice.
UNCLE CLAY'S HOUSE OF PURE ALOHA / ‘Āina Haina Shopping Center 820 W. Hind Drive, #116, Honolulu, HI 9682 (Map) / Opens Mon-Thurs 11am-6pm, Fri-Sun 1030am-8pm / 808-373-5111 / www.houseofpurealoha.com / Free parking in lot; near bus route
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
Published by Bruce Fisher
