Hawaii Hangover Cures

Here in Hawaii, many of us look forward to occasions during which we can drink with our friends, meet new friends and celebrate… well, practically anything. We gather around flat-screen TVs in early-opening bars first thing in the morning to catch sporting events (especially major ones or University of Hawaii games) that are staged in the afternoon on the East Coast. One drink leads to another and we find ourselves, after hours of embibing, abandoning our cars in the evening and taking cabs or calling willing, sober friends. Sporting events held locally — of almost any importance — can lead to boozy afternoons or evenings. And it’s really easy to overindulge at family luau.

Just as happens where you live, hangovers follow. There are, of course, the universal cures: The hair of the dog, having sex, hydration, aspirin, vitamins, sleeping it off, sweating it out, or simply waiting for it to pass.

Several enterprising restauranteurs in Honolulu have menu items they purport will do wonders for your hangover. Here’s an example:

The award-winning Alan Wong has a restaurant called “The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong” inside Macy’s in Oahu’s Ala Moana Shopping Center. Wong has created, recommends — and offers — a concoction he calls “Kalua Pig Hash.” It’s a pile of fried rice topped with a kalua pig (shredded pork) hash patty with two eggs (any style), surrounded by a rich veal jus. Many who have tried it claim it works, and is delicious. Fortunately for sufferers, the restaurant opens for breakfast.

Other local restaurants serve up things like bone broth soup with tripe, buckwheat soba, and the ubiquitous Spam musubi in the interest of curing your hangover.

If you’re going to be vacationing on Oahu and plan to partly a little, you might want to make a note of this Web site: honolulu.metromix.com. It lists (with photos) ten dishes on restaurant menus that come recommended for mornings after. You might find you need one before hitting the beach one morning — or more often.

Posted by: Jamie Winpenny on Jan 23, 2009