“Aloha!”
We stepped off the plane and were greeted with the ceremonial leis draped over our heads. Our trip to Hawaii was in motion. Our first stop was three days in the world-renowned Waikiki, the beach resort located on the outskirts of Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.
Though we’d endured a long flight, we quickly dropped our bags in the room of the Hyatt Waikiki and crossed the street to take a stroll on the beach, anxious to feel the sand between our toes. We walked down the beach, enjoying the calm blue water, and found an outside patio restaurant and bar, the beachhouse at the moana, serving up all types of island deliciousness.
As the sun set, we found two seats at the bar and perused the island menu. Over my shoulder, a band played traditional Hawaiian music as a hula dancer gyrated her hips. I chose the island-style ahi poke nachos. These weren’t true nachos, but were wonton chips topped with maui onions and avocado, sprinkled with bonito flakes, srirachi aioli and kabayaki sauce. The nachos were then topped with “poke,” cubes of raw, fresh, yellow-fin tuna. The idea of combining sushi and nachos? Obviously, we’d landed in heaven. Paired with a Kona Big Wave Golden Ale, this dish proved a decadent way to start our journey.
My date chose the paniolo BBQ pork sliders served on taro buns, with still-warm, delicious sweet-potato chips. Paniolo is the Hawaiian word for cowboy, and these sliders were sweet, tender and filling.
It was a surreal experience, having only been off the plane for less than two hours and dropped into this paradise. Waikiki is known for the fabulous sunsets off the west-facing beach and sure enough, as the sun dropped, diners walked over to the edge of the sand and snapped photos of the giant red sun dipping into the pacific. Once the sun disappeared, the lights at the bar were switched on as the Hawaiian music played on.
SPAM
I’ve often heard it said that Spam is a big deal in Hawaii, but I was surprised to see Musubi-Spam sold in the corner stores. A slice of spam set on rice, and then wrapped in seaweed—street food for those on the go.
For those who think there are limited options of what to make with Spam, the Pearl Harbor gift shop sold the Spam cookbook. That had me humming the Monty Python classic, “Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam…” Although I had several Spam sightings on this trip, I’m happy to say my vacation was pleasantly Spam-free.
Diners Beware
Our stay at the Hyatt Waikiki hotel included an excellent, relaxing buffet breakfast that held us over until dinner. The food included American basics—eggs, bacon, sausage, danishes and lox. Of course, there was fresh pineapple and other tropical fruits in abundance, and the buffet included dishes for the large contingent of Japanese tourists who visit. Miso soup for breakfast anyone?
The dining room included a beautiful veranda that looked out over the beach and the crystal blue water, and it was perfect for lounging in the shade and lingering over a second cup of coffee. Pigeons occasionally swooped in on unattended tables, picking at crumbs. However, they weren’t aggressive if one remained with their food. We did watch one Japanese group set down full plates and head back inside the buffet, only to have pigeons descend on their table in a feeding frenzy. Some nearby tables snapped photos until the staff took the ruined plates away. The tourists returned to find their first plates missing! It was quite the sight as the staff tried to explain what had happened—flapping their arms to indicate “birds”—to the perplexed foreigners.
Duke’s
On another night, we walked down to Duke’s Waikiki, which had outdoor seating looking out over the beach. Giant tiki torches lit the sky. After a short wait, which included a sumptuous Lost Coast Downtown Brown Ale, we were seated and shared a plate of the Waikiki Hot Wings, which were more tangy than hot. My Cajun fish tacos were made with a delicious fish called Opah, which is popular in Hawaii. Sprinkled with tomatilllo sauce, guacamole, pico de gallo and served with freshly roasted chips, this was my first ever fish taco, and I was hooked. We relaxed under the black sky, letting the ocean breeze cool our sunburnt skin, enjoying the people watching and sipping drinks into the night.
Loco Moco
On our last night in Waikiki, we decided to eat at Swim, the casual eatery overlooking the hotel’s pool, mainly because we saw one dish on the menu.
Hawaii’s pre-eminent comfort food is a dish that any greasy spoon diner would be proud to serve. Loco Moco consists of a beef patty served on top of Spam-fried rice. The beef patty is then topped with two fried eggs and a healthy serving of gravy. My date could only eat about half of the bowlful, which meant I had to swoop in and try it out. I kept thinking “this is the type of meal one could devour during a snowstorm; how was this created here in the tropical islands?” We may have to co-opt the dish this winter.
I decided to try another version of ahi poke nachos. They were quite different than the first night. The nacho chips were more traditional, and it was served with pickled jalapeno, sour cream and guacamole. Definitely not as decadent as the first night, or filling, but this poke was possibly more enjoyable.
Waikiki reminded me of an urban beach, much like Miami. The beach itself was not wide, and skyscrapers were packed along the shoreline. Kalakaua Drive, which paralleled the beach, was alive at night with shoppers. The shops were upscale—much like Fifth Avenue. It was an interesting stay, but I was anxious to enjoy a more rural setting, and Maui was the next stop on our Hawaiian island tour. Check back to read about our culinary adventures there, including a very surprising happy hour at a bar owned by one of the world’s most famous drummers.
- Photography: Jim Breslin
