NOSTALGIC LOCAL CUISINE

I grew up in Kakaako, and we almost never went out to a restaurant.  The only real exception was a saimin place run by the Matsuda family, which also produced Fuj Matsuda, former president of the University of Hawaii.  That's Shimo Matsuda, his mother.

Let me begin my return to meals of my youth with an outing 15 Craigside took to SALT, two blocks from where I once lived.  The name comes from paakai ponds that once dotted these wetlands, which were brackish.  SALT is self-proclaimed to be a dynamic city block designed for exploration and engagement.  Worked, because SALT was selected by the International Council of Shopping Centers as Shopping Center of the year last year.

SALT was developed by Kamehameha Schools.  There are two floors and 44 establishments, many restaurants.  I whittled my possible selections to:

• Hank's Haute Dogs:  featuring high-class-dressed dogs
• Highway Inn::  Hawaiian food
• Moku Kitchen:  a Peter Merriman dining spot
• vein at Kakaako:  Mediterranean theme
• Butcher and Bird:  deli shop
• Fish Honolulu:  yes, fish
• Village Bottle and Tasting Room:  while wines are available, beer is the focus

Five of our group of ten went to The Boiling Crab.  Looking at the second photo, you know they enjoyed their crab meal:

A group of four dined at Fish Honolulu:

They, too, approved of the cuisine.  Next door was Butcher and Bird:

I've never before seen so much mold on curing sausages.

I walked around myself, stopped by Hank's Haut Dogs, and considered their truffles fries, but went instead to Pioneer Saloon, which previously spent nine years on Monsarrat Avenue.   It was not even on my potential list.  I guess their theme is Japan Meets Hawaii.  You can sit inside or out.  Interestingly enough, the ethnic/age mix was just the opposite of 15 Craigside, where 90% are Asian and everyone is old.  The clientele of Pioneer Saloon was mostly young and, for a long while, I was the only Asian.

There were already at least 25 seated when I arrived, almost everyone who had already ordered and awaiting their food.  It was happy hour so I got glasses of red wine and beer in a minute, and my meal came less than 5 minutes later.  Almost everyone else was still waiting.  I ordered their special, which was garlic-saute'ed ono, tofu salad and shiso rice.  Excellent.  Further, there was something soul satisfying about almost returning home.

Most of us found our way to Butterfly, for they have some unusual ice creams.  I ordered a Hibiki (as in that Suntory whiskey) cone.  Then we were picked up by our van for our return to 15 Craigside.

The planning for this posting began last week when I bought some tamarind and soursop in Chinatown.  While there are several huge tamarind trees just across the street from 15 Craigside, the great majority of residents here probably haven't tasted this "see moi" fruit for half a century.  Same for soursop, which grew next to where I lived for the first 15 years of my life.  However, the last time I remember eating this fruit was 63 years ago.

We called soursop, soursap, in Kakaako.  Who knew then that acetogenin, found in the flesh, inhibits the production of cancer cells.  Herbal medicine practitioners also indicated the leaves could treat stomach ailments, parasitic infections, hypertension, rheumatism...and can be used as a sedative.  Good thing no one ate the seeds, for they are toxic, and can be used to kill head lice and treat leprosy.  One study showed that high consumption causes Parkinson's.  So much for my buying this again.  To the left is the smaller soursop next to a jackfruit.

We had some Port wine with the tamarind and soursop:

On Monday night, one of the 15 Craigside tablemates brought teriyaki beef he had just grilled.  Most of us ordered saimin, so reminiscent of Matsuda Saimin from 60 years ago.

In a continued nostalgic mood, two days ago I went to Hawaii's Favorite Kitchens (HFK) on Kapahulu Avenue and ordered a waffle dog.  Next door is Rainbow Drive-In, where I got a loco moco bowl.  These dishes have local origins.

They sell all kinds of nostalgic stuff in HFK.  Shimazu's Shave Ice is here.

Once upon a time there was a KC Drive-in Kapahulu.  Jiro Asato purchased it in 1934 for $350 and invented this hot dog with a crispy and somewhat sweet crust.  Jiro changed his name to KC Jiro Asato, as everyone called him KC.  Now not only can you find this in Kaimuki, but at various shopping centers in Honolulu.

Loco moco was created at Lincoln Grill in Hilo in 1949 by Nancy and Richard Inouye.  They were influenced by Hilo High School students, one with a nickname of Crazy, which means loco, so they added moco because it rhymed.  In Spanish, this turned out to be crazy snot.  Squeamish, but what makes loco moco even worse is that the gravy originally came from all the leftover oils from frying bacon, etc., to which flour is added.  I hope they now use safer ingredients, but I won't ask because I enjoy loco moco.  The current home of loco moco in Hilo is Cafe 100.

So off I went to the Diamond Head Lookout to consume my meal (the second photo after one bite):

Next?  Maybe some chow fun, which once sold for 5 cents/bag, and, perhaps dried abalone.  That smaller piece I priced out to cost $40.  I wonder if it is safe for me to today try to cut thin slices.  If too thick, you will need all day to chew it.  But there is that special taste that will bring me back to childhood.

-