On a recent trip to Oahu, I explored Hawaii’s rich history and diverse cultural makeup through its varied foods. Beyond traditional foods served at luaus, such as kalua pig, poi (paste made from mashed taro root) and lomi lomi salmon, Hawaii features a variety of dishes that reflect and blend the cultures of the many immigrants who came to the islands to work at pineapple and sugarcane plantations in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The cuisine is a delicious melting pot of American, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Polynesian and Portuguese cultures.

Arriving from the Azores in the late 19^th century, the Portuguese introduced sausage, sweetbread and my favorite sweet treat, malasadas, deep-fried doughnuts rolled in sugar. Located in Honolulu, Leonard’s Bakery has been serving malasadas since 1952 and has become one of Hawaii’s most popular food attractions. I sampled the original and li hing flavors as well as a malasada puff with coconut filling. Each was hot and fluffy on the inside with a crispy, golden-brown outer layer. I highly recommend sampling malasadas while in Hawaii and visiting Leonard’s. The line of locals and tourists is always long but well worth the wait.

Another popular staple I tried was a plate lunch from Zippy’s, a chain in Hawaii introduced in 1966 that serves simple dishes that mix several ethnicities. The plate lunch features two scoops of white rice and macaroni salad alongside everything from Korean barbecue, chicken katsu, fried mahi mahi, kalua pork or beef teriyaki. I chose a mini plate lunch with Korean barbecue chicken that was tasty and filling. The plate lunch can be found at local chains like Zippy’s and the Rainbow Drive-In as well as mom and pop shops. 

My favorite way to cool off besides hopping in the Pacific was with refreshing shave ice. Situated in Kapahulu in downtown Honolulu, Waiola Shave Ice is a popular alternative to Matsumoto Shave Ice for those who don’t want to make the hour-long trek to the North Shore. Family-owned and operated since 1940, Waiola features over 30 flavors of fruit syrups for your sno cone as well as several toppings and additions, such as ice cream, condensed milk and azuki beans. The rainbow flavor was sweet, and the ice was smooth and creamy.

Wailoa also offers SPAM musubi, a popular snack featuring a slice of fried SPAM on top of rice wrapped in nori (seaweed). Earning popularity in Hawaii during World War II when fish was rationed, SPAM is still popular today. In fact, Hawaiians are the largest consumers of the luncheon meat in the United States and the second-largest in the world behind Guam. I didn’t try it, but I saw quite a few purchase the rice ball and eat it with their shave ice. 

My other Hawaiian favorites include strong, delicious Kona coffee grown on the Big Island and healthy, naturally sweet acai bowls with local honey and organic granola. With such a rich cultural and culinary heritage, Hawaii is a foodie’s paradise I can’t wait to explore again. 

— Monique Barrett, advertising and editorial coordinator