- Everyone who has been to Hawaii is familiar with the luau and the Hawaiian style of roasting a full pig underground using hot lava rocks. The end result is called Kalua Pig, a juicy, melt in your mouth, pulled-pork slice of heaven. Another Hawaiian pork delicacy is the Lau Lau, a pork butt, stuffed with salt fish, wrapped in luau and ti leafs, then steamed. The pork is so soft and tender, you don't have to chew.
- You can't visit Hawaii and miss out on their unique fish dishes. Every Kamaaina will tell you, Ahi Poke is a must have at all family gatherings. Ahi is raw, Grade A tuna and "Poke" means to dice. The sashimi quality tuna is diced up and soy sauce, chili flakes, green onions and limu (fresh seaweed) are all mixed in with a dash of sesame oil. If you need your fish cooked, have Opakapaka, a Hawaiian pink snapper that is usually steamed with ginger, garlic and onion.
- Hawaii has some of the best tasting tropical fruits from sweet mangoes to ripe pineapples. Have a fresh, young coconut and you may never buy canned juice again. Three cracks on the top with the blunt end of a butcher knife will open the shell, then drink it like the juice of the Hawaiian gods. A famous dessert made from coconuts is Haupia, a cross between Jell-O and pudding dense with the aroma of coconut.
- Hawaii is not the place to stick to your vegetarian diet as you will miss out on a lot of good food and the true culture. But if you must, the main starch staple for natives is Poi. This is a soft, purple paste made from pounded taro roots and has a bit of a sour taste to it. It's considered one of the most nutritious starches and frequently fed to Hawaiian babies.
- Back to the term, "Local Kine Grinds." The quintessential Hawaii fast food lunch is simply referred to as Plate Lunch. Step into any drive-through stand and ask for the Loco Moco, two scoops of rice, two scoops of macaroni salad, a big, greasy hamburger patty, a fried egg and a mound of thick, brown gravy.
