Local Food Glossary

If you're visiting and a menu board throws a word at you that isn't in your vocabulary yet, it's probably here.

Plate lunch

A protein (teriyaki, kalua pork, chicken katsu, and so on) served with two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. The backbone of local-style food on every island.

Mac salad

Macaroni salad, mayo-based and usually a little sweet — the standard second side in a plate lunch, right alongside the rice.

Poke

Cubed raw fish, usually ahi tuna, tossed in a marinade (shoyu, sesame oil, green onion are classic) and served over rice or on its own. Pronounced "POH-keh," not "poke" like a nudge.

Shave ice

Not a snow cone — the ice is shaved into much finer, fluffier flakes, then soaked in flavored syrup. Often topped with ice cream, azuki beans, or condensed milk. "Shave," not "shaved."

Malasada

A Portuguese-Hawaiian fried dough pastry — like a hole-less donut — rolled in sugar, sometimes filled with custard, chocolate, or haupia (coconut).

Huli huli chicken

"Huli" means "turn" in Hawaiian. Chicken grilled and repeatedly turned/basted over an open flame with a sweet-savory shoyu-based sauce.

Loco moco

White rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy. Simple, filling, and a real breakfast-or-lunch staple.

Katsu

A Japanese-style breaded, deep-fried cutlet — chicken katsu is the plate-lunch standard, usually served with katsu sauce (a tonkatsu-style Worcestershire).

Bao

A soft, steamed Chinese bun, typically stuffed with a savory filling like pork belly or duck.

Grindz

Hawaiian Pidgin for food — especially good, hearty, local food. "Da grindz stay ono" means the food is delicious.

Ono

Hawaiian for "delicious." Also the name of a fish (wahoo) — context tells you which one's on the menu.