Aside from healthy smiles, local food is top of mind here at Hawaii Dental Service (HDS). It is hard to believe how many foodies we have on staff. If someone’s not walking down the halls offering malasadas or manapua, you’ll likely hear chatter about the latest local eateries or snacks between coworkers. What can we say, food is the secret to our smiles!
Here are a few delicious and savory dishes and snacks that bring smiles to our faces, including recommendations from our HDS foodies:
1. POI, KALO – Did you know kalo, or taro, has fluoride properties? Fluoride helps strengthen your tooth’s enamel. Kauai’s North Shore produces 75% of all taro used for poi in the State of Hawaii. Fat-free, high in fiber and low in sodium – this superfood is considered hypoallergenic, easy to digest, and can be eaten in many forms, but our favorite is when it’s made into poi and served as the main starch in a meal. Our HDS foodies recommend poi or kulolo from local brands like Taro Brand, Pomai Kulolo, Aloha Aina Poi Company, Hanalei Poi, and Hanalei Taro. We also love it as a snack! Try da’ chips from Hawaiian Chip Company in Honolulu or the Taro Ko Factory in Hanapepe!
2. SAIMIN – There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of saimin – morning, noon, or night. Unique to Hawaii, the word “saimin” (pronounced sigh-min) is a combination of two Chinese words—sai meaning thin and min, which means noodle. While most people are familiar with ramen or pho, saimin dates back to the plantation era in Hawaii—late 1800s—when workers from various ethnic camps would gather to eat, bringing various ingredients to share. Saimin typically includes chewy egg noodles; savory, clear broth; sliced char siu, fishcake (i.e. kamaboko), and bok choy (a type of Chinese cabbage) garnish, making this simple Hawaii comfort food feel like a warm hug from Tutu. If you’re extra hungry, add in a few pieces of wonton or order BBQ beef skewers on the side. Our HDS foodies recommend the following saimin shops, just to name a few: Hamura Saimin in Lihue, Shige’s Saimin Stand in Wahiawa, and Shiro’s Saimin Haven in Aiea.
3. SPAM MUSUBI – This iconic, portable meal is accessible, affordable, and delicious! While SPAM may be an acquired taste for some Hawaii visitors and the nori (i.e. seaweed) can get stuck in your teeth, Hawaii locals can’t help but love this quick meal or snack any time of day, best eaten when you’re stuck in Honolulu traffic. Not into SPAM? Musubi variations abound, including teriyaki chicken, hotdog, egg, or even some with avocado and more. Musubi can be found all over the State of Hawaii, including in many gas station convenience stores; our HDS foodies recommend Gotz Grindz in Kaneohe, Higoto Japanese Eatery in Kaimuki, Musubi Café Iyasume (various locations), 7-11 (various locations), and Minit Stop (various locations).
4. CHAR SIU MANAPUA – We can always rely on manapua (i.e. char siu bao) to keep us full throughout the day with its pillowy, steamed or baked, bun and marinated, minced BBQ pork mixture on the inside. On special occasions, our HDS foodies stroll in with fresh manapua packed warmly, lined up alongside some pork hash, half-moons, and crispy gau gee in a taped paper box. Like other savory pastries, manapua can be filled with nearly anything including, but not limited to, kalua pork, lup cheong, shoyu chicken, sweet potato, or even pizza sauce and cheese! Perfect for a pre-hike meal or while lounging on the beach, we recommend: Royal Kitchen in Honolulu, Sing Cheong Yuan Bakery in Honolulu, Honolulu Kitchen in Waipahu, Star Noodle in Lahaina, and Lee’s Chop Suey in Hilo.
5. POKE – Whether you’re enjoying pupu for pau hana (i.e. relaxing with food and friends) or as a full meal over hot rice, poke (pronounced poh-kay) makes us happy. With your choice of fresh fish or seafood, limu (i.e. seaweed), onions, sesame oil, and shoyu (i.e. soy sauce), you’ll be all smiles. Locals know that a good poke bowl can turn even the hangriest person into the happiest braddah with just a few bites. Ahi (aka Yellowfin Tuna) is always a top choice, but other proteins like tako (octopus), salmon, or tofu are just as healthy. This writer’s favorite? Pulehu tako poke – winnahs, brah. Da’ buggah can be pricey so splurge wisely. Recommendations for poke: Foodland (various locations), Tamura’s Market (various locations), Ono Seafood (various locations), Yama’s Fish Market in Honolulu, KTA Super Stores (various locations across Hawaii Island), Suisan Fish Market in Hilo, Da Poke Shack in Kona, The Fish Market Maui in Lahaina, Pono Market in Kapaa, and Koloa Fish Market in Koloa.
The honorable mentions: (Shall we do a part two to this post? Leave a comment below.)
- LOCO MOCO
- MAC SALAD
- ROAST PORK AND LECHON KAWALI
- PASTELE STEW
- OXTAIL SOUP
We initially decided to focus on savory foods since we’re here to encourage you to take care of your oral and overall health. But due to internal feedback from some very passionate foodies, we will plan to do a post on SWEET foods that make us SMILE. Just don’t forget to brush twice a day, floss daily, and see your dentist twice a year to prevent cavities and gum disease! We’ll be back with a post on our favorite local sweets very soon. Mahalo!
