Hawaiian cheap weekday lunches

[BrazenAmateur]

I'm on a *huge* Hawaiian food kick at the moment.

Not so much REAL Hawaiian, like lomi salmon and pork lau lau, as I don't have the foggiest idea how to make any of that stuff.

I'm talking about "plate lunch" style Hawaiian, the stuff of lunchwagons, Okazuya, and mixed-plate shops. It tends to have a lot of Korean and Japanese dishes mixed in. This is the kind of stuff I've been taking for lunch at work recently.

For instance, on a Sunday afternoon or evening, for a given week, I might make the following: (not necessarily all of these, but a couple)

-A few kalbi shortribs
-Pan fried spam (marinated in Shoyu, ALWAYS "Aloha Shoyu")
-Teri Chicken or beef (flame grill alongside kalbi)
-Misoyaki fish (need to make this a couple days in advance)

Then I'll make a huge batch of rice and stick it in the fridge, and sometimes I'll also make some mac salad.

Lunch ends up consisting of a couple items from the above list in a container with some rice, then two other separate containers for my mac and my kimchi (kimchi is NECESSARY for me to live). I also keep seaweed furikake at work.

I throw the meat in the toaster oven to warm up, nuke the rice, voila. Depending on which items I make, this can be a SERIOUSLY cheap way to bring a delicious lunch in to work.



And no, I've never even been to Hawaii, but I'm dying to go. Unlike most people, I'm not going for the volcanoes or the surfing......I'm pretty much interested in stuffing myself with Ahi and Tako Poke for 7-8 straight days, LOL.



I'd love to find a way to bring in Loco Moco, but it doesn't really heat up all that well. I think I make a mean-*** Loco Moco though, especially when I do it with curry.

 

[TATTRAT]

I know there are a few people on the islands here, I lived on Oahu, if you need any suggestions, lemme know.

The things I miss from Hawai'i are specifically some of the foods, like a Zip pack from zippys...and the doughnuts there at zippys. Malansadas. Genki Sushi. Curry House. Yummy. The curch parking lot in Hali'ewa on the weekend, Side street in, Chart House pupus, Maui Taco, Local kine Plate Lunch...All really good food on the cheap...but we won't get into the "nutritional" value, lol.

 

[ironchef]

Brazen, you need to make some Chicken Katsu curry. That's my absolute favorite. So good after a nice, long surf. But you're right, Loco Moco doesn't reheat well unless you scramble the egg. I know, not the same thing.

Oh yeah, BTW Tattrat we just had a nice long south swell. Lasted over a week....

 

[BrazenAmateur]

Brazen, you need to make some Chicken Katsu curry. That's my absolute favorite. So good after a nice, long surf. But you're right, Loco Moco doesn't reheat well unless you scramble the egg. I know, not the same thing.

Oh yeah, BTW Tattrat we just had a nice long south swell. Lasted over a week....

Yeah, both Chicken and Pork Katsu Curry are favorites of mine, but it's always sort of a pain to break out the deep fryer.

Tattrat: Is there ANY Hawaiian food in the DC area that you've found? I'd kill for an Okazuya or a plate lunch joint, as I've never had anything remotely legit, just what I've made myself.

 

[TATTRAT]

Oh yeah, BTW Tattrat we just had a nice long south swell. Lasted over a week....

I heard, stop rubbing it in, lol! Saw some pics of rockpiles, it was going off for a bit!

Yeah, both Chicken and Pork Katsu Curry are favorites of mine, but it's always sort of a pain to break out the deep fryer.

Tattrat: Is there ANY Hawaiian food in the DC area that you've found? I'd kill for an Okazuya or a plate lunch joint, as I've never had anything remotely legit, just what I've made myself.

There is only ONE place I have found that even romotley reminds my of HI, and that is west coasts subs and teriyaki, on Main street, just before getting into old town Fairfax(where I live). Now, it sure aint the REAL DEAL, but there teri chick, and teri steak are good, as is the yakisoba. Goyzu is nothing too awesome, but passable, and good mac salad, though they don't have it every day.

Ironchef is right too, katsu and curry...Ohhhhhhh man, so ono after a surf, or *cough cough*, a night of 12oz "fun"! man, I miss curry house!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Well I came hear to post...so I shall...even though the thread is not at all what I expected...

Anyway....How about a pineapple sammich!!!!

 

[BrazenAmateur]

There is only ONE place I have found that even romotley reminds my of HI, and that is west coasts subs and teriyaki, on Main street, just before getting into old town Fairfax(where I live). Now, it sure aint the REAL DEAL, but there teri chick, and teri steak are good, as is the yakisoba. Goyzu is nothing too awesome, but passable, and good mac salad, though they don't have it every day.

Ironchef is right too, katsu and curry...Ohhhhhhh man, so ono after a surf, or *cough cough*, a night of 12oz "fun"! man, I miss curry house!

I will definitely check out West Coast Subs.

If you want really good Katsu curry (Tonkatsu mind you, so pork), go to Daruma in Bethesda, MD. It's a little Japanese grocery store, but they also make bento and a few hot dishes. Go during lunch hours on a weekday or (maybe, not sure) a Saturday.

 

[TATTRAT]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[Robt]

When we go to Oahu, we stay with my Br-in-law just east of Haliewa( which is about a 1/2 mile from the Lost filming site). My favorite food is Poke.

I will eat it at least two meals a day and have been known to mix Ahi Poke with eggs for breakfast. If you go down to the marina at Haliewa, you can find a fisherman coming off the water and usually buy some really fresh tuna and just get some soy and start cutting. A Sushi chef I will never be but fresh tuna is so awsome.

Also I have had the best Kim Che from little road side stands.

Many of the HI adaptions of standard mainland fare use way too much sweetener for me. Probably makes sense given the sugar grown there, cheap carbs.

Huumm, maybe I could stand my Br-in-law for a bite, oops I mean a bit.

 

[Claire]

I was a big believer in Asian foods of all kinds when I lived there. Preferably those in strip malls run by immigrants. I miss it so much!!!

 

[Claire]

Oh, I make my own kim chee!

 

[BrazenAmateur]

oh, i make my own kim chee!

recipe!

 

[SShepherd]

Exactly!! where's the recipe?