Book Excerpt: "Food Lover's Guide to Honolulu"
Where: Oahu || Grouped in: Oahu Nightlife, Oahu Food, Oahu Culture, Oahu Shopping || Tagged:
Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong has been documenting the foods, ingredients and cooking styles of the islands for several decades. She is the consummate Honolulu foodie. Joan (and her publisher Bess Press) graciously agreed to allow Hawaiirama to post several excerpts from her new book, "Food Lover's Guide to Honolulu". I highly reccomend this book for locals and visitors alike.
Maunakea Marketplace (1120 Maunakea St.)
Enter on Maunakea St. or Hotel St. into an area full of meat, chicken, seafood, fruits and vegetables. This Chinatown marketplace seems to have a Filipino bent in its selection of produce items. Beyond the market area is a food court where you can dine on ethnic foods of all varieties: Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese. Be sure to try the pad Thai noodles at Malee, cooked to order and always good. Several Filipino stalls offer Visayan, Pangasinan and Ilocano styles of food. Outside the food area you can shop for Asian trinkets and souvenirs and people-watch in the courtyard
Oahu Market (Corner of King and Kekaulike Streets)
Oahu Market is a Chinatown institution that opened in the sum-
mer of 1904, established by Chinese entrepreneur Tuck Young. It became the major fish market of Honolulu, and today it still boasts several vendors offering fresh locally caught fish and poke. Nakashima Fish Market always has Kona crabs during the season, in addition to fish for sashimi. Ishimoto’s has an assortment of bottom and reef fish and various kinds of poke. Nakazato Fish Market and Hiro Fish Market stick mostly to ahi for sashimi. Pork vendors are plentiful, including those who make char siu and Chinese-style roast pork, with its crispy skin. Kai Kee Meat Market is one of the many pork specialists here. Owner Yu Kai Long has been hacking up char siu and roast pork with his Chinese cleaver for almost twenty years, instantaneously cutting a pound of char siu into bite-size morsels on the round tree trunk cutting boards used by most Chinatown shops. You’ll likely get a sample slice as Long wraps your purchase. Signs for povi masima mean that corned beef, popular among South Pacific islanders, is available. If pig’s head and blood, tripe, tongue or other offal is on your shopping list, you’ll find it at Oahu Market (and other Chinatown butchers).
* Chinatown Information, Map, Flickr Pics
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Comments
Vickie Grayson said:
My father was from Oahu, born 1904-His dad was one of the original Portugueese people that came here from Portugal we are going to be there April till May 2 this year, I would like to go to a Chinese food restaurant that has been there since 1910 or so, I know he grew up on Chow Mein as we did too, he moved to main land in 1925 and we are originally from the Bay Area, living in Washington State now. He lived on the corner of Queen St by the new Fire Department that is there now. We are going to be all over the area that he grew up, this is our 3rd visit and we really want to see the old—-true China town that we grew up listening to him lament over. he loved China Town, even in the Bay Area he always went to China Town to get things, of coursre Fire works was one of them, he knew how to wake up the neighborhood, this may all sound dumb, but we are so looking forward to seeing what all is in your neck of the woods, Thank You—-Oliver Perry Lindos Daughters, Vickie and Lucille
—03/27/08