Seattle’s Best Destinations for Homestyle Hawaiian Food
In 2020, the University of Hawai’i in Mānoa and the Hawai’i Pono’ī Coalition worked together to establish September as the Hawaiian month of history. The celebrations now begin on September 2nd in honor of Queen Lili’uokalani’s birthday.
While other American cultural groups tend to have months of celebration, this one sheds light on the true history of the state with and how the Hawaiian Native Americans (or Kānaka Maoli) contributed.
My family packed up and left our home in Hawaii 20 years ago. Living 3,000 miles away means connecting to our culture through food. Seattle, of course, has Hawaiian restaurants of all stripes, from the fusion-friendly Marination Ma Kai to Ma’onos Saimin and Spam Musubi. My family prefers a few low profile favorites that mirror our culinary memories of O’ahu.
I still long for a Zippy’s Chili Frank and say that in 80 degrees humid weather I would like to sweat. But these Seattle area restaurants will make you feel like you are on the islands and commemorating the Queen.
Georgetown
There are times when I miss my grandpa’s curry beef stew, crave my grandma’s fried noodles. But then I remember the Kauai Family Restaurant existed. Located in a three-store shopping mall in Georgetown, this hidden gem is surrounded by a chevron and a Starbucks and seats just 42 in its small dining room adorned with vintage Hawaiian Airlines posters and University of Washington memorabilia . Take a drive-thru in Hawaii and you’ll find a similar selection of kalua pork and lau lau – steamed taro leaves stuffed with pork and butterfish. The house specialty of the Kauai Family, Lawai Chicken, has a touch of sweetness. This place always brings me back to my grandma.
Different places
When I moved to Seattle, my father pushed me to visit the famous Hawaiian chef’s local chain of restaurants. The poké tastes the same here as it does at home; the seaweed and salty taste of the Shoyu version is exactly what I like mine. The chain with locations in Seattle and Tacoma gives the poké its own touch and serves it in bowls, salads, tacos and even wraps. Shops also sell their wares the traditional way, in pounds sterling, garnishing plates of kalua pork with side dishes of rice and mac salad. However, the Sam Choy Food Trucks have a limited menu with a few daily specials.
Renton
Saimin, Hawaii’s lighter version of ramen, is garnished with fish cake, spring onions, spam, and scrambled slices. On the side: two pieces of fried prawns and a barbecue beef stick. My go-to mainland version is hiding in a Renton office building. Saimin Says serves seven types, including my favorite Wanton Min, which is made with pork wantons. If the weather is a little too warm for a soup, this restaurant also has my beloved Chili Frank, with Mochiko chicken (fried in sweet rice flour) and a pork chop with sauce.
Chinatown-International District / Tukwila
In a perfect world, the mainland would have Foodland, Hawaii’s popular grocery store that also serves fresh poké. The version of raw fish salad at GoPoké comes pretty close to this popular version. This eatery with locations in Chinatown-International District and Tukwila offers ahi, salmon, toké (tofu poké) and tako (octopus) in a bowl, in a burrito or as a bun. Most importantly, these options are also available in sterling, just like they are at Foodland.
Location varies
When Seattle gets strangely hot (like last summer) there is nothing I crave but a strawberry and banana shave ice cream with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with mochi balls from Hawai’i’s most famous ice cream stand, Matsumoto. Then I found Mikes. This family-owned popup will teleport you straight to the north coast. Mike’s also has a strawberry colada, served with main cream (coconut pudding) and strawberry puree, on vanilla ice cream and garnished with coconut strips and mochi.
Tacoma
I grew up eating hamburger steak with an overwhelming but perfect amount of onion and sauce; Now I’m going to Tacoma to satisfy these childish longings. This stroll along the Ruston Way waterfront offers a variety of local foods that range from different flavors of loco mocos to three types of musubis: spam, Portuguese sausage, and katsu. Kama’aina also has special lunchtime dishes such as Da Bremerton, which features grilled ribs, garlic chicken, kalua pork and Portuguese sausages. (However, the Bremerton site will remain closed until October 3rd.)
Georgetown
When I was younger, I also asked my parents to get me guava cake for my birthday, even if the drive was an hour away. Now a bakery in Georgetown can make my dreams come true year round. Located in the same mall as the Kauai Family Restaurant, the Cakes of Paradise prepares other traditional Hawaiian desserts such as Chantilly cakes, Dobash cakes, Hauptia cakes, and long johns to satisfy those with a sweet tooth after a plate lunch.