Category Archive

When it comes to the back-to-basics, simple-is-best approach to Okazuya-style grindz, St. Louis Delicatessen is where it’s at.

This classic Okazuya shop, located at the corner of Waialae and 3rd avenue, across the St. Louis-Chaminade campus, has been here for decades and is still owned and operated by the same local Okinawan family.

Their signature Chowfun noodles are the foundation to their keep-it-simple approach, and above (or more often underneath) everything else, is THE item to order here.

Full serving Chowfun noodles, $2.00

The simplest execution of ever-so-slightly flavored Chowfun noodles (Hula brand we think), julienned carrots and string beans. That’s it. The flavoring is difficult to detect what exactly they’ve got in there. It doesn’t taste like oyster sauce, but perhaps a combination of chicken stock and/or dashi, and maybe perhaps just dash of shoyu. It’s just on the verge of tasting outright plain, yet there’s “something” in it that’s their secret. That verge-of-being-plain flavor is what makes them the perfect compliment with all the savory items that go with it.

Continuing this simple-is-best approach are all the “goodies” to complete the meal…

Pomai’s custom “oda”, $6.75

Here above on this custom order of mine we have: (top to bottom) vegetable tempura, shrimp tempura, potato tempura, nori musubi, nishime, fried chicken, potato hash and luncheon meat, over a bed of their signature chowfun noodles.

Diner “E”’s order…

Diner “E”’s custom “oda”, $6.70

Shown above on Diner “E”’s plate is: (top to bottom) vegetable tempura, nishime, long rice, cone sushi (aburage), potato hash and fried chicken, over a half serving of chowfun noodles.

Diner “A”’s order…

Diner “A”’s order: Plate B, $6.50

Diner “A”’s order shown above includes: (top to bottom) cone sushi (aburage), musubi (plain), potato tempura, fried chicken, luncheon meat, shrimp tempura, over a half serving of their signature chowfun noodles.

Just look at how much Okazuya grindz you get for under $7! Unless you’re really, really hungry, I swear any one of these plates could easily feed two, possibly even three adults. My eyes were certainly bigger than my stomach on my particular order, as it kept me busy nibbling away at that over a four hour period just to rebuild my appetite and finish it.

I already explained their signature chowfun noodles, so now let’s into detail on the rest of the items here.

First we must clarify on the tempura selections here. As you notice the, the batter isn’t your traditional Japanese style that’s delicate and flaky, but more “local style”, having a more glutenous and chewy texture to it. This applies to the vegetable and shrimp tempura.

Going back to simple again, the vegetable tempura is just carrots and string beans; the same thing used in the chowfun. But the combination works beautifully. I love this tempura! The shrimp size in that tempura is kinda’ small, but the flavor of it sure does permeate throughout the thick, glutenous batter its encapsulated in.

The potato “tempura” is the most interesting here, as it’s essentially a traditional Okinawan Andagi, with a thin sliver of sweet potato (not the purple Okinawan type) in the middle of it…

Potato “Andagi” Tempura

What’s interesting is how the flavor of this thin piece of sweet potato really punches through in that slightly sweet, chewy, nicely crusted Andagi “shell”.

The fried chicken is pretty much just your basic recipe, very crisp and crunchy on the outside, tender and moist inside. Simple. This goes great with that nori musubi.

Speaking of musubi, this is also another basic that St. Louis Okazuya excels at. The musubi has great integrity, and doesn’t fall apart like some other places’ musubi have a tendency of doing. The nori version (compared to the plain) has a piece of seedless Ume inside. That alone is worth the extra 10 cents.

The Nishime is another winner here. The broth has a deeply simmered dashi flavor, and the daikon, kombu and carrots are all tender and just soaking in the “onoliciousness” of that broth (hey, new word!).

The luncheon meat is the “institutional type” (not SPAM) found in that white square can, simply fried up. This also goes great with the nori musubi.

The potato hash is more potato than corned beef, and a bit loose (falls apart), so there’s better out there, but still, it works.

Diner “E” loves their long rice (a regular item for him), which is he says is also a simple recipe (he’s guessing) of shoyu, sugar, with the noodles cooked in chicken stock. Sounds good to me.

That pretty much covers our favorites at St. Louis Deli. I’d say the ultimate way to enjoy this type of food is to go buy your plates, then head on over to a beach park, either Ala Moana or up Diamond Head-Kahala side. Go for a swim to build up your hunger, then head back on the sand and dig into your St. Louis Okazuya lunch plate. The filling starch and salty, savory meats just hits da’ spot, along with the ambience of salty air and blue ocean just hits da’ spot. Das’ da’ best’est’est’est!

Here’s the menu*…

*Current as of this writing.

The front of the shop…

St. Louis Delicatessen shop front

Truly a hidden gem! The inside of the shop is very cramped, with only enough standing space for about 6 people max.. I arrived to pick up this order at around 10:30am, which when I walked in, there were only 2 people inside. Within minutes of me standing there, a line had already built leading out the door. Folks, as hidden as this place is, they are very popular, so don’t underestimate anything! And with most Okazuya shops, when food items run out, it’s out. That’s it. No more. Arimasen. So I’d recommend going early for best selection. At least before noon.

Located next door (to the left) of St. Louis Drive In on the corner of Waialae and 3rd avenue…

Remember, don’t get confused with St. Louis Drive In, or that sign. St. Louis Delicatessen is an unaffiliated business that’s NEXT DOOR!

So if you want Okazuya style grindz that’s fundamentally simple, yet absolutely delicious, at an unbeatable value, check out St. Louis Delicatessen.

St. Louis Delicatessen
3147 Waialae avenue
Tel. 732-0955
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 8am - 1:30pm (closed Sundays and Mondays)

The Tasty Island Rating:

(4) Excellent. Worth another visit or purchase. (Winnahz!)

Oodles of Vegetarian Chow Fun noodles

Mention Chow Fun noodles to anyone who grew up in Hawaii, and chances are what immediately comes to mind is the “Manapua Man”, or an Okazuya. For the latter, my pick for “best Chow Fun” goes to Matsumoto’s on Gulick, and the “keep it simple” approach to perfection at St. Louis Delicatessen on Waialae.

Chow Fun is another of those seemingly simple dishes, yet it can also be ambiguously complex, with so many interpretations, and no “local standard”. It’s easy to mess up it up by overdoing it and adding too many ingredients, where it ends up “lost”.

Recently a new member on a discussion board I frequent shared a recipe for her “Vegetarian Chow Fun”, which had me intrigued to try, since she mentioned she used to operate an Okazuya shop herself.

I’m assuming it’s called “vegetarian” due to the lack of chicken, charsiu or luncheon meat in it, which is most often what Chow Fun is prepared with here in the islands. But what had me most curious was the use of Hijiki, which I’ve never cooked with before.

So I went for it. Here’s the recipe…

—————————————————————–

Vegetarian Chow Fun Noodles
by kani-lehua
Serves 4

Ingredients:
• 1 package dried chow fun noodles (Hula brand)
• Shiitake mushrooms (don’t forget to soak them first, julienned)
• Carrots and onions, julienned
• Green onions, chopped (for garnish)
• Broccoli and zucchini, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 can water chestnuts (the ones already sliced)
• Hijiki (dried black looking seaweed, soak in water to rehydrate)
• Oil for stir frying
• Sesame oil for drizzling when everthing is pau cooked.
• Grated ginger and garlic (according to taste)
• 2T shoyu (i guess you could sub bragg’s amino acids, but i don’t know)
• 1T vegetarian style oyster sauce (if no more, use regular)

Boil noodles until al dente. You have to keep checking on them. app. 9 minutes. rinse in cold water and drain. Cut noodles in half and set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, saute the garlic and ginger (do not burn) for app. 1-2 minutes in the oil. add the shoyu or bragg’s and oyster sauce. mix until well blended.

Stir fry all the veggies until al dente. Add the cooled noodles and heat through. Drizzle with sesame oil (don’t over do it) and then toss in the hijiki at the end.

—————————————————————–

What’s obviously the most important factor in this recipe is the type of Chow Fun noodles, as in this case is called for HULA BRAND…

Hula Brand Chow Funn, purchased recently at Tropic Fish & Vegetable Center on GOB clearance for just 50 cents a bag!

Interestingly, when uncooked and dry, these noodles appear “pasty” and delicate, but once they begin to cook in the water, they really tighten-up and become resilient. I think that has something to do with the Potassium Carbonate in it. I’d go as far saying you could make a darned tasty Fetuccini Alfredo out of this.

What’s nice about this package is that it includes 4 individual servings bundled up separately, which should come in handy for restaurant service.

Here’s the cooked Chow Fun (Funn), perfectly al dente…

So while that’s set aside, you saute all the veggies…

When these are all cooked, throw the cooked Chow Fun into the pan with it, combine and finish the dish according to the instructions in the recipe above.

I actually rushed this job, not paying particular attention to how I cut the veggies, as you can tell. As far as the quantity of veggies, it’s really up to you. For that one package of Chow Funn, I used half a Zucchini, 1 large carrot, and about 8 medium-sized Shiitake mushrooms. I also only used only about 1/3 of the can of sliced water chestnuts, as any more than that looked like it would have been too much.

I must note, sometimes the noodles may be sticky or dry from sitting, so when I added them in, I also sprinkled some water and a drizzle of extra cooking oil to “loosen” it up. That worked. I also had to readjust by adding a little more Oyster Sauce.

Speaking of Oyster sauce, that’s another key ingredient here, as that’s the main “flavorizer”. In this preparation, I used Shirakiku brand Premium Oyster Sauce, which was fantastic. Others swear by the Lee Kum Kee brand. Up to you.

I added very very little Sesame oil at the end, as the stuff can be overpowering. But what little was added gave it that “nuttyness” that helped punch out the flavor of the Shiitake mushrooms.

That first photo shows the finished dish in the pan, all done and ready to serve.

Note that I also added Beni Shoga on the right side (red stuff), which goes well with anything savory.

What does bring savoriness to the table here is of course the Shiitake mushrooms, but also the Oyster sauce, along with the way the garlic, ginger and onions are sauteed in the oil before everything goes in.

The Hijiki added a “seafood” like element to it, along with it’s crunchy texture, yet I added just enough, but not too much where it may have been overpowering. You have to be careful how much you add in.

As for the “vegetarian” part, most carnivores would be hard-pressed to find anything “not meaty” about this dish. It doesn’t miss the chicken, char siu or luncheon meat at all.

Now the devil on my right shoulder knocks on my brain and says, “Wait a minute? No meat you say? Well, let’s add some on top of it, Okazuya style!”
So I added a cooked Teriyaki Winner on top. This kine..

I swear, these are one of the BEST hot dogs on the market. I’m not really a huge Teriyaki fan, and I try not to eat too many hot dogs for health reasons, but for what it’s worth, this one has that perfect balance of savory-sweet going on, with hint of shoyu-laced depth that’s unlike any other hot dog I’ve ever had. Knowing how popular Teriyaki is in Hawaii, If Costco sold these at their concession, they’d probably move containers full of the stuff.

The devil made me do it…

I think I’ll name this one “Da’ Hana-koko-lele” Okazuya plate

Hey, this was somethin’ yum! There’s almost this “surf ‘n turf” thing going on with the combination of the Hijiki and the savory-sweet hot dog. I’d take out the Shiitake mushrooms next time though, if I’m gonna’ “carnivorize” this Chow Fun, as that, combined with the porky wiener was a little too “meaty”. Still ono though.

Back to the original recipe, this Vegetarian Chow Fun recipe, as is, turned out to be a winner. It’s relatively cheap and easy to make, and best of all, it can be served as a delicious, satisfying, nutritionally balanced, guilt-free (if you resist the hotdog!), all-in-one meal.

Mahalo kani-lehua for sharing it!

Once upon a time there was Kanda “Kewalo” lunch wagon. And then there was Tsukenjo’s. Wait, what? Tsukenjo’s Lunch Wagon is still there, right? No it’s not my friends. Tsukenjo Lunch Wagon is all pau.

We were going to make a trip to Kaka’ako yesterday for lunch, so I called Tsukenjo Lunch House to ask if the lunch wagon was open, but was sadly informed by Doris, the owner that the lunch wagon is no longer in operation. It was shut down this past November of 2007, and the wagon itself was sold.

The family business began as a saimin stand in 1959, with the lunch wagon coming into service in 1970.

Tsukenjo’s famous red lunch wagon, paint weathered from years of active duty in the hot Hawaiian sun, has been at that same location in Kaka’ako at the corner of Ward and Queen Street, in front of what is now Z-Interiors, for decades, serving up meat loaf, roast pork, shoyu chicken and many other plate lunch favorites to generations of locals and tourists alike.

Thankfully, Tsukenjo Lunch House continues business as usual on Cooke street, so you can still get your fix there.

I hope whoever bought that famous faded red lunch wagon preserves it “as is” as a possible future museum piece on “Hawaii’s Culinary History”. Seriously.

With that, I wish the entire Tsukenjo family a very happy new year and big, big, big mahalo for all the years of hard work and dedication in establishing what has become a household name in Hawaii with Tsukenjo Lunch Wagon. 37 years is a long run, yet surely an “onolicious” ride! Aloha Oe.

This might as well be named “The Tasty Noodle Island” blog, as here I present yet another store-bought fresh oriental noodle product in the form of Okinawa Soba by Sun Noodle. You may know by my previous posts how fond I am of Sun Noodle’s Ramen products. With that in mind, I just had to pick up this Okinawa Soba item up and give it a spin.

This 14.7 oz 2-person serving package was purchased at Ward Marukai for $2.79 (regular price). It includes a sealed inner bag of soba noodles (single batch) and two packets of soup base…

Notice how these Okinawan Soba noodles are light in color and have a wide and flat profile vs. Japanese Soba noodles which are more brown and have a thinner, round profile.

Well, like Saimin and Ramen (or any noodle dish for that matter), they require further garnishment to make it a complete dish. With that I added julienned carrots, celery and sliced green onions. There’s also a small amount of minced fresh ginger and garlic for extra “kick”…

As well as two types of Kamaboko (fish cake)…

Hilo’s Amano brand Vegetable Tenpura Deep Fried Fish Cake - 6 oz., $1.27 (on sale) from Marukai.

Here it is unpackaged…

Notice all the bits and pieces of green onion, peas and carrots. This stuff is awesome just eaten alone, so imagine how good they are in the Yakisoba noodles!

Also…

Hilo’s Amano brand Uzumaki Steamed Fish Cake - 6 oz., $1.27 (on sale) from Marukai.

Notice the attractive swirled profile…

This stuff is mandatory in saimin.

So I also made Julienned strips out of these two fish cakes. You could also add (or substitute) with Spam or Charsiu (local style), but I opted to stick with these. Especially since the deep-fried Vegetable Tenpura Fish Cake already has a “meaty” flavor profile.

Now that we’re prepped, on with the cooking, which is VERY easy (like making Saimin)…

In a large sauté pan or wok on medium-high heat, first sauté the vegetables…

Once the vegetables begin soften and cook through, add the Kamaboko (or other meat)…

In that photo, you can see how I cut the Kamaboko, so that everything is uniform and combines easier with the soba noodles.

The Kamaboko is already cooked out of the package, so all you’re doing here is heating it up. Then you add the broth. First combine the broth packet with 1-1/2 cups of boiling water in a cup. There are two packets in here, so make that 3 cups for the 2 packets. Then pour the broth into the pan with the vegetables and fish cake…

Unlike ramen or saimin, this is a “dry” noodle dish, not a soup; where the broth is only for flavor and moisture, and the noodles will mostly absorb all of it.

Then add the Soba noodles…

The broth will begin to boil and steam and cook the noodles, which the noodles will also absorb most of its moisture and flavor. With chopsticks (or tongs), combine the noodles, vegetables and kamaboko (or meat) evenly…

If you want, you can adjust the final flavor with Shoyu…

As you can see, the soba noodles absorbed that broth, making them tender and moist. These Yakisoba noodles really are “sponges”, also taking on the Kamaboko flavors.

From the time the noodles are added, it only takes about 5 minutes to reach the ideal tender, and moist finish. Finally, garnish it with the green onions and that’s it!

Itadakimasu!

As you can see, this is a popular item with local Okazuya shops, as many of them are owned Okinwans, such as shown in this plate from Masa & Joyce in Kaneohe…

And the dish really is flexible as to what you garnish with. Here’s a Yakisoba plate from this year’s Okinawan Festival…

I’m willing to bet Sun Noodle makes the noodles sold at the festival. Next year I’ll ask. But they do look like the same one I have here from the store. As you can see, they put SPAM in theirs. Mines mo’ bettah with da’ Kamaboko!

Next time I’ll try added that pickled ginger garnish on top. That looks good!

Anyway, next time you’re in the mood for noodles, give this Okinawa Yakisoba by Sun Noodle a try. It’s really easy to make.. and to make it your own. It’s also a fantastic one-dish meal, great for pot lucks or to pack for the beach. Oishii desu!

Pomai’s finished version of Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup

Still bearing “Okinawan fever”, this past week I decided for the first time to attempt (stress ATTEMPT) making Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup, which is called Ashitibichi. I have little exposure to this delicacy, except for the one I tried at the culture festival two weeks ago, which I absolutely loved!…

Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup from the 2007 Culture Festival

There’s a considerable difference in both color AND flavor of the broth in my version, when compared with the version from the Okinawan Festival.

The simplicity of its flavor being key. Mine was too complex, probably because I didn’t stick with the original online recipe published by the Star Bulletin, or my other reference from the KaukauTime food blog.

My Pig’s Feet Soup tasted more like Oden, a Japanese fish cake “stew”…

Playing “doctor”, I think I made the mistake of putting too much dashi (a recipe from a book) and too much Kombu (sea kelp), including not rinsing the salt off the Konbu. Don’t get me wrong. My soup was absolutely delicious (I love Oden!), but it wasn’t as mild and simple in flavor like I remember the Pig’s Feet Soup from the Okinawan Festival, which had a very simple & mild ginger, pork and salt flavor profile.

I’ll recap on my deviations of the original recipe(s) later.

Instead of providing a formal written recipe with instructions, Here’s a pictorial narrative of the ingredients in approximate quantities, and the method that I followed…

The Pig’s front foot. Yeah, looks gross, but there’s TONS of flavor in the bones here! I found this at Foodland in the freezer section, which is where most of the “other cuts” of pork are found.

Mustard Cabbage, a.k.a. “Gai Choy” (Chinese) or “Takana” (Japanese). This stuff really has a mustard-like flavor to it with some bite.

Left to right: Ginger, Daikon (radish) and long squash. I’m told the usual ingredient is Winter Melon (Togan), but because the Togan in the store was so big (it looks like a dark watermelon), I opted for the long squash. The daikon is easy to peel using a standard vegetable peeler. The squash’s skin had to be cut off using a knife.

Dashino-moto, a Bonito-flavored (dried fish) seasoning with plenty of MSG in it. It’s commonly used in various Japanese soups, including Miso soup. I added 4 packets of this stuff in my broth. Too much.

Nishimi Kombu (sea kelp).

I also used shoyu and sake for flavoring the broth.

First I boiled the pig’s feet…

Then I added ginger, kombu and sake…

After letting that boil and then simmer for about 1-1/2 hours, I put it in the refrigerator overnight to harden the fat given off from the pig’s feet on the top surface…

Yeah, looks kinda’ gross, but this is a necessary step that makes it easier to remove the fat from the pig’s feet stock. So I scooped that out using a large spoon and discarded it.

Then I soaked, but didn’t rinse the Kombu to be tied for the finished soup, as I wanted the salt on them to help flavor the broth…

The look like long “leafy strips” when rehydrated. I cut the kombu in 4″ lengths and tied a knot in the middle of each one…

Isn’t that pretty? lol

Then peeled and diced the squash…

and the Daikon (turnip)…

Reheated the broth, strained it through a sieve and cut the pig’s feet (and lower leg) into bite size pieces (this looks gross too, but this is the “soul” of the dish!)…

Then added all the cut up pig’s feet parts back in the pot. Note that I also added some cut up belly pork just to have more meat…

Then added the bow-tied Kombu, diced daikon, squash, some chopped mustard cabbage stump pieces, along with the strained broth back into the pot with the pig’s feet and simmered it for about an hour to cook until everything was tender. At the last moment, I also decided to add some soaked Shiitake mushrooms. I adjusted the flavor with shoyu.

Here’s the finished pot of Pig’s Feet Soup…

Once again, here’s the finished bowl, my first attempt at Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup…

And here’s a nifty way to make use of saved S&S Saimin bowls!….

I dished single servings for that I can freeze to enjoy this soup later, with an equal amount of each ingredient bowled in each one. Cool huh?!

Note that I put in pieces of mustard cabbage raw at the last moment, as they heat from the broth quickly breaks it down and soften it.

Now to recap where I deviated from the recipe, and why it came out tasting “different” than the one from the Okinawan Festival.

• First, note that I put in an excessive amount of Dashi; some recipes don’t call for dashi at all, but use Miso and/or shoyu only.
• Second was that I used Kombu when boiling the pig’s feet, thinking that would enhance the flavor. Well, it did actually, but it also CHANGED it considerably.
• Third was that I put in over 1 cup of Sake, when the recipe only called for a few tablespoons. Go easy now!
• Fourth is that I didn’t rinse the tied kombu, so the natural sea salt on them was somewhat noticeable, taking away from the star of the show, the pig’s feet!
• The Shiitake Mushrooms also was somewhat dominant and also masked the pig’s feet flavor.
• I’m also not sure if I boiled the pig’s feet properly. Either not long enough, or overdone.
• Perhaps I needed more pig’s feet? Is just one enough? I didn’t want to spend too much money on an experiment, so I only bought one as shown, which costed about $8.
• Perhaps my substitution of long squash for winter melon, a.k.a. Togan, affected the outcome.

Which is why I’ve called this a “project”. Therefore I ask YOU, my fellow bloggers and visitors, if you have any tips, family recipe or other suggestions for making authentic Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup the way you know it should be, please leave a comment. That will be highly appreciated!

Like I said, this came out absolutely oishii. Sugoi oishii desu! But it was too complex, and more Oden-like. I will thoroughly enjoy each and every one of those “Pig’s Feet Soup S&S bowls”, but I’m gonna’ try it again by following the original recipe to the “T”, and perhaps by also following suggestions by you folks.

As always, big mahalo for visiting The Tasty Island, and I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did making the soup for it! Kampai!

“Ashitibichi, in Okinawan, is warm, soul-satisfying, comfort food, considered health food, actually, because the gelatin that slowly cooks out of the feet and into the broth and is believed to prevent deterioration of the knee ligaments.

That gelatin, released over two or more hours of cooking, is also what gives the soup its special taste.” - Betty Shimabukuro, Honolulu Star Bulletin

Okazuya plate from Masa & Joyce: (left-right, front row to back) Okinawan Yakisoba Noodles, Teriyaki Fish Patty, Vegetable Tempura, Ume Musubi & Nishime (in the plastic container)

Continuing the Uchinanchu spirit from last week’s Okinawan Festival, today we decided to make a stop over in Kaneohe at Masa & Joyce Okazuya. A first for me, yet a frequent stop for my Uchinanchu friend, who’s order is shown above.

On the right side of the establishment as you enter is a glass refrigerator case with various poke, seafood and other pupu items. Head straight towards the front counter where the menu board is hanging and there under the glass case you’ll find the various trays of daily Okazuya items to pick from. This is “the gold”! All the other stuff on the menu looks ono, but we’re here today for Okazuya!

As is typical of many Okazuya shops, there aren’t any signs with descriptions or prices on each item, making it a little challenging to make your choices if you’re not a regular here. I arrived around 10:30am, thinking I’d beat the lunch hour rush. Which I thought I had done, as it was rather empty when I walked in, but before I knew it, there was a line building behind me that was already practically out the door! So I had to hurry and select items for two plates to go, which totaled $15 for both of them.

There’s also (limited) tables and seating if you prefer to dine in.

So the plate shown above was my friend’s order, and here’s my order…

Okazuya plate from Masa & Joyce: Okinawan Yakisoba Noodles, Vegetable Tempura, Ahi Tempura, Ahi Belly, Hot Dog Maki Sushi

So how is it?

The stir-fried Okinawan Yakisoba Noodles are a meal in itself, el dente, with generous slices of SPAM, carrots, white and green onions in it; the sum of its parts seasoned nicely in a shoyu-base that we can’t pinpoint, but works perfect. This the OTHER chow funn!

The Ahi Belly… OMG, this is like “buttah”. Being the fatty party of the tuna, this piece was super moist, very very flavorful, and gladly hardly had any bones in it. It had a light shoyu and sugar glaze on the seared exterior which gave it that signature “Okazuya style”. Highly recommended!

The Ahi Tempura has a rather thick and chewy, somewhat salty batter, which contrasted, yet complimented the tender ahi meat inside nicely. Here’s how that looks on the inside…

The Vegetable Tempura seemed to share the same thick, chewy and slightly salted batter as the Ahi version, except in this case being made up of carrots, onions, green onions and string beans.

Because of the batter, both these had character on their own, and didn’t need any kind of dipping sauce, as is usually the case with Japanese-style Tempura. Both good choices.

The Hot Dog Maki Sushi is such a no-brainer idea as far as “local food” is concerned, yet I don’t see this too often. This is a great alternative to the more familiar “Spam Musubi”. Here’s a cross section showing how it’s constructed…

Each bite: rice and hot dog, rice and hot dog, rice and hot dog. Life is complete!

That sums up my plate. My friend ordered the Teriyaki fish patty, which he gave me a sample of. OMG! That ROCKS! Order that on your next stop at Masa & Joyce. Trust me. I know I am. It’s not “fishy” at all. It taste nothing like the fish patty at Tanioka’s, which is excellent in its own right. It’s almost like hamburger-like, yet has something “Japanese” about it, and not fatty like a burger. I’d love the recipe for this.

He approved of the Nishime, which was the first time he’s ordered that from here since they didn’t have Kinpira (Gobo) today. While he says it doesn’t beat Ige’s, it was ono.

Other items included Okinawan Sweet Potato patties, various other fish items, Okinawan Long Rice, Teriyaki Fish Meatballs (same like the fishcake patty, but in different form), Aburage, Spam Sushi, Fried Tofu, and many other dishes just I can’t remember or identify.

Besides Okazuya, they also have a regular menu to order from, including a basic breakfast and soups such as Ox Tail, Ju Shi Me (Okinawan Rice Soup) and Okinawan Soba (like Saimin). There’s also plate lunches, bento lunches and Hawaiian Food, including all the favorites.

The Okazuya offerings are located in that glass case under this counter. “Da’ Gold”!

Now that I’ve sampled their Okazuya, which is on par with the best the island has to offer, next time around, I’m gonna’ go for one of the Hawaiian plates and see how M&J stacks up with Young’s Fish Market and Ono Hawaiian Food.

If you’re ever in the Kaneohe area and looking for Japanese, Okinawan, Hawaiian and overall local ‘kine grindz all in one stop, check Masa & Joyce out. Buggah stay winnahz, ono and oishii all at da’ same time! Go check ‘em now go!

Masa & Joyce Okazuya
Hawaiian & Japanese Foods
Sashimi - Poke - Bento - Etc.
45-582 Kamehameha Hwy.
Tel: (80 235-6129
Fax: (80 235-0992

Tasty Island rating:

Winnahz!

*Masa & Joyce Okazuya is located across Windward City Shopping Center (Foodland and First Hawaiian Bank). They’re in a small business plaza complex on the corner of Kamehameha Hwy. and Luluku Rd. (mauka side), and are also neighbors with Kin Wah Chop Suey, another popular place!…

Tomoko Uehara, lead female vocalist for Rinken Band

What better way to begin this year’s coverage of the 25th Annual Okinawan Festival, which took place from August 30 to September 2, 2007, than to talk about Saturday evening’s FREE concert performance by the Rinken Band. For those not familiar with this very popular group direct from the motherland, Rinken Band blends traditional Okinawan folk music with modern pop and rock influences, along with a dynamically percussive, mostly upbeat stage performance.

Their show started at 8pm on Saturday evening following the usual Bon Dance on an exclusively-built concert stage in the middle of Kapiolani Park, just outside the fence to the Waikiki Shell, with Diamond Head crater as a backdrop. The sound and lighting was superb, and it also included 2 large projection screens so folks could zoom in on each performer.

Speaking of performers, the 3 other male frontmen really got the crowd pumped by their energy!…

I can’t pinpoint the songs, as I don’t own any Rinken Band albums, but let’s just say the live show was something to behold, and those who were lucky enough to see it, including yours truly, probably sure were glad not to have missed it. It was just awesome in every way. The crowd, compiled of everyone from 2 to 80, kept a steady clap throughout the show, and during the final 5 or so songs, the younger folks got in front of the stage and danced the night away, getting the band even more pumped! We even learned how to say “Hanahou!” which means “One more time!” in Hawaiian in Okinawan. The term is “Ma-Ti-Che”. Not sure on the spelling, but it’s pronouced “Mah-Tee-Shay”. So next time you’re at an Okinawan event and you want an encore, say that!

Here’s the entire Rinken Band on stage…

You can’t see the drummer in this shot, but we were told this young fellah’ was only 10 years old, yet he could sure lay down the beat… he was rockin’!

During the final two encore songs, it began to drizzle, then drizzle a bit heavier, almost as if the band brought on a blessing to everyone there. It was that kind of chicken skin feeling you felt watching them perform. If you ever hear of this group coming to your neck of the woods, consider seeing them. Highly recommended. Sugoi Tanushitakatta… that was a lot of fun!

Wind back the clock to 1:30pm that same day, and here we are at the same stage…

Daimond Head crater for a backdrop. Nice!

The two open frames on the sides are where the projections screens will go later in the evening…

As you can see, it was clear blue skies, sunny and HOT!…

Not to mention crowded, yet controlled enough that I didn’t have to wait too long in line for anything…

All the Okinawan grocery foods could be found under one tent…

The keiki were kept busy with plenty of bouncers to choose along the Diamond Head end of the tent booths…

Other kids enjoyed the Andagi Dunk game just to cool off…

All of the performances scheduled throughout the 2 days at the park this year were held on that new concert stage, which relegated the Kapiolani Band Stage as a place for folks to get some shade and a place to sit..

Which brings us back to the food. All the usual suspects were in attendance, this time with me getting to try a a bowl of the ever-popular Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup!…

Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup, 28 scrips ($7)
Oh my, this is GOOD stuff, having an almost medicinal quality to it; like kicking chicken noodle soup up a notch. lol It has a strong ginger flavor that compliments the deep and “porky” pig’s feet broth. There was also generous cuts of fatty pig’s feet in it, while kept in balanced by the large cuts of daikon, mustard cabbage, kubo (konbu/seaweed) and celery.

Here they are preparing bowls, sans broth, for service…

So everything doesn’t get soggy, the broth isn’t added until you make an order. It’s served with a small plate of rice and minced fresh ginger as a condiment.

Anyhow, don’t let the name scare you, just try it… buggah stay ono!

My niece ordered the Yaki Soba plate…

Okinawan Yaki Soba, 28 scrips ($7)

The noodles were a bit soggy, but otherwise the combination of flavors and textures from the luncheon meat, ginger, carrots, green onion and seasoning was delicious (I sampled a bit).

Volunteers stationed at multiple woks cook up crowd-pleasing portions of Yaki Soba…

While volunteers at another tent prepare plain Okinawan Soba noodles, which will be used in a soup-style preparation…

Due to the scorching hot sun, one of the longer lines while I was there was at the shave ice tent…

Here’s the Okinawan Plate…

Okinawan Plate: Champuru (the cabbage and agedofu mixture), Shoyu Pork (Rafute), Rice and Andamisu (pork and miso condiment), 28 scrips ($7)

I also grabbed a few Andadogs to go (gotta’!)…

Okinawan Andadog, 5 scrips ($1.25) each

A note on the prices, just about everything went up this year, including most of the main entree items, which were $1 higher than last year.

From the looks of the crowd, which was estimated around 75,000 over the course of all three days, and the line-up of performances and demonstrations, including that fantastic Rinken Band concert, this year’s 25th Annual Okinawan Festival appeared to be the biggest ever and a total success. Here’s to generations ahead for this wonderful cultural event… Kanpai!

Okonomiyaki, $3.99 A sort of pancake-meets-yakisoba noodle dish, with Japanese-style mayonnaise and a katsu-like dressing. Oishii!


Misoyaki Butterfish, Nishime and Sekihan (mochi rice with Azuki Beans) bento , $6.79.

Ward Farmers Market has transformed over the years from being mostly made up of small vendors offering a variety of local foods and produce to what it stands today with just several larger tenants. On the east end you have Tropic Fish & Vegetable Market. In the center there’s Haili’s Hawaiian Foods, and across them, still in the center there’s Lyn’s Foods, a store that offers an assortment of mostly cracked seeds and local snacks. Finally, on the west end, occupying the most amount of square footage is Marukai Market Place. They recently expanded right up to Haili’s, where as before they were approximately 30′ or more farther down.

This added floor space had them moving the produce section from the far left, to the far right, adjacent to the main entrance, which is only accessible through Farmers Market’ main corridor. This also allowed for a full service Okazuya, which you can see just behind that cashier checkout counter.

While it can be a toss-up on selection between them, Don Quijote and Shirokiya, Marukai often ends up having that special imported Japanese ingredient that the other two doesn’t stock. One such item that comes to mind is the Menma (marinated bamboo shoots) that are a must-have for great ramen. I found that once in Don Quijote, but never again. Marukai always has several brands in stock. Nice.
Keep in mind that we’re talking about their smaller Ward location. I haven’t been to the main Dillingham warehouse location in quite a while, but know that there is much, much more selection there.

They also have some American basics such as eggs, milk, and select canned and frozen foods.

As you’ve seen in the first set of photos, besides groceries, they also have an excellent selection of hot and cold meals to go. Items such as fresh-made salads, sushi, oden, okonomiyaki, fried chicken and a huge assortment of bento lunches.

Marukai also owns and operates the 99 Cent Store, which is located to the left of the Market Place in another building.

The current Marukai annual membership fee is just $10, which you must have in order to enter and shop there, and a must-have if you love Japanese food such as myself.

The 2006 Okinawan Festival was held on Labor Day Weekend, September 2-3, 2006 at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki.

Following is a pictorial overview of the delicious food served at this annual event.

You can also check out a slide show of other Okinawan festival activities and displays by clicking here.

Shave Ice Stand

Champuru: a stir-fried mixture of vegetables and agedofu (deep-fried tofu) served with delicious shoyu pork, a teaspoon of andamisu (pork and miso mixture), and rice — $6 (24
scrips)

Yaki Soba

Okinawan-style Soba Noodles: served in hot soup (not added yet in this photo) and garnished with kamaboko (fishcake), shoyu pork, green onions and red ginger — $4.50 (18 scrips)

Oki Dog: A hotdog and chili wrapped in a soft tortilla with shredded shoyu pork and lettuce — $5.50 (22 scrips). (Shown is stage 1 and 2 of making it.

Oki Dog: Finally, a layer of Okinawan Shoyu Pork (Rafute) is placed over the lettuce, then it’s folded shut typical burrito style and wrapped in aluminum foil for service.

Andagi (Okinawan Doughnut) being deep-fried in a large wok

Andadogs are prepared by bulk with popsicle sticks, then dipped in flour

Then dipped in the Andagi batter and added to the hot wok

Then deep fried until GBD by a full staff of watchful volunteers; these burn very easy due to the sugar in the batter

Finished Andadogs - perfectly golden brown delicious!

Sugoi oishii desu!

Click on the photo above or here to view a slide show of various other activities and displays at this year’s festival!

In front of Ward Marukai’s 99 Cent Store (more like $1.49 Cent Store), an Andagi vendor selling Andadogs!….

On the left are Sata Andagi, just in front of it are Blueberry Andagi and Poi Andagi on the right. 8 for $5.00. 3 remaining Andadogs on the top. $2.00 each.

So I bought 4 Sata Andagi and 1 Andadog to try it out. Yum!

They’re kept in a basket at room temperature, so I took it home and blasted it in the toaster oven real quick. It’s a rather thin layer of Andagi batter, yet it compliments the hot dog perfectly. You really don’t need any ketchup or mustard with it. This is the perfect marriage of savory-sweet. I couldn’t determine the brand of Hot Dog, but it seemed to be better quality than the cheap Bar-S type brands. It’s the full dog too. Not cut in half like they do for fundraising at the festival. It really is ono!

That stand is there Monday thru Friday from 9am to 4pm (or until they sell-out).

Guess you don’t have to wait for the Okinawan Festival after all!

One of the most unique "local" versions of the hot dog is the Andadog. It's usually only available once a year at the Okinawan Festival on Labor Day weekend in September at Kapiolani Park. I like it so much, that I've attempted for the first time making this at home, which you can check out here in this pictorial demonstration!…

Here's 4 variations of hot dogs I tried. Top to bottom: Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef, Redondo's (red) Hawaiian Winners, Redondo's Teriyaki Hawaiian Winners, Sinai Polish Sausages (from Costco).

Here we have the packaged Andagi Mix, which is available (not always) at Marukai. According to the instructions on back (which I had translated from Japanese), the "wet" ingredients you must add are 3 eggs and 2 tablespoons oil; no water!. I discovered though that I needed to add 2 more eggs and 1 more tablespoon oil to thin it out to a "batter" consistency (total 5 eggs, 3 tbsp. oil).

The Procedure:

First I cut the hot dogs in half (the longer Polish dog was cut into thirds) then boiled them in plain water until fully cooked, then drained them until fully dry. You can probably leave them full-length, but this is how they do it at the festival.

Here you see the dogs pre-cooked, fully dry and skewered. You can substitute skewers with disposable chopsticks cut in half.

Here, I've just dipped a dog in the batter. My friend said to coat them in flour first to make the batter stick better, by I found it was better to dip them in as is (no flour coating). Just a thin coating is enough, as it will REALLY puff up as you'll see next. The dough is very "gluey", even in this "thinned" state, so I used a rice paddle to assist with the coating process. One package of Andagi was enough to make approximately 30 andadogs.

Here I've just removed one from the hot oil. Pefectly golden brown delicious (GBD). Please note, the oil temperature is KEY when cooking Andagi. Too hot and the sugar in the batter will turn it BLACK and burnt on the outside and RAW inside. I lowered my stove to a notch below MEDIUM and it was just right. Andagi (in this case) cooks VERY fast - less than a minute - so you need to keep close eye on each one in the fryer. The most I've added in the fryer at once were 3, tops.

The Finished Product:

Here are 4 of the best finished examples I had of each Andadog variation. Some were cooked darker (more burnt) than I would have liked, but they were still ono!

Left to right: (Costco) Polish Dog, Redondo's Winner, Oscar Mayer, Redondo's Teriyaki Winner.

Conclusion: My favorite of the 4 varieties was the (Costco) Polish Dog. It's strong flavor matched the best with the slightly sweet Andagi. A close second goes to the Teriyaki Winner, which helped enhance the sweetness of the Andagi, making it a flavorful standout. The red winner was my least favorite, as it didn't match well with the Andagi.

I made this for our Memorial day beach picnic, and my family visiting from the mainland made quick work of the 30 Andadogs I created, enjoying every single bite. It was a fun trial and taste test that I'll certainly do again. If you've never tried them before, please do, Andadogs are really ono!