Spam is a brand of salty processed canned pork and ham made by Hormel Foods Corporation. It was introduced in 1937 and gained popularity worldwide after its use during World War II. By 2003, Spam was sold in 41 countries on six continents. In the U.S., Hawaii is the state with the highest per capita consumption of Spam. It has become a common ingredient in Hawaiian cuisine.
Marie Callender's is an American restaurant chain. Its headquarters are in the Marie Callender's Corporate Support Center in Mission Viejo, Orange County, California. As of December 2023, the company operates 25 locations in California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
Saimin is a noodle soup dish common in the contemporary cuisine of Hawaii. Traditionally consisting of soft wheat egg noodles served in a hot dashi garnished with diced green onions and a thin slice of kamaboko, modern versions of saimin include additional toppings such as char siu, sliced Spam, sliced egg, or shredded nori. When Chinese dumplings are added to the noodle soup, it is seen on menus as the heartier wonton min. All saimin establishments have their own, often secret recipe for the soup base, but primarily use kombu and dried shrimp as major ingredients. Common table condiments mixed in the saimin broth are Chinese hot mustard and soy sauce, added in small quantities according to each individual's taste. Many local residents of Hawaii also enjoy barbecued teriyaki beef sticks (skewers) or American hamburgers as a side dish.
Panda Express is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in American Chinese cuisine. With over 2,200 locations, it is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the United States, where it was founded, and is mainly located in North America and Asia. Panda Express restaurants were traditionally located in shopping mall food courts, but the chain now operates units in many other environments and formats, including stand-alone restaurants, as well as universities, casinos, airports, military bases, amusement parks and other venues.
The plate lunch is a quintessentially Hawaiian meal, roughly analogous to Southern U.S. meat-and-threes. However, the combination of American and pan-Asian influence makes the plate lunch unique to Hawaii.
Loanwords from the Japanese language in Hawaiʻi appear in various parts of the culture. Many loanwords in Hawaiian Pidgin derive from the Japanese language. The linguistic influences of the Japanese in Hawaiʻi began with the first immigrants from Japan in 1868 and continues with the large Japanese American population in Hawaiʻi today.
The cuisine of Hawaii incorporates five distinct styles of food, reflecting the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the Hawaiian Islands.
Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad, served cold, made with cooked elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Much like potato salad or coleslaw in its use, it is often served as a side dish to barbecue, fried chicken, or other picnic style dishes. Like any dish, national and regional variations abound but generally it is prepared with raw diced onions, dill or sweet pickles and celery and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Loco moco is a dish featured in contemporary Hawaiian cuisine. There are many variations, but the traditional loco moco consists of white rice, topped with a hamburger, a fried egg, and brown gravy.
Spam musubi is a snack and lunch food composed of a slice of grilled Spam sandwiched either in between or on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori in the tradition of Japanese onigiri.
Romacorp Inc., which does business as Tony Roma's, is an American casual dining chain restaurant specializing in baby back ribs. The first location was established by the founder, Tony Roma, in 1972 in North Miami, Florida. Clint Murchison Jr. purchased a majority stake in the restaurant in 1976, and he and Roma established the jointly owned Roma Corporation. The first international location opened in 1979 in Tokyo, followed by an international expansion with both company-owned stores and franchises. As of 2020, there are over 115 locations on six continents.
Maui Tacos is a fast casual franchise restaurant that serves Maui-Mex food with a fusion of Hawaiian flavors. The first Maui Tacos was opened by Mark Ellman, Jose Vega, and Sergio Perez in 1993 in Nāpili, Maui, Hawaiʻi. Ellman opened six more locations in Hawaiʻi before opening his first store in the mainland in 1998. Maui Tacos now has 21 restaurants in 11 states and recently opened its sixth Maui location, in Kalama Village, Kihei. In June 2009, the company's eight Hawaii locations were sold to Maui Tacos International, the New York-based company that operated the mainland locations under a franchise agreement.
Roy's is an upscale American restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian and Japanese fusion cuisine, with a focus on sushi, seafood and steak. The chain was founded by James Beard Foundation Award Winner, Roy Yamaguchi in 1988 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The concept was well received among critics upon inception. The concept has grown to include 21 Roy's restaurants in the continental United States, six in Hawaii, one in Japan and one in Guam.
Zippy's is a fast casual restaurant chain based in Hawaii. It has 22 locations and serves American, Japanese, Chinese, and Hawaiian fusion food. One of their best-selling items is chili.
Times Supermarkets is an American supermarket chain headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Times operates 24 stores throughout the state of Hawaiʻi, 17 using the Times name, five operating under the Big Save brand, one specialty food/liquor store under the Fujioka's Wine Times name, and one location operating as Shima's Supermarket in Waimānalo.
Leonard's Bakery is a Portuguese bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii, known for popularizing the malasada. The fried pastry, slightly crispier and chewier than a doughnut and with no hole, is known as a cuisine of Hawaii. Though Portuguese immigrants brought the malasada to Hawaii at the turn of the 20th century, Leonard's opened in 1952 and brought it to a wider audience. Leonard's is a household name in Hawaii and is well known in the continental United States and internationally. A franchise location opened in Japan in 2008.
Ate-Oh-Ate is a Hawaiian restaurant with two locations in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. Named after the area code 808 in Hawaii, the restaurant's logo depicts a "happy, well-fed" pig. Ben Dyer, David Kreifels, and Jason Owens are co-chefs and co-owners.
Göteborg musubi or UFOs, is a food that combines a slice of Goteborg sausage with a ball of rice in the tradition of Japanese onigiri. The Goteborg musubi is commonly associated with the island of Kauai. However, they are made and sold throughout Hawaii in more recent years.
Okazuya or okazu-ya are a Japanese-style delicatessen common in Hawaii. Unlike western delicatessens found in North America or Europe, an okazuya is an establishment that sells readymade Japanese-styled food. "Okazu" refers to a side dish to accompany rice, while "ya" refers to a retail establishment.
