Hawaiian Recipes

Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple marinates pork tenderloin in lightly sweetened tea before grilling it. It’s the star in these satisfying rice bowls, along with grilled pineapple, red onion and a bright lime dressing.

Chef Ed Kenney uses both white and brown rices in this terrific bacon-studded dish that he serves at his casual Honolulu spot, Kaimuki Superette. "In Hawaii, we call it hapa rice; it's more interesting and flavorful than plain white rice," he says. "In Hawaiian, hapa means 'partial' and is often used as a term of endearment to describe people of mixed ethnic backgrounds."

"This is the peanut butter and jelly sandwich of Hawaii," says Roy Choi about the sushi-like musubi, a mix of seared Spam, sushi rice and pureed kimchi, all wrapped up in nori. "If you've been swimming, if you've been hanging on the beach, it's the perfect snack. Something about it just hits the spot. And the best place to find it is at a 7-Eleven."

This sweet-and-sticky chicken dish brings to mind teriyaki chicken.

Oxtail is a popular ingredient in Hawaiian cooking. Roy Choi makes it the base for the broth of his hearty soup and adds plenty of the tender braised meat as well. The soup is also packed with ramen noodles and sliced daikon and leeks, and then garnished with crisp, sweet fried garlic chips.

"Some people follow Texas or American barbecue. Me, I'm a connoisseur of Korean barbecue," says chef Roy Choi. "Growing up, I was the ultimate Korean barbecue champion. If you took me to an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant, forget about it." Choi especially loves these thinly sliced short ribs, known as kalbi in Korea; they're marinated overnight in a garlic, soy and sugar mixture, then quickly grilled, so they're charred all over. On the side, Choi serves kimchi, steamed white rice and the ubiquitous Hawaiian side dish, macaroni salad.

Chef Lee Anne Wong loves the crunch of green papayas, an ingredient that's abundant in Hawaii. She spikes her healthy salad with green beans, grape tomatoes and plenty of herbs.

Sean O'Brien got hooked on Hawaiian poke (a traditional dish of raw fish cut into bite-size pieces and seasoned) after honeymooning on the islands. Instead of serving his shrimp uncooked, however, O'Brien boils it, then adds Japanese and Hawaiian ingredients, including hijiki, edamame and roasted macadamia nuts.

One of Roy Choi's favorite Honolulu spots is Side Street Inn. "The first time I went there, I was blown away by the dive bar scene--TVs everywhere, empty beer glasses, a mismatched hodgepodge design--and the quality of the food, which is really good," he says. Side Street's sticky fried ribs really stand out for Choi: He makes his version with a mixture of staple Asian sauces, including hoisin, black bean sauce, oyster sauce and Sriracha.

Andrew Zimmern got addicted to this rice dish on a recent trip to Hawaii. It's an awesome side for any Asian-inspired meal, or on its own for lunch with a crisp salad.

Pineapple and Canadian bacon aren't just for pizza! The wonderful combination of sweet and savory, bound together with fresh Mozzarella in a crispy quesadilla, will leave you wanting more.

This cold salad has a bright, earthy, and sweet taste to it thanks to fresh ingredients like oranges, sweet onions, and of course - beets!

This classic creamy macaroni salad has just the right amount of crunchy vegetables.