Eating a gut-busting Aloha mixed plate is getting about as close as you can to being Hawaiian. The islands’ ethnic mix of people invented the hybrid dish. The meat may be Japanese teriyaki, grilled Korean-style ribs or Hawaiian kalua pork. Two scoops of rice and one of macaroni salad crowd the rest of the plate. The folks at Aloha Mixed Plate raise this dish to high art, and throw on some vegetables as well.

Waipoli salad greens in the salad and local smoked fish will please Mainland senibilities. Spam, beloved in Hawai‘i, is made in-house.

The modest cafe, where lines sometimes snake outside the door, perches on the Lahaina waterfront. Its recent renovation freshened things up. Two spacious decks offer prime views for watching the sunset or people mooring boats. In the evening you will also hear the music from the Old Lahaina Lu‘au, which is next door, but you won’t be able to see the dancers. Tourists make a pilgrimage here, and locals often come at lunch.

At breakfast, expect loco moco (two eggs on sticky rice smothered in gravy), single or double, Portuguese sweet bread French toast or a three-egg omelet with sausage, spam, kalua pork, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. It’s accurately named Big Kahuna.

At lunch and dinner, besides mixed plate, consider the fresh catch sandwich,  saimin deluxe,  kalua pork and cabbage or Asian chicken salad. Drinks are generous and reasonably priced. Whatever you order, you won’t eat again that day.

See and save more places to create your own itinerary or modify a Bindu itinerary.

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  Photo by EileenRose
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  Photo by Catchpenny
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  Photo by Carol Fowler