36 Gourmet Comfort Food Dishes in Hawai‘i That’ll Warm Your Heart and Soul

Comfort food might be indulgent, but it connects us to family, traditions, cultures. Here are some of our favorites, elevated, but still reminding us of when life was simpler and calories didn’t exist.

February 26, 2019

Catherine Toth Fox, Robbie Dingeman, Don Wallace, Michael Keany, Katrina Valcourt, Natalie Schack, James Charisma, Brittany Lyte, Joan Namkoong,

Comfort food is easy to recognize but hard to describe. It’s food that reminds us of our childhood, something nostalgic or sentimental. It could be your grandma’s Portuguese bean soup or the saimin you grew up eating at a neighborhood restaurant. Even that gooey mac ’n’ cheese you’d eat on a Tuesday night. There’s an emotional response to these dishes that’s impossible to deny. You crave them when you’re stressed or sad. You turn to them as you would friends after a rough day. A grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl of jook, a slice of meatloaf drenched in brown gravy. They may be indulgent and not always the healthiest—meaty entrées, greasy take-out, decadent desserts—but they connect us to family, to traditions, to our culture. Here are some of our favorites, spruced up and decked out, but still taking us back to better times, when life was simpler and calories didn’t exist.

This article first appeared in the June 2016 issue of HONOLULU. It was updated in February 2019.

The short rib loco moco from moena cafÉ.

Photos: Steve Czerniak

1. Baked mac ‘n’ cheese with Hāmākua mushrooms and Shinsato ham

12^th Ave Grill

Our own Best of Honolulu 2011 heavyweight champion, 12^th Ave Grill’s mac ’n’ cheese is small but dense: elbow pasta, homemade Parmesan-cheese sauce, topped with breadcrumbs and baked. And for just $8? It’s a knockout. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, add Hāmākua mushrooms or house Shinsato ham for just a couple of bucks extra.

$9, 1120 12^th Ave., (808) 732-9463, 12thavegrill.com.

2. Mac ’n’ cheese

Downbeat Diner

Rich and gooey, Downbeat Diner’s interpretation of the classic mac ’n’ cheese is spot-on, with the traditional macaroni curls and a very creamy cheddar mix. A hearty bowl is available for just $5, with add-ons of bacon, sausage or Portuguese sausage available for only $1.50 more. For those feeling creative, Downbeat also offers a pesto version of the original, and the chefs are surprisingly willing to swap their mac ’n’ cheese into other dishes, such as with any of the mocos (instead of the rice) or even as an additional topping on their nachos. Yes, please!

$6, 42 N. Hotel St., (808) 533-2328, downbeatdiner.com.

3. Yaki pa‘i‘ai

Mud Hen Water

Photo: Steve Czerniak

Pa‘i‘ai is undiluted poi, and chef/owner Ed Kenney, who was raised on this stuff, has given these starchy blocks of pounded taro a multicultural twist. The pa‘i‘ai is lightly flavored with shoyu and sugar, then grilled and wrapped in nori—the way the Japanese grill shoyu-flavored sweet mochi. (Sometimes he swaps ‘ulu for taro, and the result is equally tasty.) Genius.

$10, 3452 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 737-6000, mudhenwater.com.

4. Shepherd’s pie

Murphy’s Bar and Grill

What screams comfort food more than meat ’n’ potatoes? The no-fuss shepherd’s pie at Murphy’s Bar and Grill is famous as a neighborhood go-to and hits all of our high points for a hearty treat-yo-self dish that’s basically the mealtime equivalent of getting a hug. A chunky stew packed with generous amounts of lamb and tender root veggies mingles tantalizingly with a silky top layer of hits-the-spot mashed potatoes. Graciously, the joint saves us from the food coma in which we’d inevitably land were customers free to portion the pie themselves: The totally reasonable serving is just enough to satisfy.

$17.50, 2 Merchant St., (808) 531-0422, murphyshawaii.com.

photo: aaron yoshino

“Coming home and going to Highway Inn is always something that we look forward to. It’s comfort food and I love their pūlehu chicken, no starch, all greens.”
—Gov. David Ige

5. Roma tomato basil soup

Ruscello, Nordstrom

Photo: Steve Czerniak

Simple, savory, soothing—don’t expect any deconstructed this or gastronomic that in the perfectly classic tomato basil soup at Nordstrom’s new café, Ruscello. This recipe aims for stripped-down, familiar appeal, giving the sultry umami of ripe tomatoes at their best chance to really shine. Smooth, with basil and just the right amount of creaminess, you’ll be licking the sides of these piping hot little pots of flavor, which come with a crunchy crostini for your dipping pleasure. Get a cup on the side or do what we do and go the full tomato with a meal-size bowl. Your childhood self will thank you.

$6.50 for a bowl, $4.50 for a cup, Ala Moana Center, (808) 953-6110.

6. Breakfast bibimbap

Koko Head Café

Breakfast goes boom without feeling overly indulgent. Chef Lee Anne Wong combines eggs, bacon, Portuguese sausage, ham, kim chee, shoyu-mirin shiitake mushrooms, ong choy, sesame carrots and bean sprouts with a sunny-side-up egg atop garlic rice. And, bonus, you get to eat out of the cast-iron skillet, which somehow makes it taste even better.

$16, 1145C 12^th Ave., (808) 732-8920, kokoheadcafe.com.

7. Macaroni and cheese pancakes

Morning Glass Coffee + Café

A ridiculous yet genius interpretation of the classic, Morning Glass Coffee + Café offers mac ’n’ cheese pancakes for weekend brunch and its once-a-month “night breakfast” event, using elbow macaroni, pancake batter and aged Vermont cheddar. The result is crispy on the outside, gooey and melty on the inside, and tastes amazing. Where have mac ’n’ cheese pancakes been all our lives? Served with complimentary maple syrup, and bacon on top for just $2 more.

$11, 2955 E. Mānoa Road, (808) 673-0065, morningglasscoffee.com.

“I grew up eating the most delicious homemade fried chicken, cornbread, mashed potatoes and white gravy. I still make the pilgrimage home to eat ‘Granny’s chicken.’”
—Kyle Reutner, Kō Hana brand manager

8. Hawaiian-Style Nachos

Highway Inn

Photos: Steve Czerniak

These nachos are made with fresh, sweet-salty, crunchy ‘uala (sweet potato) chips, piled with lean and smoky kālua pig, sour cream, guacamole, green onions and a side of salsa. Bring friends to help devour this treat since it’s a big portion and the cheese eventually cools, making it tougher to keep eating, which you will want to do.

$14.25, 680 Ala Moana Blvd., #105, (808) 954-4955, myhighwayinn.com.

9. Chicken fat rice

The Pig & The Lady

Meet the chicken fat rice, a staple side at The Pig & The Lady (you’ll find it in a lot of the grilled meat dishes) that’s all about balance. It’s a subtle, yet thoroughly satisfying, take on jasmine rice. The grains are first cooked in chicken broth and turmeric for some slightly next-level flavor, then drizzled with chicken fat and topped with chilies. It complements your show-stopping entrée, yet still sings a backup to which local rice-lovers will give hearty applause.

$6, 83 N. King St., (808) 585-8255, thepigandthelady.com.

“My comfort food is noodles. Any kind of soupy noodles. Japanese ramen, Chinese duck noodle, wonton noodle soup, udon.”—Alan Wong, chef/owner, Alan Wong’s Honolulu, The Pineapple Room, Alan Wong’s Shanghai

10. Milk ’n’ cereal pancakes

Scratch Kitchen and Bake Shop

The Scratch folks roll at least three kinds of comfort into one short stack. The pancakes themselves taste lighter than they look, which makes them just the right partner for the sweet milk-and-cereal topping that transports us back to the comfort of cereal eaten in pajamas. The fruit on top plays a tasty supporting role while counterbalancing the sweetness. Call it a lovely breakfast for one, or split it with a friend alongside a savory choice. We’d go for the Loco Moco Royale.

$12, 1030 Smith St., (808) 536-1669, s cratch-hawaii.com.

11. Corn Chowder

Monkeypod Kitchen

Corn chowder is too often simply “potato soup with bits of corn.” Not here. The Maui sweet corn stands on its own, and this deceptively simple soup packs a complex combination of flavors. Fresh coconut milk and local lemongrass add a trace of Thai curry flavor, and fresh black pepper and cayenne give some spice. It also features celery, kale and tomato (all local), which add balanced diversity to the taste. For a hearty soup, this chowder’s quite subtle.

$10.95, 92-1048 Olani St., Suite 4-107, Kapolei, (808) 380-4086, monkeypodkitchen.com.

12. Grilled Stinky Cheese Sandwiches

The Tchin Tchin! Bar

Grilled stinky cheese sandwiches from Tchin Tchin! Bar.

Photo: Steve Czerniak

Ah, a grilled cheese sandwich and juice—was there ever a more satisfying after-school treat, as a kid? Well, turns out grownups really do have it better: The stinky grilled cheese sandwich at the Tchin Tchin! Bar has been upgraded with gooey, just-pungent-enough Taleggio cheese, smeared with a sweet onion marmalade to counterbalance the tang, and then garnished with house-made vegetable pickles. Pair it with a pinot or Côtes du Rhône from Tchin Tchin’s extensive wine list, and you’ve really got something. The sandwich comes cut into four points, but, hey, you’re an adult now—you don’t have to share if you don’t want to.

$12, 39 N. Hotel St., (808) 528-1888, thetchintchinbar.com.

13. Oxtail Ramen

The Alley Restaurant at ‘Aiea Bowl

Photos: Steve Czerniak

What happens when you combine slow-simmered oxtail soup with toothsome ramen noodles? One of ‘Aiea Bowl’s signature dishes is worth the $3 upgrade for arguably one of the most comforting dishes we’ve ever gotten in a restaurant. The large bowl of soup comes with a substantial amount of meat and cartilage, barely clinging to the bone, a handful of baby bok choy, green onions, peanuts and chewy shiitake mushrooms, which, thankfully, don’t overpower the broth. Toss in all the ginger and Chinese parsley, but keep the special ponzu sauce on the side for spare dipping. The vinegary sauce (made with daikon, shoyu, lemon juice, sesame seed oil, red pepper flakes and toasted sesame seeds) has just the right tang to hold up the succulent meat, but you don’t want to overwhelm the subtle broth, flavored with dried dates and orange peels, star anise, ginger and a splash of Tennessee whiskey.

$18.95, 99-115 ‘Aiea Heights Drive, third floor, ‘Aiea, (808) 488-6854, aieabowl.com.

14. Beermade mac ’n’ cheese

Honolulu Beerworks

At Honolulu Beerworks, macaroni, cheese and beer all go hand in hand (in hand) with the signature Kaka‘ako Kolsch cooked right into the generous cheese fondue, the entire thing covered in a panko crust, baked and served in an aluminum pie pan. Straightforward and tasty, Beerworks’ mac ’n’ cheese is best combined with other menu offerings, such as miso pork sliders or Bavarian pretzels, which can mop up the remaining cheese sauce. No shame.

$9, 328 Cooke St., (808) 589-2337, honolulubeerworks.com.

15. Grass-Fed Makaweli Beef Meatloaf

Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai

Dining at Roy’s feels like the exact opposite of eating at home—starched white tablecloths, sweeping views of Maunalua Bay, water that never dips lower than two inches below the glass’ rim. But one bite of the meatloaf and you’re back in Mom’s kitchen, if your mom was an award-winning chef. Creamy mashed potatoes anchor a patty of Makaweli Beef coated in Hāmākua mushroom gravy and sweet ketchup, topped with crispy tempura onion rings, with a few veggies on the side. The beef, grown on Kaua‘i, pulls apart with just enough resistance to let you know it’s moist, tender and deliciously homey.

$29, 6600 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, (808) 396-7697, royshawaii.com.

“Side Street Inn—farmers salad and fried pork chop. I always make them bring the salad first so I don’t feel guilty and eat only pig.”
—Nick Rolovich, UH football coach

16. Kim chee Portuguese bean soup

MW Restaurant

The classic Portuguese soup is a medley of ham hocks, linguica (Portuguese sausage), beans and potatoes. This one, though, creates a spicy complexity with the addition of house-made kim chee. It’s an unexpected flavor that enhances the depth of the soup and warms our multicultural souls.

$8 (lunch only), 1538 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 955-6505, mwrestaurant.com.

17. Laotian fried chicken

The Pig & the Lady

Photo: Steve Czerniak

Your favorite picnic go-to just got upgraded. The Pig & The Lady works postmodern magic on fried chicken with a contemporary Asian twist. Each wing/drummette is cooked sous vide before frying. The result: lightly crispy outsides and succulently moist insides that almost—almost—outshine a sweet and tangy sauce redolent of kaffir lime. As a finishing touch, the chicken is tossed with crunchy peanuts and makes-everything-better fried shallots.

$14 (lunch), $17.50 (dinner), 83 N. King St., (808) 585-8255, thepigandthelady.com.

“[Wade Ueoka] and I just came back from San Francisco and Vegas and the first place we went to was Helena’s [Hawaiian Food] for short ribs, beef and watercress, and tripe stew.”
—Michelle Karr-Ueoka, pastry chef and co-owner, MW Restaurant and Artizen by MW

Classic vs. New School

18. Spam musubi

Fort Ruger Market

You cannot go wrong with a Fort Ruger Market musubi, but you can arrive too late. At 12:02 p.m. one recent weekday, the hot rack was mostly empty except for the basic Spam ($1.99), a Spam on furikake rice ($1.99) and the boiled hot dog musubi ($1.99). We opted for Spam + furikake because of the way it rides a double helping of furikake-flecked rice—like a Sandy Beach bodyboard.

$1.99, 3585 Alohea St., 96816, (808) 737-4531.

19. ‘Ahi musubi

Hōkū’s at The Kāhala

PHOTO: AARON YOSHINO

The menu around it may change, but the ‘ahi poke musubi has remained a fixture at Hōkū’s. It’s an elevated take on the modest musubi, with ‘ahi poke stuffed into a crisp-fried sushi rice ball and served with crab namasu and soy ginger. The rice ball is quartered to share, though only if you want to.

$20, 5000 Kāhala Ave., (808) 739-8760, kahalaresort.com/dining.

20. Pigs’ feet soup

Ethel’s Grill

The soup is simple: carrots, cabbage and bok choy, simmering in pork stock—plus generous pieces of pigs’ feet with meat soft enough to pull off the bone with just a pair of chopsticks. Ethel’s Grill’s menu is full of local favorites, but nothing beats this; served in a big bowl, it tastes like what your grandmother might’ve prepared when you got sick as a kid. We almost want to be under the weather more often.

$12.95, 232 Kalihi St., (808) 847-6467.

21. Specialty saimin

Hamura Saimin

One of the oldest, most beloved of saimin stands, Hamura’s on Kaua‘i is known for its house-made noodles and secret-recipe broth. The James Beard Foundation even recognized it as an American classic in 2006. Serious fans get the Special Saimin, which comes fully loaded with won ton, roast pork, fishcake, chopped ham, veggies, green onions and a boiled egg.

$10 medium, $12 X-large, 2956 Kress St., Līhu‘e, (808) 245-3271.

22. Innovative Hot Mess

Agu Ramen

PHOTO: AARON YOSHINO

Yes, the Innovative Hot Mess is $20. But when the bowl arrives in front of you, full of a mind-blowing combination of four types of garlic, house-made char siu, aji tamago, menma, onion, sesame seeds and, most intriguing, fresh-shaved Parmesan cheese piled on top of the ramen, it’ll clearly be worth it. You can’t untaste this. But you won’t want to.

$20, multiple locations, aguramen.com.

Going Loco for Moco

Loco Moco a go-go

The loco moco is that most down-home of local inventions. What could be more basic, and more satisfying, than white rice, a hamburger patty and a sunny-side-up egg, doused with brown gravy? Still, Hawai‘i chefs can’t resist improving on a good thing; check out these inventive renditions of the plate-lunch fave.

Birth of a loco moco

Hilo is the hometown of the original loco moco, with the dish dating back to 1949 at Lincoln Grill, where, as the story goes, a group of hungry teen athletes came in looking for something cheap and filling to eat. (The owner threw together a beef patty with white rice and brown gravy. The egg came later.) Café 100 has continued Hilo’s famed reputation, serving more than 30 varieties of this simple dish with ingredients such as ‘ahi, chili, stew and Spam.