Next Stop: Flavortown

Where to stop and eat within walking distance of four Skyline rail stations.
Lacalista Edit 41 Courtney Mau Feature
Pupusas are only 409 steps away. Photo: Courtney Mau

Skyline’s first segment might only span 10.8 miles from East Kapolei to Hālawa, but that’s plenty of ground to cover when you look at it through a foodie lens. So put on your walking shoes, load up your Holo Card and explore some ‘ono West Side gems both classic and new.

La Casita

SKYLINE STOP
Pouhala (Waipahu Transit Center)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
409 steps, 4-minute walk

Before La Casita, you couldn’t find Salvadoran pupusas and pastelitos on O‘ahu, let alone in Waipahu. Now in a spacious new home in Tropicana Square, Yosselyn De Abreu’s Central American oasis weaves humble Latin fare into the fabric of this former plantation town.

WHAT TO ORDER

Pupusas are masa dough wrapped around cheese and shredded pork or loroco flower buds, then flattened and grilled on the plancha. I especially fawn over the small fried empanadas stuffed with beef and rice known as pastelitos. Most items come with a crunchy side of curtido pickled cabbage slaw to balance out the starch and cheese.

94-866 Moloalo St. D-11A, Waipahu, Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., (808) 676-6987,
lacasitahawaii.com, @lacasitahawaii 

Shiro’s Saimin Haven

Shiros Saimin
Illustration: Christine Labrador

SKYLINE STOP
Kalauao (Waimalu Shopping Center)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
803 steps, 6-minute walk

Dear Hearts,

It’s impossible to pass Waimalu Shopping Center and not think about Shiro’s Saimin Haven. Since opening in 1969, the diner has become a fixture in this neighborhood and a destination for those far from it. Shiro’s is that reliable friend who’s always ready to welcome you in.

WHAT TO ORDER

There are 58 varieties and I’m not talking about Heinz. That’s how many saimin bowls are on the menu. Between the humble No. 1 small saimin with garnishes to the No. 58, the Dodonpa Ultimate King of Saimin, which is “bombarded with 10 garnishes”—plus fully customizable bowls—everyone has a favorite at Shiro’s.

98-020 Kamehameha Highway, ‘Aiea, Monday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., (808) 488-8824,
shiros-saimin.com, @shirossaimin

The Pearl

SKYLINE STOP
Hālaulani (Leeward Community College)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
591 steps, 5-minute walk

As someone who went from busser to executive chef at Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai, Chris Garnier knows about paying one’s dues. Now a chef instructor at Leeward Community College, Garnier mentors future culinary stars at The Pearl, the on-campus fine dining restaurant. The student-run Pearl is a real-life simulator that gives students hands-on training in all aspects of running a restaurant, as a team. This is a neighborhood favorite, which means you’ll be lucky to snag a reservation—they book up quickly.

WHAT TO ORDER

Menus change monthly, but a good general rule is to keep tabs on when new menus appear, and then order one of each of the three entreés and two appetizers to share. Dishes are crafted by culinary students who are experimenting with flavors and techniques learned in school.

96-045 Ala ‘Ike, Pearl City, Leeward Community College, Wednesday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., (808) 455-0475, leeward.hawaii.edu/thepearl

Straight Outta Husk

SKYLINE STOP
Kalauao (Waimalu Shopping Center)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
906 steps, 6-minute walk

Automatic doors slide open to the faint beat of K-pop and the scent of simmering beef birria. The folks in line are ordering tamales, tacos, burritos and more. It’s Straight Outta Husk at Pālama Supermarket. Koreatown in Los Angeles is the only other place where I’ve encountered a cultural juxtaposition like this. If that tickles your taste buds, get in line with everyone else for Marhen Yee Luevano’s cooking.

WHAT TO ORDER

Pork and cheese tamales loaded with cheese and sides of rice and beans. One is a meal by itself.

98-020 Kamehameha Highway, ‘Aiea, Tuesday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 765-1990, @straightouttahusk

Minasa

SKYLINE STOP
Pouhala (Waipahu Transit Center)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
412 steps, 4-minute walk

Tropicana Square is a fascinating microcosm of ethnic commerce. The green strip mall is home to Elena’s Filipino Foods, Wong Kung Chop Suey, and Da Fish Market, known for lechon. The new kid on the block is Minasa. The Tagalog word means to mash—which is exactly what Maleko Lagmay does, and he does it well.

WHAT TO ORDER

Ube churros dusted with amethyst sugar and crinkle-cut fries mounded with crispy pork belly laced with spicy-sweet hints of lechon sauce. Also: steak bowls loaded with bacon garlic fried rice, eggs sunny-side up and crispy fried shallots plus a tart calamansi dip to wake up the palate. Kanak attack will hit on the ride home—don’t blame me if you miss your stop.

94-866 Moloalo St. D-12, Waipahu, Wednesday to Saturday noon to 4 p.m., (808) 202-8555, minasahawaii.com, @minasahawaii

Local Joe West

SKYLINE STOP
Keone‘ae (UH west O‘ahu)

 

WALKING DISTANCE
405 steps, 4-minute walk

Much like the apartment pool it’s adjacent to, Local Joe West is a beacon—not only against the heat of the ‘Ewa Plain but also the drought of craft coffee in West O‘ahu. Charles Asselbaye’s first expansion since opening Local Joe in Chinatown in 2015 is the perfect point to start a Skyline journey. Jessica and Jeffrey Haynes, who co-own this new micro roastery café with Asselbaye, are often there preparing baked goods and pulling espresso shots for velvety Royal Hawaiian Mochas. The menu of coffee beverages and baked goods rotates seasonally, but it’s the consistently cheerful vibes that I return for. And those velvety smooth mochas.

WHAT TO ORDER

For the purists, the Regular Joe (drip coffee) is the best way to savor Local Joe’s original roasts. For mocha lovers, the shop’s crème de cacao syrup enhances the darker espresso roasts. If you’re in the mood for spice, the dirty chai latte is your ticket.

92-3598 Nana Hope St., Suite 1425, ‘Ewa Beach, Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., (808) 364-0681, localjoewest.com, @localjoewest