I love Hawaiian plate lunches, and have eaten many both here and on the islands. But somehow or other, I’ve never sampled a Loco Moco. Until today.
A small local chain called “Hawaiian Drive-In” just opened a branch nearby, and a young guy at work here who shares my love of Hawaiian plate lunch brought himself back a “Loco Moco”. For those of you who’ve never heard of it, it’s a plate with two scoops of Japanese-style rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, and the rice is topped with a hamburger patty, some deliciously rich and salty gravy, and an over-easy fried egg.
The co-worker gave me a bite or two of his lunch, and good lord, that’s good stuff. Maybe it’s because I’ve been dieting and have avoided everything carb-laden and greasy for months, but I judge that as fabulously tasty. I’m sure it’s right at the top of every cardiologist’s “don’t eat this” list, too.
Well, I’m off to Hawaii on Saturday, so Loco Mocos, here I come!
You want to be careful with loco moko in a Californian “Hawaiian BBQ” establishment. I’ve been to a couple of places where they use the same gravy on loco moko that they use on the tonkatsu. It’s pale, bland, and porridge-y, and however it may enhance the flavor of a breaded pork cutlet, it’s just wrong on loco moko.
If they don’t have a nice brown beefy gravy for the loco moko, I’d just as soon order the fried mahimahi.
That said, a good loco moko is ono-licious. Makes a great breakfast, too.
I’ve had loco moco in a real greasy-spoon, hole-in-the-wall place in Hawaii, and it didn’t have mac salad.
It did just have one patty, though.
I make 'em at home sometimes for breakfast if I might have leftover hamburgers from grilling. But, I usually forgo the gravy and use ketchup & hot sauce. Sweet.
During my time in Hawai’i, every plate lunch I got had macaroni salad.
I haven’t had macaroni salad since we moved back to Georgia. Ah, memories - kite flying at Sandy Beach and getting a plate lunch to eat while watching the stunt-kite flyers get pulled off their feet and towed out to sea…
Actually, said co-worker had already eaten one of the patties, eggs and scoops of rice. He left the second half uneaten and came looking for me to share, knowing my love of plate lunch. This young guy has put on a good bit of weight in the last year or two, and if he keeps eating Loco Mocos for lunch, he will soon be quite rotund.
And yes, there’s nothing like Hawaiian macaroni salad. I’ve tried and tried to duplicate the taste of it at home, but it never tastes as good as it does on the islands. This San Jose place does a very good job of it, but I’m looking forward to eating some in Kaua’i next week.
As for Spam musubi, now that is something I can duplicate at home, and even improve on. I’ll still be ordering some of that next week, as well as some saimin and shave ice.
I’ve never cared for L&L’s gravy, so their loco mocos never taste right to me. It’s thick, but never dark and salty enough. I like Hungry Lion’s loco moco best. We hit that place at least once every time we visit home.
We need a spam musubi technique and variations thread. I mentioned the ume thing a couple of weeks ago-- in the same series of experiments I tossed the fried spam immediately in a bit of teriyaki that it soaked up and that was excellent.
Loco moco gravy is, in my experience, very similar to poutine gravy. Wonder what kind of ultimate fusion cuisine we could devise? Loco moco poutine, with fries, ground beef, cheese curd, and egg? i should start an Island/Quebecquois eatery.
Ah den, yo no had a “loco mini” you got “haf a moco”
Bra, what you trying?
Truth. The Heights in the Aiea medical building is a well kept local secret. The call it a hungrey man. Three eggs, Three hand formed burgers, Three scoop rice and about a quart of really thick brown gravy, douse em with their watered down tabasco, freakin ono.
God it’s been a couple of years, I may stop by tomorrow.
5 years ago I had never seen one of these Hawaiian BBQ places, and now suddenly they’re freaking everywhere. In San Leandro they’ve already surpassed the McDonalds’ density, but not the Taco Bell or Starbucks density.
