Taco Libre, nestled in Old Koloa Town, Hawaii, endeavors to create a culinary amalgamation by infusing Mexican and Hawaiian flavors, offering items that resonate with the appetites of both locals and tourists. Owners Alea and Christian introduce not only meals but also an exploration of a synergized cultural culinary experience, aiming to transcend the conventional and create something genuinely innovative.
An episode on the Sustainable You Hawaii YouTube channel, hosted by Amanda Smith, explores the fusion cuisine provided by Taco Libre. The owners, through their culinary creations, showcase how two distinct culinary cultures, Hawaiian and Mexican, can be melded into unique dishes.
In a notable dish called the Mexi Moco, Alea described the integration of cultures as such: “If you’re growing up here in Hawaii, you know about a traditional loco moco, and I was like, what a great way to combine both of our cultures into one.” This dish intertwines crispy tortillas with beans, cheese, rice, and specially prepared meats – al pastor and carne asada, offering a layered experience that represents not just a meal, but a harmonious marriage of two culinary worlds.
A noteworthy point of their cooking method involves the way the meat is cooked. Alea highlighted, “So over there in Mexico, they do serve the meat on a rotisserie spit. They use a ceramic tile; that’s what ignites and keeps the meat cooking. We wanted to bring everything together with me and Christian. So we got this Mexican ceramic towel on the bottom and then the lava rock up top to keep the heat going.” This symbiotic relationship of the Mexican ceramic and the Hawaiian lava rock, according to Alea, serves as a representation of their fusion concept.
In another experiment of flavors, Taco Libre ventures into the slow-cooking method for preparing beef. The surprising elements of cinnamon and ginger are blended with chocolate to create a meat dish that was begun at 3:30 in the morning, indicating a dedication to a slow and meticulous cooking process. “This started cooking at 3:30 in the morning today. One of the key ingredients that might surprise you is cinnamon. Cinnamon, cinnamon, and ginger, chocolate, cinnamon, and ginger,” Alea notes during the preparation of the dish.
Taco Libre also offers a quesadilla, described as akin to a taco, but differentiated by the soft slow-cooked beef and the incorporation of cheese. A sampling of this during the Sustainable You Hawaii episode rendered Amanda Smith praising the dish, albeit in a casual, conversational manner quite distinct from the neutral tone sought for this description.
An important element of this establishment is not merely the production of food but also a commitment to offering a divergent, innovative culinary experience that seeks to intertwine two cultures harmoniously. Through Taco Libre’s gastronomic endeavors, one can witness an attempt to create a symbiotic relationship between Hawaiian and Mexican culinary practices, offering patrons not just a meal, but a tangible representation of culinary fusion. And it is here, in Old Kōloa Town, that these culinary adventures unfold, under the auspices of Alea and Christian, who continue to explore and experiment within their vibrant, mobile kitchen.
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