Arigato Mrs. Roboto|Bruce Smalling|Dida|Poʻipū|Ryan Pointer

Positioned in Koloa, Hawaii, Kukuiula Market signifies a longstanding locale which is more than a provider of groceries, also encompassing various culinary offerings and showcasing a blend of traditional Hawaiian market atmospheres with contemporary selection. The marketplace operates as a microcosm of numerous eateries and culinary options, with Auntie Terry’s Kukui‘ula Market shedding light on a variety of food and garden ingredients, and unique homemade offerings, such as blueberry oatmeal.

In a guided visual exploration by host Dida, viewers delve into the varied offerings within Kukui‘ula Market. It’s highlighted that Kukui’ula Market stands as “one of two of the last mom-and-pop stores left here on Kauai,” as per Auntie Terry Kirkland, and has been under the ownership of her family since 1970. Describing a multilayered culinary experience within a singular location, Dida noted, “This is the one spot where you can come and get four or five different types of food and garden ingredients from your farmers, including homemade blueberry oatmeal chia seed awesomness.”

Venturing into Anake’s Juice Bar, described as “Auntie Terry’s little baby creation,” a signature beverage named the Dawn Patrol was presented, which harmoniously “has oranges, lemons, carrots, apple, and a little bit of ginger.” The presenter notes, “You can taste the ginger, but it’s not too strong, and the carrot juice is subtle. It’s a super nice balanced blend and a good healthy pick-me-up in the morning.”

Furthermore, a culinary junction named So Tasty with JC showcases a devotion to “clean, healthy, fresh ingredients,” providing options like vegan Thai peanut noodles, which are “all homemade, gluten-free, using organic peanut sauce” and are characterized as being “from farm to table.” The nuanced flavors of dishes like the red curry, consisting of “pure coconut milk on the top and regular pasta that I made with my own fresh vegetables,” are also highlighted, with alternatives of chicken, tofu, or shrimp available for incorporation.

Adjacent culinary offerings within the market, such as Makai Sushi led by Chef Matt, demonstrate a commitment to freshness with dishes like their Grilled Poke Bowl. The chef elucidates that “all our food is made to order, including fresh sushi rolls and poke bowls,” to which Dida responded during the tasting, “This is super fresh.”

Concluding the tour with Local Koko Shave Ice, a sweet delight “served…inside of an actual coconut,” patrons also encounter an extra touch with the use of honey — a product of the owner’s beekeeping endeavor.

The video presents a vibrant and favorable view of the Kukui‘ula Market, touching upon various culinary hotspots and offerings within. The segment extends a hand toward an experience that mirrors local culture and inclusivity, encapsulating an ethos described by Dida: “That’s Aloha. That’s Hawaii. That’s our culture, yet tries to embrace the strangers to be able to come in and just be a part of the family.”

Thus, Kukuiula Market, through a lens uncolored by persuasive or promotional tones, emerges as an entity that has woven itself into the local fabric, offering a mixture of traditional and contemporary culinary experiences while maintaining its status as a longstanding family-operated establishment in Kauai.

Kukui‘ula Market

Eating House 1849, settled in the realm of Poʻipū, Hawaii, serves as a symbolic interplay between varied culinary cultures, embodying the epicurean adventures and approaches of Chef Roy Yamaguchi. A subtle echo of Hawaii’s mixed cultural narrative, the establishment nods to a historic counterpart, the original Eating House, initiated by Peter Fernandez in the mid-19th century, a place where, as a representative of the establishment details, diverse “plantation-style food from different cultures” gathered, interacting in a kind of flavorful “potluck”.

While the premises of Eating House 1849 appear to be steeped in an intricate melding of Hawaiian, French, Californian, and Japanese culinary expressions, the dish exemplified in a described video involving Chef Clinton leans toward a nuanced blend of Hawaiian and Korean palates. “It’s a pork belly that’s been grilled, marinated prior with gochujang, which is traditional Korean chili paste, over a bed of romaine lettuce and some pickled veggies,” elucidated Clinton, offering a window into a dish that is “nice and light and crisp,” yet also navigates through the intricate textures and flavors that involve “the heat and the char of the grill and the pork belly.” The presentation is concluded with a delicate shower of “garlic chips that have been dehydrated.”

The culinary style and offerings at Eating House 1849 seem to underscore a marriage between diverse flavors and a conscious homage to the multiple cultural infusions that characterize Hawaiian cuisine. “It’s actually an identity,” emphasized Chef Clinton, addressing the varied culinary influences from “the Portuguese, Puerto Ricans, the Filipino, Koreans, the Chinese, Japanese.” It paints a tableau of a culinary identity that is both distinct yet profoundly interconnected with a myriad of cultural narratives.

In the shared dialogues about the dishes and culinary ethos of Eating House 1849, there lies a perceptible dedication to both respecting and innovatively adapting traditional flavors and techniques. Chef Clinton shares nostalgic reminiscences of his childhood, wherein “my grandma took charge of dinnertime,” initiating him into the culinary world through tasks like prepping onions and mincing garlic. These familial and cultural ties appear to weave into the fabric of his culinary creations, perhaps offering a subtle, yet intricate layer to the dishes presented to diners at Eating House 1849.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi, while not directly present in the video, is acknowledged as a pivotal influence, aiming to “bring back those moments” of culinary nostalgia and “have some sort of sentiment and some sort of sensibility towards what we call Hawaiian food,” as Chef Clinton emphasizes. This seems to illuminate the overarching approach at Eating House 1849, where the culinary explorations are not merely physical and sensory but also temporal, journeying through familial memories, cultural histories, and the diverse landscapes of international culinary arts.

Ultimately, the Eating House 1849 stands as a culinary entity that not only presents meals but subtly unfolds stories, embedding within its dishes traces of varied cultures, individual histories, and innovative culinary explorations. The discourse between traditionalism and modernity, local and international, appears to find a harmonious, flavorful coexistence within the confines of its kitchen and the experiences of its diners.

Eating House 1849 Website | Facebook | Instagram