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Hui Ohana Shrimp Truck, a closer look
Hui Ohana Shrimp Truck on Yelp!
Hui Ohana, along with other trucks!
Aloha!
1/14/11 - Hmmm.... A line with 30-40 eager beavers or no line at all? Well... If I didn't already know what a garlic shrimp plate from big dog Giovanni's tasted like, then maybe I'd brave the crowds and wait patiently. On this fine day, however, it was all about intallectual and experiential expansion, meaning, dam it, Jim - try something new! I definitely do have a propensity for exploration, even in the little things. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's always a win. One day the prize may be a great new place to eat, and the next it may be the sheer glory of trying something new, even if the food didn't quite hit your sweet spot. Either way, you come out ahead.
'Thing about today was, I satisfied both parameters, the glory of something new and also a great meal! Hui Ohana Shrimp Truck literally had zero customers when we first walked up and ordered, but as we sat there eating, a steady stream of no more than 3 people at a time stepped up to order from this particular truck. The crowds have no idea what they're missing!
We'll get to a garlic shrimp plate here soon enough, but for now lets consider another matter. Posted proudly on the side of their truck are the words "World Famous" and "Fish n Chips." Really now? Like so many other food types, Hawaii is doesn't happen to be a particular bastion for this type of dish (the opposite is also true, meaning, in the same way, other locations around the world are certainly no bastions for a few dishes we find plentiful here, yes? So there!). I don't know what it was, but we found it amazing that seemingly every street corner in New Zealand, from the tiniest hideaway to the largest cafe, all provided a bounty of the best fish n chips Kumi or I'd ever tasted! The crisp, airy-light, slightly sweet batters; the white, flakey-clean fillets; the extra zing of malt vinegar - sooo ono and addicting! I've never found quite the same thing here in the islands, but I must say, the fish n chips made right here at Hui Aloha are pretty darn excellent!
First of all, the size. Oooh, the sheer size! Not only was the single piece of fish protruding off the plate on two sides, but its girth alone was also quite impressive. Its batter wasn't as light and airy as I've seen in NZ, but it was still extra-fantastic, seemingly even crispier since it was a bit harder. They say it's a batter that's been in the family for generations, and one of the key ingredients is beer! I'm aaalll in! The first few bites of this deep-fried goodness were incredibly delicious, being the hot-oil-lover that I am, but of course, by the last few bites, I did start to feel a slight weight down at the bottom of my stomach - nothing really too harsh (any plate lunch would be even heavier!), but the same you'd get with a large portion of anything deep-fried, no matter how well-prepared. And when I saw a giant mound of beautiful onion rings passing by, I knew for sure that these guys got their frying down to a science!
Tearing into the perfectly-cooked fillets, I simply had to ask what type of fish they used, as this could not be anything pulled from a freezer! I mean, the long, thick cut was super-white, super-flakey, super-moist, and super-all things a fish should be! It could have easily been served at any fancy Hawaii Regional Cuisine Restaurant and I'd have been just as impressed! Turns out, Hui Aloha uses basa, a type of catfish endemic to Vietnam and Thailand. The term basa is often used because not only do some folks carry an aversion towards catfish, but there's also been a bit of a war going-on between basa and other types of catfish traditionally used in the States. Check out this article from Wikipedia regarding the fued:
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In 2002, the United States accused Vietnam of dumping catfish, namely Pangasius bocourti and Pangasius hypophthalmus, on the American market, charging the Vietnamese importers who are subsidized by Vietnam's government of unfair competition.[6][7] With pressures from the U.S. catfish industry, the United States Congresspassed a law in 2003 preventing the imported fish from being labelled as catfish, as well as imposing additional tariffson the imported fish.[8] Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationruling, only species from the family Ictaluridaecan be sold as true catfish.[9] As a result, the Vietnamese exporters of this fish now label their products sold in the U.S. as basa fish or bocourti.[10][11]
At the height of the "catfish war," U.S. catfish farmers and others were describing the imported catfish as an inferior product. However, researchers at the Mississippi State Universityshow that in their experiment, imported basa were preferred in a taste test 3-to-1. |
Whatever the case, all's you gotta know is this buggah is ono!
For all you traditionalists, you may wanna know that malt vinegar isn't used here, only tartar sauce. Not a problem with me, though!
And how 'bout the plate the North Shore Wagons have come to be known for, garlic shrimp? Well...
Not too shabby, it was. Cooked well but perhaps not quite as impressive in size as some of the better North Shore wagons, it was nevertheless a pretty decent plate. The garlic sauce was nice 'n tasty without being too overpowering, and they also ask if you want a scoop ladled over your rice, which we happily obliged!
Considering all things, if you're ever down on the North Shore around high noon, especially on weekends, holidays, or whenever the surf is, like, totally up 'n raging, you'd do yourself a big favor by skipping the crowds and visiting this quiet little wagon. And to tell you the truth - just thought about it now - if you carry an aversion towards deep-fried batters, the basa inside is still large enough and good enough that you could completely discard the crust and yet have enough for a great meal with the fish alone, maybe even with a mini-cup or two of their delicious garlic sauce on the side?
Hey, look at the time. Better go now. Remember to check out the North Shore Shrimp Truck Challenge if you haven't already! Oh, and that reminds me how ridiculously weak and out-dated my Lunch Wagons page is - almost as weak as my Korean fast-food page! So weak, I won't even highlight and link-up to them right now! Sooo many new wagons I haven't listed yet - Go-gi and the other Korean taco spots, Melt, Inferno's Wood-Fired Pizza, and guys, what's with the zebra-striped truck? Not that I'd know...
Oh, well. Take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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