Aku Eats Oahu : a closer look : Shiges Saimin Stand, a closer look

Shiges Saimin Stand, a closer look

Aloha!

1/3/10 - College fare? Kid's stuff? Cheapo? Below you?

Maybe...

Cup Noodles, Top Ramen, S&S, Okuhara's, even Sapporo Ichiban - yeah, if you're going that route, then not maybe, but absolutely! But like every other food, when you take the time to nurture it, take pride in it, work hard to improve it, the lowliest dishes can turn into an art form. If you're not from the islands, you may wanna check out the saimin page to learn more about this particular dish, but if you are, it's as familiar, if not more familiar, then a burger and fries. But don't feel so bad, all you uninformed outsiders, because guess what? Oftentimes, even the locals are fooled!

Waddaya mean, Aku?

Well... Genuine, real, old-school saimin is actually a treasure found only in a precious few shops, and they are all super-low-key, super-casual, and not at all in the mainstream these days. While every local is familiar with the supermarket varieties mentioned above, only a slice is aware of real saimin haunts like Palace Saimin, Nakai Saimin, and the subject of today's closer look, Shige's Saimin in Wahiawa. Don't get me wrong - just about every local restaurant, and then some, will include saimin on their menu, not to mention the hordes stuck on packages at 79 cents a pop. However... Do any of these other restaurants use a genuine, made-from-scratch dashi broth? Is there a noodle-maker somewhere in the back for them to mix, press, cut, and cook their own noodles daily? Do they rely on the simple, unadulterated power of noodles and broth, instead of, uh, compensating by adding all kinds of other clutter, say... Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts, choi sum, even shrimp tempura? I submit to you today... Absolutely not.

But before actually digging deeper into these genuine bowls, I think getting to Shige's in the first place may be a process worth mentioning:

That's because you're just not gonna see this particular scene unless you're looking for it. The main highway running through Wahiawa town, Kamehameha Hwy., is found all the way at the opposite end of this little strip mall, so you won't be able to see the entrance of Shige's from there. Here's a quick set of instructions for arriving - easy, but only if you know what to do:

From either direction on H-1, you'll enter Wahiawa via Kamehameha Hwy. From there, the key is making a traffic light-aided U-turn before entering the tiny Wahiawa strip mall, which allows you to enter the mall with a right turn, as a left from the busy highway is difficult. I take a left on California Avenue with the aid of a traffic light, then a series of quick and easy rights, first down Kukui St., then on Kilani Avenue, then back on-to Kamehameha Hwy, and almost immediately into the mall. On the Kukui St. pass, you'll actually see Shige's on the right. Only problem is, you'll be on the wrong end of a one-way parking lot, so just continue-on as I've explained.

Once inside, you'll find a homely-little store with a small-town look and feel, just like the old days. Like every saimin restaurant, dress nicely and you'll feel out of place! Bar seating fronts the kitchen, simple tables line the length of the dining room, and as in every true, old-school, local haunt, you gotta have duct tape. A must. And preferably, in a different color than the furniture you're trying to fix:

In comparison to other top saimin places, Shige's maintains quite a large menu. I mean, there's actually something more than saimin, won ton min, fried saimin, and beef sticks:

That's a whole album as far as saimin stops go! And how do ya like them prices? If I lived in Wahiawa, I might stop-by every other day!

Having never tried a plate here before, I asked our kind waitress which was the most popular. Without a doubt, she said hamburger steak. Though I was kinda in the mood for a hot meal of roast beef, I obliged her recommendation, instead:

I guess this is the most popular of their handful of plates, but I don't think I'm quite sold yet. The onions on-top were very lightly grilled, almost raw, while the brown gravy was very thick and very, uh - brown? A little too dark and salty for me, was all. Corn kernels were straight from the can, while the mac salad was pretty standard fare, though a bit heavy on mayo. As for the hamburger itself? Hmmm...

On the good side, there's very little if any filler, and the pure taste of hamburger shines through. It's a very simple, old-fashioned taste, as just about all dishes here are. The combination of everything, though, especially that dark gravy and canned corn, just didn't hit the spot much for me. Here's a closer shot of the patty, which was the brightest aspect on the plate:

But there is a hamburger that works great here. Really great. Same burger, different application. A leaf of lettuce, good ol' American cheese, a few condiment sauces, a grocery store-variety bun, and voila! Talk about old-school goodness! I can put-away a couple of these and be happy, happy. Yeah, they're pretty small, but together with your small or large bowl of saimin, the two in tandem make for a very filling, very hearty, very satisfying meal. See the irregularly-shaped, hand-pressed patties? I love it! Thumb-prints on the soft bun also count for a lot, too. Hope they used gloves!

But getting back to another thing that doesn't work, at least for me, I don't recommend the beef sticks. Traditionally a staple complement to a hot bowl of saimin, the version here comes with much too strong a shoyu/salty teriyaki taste, and not very much worth the $1.50 in cost. I think I'd have preferred the beef simply seasoned with salt, instead! By the way, Shige's also carries a teriyaki hamburger, which at most other places, are more often than not better than in regular form. Here, however, the teri sauce just doesn't work as well for me once again, only this time, it's too sweet.

Here's a shot at a single teri beef stick:

But even if they wiped the menu clean of everything except for saimin and fried saimin, I bet this humble store, hidden from the mainstream and seemingly locked in a time warp from 40 years ago, would still pack 'em in. After all, when it comes to saimin, these guys have a lot to be proud of.

Kumi's dad, who has a fond appreciation and love for Japanese noodles, took one sip of the broth here and loved it, instantly recognizing the deep katsuo boshi flavor. It's actually a mix of genuine katsuo boshi and other flavors, but still, the bonito is undeniable, and should always be the dominant taste in any good saimin broth.

And as mentioned earlier, forget about bean sprouts, Chinese greens, and all these other enhancements, or shall I dare say - cover-up's? No, dispense with the clutter. There's only a few items that enhance a good bowl of saimin, and even these are used only sparingly - meats of char siu, roast pork, Spam, and/or luncheon meat, along with fishcake, egg, and green onion, give or take an item or two. A little bit of cabbage is ok, too, but just a tiny bit, and more so on fried saimin:

Noodles and soup - that's what a good bowl of saimin is mostly all about, and having already covered their house-made soup, let's take a venture into the noodles. As you can already see, their very shape is something different to begin with. Instead of coming as rounded, spaghetti-shaped strands, they are flattened, for whatever reason. Not that this makes a whole lotta difference in taste, but it does feel different in your mouth, and does assure you of the fact that they make their own noodles, a huge plus. I don't know of any manufacturer/distributors out there who make noodles in quite this shape, having seen a similiar form only at Nakai Saimin, another great spot that makes 'em in-house, fresh daily.

I guess noodle standards everywhere are pretty much the same, the most important being a perfectly al dente cooking process. Shige's has always been excellent in this regard, putting-out a silky, firm, yet tender saimin noodle that's hit it outta the park every time I've been here.

Another really great way to appreciate these noodles is to order 'em fried. Me, I always have a difficult time deciding between broth and broth-less, but I gotta say, if you're a flavor-monger, their fried version might be an even better bet, as it is one well-seasoned and delicious dish, its essence seemingly even more concentrated. Not too well-flavored, I might add, but perfect for a hungry local bruddah - you know how it is sometimes with fried saimin or even saimin bowls, where you gotta add shoyu or shoyu/mustard! Not gonna happen at Shige's, I can tell you that much! Both the wet or dry versions of saimin are delicious in and of themselves!

In summing up, Shige's Saimin Stand is saimin at its very best. With no advertising and a location in the sleepy-little town of Wahiawa, well off the beaten track, people still always find a way to this genuine hole-in-the-wall. Every time we've come, it's always hosted a good crowd. I mean, tables were always available, but more often than not, it's pretty darn near capacity. I think it'd probably be fun on Friday and Saturday nights, when they open till midnight, but haven't actually made it out at these particular hours yet. I can imagine it probably gets really busy then, too, otherwise, why would they open that late?

All I can say is, I truly, truly hope that places like this never, ever close down, not just for its hole-in-the-wall feel, nor mom-and-pop type of nostalgia. It's just that saimin is such a huge part of Hawaii, a true local dish that should always be preserved and never changed in the least bit. Like sugar cane and plantation camps, where it was originally created, saimin will always be near and dear to the heart of Hawaiian lore and history. As long as there's a college kid living on Top Ramen and peanut butter sandwiches, you'll always have the packaged stuff, but the real thing? Aaaah...

Hey, hope you're busy making all your New Year's resolutions come true!

Take care, and Aloha till next time!

Aku

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Comments:

EK (5/10/10) - Okay, first off, your writing style is TERRIBLE! I feel that if you want to run a website, you should have a degree in English at the least! Second, do your research. Nakai saimin no longer exists. Shiges is second generation to Nakai saimin therefore same noodles. Lastly, I feel that if you're going to do a review on a restaurant try not to be too sarcastic when making negative comments (which was almost every other line) because it makes you look like a jerk. Thank you. feel free to post :)

Aku (5/10/10) - Wow, you sure do carry a loaded gun. Apparently, you're quite upset. I do apologize if I've offended you; perhaps one of my two pages where I list my concerns politically, or the picture of Charles Djou? Whatever it is, I have no idea, but please do feel free to tune me out. Life is too short to stay upset because of a small website and a person you don't even know. Nakai Saimin closed? If it is, it must've been a recent thing! I'll go check it out to confirm. Was I making negative comments every other line? Aaaaaw, c'mon, now! I luuuuv Shige's! Sure, I didn't care for the hamburger steak and beef sticks, but saimin is the main thing at Shige's, and I love both regular and fried versions! Anyhoo, thanks for the input. I admit, your scathing comments aren't very easy to take, and you don't leave me much of an out, but
I think I'll get over it!

Tom L (5/11/10) Aloha Aku, Mahalo for a great web site! You have obviously done a lot of work and we appreciate such a comprehensive listing of dining choices! The information was also very helpful when it came to researching Tenkaippin Ramen. My daughter, who graduated from UH Manoa last year, really misses their food and wants to open a franchise in Colorado.

I look forward to getting your book and any other tips you can provide. My wife and I are classified as Foodies and we come to Oahu often (3-4 times/year) on business. With any luck we will be there at the end of this month and for sure in July. God Bless, Tom

PS: Have you ever thought about adding a Maui section? We like Lahaina too.

Aku (5/11/10) Tom, thanks for the kinds words, and I'm glad you found the site helpful! Make sure you contact me when you're here, just lemme know what kinds of foods you and your wife enjoy, and I'll be sure to let you know all I know! And your book will arrive shortly!

As for Maui, you gotta check out James and Molly Jacobsen at http://www.topmauirestaurants.com/ or http://www.mauirestaurantsblog.com/. They are the Maui specialists, and I have no idea what's going on there! Thanks again!

Jean L (5/11/10) Hello, I just wanted to say that I think the comments left by "EK" was very rude and immature, someone who probably doesn't know the meaning of being polite. There are probably a million other ways to deliver a message that is not so nasty. Makes me wonder if EK has a personal stake in that establishment. In any case, I enjoy visiting your site and am glad rude people like EK won't stop you. I guess there will always be haters out there.

Aku (5/11/10) Hey, thank you so much Jean! No biggie, though, believe me. Yes, there are many unhappy people in the world, but I'm not one of them! I'm having the time of my life right now, so stopping is not an option! When I think of all the great and wonderful people I've already met through almost three years running this site, and considering this is my first hateful letter, then yeah, I'd say it's all been worth it!!! I've seen Reid from Ono Kine Grindz and Pomai from Tasty Island already take their fare share of lumps in the past, so I guess I should consider it an honor to be part of the gang!!! Take care, and may this year be the best you've ever had in your entire life!!!

Aloha and thanks again, Aku

Terry L (5/11/10) EK, Get a Life!

Aku (5/11/10) Thanks a lot Terry! Good eats to ya!

DK (5/12/10) Please don't let negative people change this blog! I love it and I even use it to get information for work!! Keep your head up and keep up the great blog!

Aku (5/12/10) Will do DK! Back at ya!

Ex-Pat Kamaaina from Arizona (5/12/10) Aku: Maybe EK has a personal stake in that restaurant, or maybe has some kind of problem with you, but WTH -- life is too short to worry about things like that. I like your website and your comments, as well as your writing style. Very candid and forthright, which give it some charm and your own identity. For an ex-pat Kamaaina like me, I like reading about your eating adventures. BTW, the correct use of the word is complement not compliment. Complement means "goes well with" while compliment means "to give someone a favorable comment".

Aku (5/12/10) Thanks Mr. Arizona! You know, the thing I don't understand about it is that Shige's is my favorite saimin stop, and I always say so. The only thing I didn't care for were the hamburger steak and bbq sticks. Everything else - saimin, fried saimin, hamburgers (w/buns!), prices, atmosphere, people - I liked it all! No, personally, I think it had more to do with the two politically-oriented pages I wrote (/town-hall-on-health-care.asp, /seasonal-affairs-tea-party.asp - both have warnings on-top for people who don't wanna hear 'em!). I've had people (personal friends off-line) say I should steer clear of politics, but the way I look at it, I'm a passionate guy, and I believe strongly in certain things. Some people think politics is a negative word, but all politics is, is everything happening in this world, whether through government, international affairs, business, war, or whatever, and what happens there directly affects our lives, whether we choose to ignore them or not. I know, it's kind-of a risk, as there's plenty who disagree with my views, but hey, we're all adults (hopefully!), and the exchange of differing viewpoints only makes us better people, so long as we're sincere in seeking the truth and the best answers to helping solve life's vexing problems, and not for the purpose of just hating or cutting others down. In fact, I had some disagreements I did post with my politically-oriented pages, but they were very respectful, they left out personal attacks, and we stuck with only issues and facts (as we each saw them!). And yes, not only is life too short to go ugly-negative and spiteful, but life is also too interesting to not dive head-long into the issues and ideas that make this world go 'round. Tap into the heartbeat and flow of this world, and it's quite a RUSH!!!

Sorry, I get corny sometimes, but just know that the corniness is real! Thanks again!

Ex-Pat Kamaaina from Arizona (5/13/10) Thanks for the reply. For what it’s worth, I guess I agree that one should clear of politics in your situation. Your audience draw is your comments about restaurants and political statements take away from that.

In fact politics are so freaking volatile these days, it has even affected me. Being an Ex-Pat Kamaaina, I was a registered democrat. But recently, and especially with the Obama administration, I have switched to being a Republican….oh my! What is our country coming to?!

Aku (5/13/10) I hear ya, brah!

Kaddy E (5/14/10) Per your fabulous review, we ventured out to Shige's with the boys and we loved the won ton min and the hamburger deluxe. Their menu and prices were great for a local family in this economy. The little one couldn't get enough of the saimin soup. Hang in there - for a mom who rarely goes out - it's nice to get an idea of a place before taking the gang.

Aku (5/16/10) Hey, thanx Kaddy E! Glad you found everything helpful! And for everyone reading, I just wanted to let you all know that I've had further correspondences with EK and an acquaintance of EK, and we've since squared things away. It's aaalll good now, no worries! EK is not the person it seems from her posted e-mail. I'm not gonna post anything more about it because the whole thing is silly and pretty much lots to do about nothing, and there's some content involved that will reveal a little too much personal information on responding parties, and I don't wanna start a war that never should have happened in the first place.

And so, CASE CLOSED! I do appreciate all the kind words from everyone, though, they were much appreciated! Though anyone can write me further, I'm not gonna post anything further on the subject.

In the end, PLEASE DON'T BE PROHIBITED FROM VISITING SHIGE'S SAIMIN IN WAHIAWA, THE PLACE ROCKS!!! Like I said, I didn't care much for the hamburger steak plate (mostly because of the gravy!) and beef sticks, but their hamburgers (between buns!) are absolutely killer, their fried saimin is absolutely killer, and their saimin is absolutely killer!

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