Island Eats Hale Aina

Best Wasabi Poke EVER?!
Team Furikake is back! You know like Team Rocket from Pokemon… because it’s poke… get it… never mind. Hopefully you know me by now as THE poke/​furikake guy. If not, check out my previous episodes. I mean my previous reviews.
Anyhow! Today I give you the best (or the second best) wasabi poke. Ok I get it that some of you might complain that this isn’t a poke shop or it’s not real wasabi poke. But let me tell you, Hawaiian restaurants make some of the best pokes. And even though this isn’t your typical wasabi poke, it’s way better than that.
Poke is not the main dish at this Hawaiian restaurant so there aren’t any poke choices. They have ahi poke by the pound or ahi poke bowl only. From what I could taste the ahi poke is simple soy sauce flavor with sesame oil. Maybe because I’m Japanese, but soy sauce flavored pokes are my favorite and this restaurant does it just right. Now you may be wondering «where’s the wasabi? I’m reading your review because I wanted wasabi poke! You’ve wasted my time!» I apologize for taking so long. I wanted to save the best part for the last. I called it a wasabi poke because when you order the poke bowl, before topping the rice with poke, they pour wasabi crème over the rice. And this wasabi crème is what makes this poke so addicting. Honestly I hate the wasabi poke at Poke Etc and Jus’ Poke because they put way too much wasabi. I’m pretty sure if you have wasabi immunity they taste good but since I don’t, I have tear coming out of my eyes and nose the whole time I’m eating because it’s too spicy. But the wasabi crème at this restaurant maintains the kick of wasabi without going overboard. So far only this restaurant and Spinfish Poke Co in Pasadena serves delicious wasabi poke in my opinion.
Apart from the wasabi crème, the staffs are nice and easy-​going with tons of aloha spirit and the place is big enough for large groups. They also use furikake on the poke and furikake ahi so I’m more than happy.
So if you’re like me who likes wasabi but can’t find a good wasabi poke, give this place a go.

I just had the garlic shrimp plate lunch. So good! A very close second to the food trucks on North Shore I hit when in Hawaii. :-D
Worth the drive from anywhere in the L.A. area.

My Order: Chicken loco moco bowl + Sesame Wings
PROS:
— Friendly service. Clean. Water cups available.
— Good food. The loco moco bowl was more than filling. Order your choice of meat (i.e. chicken or beef) or tofu. Select how you want to cook your egg (I chose sunny side up). Sesame wings were deeee-​licious! Crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Flavor was amazing! Would definitely order this meal over and over again.
CONS:
— In the middle of a bunch of warehouses.
Loved it!

There was a line out the door for a reason! The pork I had was seasoned perfectly and my wife had a spicy Korean style chicken that she loved. They have lots of interesting Hawaiian deserts — but I was too full from the generous portions. We will be back!

Solid Hawaiian place in the South Bay. Got the saimin, loco moco and seared ahi plate. Definitely over ordered but everything was good. I like laid back atmosphere, chill staff and yummy food. If we are out in this part of town we try to stop by for a bite.

yay to small local business with good food. :)
+Good Hawaiian restaurant that’s not a franchise like L & L’s. They have variety of Hawaiian food staples such as loco moco, poke, kalua pork, lay lay, etc.
+I love the fact that they offer smaller portion bowls instead of just plates. Loco moco plate is $ 10.50 for two patties, two eggs, rice & gravy with salad and potato salad but it’s a lotttt of food. I’m trying to portion control right now so I really do appreciate that they offer loco moco bowl for only $ 6!
+Loco moco was actually pretty good here & I would order it again! I’m pretty picky with loco moco. I’m not sure what authentic loco moco tastes like but I’ve only liked loco moco from one restaurant so far. Usually the gravy is too salty for my liking but Island Eats Hale Aina’s loc moco’s gravy kind of tastes like hayashi rice (Japanese dish). I also liked the beef patty, which was definitely homemade with some veggies like shredded carrots. Two thumbs up!
+My coworker also ordered the Kalua pork bowl and she said her dish was good too. Surprisingly her bowl was only $ 4.75 plus tax. What a steal for a lunch.
+I’ve also tried their poke bowl a while ago and it was good too. Not the best but I wouldn’t mind ordering again.
–Located on Normandie close to 190^th st in an office like building. It’s a bit easy to miss so look for a mannequin that has hula outfit by the entrance.
–I actually didn’t like the neon green wasabi mayo sauce that was under my poke when I ordered the poke bowl. Gotta make a mental note to ask for poke bowl without the wasabi mayo next time.
–Minimum $ 5 per order for credit card. Can easily surpass this unless you’re ordering a bow of kalua pork sine it’s actually less than $ 5!
–I ordered 3 bowls total to go for me & my coworkers. When I picked up the order, the employee put all 3 bowls in one small plastic bag vertically on top of each other. Obviously the bowl tipped over when I started driving so hopefully they can be a bit more considerate and provide us two bags or bigger bags instead next time around.
Next eat, garlic shrimp plate!

Nestled next to a storage facility and across the street from Walmart is this low key Hawaiian joint serving up Ono grindz! We just got back from the islands and were recommended to come here by family nearby.
What a treat. This is hands down the best plate lunch place we’ve been to. The staff is friendly and helpful and the food is great. My wife ordered the loco moco, with juicy hamburger patties, well seasoned gravy and eggs over easy atop rice. This from scratch gravy may be the best I’ve had for loco moco. The portions are huge! She took half of hers home and it’s still massive. I got the macadamia seared ahi. I asked for it to be as lightly seared as possible since I’m a big fan of rawer fish. The tuna steaks were thick and of high quality. The wasabi dipping sauce was creamy and not too spicy.
We’re coming back for seconds here.

After recently going on a trip to Kauai, this place did not quite hit the spot. Their portions are pretty big, where I ended up sharing the Loco Moco with a friend, but nothing would make me want to come back again. The chicken wings were tasty, crispy, and had that touch of sweetness that complete the dish.
I was disappointed by the Lilikoi Chiffon Pie because the texture was more rubbery than airy, and did not seem to be worth the $ 4 price tag for a square of it.

Located in a office like building, its a little bit hard to locate, but you’ll see it as you drive on Normandie Ave. The restaurant has a variety of good Hawaiian food with very generous portions. Everything looks freshly made and even the baked cookies are like the ones you have at home. They also offer breakfast options (served all day) so a good place to stop by for a quick lunch, breakfast or even to-​go.
Highlights:
— Loco Moco: So yummy! you can get your eggs any way you want it with gravy topped over the hamburger patties.
— Sesame Chicken Wings: Another popular dish here, I would highly recommend it! Wings are seasoned well and delicious!
*Everything on their menu is pretty good and its pretty much a matter of preference. The one thing I did try and wouldn’t get again was the passion fruit chiffon cake. too sweet for my liking and tasted artificial, but other than that, the food is great!

I’ve been there twice and the food is really good. Got the Korean Chicken the first time and the Portuguese sausage with egg breakfast the second.
Both did not disappoint!
Will definitely try other dishes. The staff looks really local Hawaiian so that made me feel more confident that this place was going to be ono! :)

Followed the Unilocal trail to grab a quick meal close by my commuting route. My initial impression was a relaxing vibe with the strumming acoustic folk wafting out the open doors and a clean, informal set-​up that feels halfway between a café and diner. My first order choice wasn’t available so I opted for the shoyu chicken plate. Got my meal within a couple minutes and the meal itself was satisfying both in taste and quantity. The chicken was tender, the salad was fresh, and in general nothing was swimming in sauce or over-​seasoned, which I was especially thankful for regarding the potato salad (most places have a heavy hand with the mayo and onions making it a complete tragedy). Great first experience here! I’ll be back to try another one of their many options and also for those chilis by the counter that look like a punishment game waiting to happen.

This place is ok/​average. It take a while for them to prepare your food so it’s not a pick up and go in 5 minutes kind of place. Lunch hour can be quite busy. Been here a few times with my coworkers as they enjoy the food. They overload you with steam rice, so I tell them easy on the rice.
So far I’ve tried their loco moco which is 2 pieces of patty with over easy eggs and gravy. It comes with a side of potatoe salad. = 2 stars.
Hawaiian fried chicken = 3 stars.
I may have to try a few more items on their menu to re evaluate their ratings

I always drove by this place and always wondered what it was lol. Has a crazy manikin outside, I know everyone saw it once or twice driving by.
Today was the first time here and it was good! I liked it very much. I got a combination plate and Kayla pork grilled cheese. It was delicious.
It even sells good dessert and even ukuleles. I’m definitely coming back to this place.

It is in a business plaza next to a postal office and pool business– pretty hidden, but near my work.
I have had a good batch of poke and poke that did not taste fresh. I no longer get their poke.
I am also not a fan of their potato-​macaroni salad, but everything else I have tried has been good. It just doesn’t stand out from the other Hawaiian places in the Southbay.

This is one of the best Hawaiian restaurants in town. I would have never come here if a friend didn’t recommend it.
This place can be easily overlooked since the location is in between big commercial building. The restaurant seems to be a family owned business, that’s a good thing, I guess? The interior is very quant and relaxing, although there is an odd collection of single chairs aligned in the corner. I’m not sure if it’s meant for the single ladies and gents to sit on. The upside is that there are plenty of patio seating’s; the down side is you’re facing the traffic and the back of the Wal-​Mart building. Parking is spacious if you have a compact car.
They offer array of great Hawaiian dishes, from a combination of beef, chicken and ribs to dumpling soups. I personally tried the Loco Moco, the gravy was good, thick and creamy, just the way I liked it. The meat patty was the same, thick and well thick! Just the way my meat should be. The eggs, well the eggs are perfectly cooked.
I saw poke and cant wait to try it in my next visit. The macaroni salad is slightly under cooked.
It would be nice if the have a bigger menu display, instead of peaking in the counter table. This can be a bit cumbersome for the customers who are trying to decide are trying to decide what to get. It seem that there is only one cook in the kitchen, so there is a bit of a wait. In conclusion, great place to go if you are craving for thick meat and poke dish.

Hawaiian food in America has never tasted more grounded, more authentic, or more amazing in all my years. What does that mean exactly? In other words, if you are looking for simply chicken teriyaki or ribs to lather ketchup on, you’re not ready for real food. I’m talking about the laulau. Thats right, pork wrapped in taro leaves served extra real. The loco moco with house made gravy drizzled over meat and eggs. The yummy oatmeal blueberry and chocolate cookie, probably one of the few places I ever buy cookies.
If you have not visited this place, the ambiance will surprise you. Finally, a hawaiian place without a neon menu sign lighting up behind the cashier. Plus you have the themed music and the arrangement of ukuleles hanging up on the wall for purchase. A nice touch.
Will I come back? Already have many many times and I plan on coming back for more.

* Hale Aina — roughly means eating place or the house that nourishes.
Good Hawaiian food is hard to find outside of the islands. And when you do find something that resembles island fare, it’s usually overpriced farmer’s market nonsense or just plain shitty. Now, if your idea of Hawaiian food is a ham and pineapple pizza or if you think L&L is legit Hawaiian food (which is akin to declaring Yoshinoya authentic Japanese food), then I think Island Eats Hale Aina will give you quite an awakening.
Above and beyond, their best dish is the lau lau plate. This taro leaf wrapped pork dish is really amazeballs. The pork was tender and seasoned perfectly. It came with a side of really decadent potato macaroni salad, steamed white rice, salad, and sides of lomi salmon and poke.
Trust me and just get this plate. However, be forewarned that they do sell out so you may want to call ahead. The lomi salmon is a bit salty though, but all is well because the side of poke is so fucking good. In fact, I always end up ordering extra poke with my plate. You can order poke by weight or get the poke rice bowl.
I mean, with all the build-​your-​own-​poke-​bowl craze going on in Los Angeles, I have been disappointed again and again by all these posers trying to make a quick buck. But the poke at Island Eats Hale Aina is totally ono. You get chunks of fresh tuna in a great marinade that does not overwhelm the fish. By the way, did I say chunks?
Seriously. YOU GET C-​H-​U-​N-​K-​S!!! Unlike some of these Chipotle-​style poke places that dice the shit out of the poke as if they were covering up «something fishy»…
In my opinion, if the poke at Island Eats Hale Aina could speak it would probably say «toodaloo motherfuckaaaaaa» to all the soulless nouveau poke joints in town.
Another dish I enjoyed was the Island pork ribs. However, the ribs tasted like they were steamed or cooked in a slow cooker and did not have a grilled flavor. Still, the seasoning was good and I enjoyed them. However, be forewarned that the ribs do not come with the sides of lomi salmon and poke. Only the lau lau and Kailua pork plates do.
The only dish that I did not like was the Kailua pork. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it was good, but it was wayyyyyy too salty for my liking. And honestly, my good friend Pete S. and fellow Unilocaler makes such a bombass homemade Kailua pork that I just can’t find a restaurant on the mainland that can compete.
Oh, and I thought the spam musubi was not the best… Damn you Musubi Café Iyasume in Waikiki!
Still, I would come back here just for the lau lau. And you know it’s a good sign when there are a ton of older Asian American patrons and Hawaii transplants eating here all the time. Maybe that is why some of the food was a tad salty? To cater to older people’s deteriorating tastebuds and da kine?
At the end of the day, the warm Island welcome and the great lau lau and poke alone warrant this place a solid 4 stars because yay, I am a fan!
Can’t wait to come back to be nourished again at Island Eats Hale Aina.

This place was walking distance from my work so I decided to give it a try. Came around 2:30 and it was pretty slow.
Service was quick and pretty friendly. The place had ample seating — both inside and outside so it shouldn’t be too bad during peak lunch hours though I took lunch so late it was empty anyways.
The menu featured many things I like eating but I went for something I have never had before and that was the plate entrée Lau Lau — it was interesting because it was pork wrapped in taro leaves. It was pretty good — it had an semi– odd flavor but a good odd — unique flavor from the leaves. It was served with rice, macaroni salad and came with a small serving of lomi salmon and tuna poke. it’s actually a lot of food for $ 10. I also had a spam musubi but didn’t like that as much here.
The service was pretty good and the food is decent and I like how it is only a 3 minute walk from where I work so I would definitely be visiting this place from time to time.

I wish this place was closer to where I live, otherwise I would come here a lot!
I’ve been to Hawaii many times and I think this place definitely serves great Hawaiian food despite being on the mainland. Mellow atmosphere, great food, low prices, friendly service, definitely reminds me of my time in Hawaii.
I LOVE eating poke (seriously, I ate poke 5 days straight as one of my meals and was still not sick of it). I tried their poke rice and it was yummy! It is listed under sides and is $ 8. However it is a meal portion and not a side portion. Poke was tuna seasoned with sesame seeds and seaweed over a bed of wasabi mayo and rice. Very fresh and delicious! If you don’t like the wasabi mayo taste you can ask for them not to put it on the rice.
The most bang for your buck meal here is probably their ¼ chicken lunch plate for $ 6. For $ 6 they give you a huge ¼ piece of chicken that is very moist and tender (not dry at all!). In addition to the chicken they give you a decent portion of rice, salad, and side (corn). Even one of the workers was shocked at how much food they give you for $ 6.
They also have your usual local favorites like loco moco, Kalua pork, poi, chili rice, lomi salmon, lau lau, shoyu chicken, saimin, spam musubi, cookies, and more! They even have grilled cheese sandwiches and Hawaiian Sun juices. The portions are great and very filling.
Location is off Normandie on the 405. It is located in the same plaza as Wesco. It can be a little difficult to find so keep a lookout! The restaurant itself is pretty big with lots of indoor and outdoor seating.
Also beware of their hours because on Mon-​Thurs they only open for lunch! On Friday and Saturday they open until 8pm. On Sunday they close at 3pm.
I will definitely come back if I’m in the South Bay to try the other dishes!

For my first review of places since I started working in LA County again, I wanted to share a place by my office. I saw my yfs Lilah D. and Steve S.‘s reviews, so I said I have to hit this place. Island Eats Hale Aina (the latter two words translate to House Meal = Restaurant), is on Normandie off 190^th in Torrance.
Island Eats offers a multitude of Hawaiian dishes & plate lunches: Loco moco, saimin, shoyu chicken, mixed plate, Kahuku shrimp, and huli huli chicken (Fri/​Sat/​Sun), just to name a few. Prices range from $ 7.95 for teri chicken, to $ 15.95 for the shrimp.
I ordered the lau lau that is accompanied by poke and lomi lomi salmon ($ 12.95). The plate lunch also includes rice, potato mac salad and a green salad. First of all, the lau lau was very good. The pork was nicely seasoned, and the portion was good sized. The only downside was it was a tad dry: 4 Stars. Secondarily, the poke was excellent. I can’t remember if poke was offered as a full side, but I wouldn’t mind ordering it if it was: 5 Stars. On the other hand, the lomi lomi salmon was just OK. There wasn’t much salmon, and there just seemed to be missing something: 3 Stars. Lastly, the potato mac salad was just OK. There wasn’t enough pepper: 3 Stars. Overall, a very good plate lunch, but I would like the choice of poi vs rice too.
The ambiance was generic, other than the high end ukeleles hanging on the left wall: 4 Stars. The service was OK. The cashier was nice & friendly, and the food came out quickly: 4 Stars.
There are two restaurants within walking distance from my office: Paradise and Island Eats. I would much rather come to Island Eats because of the very good «local» food, fair prices, and good service. I will become the Duke of this place quickly.