The first time I tried going to Aunty Maile’s Hawaiian Food, which sits in a mini-mall on Crenshaw, just off Redondo Beach Boulevard by the Roadium, it was early on a Saturday evening. And the place was dark. I know it’s closed Sunday and Monday, and the joint closes at 8 in the evening. But it was a Saturday, long before 8.
And then, I noticed a sign on the door informing that the place was closed for the night, because of a memorial for a friend. And though I was really in the mood for some chicken katsu and kalua pig, I certainly couldn’t fault the place — the whole vibe of Aunty Maile’s (previously Island Flavor Café), much like the vibe found in Hawaii at the small neighborhood eateries frequented by locals, are the spots that honestly, make the trip for me.
I like to eat with the locals. I like to eat what the locals eat. The notion of flying six hours to Kauai for fancy hotel Italian food makes my brain hurt. But give me a place where they do a great moco loco, and I’m ready to toss out a loud “shaka brah!” And at Aunty Maile’s, which is as downhome, local, neighborhoody as a shack on the edge of Kapaa, the feeling of eating in the midst of a close-knit community is powerful. With lots of folks table hopping, to share gossip with friends. And plenty of room for haoles like me, as well.
You order at the counter, where they’re only too happy to talk about the dishes; no rush here. Behind the counter, things sizzle and smoke in the kitchen, with good smells drifting through the room like the morning fog. You pay for your food, grab a seat at a table, probably shared with others, and somehow they find you. Not sure what visual ID they wrote down on my order — though I’d like to believe, “Looks like George Clooney.” But then, a man’s got to dream, doesn’t he?
For those not familiar with Hawaiian café cooking, the menu might need a bit of annotation. A couple of sections of the menu are referred to as “Grinds.” Which is Hawaiian slang for “good food.” And so, though Aunty Maile’s doesn’t open till 10 in the morning, there’s a selection of “Breakfast Grinds.” You want to keep it simple, you go with the fried rice omelette, which is more or less what it sounds like — fried rice topped with a couple of eggs, done any way.
You want to move it up, get the two eggs with Portuguese sausage (aka linguica) or Spam — which isn’t on the menu as a tribute to the Monty Python routine. In Hawaii, Spam is a much-loved food. There’s even a Spam sushi — Spam musubi. But even more typical of the Hawaiian breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) is the wonderfully named loco moco — a joyous mess of a dish created in 1949 at the Lincoln Grill in Hilo, Hawaii, to feed some local teens. A modest start for a dish that’s now a basic and essential part of the Hawaiian culinary canon.
And at Aunty Maile’s, unlike most joints, it comes more ways that the basic — which is a hamburger topped with two eggs and brown gravy. The hamburger also can be replaced with roast pork, and with crispy chicken katsu — a clever variation on the theme — and a change that helps me forget how much the gravy reminds me of the Canadian mess called poutine.
And there’s so much more, and so much of it is served in portions that guarantee you’ll take food home — the takeout boxes and bags are readily available by the counter of utensils, sweeteners and condiments. Saimin is a wonder of a noodle soup, made all the better with a heavy hand with the char siu pork, an egg, some wontons, fish cakes and scallions.
Poke abounds — five different types, sold by the pound, or served in a bowl over steamed rice, on a plate with steamed rice and mac salad, or in a salad with Hawaiian sweet potatoes, crispy wontons and an addictive creamy sesame dressing.
The Hawaiian-style roast pork, made with Hawaiian salt and topped with that brown gravy (again!) is a trip to Kona.
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The teriyaki chicken is as pure and sweet as can be — a dish you want more of, soon as you finish it. If you can’t make up your mind, there’s a Mix Plate of any two items from the “Local Favorites” section of the menu. There are daily specials — which go fishy on Fridays, with laulau (fish and pork), marinated lomi salmon and a sort of coconut Jell-O called haupia.
There isn’t a pineapple on the menu…and no one shows up in resort wear. This place is real, bruddah!
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him email at mreats@aol.com.
Aunty Maile’s Hawaiian Food
Rating: 3 stars
Address: 16300 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance
Information: 310-324-2612
Cuisine: Hawaiian
When: Late breakfast, lunch and early dinner, Tuesday through Saturday
Details: Soft drinks; no reservations
Atmosphere: The motto is: “Hawaiian Food: Big Island Style,” but it’s not just the very tasty chow, served in massive portions, that feel like they’re from the Islands. The whole vibe of the place, from the downhome setting, to the local feel, to the crazy friendly service can save you a trip to Kona. This place is a great find.
Prices: About $15 per person.
Suggested dishes: 3 Loco Moco Dishes ($10.75), Spam or Portuguese Sausage and Eggs ($9.75), Hawaiian Style Saimin Noodles ($10), Poke Salad (Market Price), Teriyaki Chicken Salad ($11.75), Chicken Katsu Salad ($11.75), 12 “Local Favorite” Plates ($10.25-$13.75), 7 Poke Orders ($7.50-$14.95)
Cards: MC, V
What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to zero. 4 stars is world-class (worth a trip from anywhere). 3 stars is most excellent, even exceptional (worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California). 2 stars is a good place to go for a meal (visit if you’re in the neighborhood). 1 star is a place to go if you’re hungry and it’s nearby. Zero stars is not worth writing about.
