Journalism 3 Restaurant Review

'bout time I put this up on here. I reviewed Hukilau because it's awesome. Check it:

As any college student would know, cafeteria food gets old fast. Sometimes you just need to get off campus and grab a decent meal. Lucky for USF students, such a meal can be found close to home and at a price that suits what you get. Now, you may be anxiously asking yourself, “Where can such a heavenly notion like that exist?!” At ‘da Hukilau, of course! Located on the corner of Geary and Masonic (a walk that every USF student should be accustomed to), Hukilau serves up authentic Hawaiian flavor while surrounding you in an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you’re smack dab in the middle of the islands.

Even from the outside, you can tell that Hukilau is ripe with decoration. A giant tiki statue stands right next to the door while a straw awning shelters the outside tables. Upon entering, the friendly staff greeted us with an “Aloha!” and promptly seated our party of four. I was caught off guard by the presence of an improvised stage to the left of the entrance, where two gentlemen in Hawaiian shirts were performing – one on acoustic guitar, the other on bass. As frequent a visitor as I was, this was the first time I had seen live performers at Hukilau. Perhaps it was the time that made the difference – Friday night at around 7:00 PM. Nevertheless, the host escorted us to our table (right in front of the performers) and took our drink orders, handing each of us a menu before going off to tend to other business.

Looking around revealed even more decoration: the walls were decked out with pictures, paintings, surfboards, leis, and more. The bar, also sheltered by a straw awning despite being indoors, had its vast selection of alcohol proudly on display. Compared to the rest of the establishment, our tables were fairly simplistic: wooden, square, and no decoration whatsoever. Our chairs were none better, but they at least had flowery cushions that made sitting down on them tolerable.

I had already decided on what I was having before receiving my menu, but I decided to take a look anyways. Hukilau’s selection isn’t exactly what one would classify as stereotypical Hawaiian food – you won’t find a roasted pig with an apple in the mouth or anything like that as an option. Instead, Hukilau’s menu reveals a more casual, true-to-life side to Hawaiian food, which is best encompassed within the restaurant’s flagship entrée: Loco Moco. If you’re completely lost as to what I’m talking about, picture this: three scoops of steamed rice, two hamburger patties, two fried eggs, and it’s all topped with brown gravy. Sure, when you look at the ingredients on paper it may seem a little nauseating, but when you taste it, you’ll see that the individual parts come together in a way that is simply unexpected.

But no, my meal for the night would not be consisting of Loco Moco, an entrée whose portions were far more filling than I can take. Instead, I opted for something a little classier: an appetizer of spam musubi (think spam sushi) and a plate of grilled salmon and rice for the main course. My fellow dinner guests ordered fairly varied selections: tuna marinated in soy sauce and garnished with seaweed and onions as an appetizer, panko breaded chicken with rice, Loco Moco, and a seared tuna salad. Hukilau’s menu offers something for practically everyone, though I do have one complaint in its lack of vegetarian selection. Going through the menu, I counted only one burger, two salads, and two appetizers suitable for vegetarians. I’d definitely like to see more options for vegetarians, as I feel like five just isn’t enough for a menu the caliber of Hukilau’s.

Our appetizers came quite promptly, and my spam was, as usual, perfection. It wasn’t long since I had my first taste of spam musubi, but from the start I had been amazed how delicious a concoction of cooked spam, rice, and soy sauce all wrapped in seaweed could be. I was offered a bite of the tuna appetizer, which exploded flavor with every chew. Sure enough, the appetizers were satisfying and left me wanting more.

Little did I know, more was on the way quicker than expected – our entrées were delivered to us fast. Not so fast that we couldn’t enjoy the appetizers, but much faster than your ordinary restaurant wait. The food was fast, piping hot, and delicious. My grilled salmon was accented with the perfect amount of herbs, which added enough flavor to the dish without overpowering the natural taste of the salmon. It all rested on a bed of pasta and onions, a delicious surprise which they neglected to mention on the menu. My side order – three scoops of rice – also helped to balance out the flavors of the meal, making for a deliciously filling entrée. My dinner guests were satisfied as well, but we all managed to somehow make room for dessert: a Hawaii-manufactured brownie heated up and topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. When you taste the combination of the warm brownie and cold ice cream melding together in your mouth, you’ll see just why it was so necessary to leave a little stomach space for dessert.

The live performers were a nice addition to our meal, but there was a problem in how loud the music was. Because of the performers playing at such a high volume, it was hard to make conversation with my dinner guests, and I believe that conversation is a crucial component to eating as a group. Nevertheless, the performers were friendly and had a very relaxing selection of music. They even made an effort to acknowledge the audience (specifically my roommate), conversing about specific places in Hawaii.

All in all, Hukilau’s casual atmosphere, decorative style, and delectable food make for a must-visit for any USF student. The prices may be a tad high for the average college student’s budget, but they make up for it with big portions of great food. So if the cafeteria just isn’t cutting it, hit up the Hukilau for a satisfying taste of authentic Hawaiian.

Rating: 8.5/10