What are the best local foods to try?

[Kaitlin]

I really want to enjoy everything Hawaii offers and that means exploring the local cusine is a priority. I would love to hear about any suggestions on what is available.

[jen50]

Wow so many choices to name but to start, if you want to go Hawaiian and aren't going to a luau then try Haili's Hawaiian food, there Kalua pig, laulau, & chicken long rice and of course the poi and haupia are popular and they are located just outside of Waikiki.  
For a plate lunch experience go to Rainbows for their mixed plate teryaki, mahi mahi, and boneless chicken covered in gravy, it comes with rice and macaroni salad (but I get french fries which are great with the gravy), then there's Zippy's for their bento plate plus other things to offer.
In almost every grocery store there is a seafood counter where you can get different kind of (raw fish) poke' but popping up now are diners and Kiosks that specialize in Poke' bowls, which are more along the bento style rather than just a snack or appetizer but you can get different mixtures to fill you up, one favorite is the spicy tuna with Taegu over brown rice, you can check out Poke-stop.com in the menu section or  myhighwayinn.com in the seafood market section for examples, but there are many places closer to Waikiki in the Ala Moana shopping center and Ward Warehouse shopping complex.
Oh, and don't forget the Shaved Iced (rainbow flavor) or if you happen to go to Maui there's guri guri but most call it goodi goodi.

[TheNanny]

All of that food sounds fantastic.  I have always wondered what the heck poi is though? What is in it? Also what is on a bento plate? I look forward to tasting everything Hawaii has to offer.

[whoareyou]

My favourite ..... Banana Bread

i bet you can guess what it is? haha .. Yep, its just mashed bananas in bread, it tastes so good! You should definitely try some .. you can make it simply at your own home, wherever you live, but hawaii has nice bananas

[Kaitlin]

Jen thanks for the detailed response, that was very kind of you. I feel really hungry now and even more excited about this move!

The Nanny, I'm not sure about Poi but 'bento' means lunchbox in Japanese so I am going to guess that a bento plate is a kind of takeaway plate of mixed foods.

[jen50]

Yes, I believe the Japanese workers brought them to the fields, now they often have teriyaki beef or ribs, chicken (usually fried) and fried spam over rice.

Poi is made from the taro plant and it is cooked then mashed or pounded to the desired consistency as water is added to it. Poi is definitely an acquired taste or something that's better eaten with something else much like rice is.

[TheNanny]

Thanks Jen for the reply.  Is there anything you can compare Poi with taste wise? Is it anything like guacomole or something? It sounds like something I might want to try.