President Barack Obama doesn't need a restaurant guide when he visits Hawaii. When the island icon comes home to visit family and vacation, he knows exactly where and what to eat. His favorites range from Hawaii's top fine-dining establishments to walk-up windows where $10 could buy a carb-rich feast. Michelle Obama once said, “You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii.” And there's no way to truly experience Hawaii without tasting the local “grinds.” During his past two visits to Honolulu, where he was born and raised, Obama provided a glimpse of what pleases his presidential palate. While he has undoubtedly become a fan of Chicago fare, he didn't experience deep-dish pizzas or Italian beef sandwiches growing up. The closest young Obama got to snow was slurping a Hawaiian shave ice. “I'm going to get a plate lunch,” Obama proclaimed, moments after arriving in Honolulu on his August vacation. The name “plate lunch” doesn't quite do it justice. It should be called: Heaping pile of rice and meat crammed into a plastic foam container that could feed a small family, costs about $6, will require a couple of Rolaids and induce a two-hour nap. And if there's nothing on the plate that's deep fried, soaked in mayonnaise, smothered in gravy or doubles your bad cholesterol level, it's not a true plate lunch. Plate lunches have been a part of Hawaii for decades. They are believed to have originated in the 19th century plantation era, when sugarcane workers brought rice, pickled vegetables and other leftovers from dinner and took a lunch break together in the shade. Decades later, “lunch wagons” started delivering plate lunches to laborers, much like they do today. Plate lunches reflect the state's multicultural population, with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and American influences. Plate lunches are widely available from white lunch wagons parked around downtown and at many restaurants. The best spots don't show up in tour books, but the locals prefer it that way, because the lines are already too long. At one point during his last visit, Obama offered journalists a shave ice. Hawaii's shave ice is a monster version of the snow cone, featuring fine-shaved powder with no icy chunks and a long list of tropical flavors. “Guys, here's your chance,” Obama said. “No? I'm telling you, this is really good.” Here are some of the places President Obama eats when he's in Hawaii, along with some of the eateries he spent time in growing up. Indigo, 1121 nuuanu Ave., Honolulu Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama's sister, who lives in Honolulu, has said Indigo is one of her brother's favorite spots. Indigo is a hotspot in Chinatown, popular with everyone from locals like Kelsey Grammer to Honolulu's political and business power players. Greg Johnson, Indigo's vice president of operations, said when the Obamas visited in August, they were treated like ordinary guests. “We made sure not to take pictures, or bother him or his guests and really just let them enjoy themselves,” he said. Alan wong's, 1857 S. King St., Honolulu Another Obama favorite is Alan Wong's, according to his sister. The acclaimed restaurant is a leader in Hawaii Regional Cuisine, which is a fusion of flavors and foods from the islands' many cultures, stressing local ingredients like seafood and produce. Popular items include ginger-crusted onaga, a long-tail red snapper, and twice-cooked short rib. Rainbow drive-in, 3308 Kanaina Ave., Honolulu Obama mentioned Rainbow as a possible stop to get his local plate lunch fix. It's located just outside of Waikiki and popular with hungry surfers and locals looking for a quick, hearty and affordable meal. Traditional plate lunch offerings include hamburger steak ($5.75). A mix plate comes with teriyaki-style beef, mahimahi and boneless chicken for $6.50. The outdoor eatery hasn't changed much since it was founded in 1961 by Seiju Ifuku, who learned to cook while during World War II while serving in the Army. Island snow shave ice, 130 Kailua Road,Kailua Island Snow has served up cold, colorful concoctions to NBA athletes, rock stars, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jamie Lee Curtis. Even with its star-studded clientele, the super laid-back, surfer-type crew doesn't bat an eye. Until Obama walked in. “It was nuts,” said Richard Whaley, who created the treat for the then-presidential candidate in August. Whaley said Obama's entourage seemed like it was 300 deep, including police, Secret Service, reporters, photographers, staffers, friends and about a dozen kids. “It's the shave ice that went around the world,” Whaley said. And things haven't been the same since. Tourists have flocked to order the same shave ice Obama ordered and sit on the same bench. The store even sells Obama T-shirts now. Obama had the regular-size cone ($2.50) with three flavors: “choo-choo cherry,” “da kine lemon-lime” and “tangy guava-orange.” The most popular item is the “Rainbow” – strawberry, vanilla and banana. Kua aina sandwich, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu Obama created quite a scene when he stopped at Kua Aina and purchased a box of burgers to take to nearby Ala Moana Beach Park to share with family and friends during his visit in August. Obama ordered eight 1/3-pound cheeseburgers ($7.50), six 1/2-pound cheeseburgers ($7.90), 10 Kiddie Burgers ($4.50) and 20 orders of fries ($2.25 or $3.25). He must have received a presidential pardon because his tab totaled just $116.50, about half of what it should have been. He did leave $40 in the tip jar. Koko Marina Paradise and Kokonuts shave ice, 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy., Honolulu After watching dolphins at Sea Life Park, Obama and his daughters ate at Koko Marina Paradise deli owned by Akemi Shindo, bypassing the nearby Subway sandwich shop. “Let me get a tuna sandwich,” Obama said, asking for it on 12-grain bread, tomatoes and no mayo. “Actually, can you melt cheese on that? Can you make like a tuna melt with cheddar cheese?” The tuna melt is now known as the “Presidential Order” and costs $6.50. Besides a wide variety of sandwiches, the deli also features fresh crepes and even teriyaki beef bowls ($5). Obama then went across the parking lot to order shave ice at Kokonuts Shave Ice and ordered 15 treats for his daughters, friends and staff members. Owner Sabina Yi said Obama had the small lemon-lime and cherry and that business has picked up since his visit.
