Highlight of our trip so far. Waikiki is a really fun place to visit, but it can feel a bit insulated from the rest of the city and island. When we travel, we always want to imagine what it's like to live in that place. Who doesn't dream about living in Hawaii after all? Well this food tour with Secret Hawaii Tours gave us that context, and so much more. We were transported out of Waikiki, and into the real, local Honolulu.
Lanai is such a great host, super friendly, and has deep knowledge of the area and food culture happening here.
Our tour started in the grocery store, which was the perfect place to think about local ingredients, and deconstruct what it really means to eat Hawaiian. From there we built on the history and cultural immigrations into the islands, and how that has affected what people eat. Hawaii is a melting pot of so many Polynesian and asian cultures, all contributing to the local eats.
Lanai builds the experience, leading to a feast at one of the small, local markets. My favorite was the Laulau, taro wrapped pork. The taro leaves are an amazing green that is somewhere in between collard greens from the deep south and spinach. Then the BBQ pork wrapped inside. Its an amazing dish, and well worth seeking out when you come to the islands. Book a trip with Secret Hawaii Tours, and you'll get that and so much more. Its well worth it.