Graphic: James Nakamura

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow—probably because we’ve been ho-ho-hoing our way around town buying and eating these Advent calendar gift ideas. Purely for research purposes, of course. Some ideas are so ‘ono, we have to hold them for the next installment of this five-part series because some people eat the ideas before we can photo them, so we have to go buy more.

We hope you’ll love these suggestions as much as we do. Stay tuned every week for the next three weeks as we bring you more foodie-themed gifts that are made in the Islands or sold at locally owned small businesses.

SEE ALSO: Frolic Foodie Advent Calendar: Local Kine Gifts for Days 1–5

Banana Bread

Photo: Courtesy of @bakinmekrazee

What’s to love: There are lots of banana breads from all kinds of pop-up bakers, but Bakin’ Me Krazee’s is our far-and-away favorite. Moist, but not mushy; firm, but not dense; and rich from ripe bananas, but not overly sweet. This year, owner Malyssa is bakin’ her sumptuous loaves in various flavors and selling them in festive Christmas boxes. —Diane Seo

How much: $6 to $12 for Christmas boxes

Where to find: @bakinmecrazee

Shiny Shave Ice Dog Toy

Photo: Courtesy of @disandbark

What’s to love: First, we love a clear mission statement, like Dis-and-Bark’s “local dog toys for local dogs.” And second, shiny shave ice! Strawberry Lickikoi juice cans! And a lifted pickup truck with detachable cooler! Dis-and-Bark expanded from an online mom-and-pop to three retail locations with plush toys for dogs that may be even more irresistible to their humans. There’s also a maile lei dog toy, a manapua truck with detachable manapua, and a 4-pack of Pawlicken whose plush green bottles each contains a tube squeaker.

How much: $12 to $30

Where to find: Multiple locations, disandbark.com, @disandbark

Holiday Okoshi

Photo: Courtesy of @madebyaliyoko

What’s to love: When we recently gifted baker Alison Yokouchi’s aji amarillo cashew okoshi and her apple cardamom okoshi, the feedback we got was filled with superlatives. “She is a fantastic baker and the okoshi is award-winning! Both flavors are outstanding!” one friend texted. Formerly a pastry chef at Halekulani Hotel, Yokouchi dreams up intriguing flavors for her rotation of Japanese puffed rice snacks, which she sells via Instagram direct messages and at pop-up events at Ethel’s Grill. —Diane Seo

How much: $10

Where to find: @madebyaliyoko

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

What’s to love: Tree ornaments from CocoNene are designed and made in Hawai‘i on lightweight birchwood. Dozens of Island themes include this trio (Onions on poke bowl? Check. Gravy on loco moco? Check. And those rice grains!), plus a hula girl gingerbread and a smiling Spam musubi. And we love that they’ll fit in any Advent calendar or Christmas card.

How much: $14

Where to find: Multiple locations, coconene.com, @coconenehawaii

Pau Hana drink mixers

Photo: Tev Media

What’s to love: Bartender Tyler Yafuso’s cocktail mixers combine local flavors with a sustainable push. The three flavors—li hing lemon, liliko‘i lime Hawaiian chile pepper, and pineapple lime lemongrass—use excess produce from local farms; recipes on Pau Hana Co.’s website suggest mixing them with locally made spirits. They’re equally good in mocktails.

How much: $15

Where to find: drinkpauhana.com, @thepauhana.co

SEE ALSO: Shake It Up With Pau Hana Co. Drink Mixers

Editor’s Note: A text from Gregg Hoshida today made us remember this post, originally published in May 2023, about a loco moco so superlative it catapulted onto Our Top 5: Best Loco Mocos in Hawaiʻi. So here it is again, perfect for a season of comfort foods.

Oh, and Gregg’s text today? It was about a different spot not far from Taka’s that has captured his heart and taste buds. Look for it soon on Frolic.

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

As a dish, the loco moco seems simple enough. Rice, hamburger patty, brown gravy and a fried egg. For aficionados and purists, its simplicity means that every humble ingredient needs to be transcendent, every component well thought out. Such is the case with the loco moco at Taka’s Box Lunch. From the first grain of rice to the last drop of gravy, Taka’s is, in my opinion, a serious contender for best loco moco in the state.

Located in industrial Mapunapuna, Taka’s is a modest establishment slightly hidden between the larger businesses that surround it. It took me three passes to find it the first time I went, and, finding the few spaces in front full, I drove some more until I found street parking. The menu is straightforward: Breakfast boxes of eggs and assorted meats ($9), omelets ($10), hamburger sandwiches ($9) and mixed plates ($11.50) point to a restaurant that knows what workers in the surrounding area want.

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

What catches my eye is a handwritten sign: “This isn’t fast food, this is quality food made as fast as we can.” Customers, it says, should allow at least 20 minutes for their orders. Admittedly, waiting 20 minutes for a plate lunch seems pretty daunting at first, but you can always call in your order in advance.

SEE ALSO: We Compiled Your Top 5 Poke, Gau Gee, Meat Jun, Loco Moco

The $13.50 plate contains a bed of white rice nearly invisible under two (!) four-ounce hamburger patties. A blanket of deep brown gravy covers the rice and patties and is topped with two sunny-side eggs with a tiny bit of crispy edge. And because this is Hawai‘i, there’s yet another scoop of white rice accompanied by a scoop of spaghetti “mac” salad.

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

I’ve eaten a lot of loco mocos in my day. This one makes a bold statement on my palate. The patties are perfectly seasoned and fork-tender, a textural must when sandwiched between rice and eggs. Unctuously rich gravy completes the perfect bite. The spaghetti “mac” salad, rarely seen these days, provides cool, creamy relief before I dig in for another hefty bite.

Kanak attack notwithstanding, the loco moco from Taka’s Box Lunch is worth finding parking and waiting for. It has even inspired a new personal goal: Having co-authored Frolic’s statewide Top 5 Loco Moco ranking in 2018, I’m inspired to revisit the quest in this post-pandemic era. Taka’s is that good.

Open Monday to Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 830 Mapunapuna St., (808) 834-6918, @takasboxlunch

Graphic: James Nakamura

We know you, you’re eating your last stashes of Halloween candy while planning your Thanksgiving dish AND your Christmas gift list. Same here. So we came up with our first-ever Frolic Foodie Advent Calendar, with 25 gift ideas for 25 days of giving.

Some are edible or drinkable, others are foodie-themed. All are made in these Islands or sold at locally owned small businesses. You can find them online or at places on O‘ahu, listed below. We’ll be bringing them to you five gift ideas at a time, every week, in a five-part series that starts here. Happy giving!

SEE ALSO: Frolic Foodie Advent Calendar: Local Kine Gifts for Days 6-10

Guava Li Hing Gummies

Photo: Mari Taketa

What’s to love: The chew on these gummy bears is not too sticky, not too bouncy, but juuust right. Add the guava tang and generous bits of peel, and you can see why this was a hit at our staff meeting. Props for packaging in a jar and not a bag. Note: We were so excited, we started eating before we remembered to take a photo.

How much: $6.99 for a 6-ounce jar with Maika‘i card through Nov. 26, then $8.39

Where to find: Foodland and Foodland Farms stores

Hawaiian Krunch Granola

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

What’s to love: Someone who travels a lot told us this makes good omiyage, so we tried it out. Verdict: Canoe crops do make good granola! Flavors balance coconut, honey, warm seasonings and mac nuts with crunchy niblets of ‘ulu, kalo and ‘uala (our fave because it comes with cacao nibs). Handmade in small batches in Upcountry Maui.

How much: $17.99 for a 10-ounce bag in stores; $34.99 for a sampler pack of three 5-ounce bags or $39.99 for a sampler gift box at hawaiiankrunch.com

Where to find: ChefZone, Farm Link, hawaiiankrunch.com

Info: hawaiiankrunch.com

SEE ALSO: The Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed: Hawaiian Krunch Turns Canoe Crops Into Granola

Kakimochi and Chex Mix Coasters

Photo: Courtesy of Jana Lam Hawai‘i

What’s to love: These two-sided coasters are hand-printed at Jana Lam’s small studio in Kaka‘ako. A third layer sandwiched in between adds stability. We love that these are made from leftover scrap material, meaning less waste. And it’s kakimochi and Chex Mix!

How much: $38

Where to find: janalam.com

Food, Ka Mea ‘Ai

Photo: Mari Taketa

What’s to love: Written in conversational English and ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, this picture book introduces keiki ages 1 to 5 to the names of local foods like mango and noodles. Part of Resi Suehiro’s six-book Little Island Readers series, whose other topics include recycling, shave ice and endangered animals. Maika‘i loa!

How much: $10.95

Where to find: Da Shop, Bess Press

Photo: Mari Taketa

SEE ALSO: Da Shop’s Greatest Hits: Volume 1

Kvasir’s Mead

Photo: Courtesy of Village Bottle Shop

What’s to love: New meads from Hawai‘i Island—Kvasir’s started out in Mountain View in 2021—are made from the family’s generations-old Polish recipes. Ingredients come from Big Island beekeepers and natural farmers, and each mead comes with a story (our current fave: Yeastie Boys. Read it on the website.) In stock at Village Bottle Shop in Kaka‘ako are 500-ml bottles of Yeastie Boys, a banana-longan mead; White Rabbit, a banana-vanilla mead; and Dark Horse, a medieval black or bochet mead.

How much: Dark Horse $25.99, White Rabbit and Yeastie Boys $28.99

Where to find: Village Bottle Shop in Kaka‘ako

Info: kvasirsmead.com

Editor’s Note: It’s nearly four years since former HONOLULU Magazine editor Christi Young first published her family’s oxtail soup recipe. It’s an easy go-to for soup weather. And the 1/4 cup of whiskey toward the end is completely optional.

Photo: Christi Young

There is a little debate about where my grandma got her recipe for this lip-smacking, collagen-heavy soup. The suspicion is that she found her favorite in one of the Hawaiian Electric cookbooks, then added a few ingredients of her own, including, at one point, tangerine peel. (It was later deleted.)

I don’t know what rendition of this dish I received from my mom. All I know is that it has the flavors I grew up with. And when I make it, my husband, father-in-law and one of my close friends wait eagerly, ginger shoyu at the ready.

My girls were a little skittish when they saw the large chunks of oxtail. So I broke the meat off the bone and threw some fresh saimin noodles in the broth for more keiki-friendly eating.

SEE ALSO: Hawai‘i Comfort Food: Portuguese Bean Soup Recipe 

Oxtail Soup

Ingredients

• 6 lbs. of oxtail, blanched and drained
• 2 cups raw, unshelled peanuts
• 6-8 shiitake mushrooms, soaked and cut in half or thirds
• 3 star anise prongs
• 2 teaspoons Hawaiian salt
• 1.5-inch piece of ginger, smashed, plus a few pieces for ginger shoyu
• 2–3 carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
• 4 quarts water
• 1–2 chicken bouillon cubes

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients in a pot and bring to boil.
2. Simmer for 2.5–3 hours.
3. Use a gravy separator to remove the oil or skim oil off the top.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Optional: add 1/4 cup good whiskey 30 minutes before done.
6. Use a garlic press to squeeze the juice out of a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger and mix with shoyu. Serve on the side.
7. Top with green onions or cilantro to taste.

Note: If you like your peanuts firm or on the crunchier side, add them in the last hour.

Welcome to $10 Eats, my journey to find filling dishes you can savor without breaking the bank. Today, I’m taking you to three must-visit places not far from the UH-Mānoa campus.

SEE ALSO: Beer Lab Opens a Fun Bar and Lounge with Food at Puck’s Alley

Rainbow Drive-In’s Loco Moco Bowl

Photo: Lucas Kamata

First up is the Loco Moco Bowl from Rainbow Drive-In, a true local classic for just $7.50. Picture this: a mound of rice topped with a seasoned hamburger patty, all smothered with that rich brown gravy. Add a perfectly cooked egg of your choice on top, and you have the ultimate comfort food. It’s a smaller version of the famous loco plate, but the flavors are the same, incredibly bold and satisfying. This dish is a must for a quick lunch or a casual dinner, and trust me: It’s a decent portion that will leave you feeling full and happy. Also at Rainbow’s, things like the Chili Dog Boat and Rainbow Royal with double patties are less than $10.

Multiple locations, (808) 737-0177, rainbowdrivein.com, @rainbowdrivein

Okata Bento’s Mini Mix Plates

Photo: Lucas Kamata

Next, let’s head to Okata Bento in Kaimukī for the Mini Mix Plate featuring your choice of meat. From the menu of beef teriyaki, char siu chicken, tonkatsu and other hard-to-choose classics, I decide on the Mahi Mahi and Teriyaki Chicken for $9.50. This is a delightful flavor combo. The Mahi Mahi is expertly grilled, while the teriyaki chicken is sweet and savory with a nice char. What’s unique about Okata Bento is that your meal is prepared fresh when you order it, ensuring you get a piping hot experience every time. Just remember to bring some cash, as Okata doesn’t accept plastic.

3616 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 737-6063, @okatabento

Burritos at Koa Pancake House

Photo: Lucas Kamata

Last, let’s not forget the massive burritos at Koa Pancake House. This is a tossup: My friends swear by the Vinha D’alhos Burrito with fried potatoes, onions and eggs for $7.50, while my go-to is the Koa Breakfast Burrito with Portuguese sausage, cheese, eggs and potatoes for $6.95. There’s also a Veggie Burrito. These burritos are enormous! The vinha d’alhos one is stuffed with marinated pork loin that bursts with flavor in a soft tortilla. Each bite offers a combination of savory flavors and textures that make your taste buds dance. It’s perfect for anyone with a good appetite but not a hefty wallet.

Multiple locations, (808) 739-7778, koapancakehouse.com, @koapancakehouse

Hungry yet? Stay tuned for Part 2 because I’m exploring options for cheap burgers and pizza.

Editor’s Note: After Tuesday’s thunderous downpours and nail-biter elections, we could all use some soul-soothing. That’s what you’ll find in these five bowls—readers’ top picks from our January 2022 poll asking for their favorite version of a local classic.

Oxtail soup, not surprisingly, is subjective. Do you like a clean, classic broth or a deeper one rich with spices and mushrooms? Leafy greens twined through the oxtails or no veggies at all? Don’t even get us started on peanuts. Or are you forever smitten with the version you grew up with?

With several restaurants around the island laying claim to the tastiest oxtail soup, we put the vote to you, our readers. More than 1,200 of you weighed in, many writing in your favorites. Props to all who voted for your own recipe or your dad’s or brother-in-law’s and to those eateries that led the write-in voting: Guieb Cafe, Rokaru Shabu Shabu, Tanaka Saimin and MW Restaurant.

Among the top vote-getters, voting was very close among Nos. 2 to 5, but you left absolutely no doubt about your No. 1 choice. Here are O‘ahu’s favorite oxtail soups.

No. 5: Espresso Bar at Neiman Marcus

Photo: Sean Morris

This may seem like a surprise pick, with 5.8% of votes cast, but the oxtail soup at Neiman Marcus Ala Moana’s Espresso Bar has had a following for years. The off-menu item is a Thursday special at this lunch café and often sells out by noon, so best to get there early. Remember, Thursdays only!

1450 Ala Moana Blvd., (808) 951-3445, stores.neimanmarcus.com

No. 4: Zippy’s

Photo: Mari Taketa

Because sometimes you need oxtail soup at midnight. Because you need it everywhere. Because the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, and because there’s peanuts. The oxtail soup at this favorite local chain got 6.8% of reader votes.

Multiple locations, zippys.com, @zippys

No. 3: Asahi Grill Ward

Photo: Mari Taketa

Another famous old-school classic, this purist version with clear, collagen-rich, sticky-lip broth and nothing else in the bowl save big, tender oxtails with cilantro and green onion got 8.2% of the vote. Not to be confused with Asahi Grill Ke‘eaumoku, now known as Asahi Grill Kaimukī after its move to Wai‘alae Avenue.

515 Ward Ave., (808) 593-2800

No. 2: Kapi‘olani Coffee Shop

Photo: Lee Tonouchi

It’s in Waimalu now, but Kapi‘olani Coffee Shop traces its roots back to the old Aloha Motors site, aka where the Hawai‘i Convention Center is now on Kapi‘olani Boulevard, in the 1960s. With a classic broth, this bowl from the self-proclaimed “Home of the Famous Oxtail Soup” drew 8.4% of reader votes.

98-020 Kamehameha Hwy, (808) 488-7708

SEE ALSO: Battle of Two Legendary Oxtail Soups

No. 1: The Alley at ‘Aiea Bowl

Photo: Martha Cheng

OMG, O‘ahu! Seriously, 32% of all votes cast? We knew the oxtail soup at this bowling alley restaurant had buzz, but the Alley’s bowl dominated this poll. New-school touches include house-made ponzu sauce for dipping. Next time you go for the tasty chicken and a slice of lemon, pumpkin or strawberry crunch, don’t sleep on the oxtail soup.

99-115 Aiea Heights Dr., (808) 488-6854, aieabowl.com/restaurant, @aieabowl

SEE ALSO:

• You Voted: Here’s Your Top 5 Ramen Shops on O‘ahu
• You Voted: Here’s Your Top 5 Saimin Spots on O‘ahu
• You Voted: Here’s Your Top 5 Okazuya on O’ahu
• You Voted: Here’s Your Top 5 Classic Loco Mocos
• You Voted: Here’s Your Top 5 Poke Shops

Photo: Andrea Lee

When I worked on Cooke Street, I brought home lunch to save money but treated myself to one meal out a week. More often than not, that treat came from Cooke Street Market. The spicy mayo poke bowl was the highlight of my week.

That was several years ago. “We used to be a poke store, but now, we’re more of a matcha store,” says owner Andrew Ishikawa. With fewer office workers in the area after the pandemic, he says, they had to shift gears. Now, Cooke Street Market is best known for its strawberry matcha latte, an Instagram winner with its brightly hued layers.

SEE ALSO: Sweet Treats: Where to Find Hawai‘i’s Only Snowthies

I happen to be a fan of Japanese tea drinks. And while I may not work in Kaka‘ako anymore, I now live there. Here’s what I recommend at Cooke Street Market:

Photos: Andrea Lee

Spicy Mayo Poke Bowl

$17.50, may change depending on fish market price

The poke bowl is more expensive than it used to be (what isn’t these days?), but it’s still worth it with close to half a pound of fish. You can choose from ‘ahi, salmon or any other fish, or a mix of all of the above. I usually get salmon or ‘ahi.

The poke chunks are so big, they’re almost sashimi-sized. Normally, big chunks might be too fishy, but these just melt in the mouth. Though the spicy mayo could be spicier—I have a high spice tolerance—it’s a decent amount of heat and tasty. Crunchy pickles of shichimi cabbage and cucumber brighten the bowl and refresh my palate between bites of velvety poke. And the balanced rice ratio means there’s just enough to eat with all of the poke, not too much.

Photo: Andrea Lee

Aburi Salmon Plate

$21

My new favorite. A sizable hunk of Atlantic salmon is seared, sliced, placed on a bed of salad and topped with wasabi relish, green onions and sesame seeds. Yuzu ponzu sauce comes on the side, and rice and pickled vegetables complete the plate.

Trust me and drench the salmon in the yuzu ponzu sauce—its zest complements the fatty fish along with the wasabi relish. This salmon likewise melts in my mouth, the charred exterior adding a smoky dimension. The plate is surprisingly filling, giving me leftover salmon to enjoy later.

Photos: Andrea Lee

Strawberry Matcha Latte

$8

Lots of places offer strawberry matcha lattes, so what makes this one stand out? Cooke Street Market gets its matcha from Nagata Chaen, a tea maker in Kyoto, Japan (you can buy the tea at the shop, $5 for six 5-gram powder packets); and it makes the strawberry syrup from scratch.

Mix those beautiful layers and sip, and you’ll get why people come here just for the strawberry matcha latte. It’s creamy and smooth, tangy-sweet from the strawberry, and retains the signature matcha taste without bitterness.

There’s also a strawberry hojicha latte. You can swap out the dairy for oat milk for 50 cents more.

Hojicha Frappé

$7

Super smooth and refreshing, this drink is made with Nagata Chaen’s hoji roasted matcha. A drizzle of caramel sauce on the sides of the cup sweetens it considerably (non-sweet tooths can ask for no caramel). The hojicha frappé is huge and lasts me all day.

SEE ALSO: Sweet Treats: Don’t Sleep on the Hojicha Frappé at Matcha Café Maiko

If I can drag myself away from my favorites, I’ll try the hoedeopbap (a bibimbap with raw fish) and the miso dynamite salmon plate.

Photo: Andrea Lee

Cooke Street Market is in the Imperial Plaza building (parking entrance on Kawaiaha‘o Street) and will validate for two hours of free parking with any purchase. There is also plenty of metered and free parking on nearby streets. Keep in mind that the kitchen is only open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but drinks are served all day.

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., kitchen open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 725 Kapi‘olani Blvd. C122, csmhawaii.com, @cookestreetmarket

When you dine out as much as Aaron Avilla does, you have to be in tune with the culinary scene or you’ll get bored real quick. An IT professional by day, Aaron likes a lot of different foods but loves few and has opinions on everything.

Judging from the Facebook comments on a recent repost of Mari Taketa’s “What is it about saimin?”, it is safe to say that not liking saimin is very unpopular. Less popular than rail. Less popular than TMT. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a one-sided reaction to such an honest and harmless opinion about food! The reaction speaks to the fierce loyalty Hawai‘i residents have for their unique version of Asian noodles in a bowl. Mari wondered if saimin is worthy of this loyalty, or is our loyalty a product of nostalgia and hallowed history? A lot of people were upset by the question, but no one was answering it.

 

My initial reaction was disbelief: Why would anyone not like saimin? It’s perfect! But I started thinking … is it really perfect? Is it even good?

 

Saimin is basically three things: noodles, broth and toppings. Saimin places in town do each of these components differently and with different degrees of success.

 

Noodles

Much like ramen, saimin noodles come in a range. Thick or thin? Soft or chewy? It really depends on your taste. Personally? I like both. Shige’s in Wahiawā is well-known for its house-made noodles, which are thicker and have some firmness. This is my choice for when I want my noodles to have some body to them.

 

Photo: Aaron Avilla

 

Sometimes, I prefer thin noodles. You would think that thick noodles are more filling when you are extra hungry, but I find thin noodles to be much more filling as you can fit more into the bowl. When you can’t get to Nori’s on the Big Island to get their Hilo-style thin saimin noodles, you can get a very comparable substitute at Forty Niner Restaurant in ‘Aiea.

 

Broth

The broth is rather simple when compared to its ramen counterpart. It is usually steeped from some combination fish stock, shrimp, bonito flakes and soy sauce and takes less time to make. Broths vary in flavor and quality.

 

Photo: Aaron Avilla

 

One broth that is done differently and stands out is at Palace Saimin in Kalihi. Crafted from a recipe that dates back to the 1940s, this broth is made by simmering beef and pork bones for hours. It has a ton of flavor while maintaining the clean and clear body of a saimin broth. Plus, it is served at the right temperature (steaming!) and is always consistent.

 

Toppings

No bowl of saimin is complete without toppings. Some restaurants stick with the simple combo of green onion, char siu pork and kamaboko while others will add in some kind of lunch meat like Spam or ham, and many have the option to add vegetables like won bok cabbage and bean sprouts.

 

You won’t find Zippy’s on many people’s best saimin list, but you’ll find it on mine because they have a pork saimin that I really enjoy, especially when ordered with extra garnishes. It comes loaded with char siu and traditional roast pork along with sliced egg, green onion, kamaboko and choy sum—all of which go terrific with your hot mustard and shoyu dipping sauce (especially the choy sum)!

 

Photo: Aaron Avilla

 

Saimin is not ramen and it is not pho. Saimin will never be considered an umami bomb with complex flavors that tickle taste buds you never knew you had. Yes, it is familiar and nostalgic, but only because of its goodness. Saimin is simple, and sometimes simple is exactly what you need.

Photo: Courtesy of @hawaiibananasource

After two years on the North Shore, Ka Mai‘a Ho‘olaule‘a, the island’s third annual Banana Festival, is moving closer to Honolulu. The four-hour fest this Sunday at Windward Community College promises plenty of bananas—as in banana creations by buzzy local chefs, a banana recipe cook-off for home cooks and professionals and a banana tasting table with more than 10 locally grown varieties to try. Plus you can buy banana plants, books about bananas and even more banana dishes from local vendors.

‘There‘s a whole slew of Hawaiian bananas that are canoe crops,” says Laurie Carlson of Slow Food O‘ahu, which is organizing the festival with Hawai‘i Banana Source. “Some of them taste more like bananas than others. I just harvested what I call red Cubans, red-fleshed bananas. To me, that banana is so banana-ey. Fruity and sweet, deeply delicious, great texture. Another one, the Iholena, is orange inside and has beta carotene. It tastes a little bit like carrots to me.”

SEE ALSO: We Tried 10 Kinds of Local Bananas (Because We Could)

Actually, hundreds of banana varieties grow in Hawai‘i. More than 150 are at Hawai‘i Banana Source, whose founder, Gabe Sachter-Smith, is giving a talk on banana lore and growing tips at 9 a.m. this Sunday, right before the Banana Festival opens at 10 a.m. Sachter-Smith’s global reputation for identifying and discovering banana types in Africa, China, Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands was written up in a New York Times profile last month. He’s supplying the banana varieties you’ll get to taste.

Photo: Christi Young

What else? You’ll need a ticket for admission—it’s $10 online (through Oct. 19), $12 at the door, and kids 12 and under are free. That ticket also gets you free samples of banana dishes by Nami Kaze, Koko Head Café and Sweet Land Farms, plus Sachter-Smith’s aunty’s banana flower adobo. Additionally, it includes workshops to create art using parts of the banana plant (bring your own T-shirt or tote bag or buy a blank at the festival) and demonstrations of banana fiber weaving and dyeing patterns on kapa with purple Fe‘i banana sap.

BUY TICKETS

If you want to enter the Great Banana Cook-Off, there are four categories: savory main course, pūpū, banana flower and dessert (but no banana bread). There’s no entry fee, and you can enter as many recipes as you like. Prizes include gift certificates and Ho‘okua‘āina fresh poi. Register online.

Ka Mai‘a Ho‘olaule‘a, Banana Festival

When: Sunday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; banana talk starts at 9 a.m.
Where: Windward Community College, 45-720 Kea‘ahala Road, Kāne‘ohe
Tickets: $10 online presale through Oct. 19, $12 at the door, kids 12 and under free
Info: slowfoodoahu.com/bananafest, @hawaiibananasource