Ono Hawaiian Grill

I love Hawaiian food - the traditional lau lau, kalua pig, and spam musabi. This hearty cuisine is what makes those big Samoan Hawaiian guys so big for football. And Ono Hawaiian Grill serves up some of this fare. Well, Ono, like most other Hawaiian restaurants in the LA area, is serving it in a fast food fashion. You rarely see Hawaiian served in a fine dining setting, like Roy's Hawaiian.

On this day, we had the Hawaiian style chicken and the kalua pig plate, with a side of spam musabi. The chicken, like pork, is one of the few proteins that can be served savory or sweet. In this case, the sweetness of the sauce and marinade in the grilled chicken made a tastier dish. I don't know many other cuisines with a "sweet-side" of chicken. Unfortunately, the chicken was good a bit too long and was on the tougher side. The slow cooked and tender kalua pig is similar in texture of Mexican carnitas. Yet, also sweet like chicken, kalua pork is also good with a little heat. Unfortunately, Ono only featured Latin style hot sauces, not a homemade Hawaiian Fire Water - which is rarely found nowadays in this area.

Amyways. . . I realized I was comparing Ono Hawaiian Grill with Ono Grill in Monterey Park. Ono Hawaiian Grill didn't have the same taste as Ono Grill. I would also pick a bunch of other Hawaiian restaurants in the South Bay over Ono Hawaiian.

Note: I just found out that they closed Ono Hawaiian Grill recently.

What to Order: Kalua Pork
What not to Order: Hawaiian Style Chicken

Rating
0 pigs, $

Ono Hawaiian Grill
800 W Las Tunas Dr
Temple City, CA 91776
(626) 284-6600
http://www.onohawaiianbbq.com