"Head south on 82nd and eventually you’ll encounter a gravel lot behind a florist shop with a couple of battered picnic tables chained to a post. Iolani’s handwritten whiteboard menu fluctuates regularly, but there’s always a mix of Hawaiian classics on there, with the usual accompaniment of rice and mac salad. It’s hard to go wrong with Hawaiian food — there’s a lot of salt and sugar and umami to play with — but it’s difficult to truly excel. Iolani’s delivers expert balance of those distinctive flavors in downright extravagant portions, true to the generous reputation of the islanda. The kalua pork in particular is an absolute masterpiece: tender, savory, and streaked with rich pockets of molten fat. The setting may not be fancy, but this is absolutely a plate lunch worth putting some miles on the odometer for." - Ben Coleman