"There aren’t many dedicated Hawaiian spots in the city, but this takeout-only spot in Parkside is masterfully filling the niche for anyone who has li hing mui running through their veins. Step into the counter-service space and you’re greeted with bright murals of waves and hibiscus flowers, a shelf of Hawaiian snacks (lilikoi shortbread, anyone?), and a shave ice machine humming away in the back. The short menu of decadent entrées and sides are as good as anything you’d find islandside—you’ll see tightly wrapped spam musubi for an on-the-go snack, crisp garlic shrimp and pineapple sausage plates, and containers loaded with tater tots, furikake, and spicy mayo. Also know that no visit is complete without the shave ice, a syrup-soaked mound we’d take down even on a foggy day out in the Avenues. If you want to eat your shrimp immediately, there’s a bench out front, or you can take your haul to McCoppin Square for a picnic. photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng Food Rundown photo credit: Erin Ng Spam Musubi This palm-sized bundle hits all the marks—spam with caramelized edges, a smattering of furikake, and sweet and fluffy rice. We have no notes. photo credit: Erin Ng Shrimp + Sausage When you inevitably can’t decide between garlic shrimp or pineapple sausage, get this plate with both. And while both are worth your time, it’s the smoky sausage that really sings. Everything is smeared with a breath-ruining amount of thick garlic butter sauce that should be bottled and sold. photo credit: Erin Ng Shave Ice You're ordering this. The shave ice here has that super fine texture that’s hard to find in the city. The well-packed dessert gets fully saturated with lilikoi, cherry, or POG syrup. Purple Potato Salad The mini chunks of potato are satisfyingly creamy, but the thick-cut bacon is what really lends a salty punch. This is a sleeper hit. photo credit: Erin Ng Hurricane Tots Throw spicy mayo, furikake, and arare into a box of tater tots and there’s not much that can go wrong. You should get these to snack on if you’re sharing with a group, but you could also easily take down an entire order alone." - Julia Chen
