Every Friday, Ono Poke comes to the Ghost River taproom for a pop-up lunch. Two weeks ago, I tried it the first time and had a Poke Bowl which was delicious. This time, my choice was one of their hot plates: the Kalua Pig.
Kalua is a traditional Hawaiian method of cooking meat in an underground oven. The meat is often served at luaus. When I lived in San Diego there was a restaurant on Mission Blvd. that served Kalua Pig and I quickly developed a taste for the dish. Ono Poke’s version of Kalua Pig comes over white rice, topped with green and pickled onions. You get your choice of sauces. I chose the soy, which I was told is the most popular. You get macaroni salad, a very popular dish in Hawaii, on the side. Some weeks they do Kalua chicken as opposed to pig. The hot plate is $9. Ghost River is Downtown at the corner of S. Main and Crump.
You may notice this time, there’s not a beer sitting next to my food! Not that I don’t love a good Grindhouse Cream Ale, but that one I had with my poke bowl two weeks ago left me feeling groggy. Don’t want that when I’m driving the car! This time I got a flavored sparkling water at the bar and all was well.
If you’re Downtown and have never had Hawaiian food before, this is the perfect chance to give it a try.
Already did my Friday Update post, so if this is your first time here today, keep scrolling. I had much news to share.