Oahu Hawaiian BBQ - Fresno

Oahu Hawaiian BBQ

Hawaiian Barbecue is the name used on the US mainland for the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. The Hawaiian Plate lunch dates from the 1880s when plantation workers packed leftover rice and other leftovers in a box. The workers came from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippians, Portugal, and the New England States. The plate lunch has elements of each of these cuisines as well as the later addition of macaroni salad. In the 1990s the concept was brought to California and given the name Hawaiian Barbecue. There are several chains including L&L, the original. Oahu Hawaiian is a local Fresno outpost of this food. 
http://www.oahuhawaiianbbq.com/

Menu Choices

We ordered two appetizers and three entrees. You order at the counter, and the waitstaff call you when your meal is ready. The food is cook-to-order so it may take a few minutes if the restaurant is busy. The appetizers we ordered were egg rolls and Spam musubi. Musubi is a Hawaiian sushi roll.

Egg Rolls

Spam Musubi

The three entrees we ordered was the Japanese-inspired chicken katsu, the Hawaiian BBQ chicken, and a combination plate with Kalua Pork and Lau Lau Pork. Lau Lau Pork is a traditional Hawaiian dish: the pork is wrapped in taro leaves and steamed. Taro leaves give the pork a unique flavor that some may not like. The taro leaves are not eaten. The Kalua Pork is pork cooked in the traditional Hawaiian method of smoking meat in an underground oven until it is tender and falls apart (similar to pulled pork). Many U.S. eateries use liquid smoke on the pork and then roast it.

Chicken Katsu with Rice and Macaroni Salad

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken with Rice and Macaroni Salad

Kalua Pork and Lau Lau Pork in Taro Leaves

The three dishes and two entrees came to $38.15 including tax. Oahu Hawaiian BBQ is located at 7723 N Blackstone Avenue in north Fresno. It is open every day from 10:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. except on Sunday when it closes at 9:00 p.m.

Teriyaki Sauce and Katsu Sauce

Wall Photo (Hawaiian themes adorn all walls)