Fave Hawaiian foods and drinks

As I get ready to leave for Hawaii next week, one of the things I'm most excited about is the great food and drinks that await me in Oahu and Kauai. Here is a list of my countdown of my top five favorite things to eat and drink while in the Aloha state:

5. Kalua pork (anywhere and everywhere)

Kalua pork is the king of the luau.  Slow roasted pork is pulled apart into tender bits of deliciousness.  Unlike pulled pork barbecue in the South, it isn't covered in sauce, but rather it is the taste of the pork itself that stands on its own.  You can get it everywhere from fast food restaurants to expensive luaus, just be sure to get it somewhere while you are in town. You won't regret it.

4. Pukadog with lilikoi mustard and pineapple relish

Pukadogs are found in both Oahu and Kauai, and worth the search.  They come in Polish sausage or Veggie dog styles, and then the real adventure begins. You choose from mild/spicy/hot or hot/hot special sauce, then you can add yellow, dijon or lilikoi (passion fruit) mustard, and top it off with the relish of your choice (mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana or starfruit).  My recommendation?  Go for the lilikoi mustard and pineapple relish.  It is a huge hot dog, way too big for me to eat by myself, but oh so tasty.  The toppings are placed in a unique bun (toasted on what Anthony Bourdain said looked like a torture device), and then the dog is dropped in. The only downside?  They serve only lemonade.  So go get your soda or water next door to wash it down.

3. Local Boy hamburger at Duane's Ono Burger in Anahola, Kauai

Duane's is well off the beaten path, but oh so worth the trek. This was the best hamburger I have ever had in my life. The meat is a perfect size, not so thin to vanish under the toppings, but not so thick as to be overwhelming. It was cooked perfectly medium well, and covered in toppings of cheddar cheese, sweet pineapple and tangy/salty teriyaki sauce. I opted to leave off the mayo, but it comes along with it for those who want a complete heart attack in a bun. I've had teriyaki burgers elsewhere (Carl's Jr., Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Islands to name a few) but none can compare to Duane's. None.

2. Yummy Korean BBQ takeout at Ala Moana Shopping Center

I am 1/4 Korean (my grandmother was Korean) so I absolutely love having the food that I grew up eating. Unfortunately, Korean barbecue is often extremely expensive at sit down restaurants or not very good at takeout places. The one exception to this rule is Yummy Korean BBQ at the Ala Moana shopping center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Every time I go to Oahu, I make sure I stop and get this at least once. It is reasonably priced, and the meat is always well done and well flavored, not bland or fatty like it often is at takeout places. Pair some kalbi with some cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, two scoops of white rice, and a large Diet Coke for a meal that is divine.

1. Frozen mai tai at Keoki's Paradise in Poipu, Kauai.

This is hands down, the best drink I have ever had. The first thing I do whenever I land in Lihue is grab the keys to my rental car and drive to Poipu Shopping Village to get a frozen mai tai at Keoki's. They are smooth, delicious and strong. My only regret is that I can only have one at a time since I'm always the driver on the rental car. It is indescribable bliss. And their carrot muffins aren't bad either.