Spam Musubi

I first heard of this Hawaiian delicacy whilst watching the famed “No Reservations”. Considering this show to be a relatively accurate portrayal of restaurant and food know how, I was intrigued when Anthony Bourdain referred to this food as the one he would most like to eat when stoned, and decided that when I took my trek to the big island I too would eat this savory snack. Since it was touted as a relatively common snack I did not waste my time googling to find what place served the best “Spam sushi”. That is what Spam musubi is after all. Wrapped in seaweed and sandwiched between rice and thick slice of lightly fried spam, it would be hard to miss.

Koji's: Hilo, Hawaii

So on my trip to Hilo, I decided to stop a local, disheveled man who had just stepped out of his, what seemed to be duct tapped together car, and asked him where I might be able to find the best local food. He pointed half way down the block and with a wave of cigarette smoke directed me to Koji’s; a rundown lunch stop that also looked like it could use some duct tape. Yes, this would certainly have the coveted Japanese-gone-Hawaiian treat. And as my food profiling perceptions tend to be, I was right.

Sitting on the lunch counter, wrapped in plastic wrap there it was. I ordered one, which was about the size of my hand for under $3 and took to the street. It was salty, it was fatty, and it was GOOD.  There isn’t much else you can say about it. It isn’t vibrant; it doesn’t have layers of flavor, but rather just stops itself at damn good. Rest assured as scary as spam may be, you haven’t eaten Hawaiian food, REAL Hawaiian food, until you’ve had some!

Spam Musubi