Local vendors also serve up a delicious range of ono eats 

If you’re ono (hungry) for a snack or something more casual to eat, our PCC In-Center marketing team has together an amazing variety of possibilities, many of them with roots on the North Shore. You’re going to want to come back to try them all.

Enjoy sandwiches on fresh, crusty French bread (top), a Banana Peanut Butter Crepe (middle) or a scrumptious Acai Bowl (bottom) at the Hukilau Marketplace.

Where to start? It’s a good question, because the new Hukilau Marketplace offers an amazing line-up of eating options. For example, we’ve introduced the French Polynesian concept of roulottes or food trucks — three of them:

• The Baguette Shack offers ham, pork belly, turkey and caprese (a French veggie salad) sandwiches on — what else? casse-croûte — crusty French bread.

• Seven Brothers: The local part-Samoan Hannemann family brings their popular eats to the PCC with a focus on seafood. Try the coconut-macadamia or garlic-lovers Kahuku shrimp, or a fresh-fish catch-of-the-day plate. Seven Brothers — generous portions, very local style.

• Tita’s Grill: In Pidgin English, tita means “sister” — a woman with a lot of local personality, or in this case the Laie Hawaiian matriarch of the extensive Ah You family, who have already established a popular following at their Kahuku eatery and at numerous community functions. Tita’s at the PCC is the perfect place to find favorite local “grindz” (ono eats), including generous plate lunches, loco moco, several varieties of burgers, stir-fry, kalbi ribs, and more. If you’re not sure what some of those are, come check them out. And keeping with the French Polynesian motif, you should definitely stop by the

Délice Crêpes kiosk: The owner, who is from France, actually uses some of his grandma’s recipes in creating these savory treats. The S’More — with marshmallow, chocolate and Graham crackers — is to die for. The Tahitian comes with coconut, and the Butter Cup blends peanut butter, chocolate and banana; or create your own. All are especially délicieux.

Other new food spots at the Marketplace include Mahea Keo’s smoothie kiosk, named Kawika’s Koolers in honor of her late father, who used to drive tour buses to the PCC. Looking for sweets? Try Aunty Emily’s Polynesian Bakery for fresh-made pastries. It’s located inside Pounders; or try Tutu Sweets Confectionary, featuring Hawaiian King Candies and nut-treats made in the islands. Got the munchies? Our Snack Wagon offers local-style candies and other goodies, including macadamia nuts, mochi treats, Maui potato chips, and Hawaiian-style cookies, along with cold drinks. You will also now find Ono-Yo frozen yogurt at the Hukilau Marketplace, as well as Poi Boy Dogs — if you just want to grab a regular or Polish hot dog; plus fresh Grilled Corn, and even fresh fruit at Rabago’s Farm Stand: Try their fried banana fritters. There’s even more, which is why you need to graze your way through the Marketplace.

Story and pictures by Mike Foley

Mike Foley, who has worked off-and-on

at the Polynesian Cultural Center since

1968,  has been a full-time freelance

writer and digital media specialist since

2002, and had a long career in marketing

communications and PR before that. He

learned to speak fluent Samoan as a

Mormon missionary before moving to Laie

in 1967 — still does, and he has traveled

extensively over the years throughout

Polynesia and other Pacific islands. Foley

is mostly retired now, but continues to

contribute to various PCC and other media.