Honolulu: Rainbows

This is it . . . the best Hawaiian fast food on the island. What looks like an old hamburger stand is actually the home to the best plate lunch in Honolulu [I know, everyone has their favorites]. The place has walk up windows with a few outdoor tables, that's it. Its a local place that you'll have to ask directions to find, and is packed at the lunch hour with all sorts of people: from giant Samoan men working construction, to suit-types, to school teachers. It looks dirty, but the food is great. My best advice, go a little later and arrive hungry!

What is plate lunch? Its a ton of nasty-good food on a plate, covered with gravy, that makes you want to roll over and sleep on the beach when you're finished. Start with a take-out box . . . add 2 scoops of white rice, one scoop of macaroni salad [2 if you're lucky], some kind of meat [katsu chicken is my favorite, although spam is very popular] then cover the whole thing with brown gravy. Sprinkle on the chili sauce and you're ready to go. Add a cherry slushy float with chocolate ice cream and you can be in bad-food heaven. Give it a shot, really.

For the tourist looking for local color and flavor, a plate lunch joint is the place to visit. And for my money Rainbows is the best . . . just find it and see. Aloha!

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