In 1992 Alan Wong cofounded what is known as Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Wong is a James Beard Award winner and I’ve always wanted to visit one of his restaurants. A friend clued me in to the fact that The Pineapple Room in Ala Moana Shopping Center is an affordable lunch option and a good way to taste Wong’s food without spending a lot of money, so after I shook off the paparazzi, I decided to get lunch there.
The entrance to The Pineapple room is kind of strange because the restaurant it located on the 3rd floor of Macy’s. So you’re browsing yellow tank tops and then a foot over you’re sitting down and eating lunch.

Once you’re inside, The Pineapple Room looks like any other restaurant.
I looked at the menu and was interested in the kalua pig BLT. Then I noticed that there is something called the Express Lunch where you could get your choice of soup, a half Caesar salad, the kalua pig BLT, chocolate macadamia nut brownies with vanilla ice cream, and your choice of coffee or tea for only a few bucks more (something like $22 vs. $14.50). I thought this would be a good way to sample more from the menu. I noticed that there were some desserts on the menu that seemed more local and included things like lilikoi and haupia so I asked the waiter if I could sub out the dessert in the Express Lunch. He said usually it’s not done, but he let me pick another anyway.

First up, everyone gets a bread basket with a side of chili pepper aoli.

For my soup I picked the chilled Hamakua Springs tomato soup with avocado salsa and chilled shrimp. The avocado and shrimp were on the bottom of the bowl hanging out like a tasty surprise when you dipped your spoon in.

The kalua pig BLT came on an onion bun with a half Caesar salad.

I ate this sandwich with my eyes and my camera before I ate it with my mouth. A little too much so that my camera battery died as I was taking this last one. But it was so worth it. Look at that pork on pork.

Luckily I had my cell phone’s camera. The photo quality on my phone is pretty horrible, but I still shot this alright photo of my lilikoi cheesecake with lilikoi and guava sauces.

Everything was super delicious, but I was so stuffed! I wandered around Ala Moana for the rest of the day with my stomach protruding over my waistband, not wanting to try any clothes on. Also, a stomach full of pork on a sweltering day is not exactly a good feeling, but it was so worth it!



































