Having lived in the islands where eating out can be pricey, I’ve learned to find good food for bargain prices. Delicious deals can be found. When I lived on Oahu I came to love the fresh shrimp trucks in Haleiwa, parked off Kamehameha Highway. Here from noon to sunset you can still get a scrumptious meal of fresh shrimp served in a garlic butter sauce or a sweet hot spicy version with two scoops of rice. There are many trucks to choose from and each has a menu that varies slightly. Some trucks offer pork spare ribs, smoked chicken or steak with the accompanying two scoops of rice. These roadside meals are a must have treat on the island of Oahu. The cost for a dozen shrimp with two scoops of rice is $12; a deal when you consider general island restaurant prices.
While visiting Singapore I was lucky to learn of the Hawker’s Markets. These are outdoor night markets that specialize in all styles of Asian food cooked on a grill right before your eyes. These markets are found all over the city and are highly regulated and squeaky clean! If you’ve ever been to Singapore you know the country is clean. This is one place where you never have to worry about eating street food. Our meal at the Adams Road Hawker’s Market was delightful and plentiful. Half the fun was just walking around and viewing the many stalls and menus before settling on a scrumptious choice!
You can imagine that I was over the moon when I learned of the Les Roulottes portable meal wagons on the waterfront in Tahiti. Here you can find charbroiled steaks, chicken and poisson cru, a local specialty dish made of fish marinated in lime juice and coconut with other ingredients. This dish sounds a great deal like the Keliguan we used to adore on Guam. Some waterfront trucks specialize in crepes, pizza, couscous or waffles. Another option in Tahiti is the Place Toata which started out as Les Roulottes but now has a home on the waterfront. Place Toata still offers the same menu options and prices as the portable meal wagons and it’s open for lunch. No matter where your island destination, check out the local food trucks for a delicious treat to remember.
Flickr Photo: Dave&Nicole’s Photos