Most people who travel the east-side of the island of Oahu have stopped by the Kahuku Superette for a quick snack, drink, or that missing dinner item. Why many people stop here is simply for the POKE. Just off Kamehameha Highway directly across the street from Kahuku High School, is this local supermarket with the best Ahi Shoyu Poke.
In the back of this mini-supermarket you will find a small deli cooler of pre-made local favorites like Ahi limu and shoyu poke, and some other tasty morsels like cucumber kim chee, marinated kalbi, and tako poke. When you get to the cooler you can pick what you want and hand it to the “poke lady” and she will measure and pack your amount of food.
If you haven’t been to Kahuku Superette yet, when you do go you have to order the Ahi shoyu poke over rice, it’s the best. The poke is a reasonable $9.99 per pound. What I do is ask for a serving of rice and tell the “poke lady” to fill the rest of with shoyu poke. The portion is great for one hungry person or two people looking to snack. This portion comes out to about $6 and it is such a great deal!
I swear that years ago a little ole Korean lady who worked at the Superette told me that their shoyu poke marinade is a secret Korean recipe and it is fermented in buckets for months like aging wine and that is the secret to its richness and perfection. I may have dreamt that story and Steven thinks I’m smoking crack when I tell that story, but if you look on the wall in the deli area you will see a photo of buckets in rows. I think its the shoyu poke marinade!
Once you’ve tried Kahuku Superette’s shoyu poke it’s really hard not to crave it. The shoyu marinade is so tasty it makes your mouth water and complements the ahi so well. The Superette also uses great cuts of fresh ahi, so every bite is heaven.
This past winter I made a quick stop there and there was a line about 8 hungry surfers at the poke cooler. Those who know this place love it. If you’re in the neighborhood it’s definitely worth the stop in.
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