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The Weekly Eater
SOME people play golf as a hobby. Nelson Chun sells manapua. It took a long time for the business lawyer to come around to the family business, but once he got into it, he discovered a natural affinity. Making a mountain
of manapuaThe Chun Wah Kam of the 21st century, in Waimalu, is quite different from the Kalihi noodle factory started by Chun's dad in 1943. The sleek, ultra-modern look of the Waimalu Shopping Center restaurant could easily fool potential diners into thinking they're looking at the exterior of a surf shop or clothing boutique rather than a fast-food restaurant. Giant menu boards shaped as Chinese take-out boxes add a touch of whimsy and humor.
Although it would seem common sense, it wasn't until Nelson Chun took over the noodle factory in the late '80s that cooked foods became a part of Chun Wah Kam's business. Taking his cue from pizza shops, he put pans on the wall and had people order by pan size. Luckily, the move coincided with a new generation's inability to cook and the factory became part restaurant.
CHUN WAH KAM NOODLE FACTORY
Food Atmosphere Service 1/2
Value
Address: Waimalu Shopping Center, 98-040 Kamehameha Hwy.
It was also the beginning of an era of mass experimentation with combining local and international flavors. Chun decided to turn his attention to another local staple, manapua. Of course perfecting the manapua was harder than it appeared.
"People think I'm nuts because I'm so into manapua, but you have to give it a lot of attention to get what you want. You can't just stuff anything into a bao 'cause it dries out. It took us several years to perfect."
THE resulting bao is not the dainty bun associated with Hong Kong style dim sum houses. It's local through and through, which means the bun is big and fluffy. And diners will find contents of those buns go way beyond the pork filling that gave the manapua its name, believed to derive from the Hawaiian mea ono pua'a, translated as "good pork thing," or mauna pua'a, meaning "mountain of pork." (I find the picturesque quality of the latter to be most inspiring.)
The Kalua Pig manapua ($1.10 each) is especially tasty. Surprisingly, the Pizza manapua made with pork, pepperoni and cheese, and Garlic Spinach manapua are pretty good too, moist and true to the flavors of the ingredients. Too many times you get manapua elsewhere with fillings the texture of sawdust that don't taste like anything in the natural world.
Other buns are filled with the likes of Szechuan Eggplant, Roast Duck and Chun's favorite, Sweet Potato.
If you're alone and get a craving for Peking Duck, there's no need to round up enough people to order a whole duck. One of the treats here is a two-piece order of Roast Duck ($3) in a fluffy pancake, dressed with hoisin sauce and green onions.
There are plate lunch specialties ($3.60 to $7) also. Those trained to order three entrees at most Chinese fast-food counters should start thinking of sticking to one or two entrees because they pile on the food here. If you're too busy to cook, one plate will last days.
I find the lightest dishes best: Ginger Chicken, Garlic Eggplant and Mabo Tofu. The chefs experiment a lot, so one's never sure what will be offered.
For Chun, who has bigger plans, "Waimalu is an experiment to see if my ideas work. I say to myself one day I'll get it right."
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
