Eat at Obama's favorite Hawaii restaurants

President Barack Obama, with daughter Sasha Obama, 8, center, and other family friends, enjoy shave ice at Island Snow in Kailua, Hawaii Friday, Jan. 1, 2010. The Obamas are in Hawaii for the holidays.

HONOLULU — President Barack Obama doesn't need a restaurant guide when he visits Hawaii.

When the island icon comes home to visit family and vacation, he knows exactly where and what to eat. His favorites range from Hawaii's top fine-dining establishments to walk-up windows where $10 could buy a carb-rich feast.

Michelle Obama once said, "You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii."

And there's no way to truly experience Hawaii without tasting the local "grinds."

During his past two visits to Honolulu, where he was born and raised, Obama provided a glimpse of what pleases his presidential palate. While he has undoubtedly become a fan of Chicago fare, he didn't experience deep-dish pizzas or Italian beef sandwiches growing up.

The closest young Obama got to snow was slurping a Hawaiian shave ice.

"I'm going to get a plate lunch," Obama proclaimed, moments after arriving in Honolulu on his August vacation.

The name "plate lunch" doesn't quite do it justice. It should be called: Heaping pile of rice and meat crammed into a plastic foam container that could feed a small family, costs about $6, will require a couple of Rolaids and induce a two-hour nap.

And if there's nothing on the plate that's deep fried, soaked in mayonnaise, smothered in gravy or doubles your bad cholesterol level, it's not a true plate lunch.

That could account for why the health-conscious president we see now was pleasantly plump during his childhood when he was known as "Barry."

Plate lunches have been a part of Hawaii for decades. They are believed to have originated in the 19th century plantation era, when sugarcane workers brought rice, pickled vegetables and other leftovers from dinner and took a lunch break together in the shade. Decades later, "lunch wagons" started delivering plate lunches to laborers, much like they do today.

Plate lunches reflect the state's multicultural population, with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and American influences.

There are literally hundreds of combinations of plate lunches to choose from, and some places now offer gourmet selections and more healthy choices with brown rice and tossed salads, instead of the traditional white rice and macaroni salad.

Plate lunches are widely available from white lunch wagons parked around downtown and at many restaurants. The best spots don't show up in tour books, but the locals prefer it that way, because the lines are already too long.

Besides plate lunches, island cuisine often focuses on fresh fish and vegetables grown locally with seasonings borrowed from across the Pacific Rim.

At one point during his last visit, Obama offered journalists a shave ice. Hawaii's shave ice is a monster version of the snow cone, featuring fine-shaved powder with no icy chunks and a long list of tropical flavors.

"Guys, here's your chance," Obama said. "No? I'm telling you, this is really good."

[AP Photo]