Hawaii-Cajun Style, is part of Hawaii-Haole Cuisine that was brought to Hawaii originally from food trucks, small farmers market pop-ups, and louisiana transplants. It had appeared during Hawaii’s “Southern Food Trend” where restaurants really wanted to introduce the islands to more authentic crab boils and then it took a turn into something more local as time went on and the trend died down. It originally was really authentic and then slowly incorporated: Hawaii cooking techniques (French, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Hawaiian) of its derivative cuisine Cajun.
Over the years after families settled in these new arrivals wanted to live in Hawaii through natural means of learning and adapting to the Hawaii way of life by trying to see the respect and family values that were found in the Hawaii and comparing them to similar southern values. Some introduced flavors had to come with them to the region in the early stages of: Crawfish, Fried Catfish, Deep Fried Chicken Wings, Seasoned Corn, Seafood Boils, and Cajun Seasoning. Ingredients in Hawaii-Cajun cuisine are similar to Cajun cuisine, but some not used at all in Louisiana are added for a regional ingredient touch. Hawaii-Cajun cuisine is characterized by its heavy use of rich sauces, crustaceans, shellfish, chicken, cole slaws, potatoes, corn, steamed rice, stir fried vegetables, fried baskets, and Portuguese sausage is used to make even more dishes. During the Southern Food Trend in the Hawaii food scene there would be cuisine called “Cajun Cuisine” seafood restaurants that had some authentic dishes and many more modified dishes, so when people from Lousiana and the Military bases had eaten the food something seemed off to them. From Honolulu area of town there wasn’t too much difference with people trying to make authentic Cajun Cuisine and Southern Cuisine that was influenced from the competition of places that opened and closed with a similar restaurant theme. The popularity of Hawaii-Chinese food in areas on the Leeward Oahu had incorporated stir fries, pork, fried food, and rice. Other dishes that would be added would include Sandwiches, Chowders, and Fried Dumplings. The term “Hawaii Cajun” was said to be used by Louisiana transplants who ate at Cajun Restaurants during the Southern Food Trend in 2012 at the Raging Crab, Karai Krab, Kickin Kajun, and JJ’s Crab City. Honolulu Magazine states in 2015, Crackin’ Kitchen “The restaurant is touted as “Hawaiian Cajun,in what was once Matteo’s and more recently Blue Hawai‘i”. The label would be used to describe recipes in the menu like: Chowder Fries, Taro Rolls, Messy Chicken (sauced), and Onion Salad. Jason and Yani Higuchi (Kickin Kajun), were successful in introducing many people and bring New Orleans style Cajun cooking into the limelight and bring it to the attention to families in Hawaii. They changed up some local butter sauces that were well known and made them with a Cajun-style: Butter sauce (plain), Hawaii-Cajun Garlic Butter (garlic), Louisiana Butter Sauce (cajun spices), White sauce (scampi), Black sauce (black bean sauce). Takeshi Omae (Crackin’ Kitchen), is a michelin star chef who helped pioneer the Hawaii Cajun cuisine through his sauces and several of his dishes. It was dishes that had used many Hawaii ingredients. Another place that would start to develop the food for the local crowd was “Cajun King” in 2013, Waimalu Shopping Center, Aiea, that had many orders of: Rice with Butter Sauce, Fried Rice, String Beans, and Fried Bread Pudding.
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