Walking into a Okazuya looks like walking into the past with the interior usually looking like someone's home. Maybe the most professional thing maybe the stacks of plates, the stacks of cups, or maybe the display case in the front that is filled with foods. The window may have pans of food or large family sized serving bowls that are similar in design as really old saimin bowls.
An elderly man might be talking to his wife and asking her to make more cone sushi. Meanwhile the daughters of the elderly man are running around with newly made plates of yummy goodies of garlic chicken and futomaki sushi. When peeking into the back kitchen there is the son in law yelling at his niece to pick up more rice for the restaurant with a noren separating the rooms (a Japanese Noren is fabric with designs on it that divides rooms). All with a bit of Japanese American mixed plate retention as a local institution. Each of the separate elements really bring the feeling of someone's home. It almost feels like someone else's family had invited you to their home to get a person meal, which is the heart of the okazuya experience. The loyalty of many long time customers, the decor of home furnishings with family trinkets, and welcome atmosphere and employees being of the family. Even non blood related kin are treated as family and seem to effortlessly blend into the rest of family in their interactions. The customers become so connected to the workers and the owners that sometimes it's like seeing an old friend or going over to their house. The food might even sometimes be overlooked for the feeling of the place and the people through the social connection. The feeling of growing up with the place and the hardships of those conditions become nostalgic. The rush that the place maybe temporary and closed someday is interesting, the foods are unique to the family in which it is shared, the recipes are secret and therefore enticing as something unknown and unanswered with a sense of mystery. The more modernly run okazuya that have been said to lose to home like vibe are defined by its customers as well. In this case it would be what class or what ethnicity and what times they eat as well. They also tend to be more streamlined in their dishes with more predictability of what is to be served. Instead of wondering what is the families flavor and therefore what is it that the family eats and which is ultimately what is served at the okazuya. Families that have been running the okazuya’s for years feel like they are giving back to their customers by supporting them with food. The customers give back in the feeling of loyalty in even the most rough times that the family itself feels supported. It is that feeling that keeps the mom and pop places open for generations where they build a connection with their clientele. Even with the long hours and hardship it seems worth while at the beginning sunrise to the end of the day with the sunset. As food prices, real estate prices, and employment wages have gone up it makes for a large challenge. Finding an affordable way to run the business will take creative ideas and those tried and true with hiring outside the family to keep the business going. And meeting competition expectations is the only way to have staying power through the modern day times. Things will never return to those days where customer loyalty was common.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Hawaii BlogThe Hawaii is run by the Imagine Hawaii's team of writers.
Article ListState of Hawaii
Flag of Hawaii Hawaiian Nene Goose Hawaii Days New Years Day Martin Luther King Jr Day Presidents Day Kuhio Kalanianaole Day Memorial Day Kamehameha Day Independence Day Statehood Day Labor Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Mele Kalikimaka Day Hawaii Cuisine Hawaii Food Pioneers Hawaii Cuisine Story Innovations of Hawaii Food Soup Wars in Hawaii Hawaii Establishments Hawaii Convenience Stores Hawaii Super Markets Hawaii Cooking Styles Style of Kauai Style of Oahu Style of Maui Style of Hilo Style of Kona Style of Lanai Hawaii Food Guides Guide to Hawaii Juices Guide to Hawaii Coffees Guide to Hawaii Sodas Guide to Drive Inn Burgers Guide to Saimins Guide to Hekka Hot Pots Guide to Grilled Sticks Guide to Malasadas Guide to Hawaii Pancakes Guide to Ensemadas Guide to Hawaii Fried Rices Guide to Loco Mocos Guide to Hawaii Gravies Guide to Hawaii Stews Guide to Guide to Pokes Guide to Lomis Hawaii Umeke Bowls Saimin Bowls Hawaii Sushi Bowls Hawaii Granola Bowls Hawaii Poke Salad Poke Bowls Oahu Regional Poke Maui Regional Poke Hilo Regional Poke Kona Regional Poke Hawaii Sauces Lets Talk Mayonnaise Hawaii Loco Moco Lets Talk Loco Moco Loco Moco Bowls Pohoe Red Gravy Kalima White Gravy Hawaii Saimin Lets Talk Saimin Saimin Secrets at Home Prawn Saimin Hawaii Saimin Chef Hawaii Rice Lets Talk Fried Rice Hawaii Filleter Hawaii Pokemasters Hawaii Chop Suey Manapua Deliverers Hawaii Okazuya Going to Hawaii Okazuya Hawaii Regional Okazuya People of Hawaii Okazuya The Okazuya Experience Nostalgia of Okazuya Challenges of Okazuya Hawaii Musubimasters Hawaii Barbecue Starting Hawaii Barbecue Hawaii Regional Barbecue Hawaii Barbecue Experience Hawaii Grillmasters Hawaii Imu Pitmasters Hawaii Imu Oven Hawaii Psychology Hawaii Figures James Cook Kamehameha Kuhio Kalanianaole Hawaii Psychology Hawaii Citizenship Hawaii Social Life Collection Obsession Rain Sun and Rainbows Island House Humidity The Spirits of Aloha Ohana Hawaiian Island Fever Hawaii Martial Arts Lua Martial Arts CategoriesMatt MaedaCook, artist, and writer |