Loco Moco
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The Loco Moco is a dish unique to Hawaiian cuisine. There are many variations, but the essential loco moco consists of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy. Variations may include bacon, ham, Spam, kalua pork, Portuguese sausage, teriyaki beef, teriyaki chicken, mahi-mahi, shrimp, oysters, and other meats.
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[edit] History
James Kelly, a University of Hawaii-Hilo professor, writes that the loco moco dish was created in 1949 by the Inouye family, who owned the Lincoln Grill in Hilo, Hawaii in 1949. A group of boys from the Lincoln Wreckers sports club contributed to its creation. Because the boys did not have a lot of spending money, they asked Nancy Inouye to put some rice in a saimin bowl, one hamburger patty on the rice and brown gravy over the hamburger and rice. She charged twenty-five cents for this, and it was much cheaper than ordering a hamburger steak entree. One of the boys, George Okimoto, was nicknamed "Crazy" because of the wild way he played football. Crazy in Spanish is loco so the boys named the dish loco moco just on a whim. Moco had no special meaning except it rhymed with loco. At first it was not on the regular menu but, because of its popularity with the Wreckers, it became a fixture at Lincoln Grill. The egg was added later.
[edit] Popularity
The dish is widely popular in Hawaii and now you will see it on the menu at many of the restaurants in the mainland.
In keeping with the standards of Japanese Cuisine, rice is used as a staple starch, finished off with the hamburger, gravy, and fried eggs to create a dish that does not require the preparation time of bento.
Loco Moco can be found in various forms on most any Pacific Island from Hawaii to Samoa to Guam and Saipan.
Loco Moco is also the name of an Hawaii-based restaurant chain featuring Hawaiian rice bowl dishes.
[edit] References
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
- Gimla Shortridge, Barbara; Shortridge, James R. (1998), The Taste of American Place: A Reader on Regional and Ethnic Foods, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0847685071. (A reprint of Kelly's original paper)
- Kelly, James (1983), "Loco Moco: A Folk Dish in the Making", Social Process in Hawai'i 30: 59–64
Hilo Tribune Herald article written by Gene Tao. staff writer. September 23, 1981 edition.
[edit] External links
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