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5 Places to Love Hawaiian-Style Restaurants THE BAY AREA is home to about 250,000 Pacific Islanders, the largest population outside of Hawaii. Hawaiian-style restaurants are now popping up throughout the South Bay. The heart of Hawaiian food is the "plate lunch," born from the days when plantation workers would share their noon meals. A plate lunch typically includes dishes like panko-crusted chicken katsu, lightly battered fried fish, grilled short ribs, teriyaki-glazed grilled chicken, shredded kalua pig or vinegar- and pepper-spiked pork adobo. The classic accompaniments are two scoops of rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. Here are five restaurants that bring the aloha spirit to the mainland. A Touch of Aloha Family Restaurant: 148 North Milpitas Blvd. (in the Milpitas Town Center), Milpitas. 408.946.9260. Da Kitchen: 1477 Plymouth St., Unit E, Mountain View. 650.960.6906. Hukilau: 642 Ramona St., Palo Alto, 650.329.9533; and 230 Jackson St., San Jose. 408.279.4888. J&J Hawaiian BBQ and Chinese Food: 1170 Alma St., Menlo Park. 650.323.6137. Mahalo Hawaii Barbecue: 4750 Almaden Expwy., Unit F, San Jose. 408.269.8793. Send a letter to the editor about this story to letters@metronews.com. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]