Poi Bowl



Poi Bowl was located at Ala Moana, and started October 7th 1968 by the Tengan Ohana with Wilbert Yeishin Tengan (1925-2016) and Ruth Nancy Haruko (1928-2013). The family would grow with Valerie, Stacy, Noreen, and Steven. The family owned both the Victoria Inn, Z's Coffee House, Miyako, Orange Julius, and Ala Moana Poi Bowl. 

The Poi Bowl was an early vendor at Makai Market at Ala Moana Center.

The Store was opened up with Tengan Family and Avis Hee.

The manager Tetsuo Tengan the nephew of Nancy would be the one running things and the people who were running the restaurant. The preparation would involve about 300 lau laus daily, freshly cutting the salmon, cutting the tomatoes, working with the fish with bones and all. 

Jimmy Borges also came in a lot.

The Fast-Food of the Locals in a sea full of franchises was the Poi Bowl at the shopping center as it was able to hold its own. Lots of the older places would vanish, but the one who kept it altogether was the ever innovative Poi Bowl that would be easier, quicker, convenient, and the mayonnaise was great for some reason. It had its competition with Bob's Fish Market by Ward. It was kind of like peoples gateway to Hawaiian food, because people didn’t really know anything about Poi and would ask why it was in a bowl. Well, it is because it is sticky and thick and easy to use as a dip and then when going for the authentic eating them straight and then the next level is using the fingers.

1971, 

There was a variety of plates, Butterfish Plate, Combination Plate. They had Laulau, Butterfish, Curry Stew, Squid Luau, Shoyu Hot Dogs, Teriyaki Chicken, Spaghetti, Kalua Pork, Haupia, Kulolo, Lomi Salad, Macaroni Salad, Huakai Egg Soup topped with green onion, Chow Mein, Kalua Pork with Mayonnaise Burger, 

Redd Foxx would come in for the tripe stew and Jimmy Borges who was Hawaii’s Jazz man would be coming there too all the time.

“You heard about that Ala Moana store I heard they sling poi there. Its a Hawaiian Specialty, but it tastes like paste! It's too far out for my liking! I saw people dipping their pizza in the poi and it just grossed me out. It was probably because a pizza place was right next door to them, yuck. I looked to my left there was bread being dipped in poi and then on my right another lady dipping her bread stick and threw up a shaka gang sign. I thought to myself i have to get out of this place... It's maddening…” -Lorene

As Poi began to get more expensive as well as the Ala Moana Rent the amount of water in the Poi would increase. The aura of the mall changed to be not targeted towards locals and tourists as well as those who have been there before, but only tourists. Many residents would stay away from Ala Moana for those reasons unless they were there to walk or wait for someone as it was still someplace to meet.

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