What’s New in Fresno, California
Fresno CA is a wonderfully city. With its continuously growing economy and rich agricultural sector, it isn’t a surprise that many people are eager to relocate here. Now, here are a few interesting facts as told by the Fresno Bee:
Fresno has two new Hawaiian barbecue spots: A big chain with freebies and a tiny local one.
The heavy hitter is Ono Hawaiian BBQ which just opened its 81st restaurant. It’s in Park Crossing in north Fresno, in the same shopping center as the new Trader Joe’s near Fresno Street. A day of freebies and Hawaiian dancers is planned for Friday.
The little independently owned one is Honolulu BBQ. It opened quietly — no dancers — about two months ago at Bullard and West avenues. It’s between The Berrock Shop and the post office.
Ono is pronounced “OH no” and means delicious.
If you’re wondering what exactly Hawaiian barbecue food is, the cuisine at all these places is similar. The star of the show is the plate lunch.
Generally, that’s a protein, two scoops of steamed white rice, one scoop of macaroni salad and steamed vegetables.
Popular protein options at Ono include the chicken cooked in a Hawaiian barbecue sauce, or the katsu chicken, which is coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.
Don’t be surprised to find a multicultural influence on the menus. That’s because as workers from all over the world came to Hawaii, they brought their cuisines with them, like Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino. Hawaiian barbecue menu feature rice bowls, chow mein, Korean-style short ribs and of course, lots of seafood.
And there’s also Spam.
Spam has also been a Hawaiian thing since the affordable canned meat was fed to soldiers during the World War II era.
Typically, it’s on the menu in the form of Spam musubi. That’s an appetizer made with a grilled slice of Spam served on a block of rice and wrapped in seaweed. Both Ono and Honolulu BBQ restaurants carry it.
Of course, these are not the only Hawaiian barbecue restaurants in town. For years, Fresno has been home to Oahu Hawaiian BBQ, Maui Hawaiian BBQ and L&L Hawaiian Barbecue.
As for newly opened Honolulu at Bullard and West avenues, the most popular dish there is the hibachi combo. It features shrimp, chicken and beef grilled teppanyaki style and served with the restaurant’s hibachi sauce for $10.99
The restaurant also sells milk teas and smoothies, including flavors like taro, coffee and coconut.
The restaurant is tiny and simple — just a few tables — which may be why Honolulu appears to do bustling business through online delivery sites like Door Dash and Uber Eats.
Read more from my blog: https://medium.com/@lovingfresno/fun-facts-you-never-knew-about-fresno-county-6a809fefb37d
