Smokin Dirt: He's gone Loco!!!

For Loco Moco!!!

A bit of history then on to the smoke!

Back around 1986 a great little restaurant opened in Depoe Bay Oregon, Oceans Apart. Frank Napoleon brought Hawaiian cooking to the Central Oregon coast.

It was here that I found one of the best comfort foods ever conceived, Loco Moco. Simply put, egg, gravy, hamburger, rice. Super simple but so complex in flavor goodness! I was also introduced to Linguica sausage, Mahi Mahi, and Hawaiian sweet bread (super good with Frank's secret family recipe chowder on top). His teriyaki, another guarded family secret, is still the best I've tasted! Frank has opened a new place 13 miles north in Lincoln City, Oceans Apart, and I highly recommend stopping there if you're in the area.

Back to the smoke... We just returned from Kauai. One of the only things I wanted to do while there was have loco moco! Proved to be more difficult than one would think. We stayed up in Haena which is way up north and disconnected from everything (just the way we like it!!). In Hanalei there was a mix plate place that had Loco Moco, but the day we went they weren't open. Island time, places are not always open when they say they are!! I finally got some Loco Moco around day 3 or 4 (once again island time, I can't remember the exact day!!). While going through smoking with drawls, it hit me Loco Moco fatty!!!

So there it is Classic Loco Moco. I had this twice from the same place. This day they had rice, and they had Fire water! The second time I had it they didn't have rice so they substituted potatoes, and they were out of fire water!

There are many variations from the traditional Loco Moco. Linguica, bacon, teriyaki, spam all can be part of the mix.

So tonight we have a combo Loco Moco fatty featuring linguica, beef, and bacon, and potatoes!