KOLOA — Have you ever seen a cheeseburger smile? “When we have helpers, I always teach them how to make the cheeseburger smile when you wrap,” said Jolene Grace, one of three Grace Girls who work at The Kaua‘i Food
KOLOA — Have you ever seen a cheeseburger smile?
“When we have helpers, I always teach them how to make the cheeseburger smile when you wrap,” said Jolene Grace, one of three Grace Girls who work at The Kaua‘i Food Truck, located near the sugar mill monument in Koloa across from Sueoka’s Store.
“Joe Grace is our father,” said Jolene. “He’s the one we learned how to cook from.”
With the girls entrenched in their own reputation for good food, Joe Grace continues his own legacy of good food with his own lunch wagon in the PS&D Napa Auto Parts parking lot in Lihu‘e and KJ’s kitchen on Lala Road across Kaua‘i High School.
Coral Castillo (she was a Grace before getting married), Jolene and Mel “Miss Aloha” Grace operate the truck with Keoni Palama from 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday; Jolene said Mondays are “crazy busy” because Sueoka’s Snack Shop is closed.
“This used to be Kanaloa’s Lunch Wagon and it was painted blue,” Jolene said. “Now, we painted it white and the menu is simple — we use Kaua‘i beef, Kekaha shrimp, all-local fresh produce, fresh fish daily, pork from Kaneshiro Farms and we just started serving Kaua‘i Coffee. It’s all local. Simple.”
Coming from the legacy of Dally Up in Kalaheo, the Grace girls bring the heritage of the good food people have come to expect.
“One of our best-sellers is the ‘Bruddah Burger,’” Jolene said. “It’s a double cheeseburger, and the surfers really like it.”
But that is not the only thing on the menu, as Jolene said they started doing the Sereno Sausage burger since the Brun family started making Sereno Sausage again.
“We used to pack it while drinking beer,” said MaryAnn Manintin, a longtime preparer of good local-style food. “I don’t know how many we used to blow up, but it was fun. They’re making ‘em again?”
The local flavor that comes with the vernacular and dialect goes into the lineup of food preparation anchored by Coral on the grill and Jolene on the prep line, adding the undescribable local flavor.
“I’m the one at the window,” said Mel.
“I like to yao-yao with the customers. You know, Miss Aloha?”
Breakfast is the Chili Peppah Shrimp Omelet and Sereno Sausage, said Jolene. Then, there’s the Garlic Shrimp, the Fresh Fish Tacos, and the Teri Butterfish salads in addition to the different burgers.
“I don’t know,” Jolene said. “We just got a call from yelp.com because some people have been sending stuff to them, I guess.”
And if all of that doesn’t satisfy taste buds, they also offer shave ice — just in time for summer.
• Dennis Fujimoto can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
