Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range - A foodie Festival

For food enthusiasts living or visiting Hawaii island, this last Friday’s Taste of the Hawaiian range at the Hilton Waikoloa Village was an amazing tasting event to experience.



(The audience awaits anxiously for the conch shell to announce the start of this tasting event)



With over 35 of Hawaii’s best restaurants participating, the entire event was a feast for the eyes and of course the tummy. Each restaurant was given a different portion of locally grown grass-fed beef and they delivered amazing tasty pupus (appetizers) to wow the audience.



(Town restaurant presents its Hawaiian version of shepherds pie with mutton)





The Taste of the Hawaiian Range is an event that focuses on promoting and educating audiences to support local production and visit markets, restaurants and providers of locally grown produce and sustainable grass-fed beef.










A few audience members were skittish about trying beef mountain oysters that were presented by the Honolulu Burger Company, but those that were brave enough to take a bite were pleasantly surprised by the onolicious and varied textures from this pupu (appetizer)



(Mountain oysters from Honolulu Burger company)





There were many produce providers and growers in attendance including local CSA’s that service the West Hawaii county markets. The variety of food grown in Hawaii is outstanding and quite amazing when purchased fresh from the market to prepare a meal.







The Mauna Kea Beach Resort Hotel presents their cut of beef, oxtail soup and just-poured broth that smelled and tasted amazing – its all about the broth in this soup!







(A detail shot of the oxtail soup below, what a taste!)






Even edible fuschia flowers were presented on this delicious manapua made with bottom round, a sweet guava sauce and baby bok choy kimchee from the Blue Dragon restaurant.







A fun and simple presentation of fruit and sweet desserts by a local purveyor who offered banana pops with shredded coconut and chocolate and sweet potato ball with macadamia nuts - a perfect dessert.









Lots of vendors were participating at this locally grown event including coffee and tea growers, candies, fruit and vegetable farmers, honey and even a saddle maker Ka Hana No’eau showing their hand made saddles below.




This popular event seems to be getting bigger every year and support for locally grown produce, providers, markets and restaurants is clearly becoming a norm on Hawaii island. When there are so many amazing restaurants supporting island growers, it’s a nice way of keeping the local economy thriving – one tasty bite at a time.